There’s a famous scene from the cult classic movie “Scarface” where
inebriated gangster, Tony Montana (Al Pacino) disses a bunch of classy
conservative folks by telling them that they need people like him so
they can point their fingers and say “that’s the bad guy.”
Such is the strange relationship between the Right Wing and rap music.
Such is the strange relationship between the Right Wing and rap music.
So, it should come as no real surprise that Rush Limbaugh defended
his new homie, Shorty Lo on his radio show. Limbaugh thinks that the
people who caused Oxygen TV to squash plans for Shorty’s “All My Babies
Mama’s” reality show are a bunch of haters.
While at first glance they may appear to be at polar opposites of the
political spectrum, the ideologies of gangsta-ism and conservatism are
actually dependent upon each other for survival. Just like in the world
of Hollywood, every hero needs a villain and every villain needs a hero.
Since the inception of gangsta rap in the late 80′s, the
conservatives have used the music to embody everything that is socially
and morally reprehensible in this country and the gangsta’s have been
quick to label anyone who disapproves of their violent and misogynistic
lyrics as a wrinkled right wing ole fogy.
It must be noted that when the term “Hip Hop” is used here it is not
meant to include the music of legendary political artists such as Public
Enemy whose legacy is seen today in the lyrics of noncommercial groups
such as Dead Prez but the majority of the commercial rap that has
dominated the charts and radio playlists for well over a decade.
While much of the criticism from the Right has centered around
naughty words and suggestive lyrics, the apolitical and anti
intellectual nature of “gangsta rap” has, in many ways, fulfilled the
wishes of those who seek to conserve power by the dumbing down of the
powerless. This may be the reason why the commercial era of “political”
Hip Hop lasted a mere four years but the reign of gangsta rap has been
going strong for 20 years.
Therefore, it is no surprise that the late gangsta rap pioneer Eric
“Eazy E” Wright had lunch with President George H Bush at a reception
for the Republican Senatorial Inner Circle in 1991. That becomes even
more strange in the context that the Right is not exactly known for
breaking bread with the enemy as former VP candidate Sara Palin pointed
out ad nauseum.
It must be noted that while the protest against rappers Tupac Shakur
and Snoop Dog led by C. Delores Tucker and William Bennett only helped
to elevate their status as cult heroes who were merely fighting,
according to them, represent their community. Bennett went on a decade
later to issue what could be a considered a call for gangsta eugenics
when he said that if you abort every black baby in this country ,the
crime rate would go down.
Also, during the mid 90′s while aid to the poor was under attack, MTV
showed a clip with the late rapper Russel “Ol Dirty Bastard” Jones
arriving at a welfare office via stretch limo to pick up food stamps
during an era when the Right Wing was holding up images of black women
as “welfare queens.”
Fast forward to 2013 and we see that Hip Hop has not changed much and
neither has the Republican Party. Despite the many rappers who
moonlight as voter registration organizers during political season,
their day jobs are still keeping the masses of ”ghetto” youth
politically misdirected and justifying the Right’s political scare
tactics.
So, today what to do about the so called “Hip Hop Generation” is seen
as the new “white man’s burden.” In states across the country there are
laws being imposed where the wearing of Hip Hop inspired clothing may
be probable cause for the implementation of legislation reminiscent of
Richard Nixon’s tough on crime policies of the early 70′s.
With the economy saggin’ like rapper ‘Lil Wayne’s pants, the
Conservatives need poverty poster children who they can say enjoy being
broke. Who can argue for more social programs when the image of “tha
hood” being broadcast across the planet is not an area filled with
hungry children and dilapidated buildings but a fantasy land where black
men with gold teeth ride around in expensive cars with spinning rims
blasting loud music all day. Not exactly the best argument for
affirmative action.
Now, I’m not suggesting that a rap mogul is in a studio somewhere
composing rap lyrics with a Republican strategist but stranger things
have happened in the wild world of politics.
However, at a time when the whole world seems to be yelling for change, maybe Hip Hop artists won’t turn a deaf ear.
Maybe, this year, to quote Tony Montana, we can finally say “goodnight to the bad guy.”
TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s website is No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista.Cource all hip hop.com
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