Can rap lyrics be compared to the comments made by Imus? I need more feedback from a political perspective?

Question

I believe that both of these "words" are wrong but which do you think are most offensive to African Americans and why.


Tupac’s lyrics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYIC-1oAKqI&mode=related&search=
Imus’ comments http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF9BjB7Bzr0

Answer 1

First off you can say rap lyrics, you have to say some rap lyrics, b/c all rap is not foul.....

Second the biggest consumer of rap music is white suburban kids who buy the music.

Third, you can't compare imus and rap b/c Imus is 66 years old and Rap is regulated by the FCC just like imus and ceartin things can't come over the radio but you can go buy it.....IF IMUS WANTS TO GO ON PAY RADIO THEN HE CAN AND PEOPLE CAN PAY TO HEAR HIM, BUT YOU CAN'T SAY THOSE THINGS WHEN YOU HAVE SPONSORS THAT REPRESENT ALL PEOPLE.

Personally I only listen to ceartin rappers and not the majority of it b/c it brainwashing to the youth of all races and guess who allows it, the people who buy it and the companies pimping the rappers telling them to put out the mess. My friend was rapper with clean songs and positive statements like old rap and he was told his music was to clean and not dirty enough to get air play. SO YOU TELL ME AND THAT WAS A NON AFRICAN AMERICAN WHO TOLD HIM THAT AT THE MUSIC COMPANY.

Again you can't blame just rap. Rap music did not start the word ho. You have to blame American culture, movies, music of all kinds, tv etc.

MOST IMPORTANTLY THIS GUY IS A COKE HEAD WHO ADMITS USING COCAINE ON AIR AND NOTHING HAPPENS TO HIM SO WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT HIM, HIS LISTNERS AND THE COMPANIES.

ENOUGH SAID.

Answer 2

Well yes and no. THe words, and the context in rap lyrics can be just as offensive as Don Imus, however, the format of their release is different so they are looked upon differently. Imus was considered a serious, although satyrical talk show host, and as such interviewed people of import and moment. Rap performers are considered entertainers and as such, do not supposedly have the impact that a seriouss radio talk show has. My problem with the whole situation is that it should be acceptable, not legally, but morally and ethically, for anyone to utter these phrases. calling someone a racial epithet should be sanctioned by blacks no matter what color mouth it comes out of.

Answer 3

yes, the words/phrase may be deemed offensive no matter who says them. what's pathetic is the way african-american demean themselves. rappers offer the excuse that the lyrics just reflect what they hear, see, or experience ---bullsh@t! All music and other 'creative expressions' may be considered as such also.

though i believe the words of imus was inappropriate, his firing seems to be motivated chiefly by politics, fear, and yes, hate rather than justice. where's the indignation from the CIVIL RIGHTS leaders in the light of the unsubstantiated accusations against the Dukes' Players? if the situation was reverse i.e. black players and white accuser i believe al and jesse would be calling for someone's justice. al, jesse your silence is deafening!!! you do a disservice to civil rights advancement w/ your selective indignation at injustices!!!

what's happening to freedom of speech? who decides what's appropriate? can other guarantees in the first amendment be severly constrained based on the arbituary/biased opinions of a few? hey, i always stand by the fact that i may not agree w/ what you say but i'll defend ur right to say it.

remember when calling a woman a '*****' was such a unforgivable insult, even t.v. used to 'bleep' it out. however, when newt gingrich called the first lady hilary rodham-clinton a '*****' (and that was SO disrespectful and WRONG) it seems to de-sensitized the negative impact of the word --- in fact, it's almost become a compliment to be a *****, like being called a strong, independent woman.

Calling a any woman a "ho" or "nappy-head" is something that's insulting and people shouldn't be desensitized to the negative impact of the words. yet, at some point everyone must exercise restraint and not become as a lynch mob selectively destroying people's lives who behave inappropriately.

final thought...al sharpeton and jesse jackson doesn't speak for all african-americans. the media outlets need to stop going to them only as though they are spokespersons for the race. whether it's accepted or not the fact is there's diversity of ideas and opinions within the race as well.

Answer 4

Rap lyrics and the comment made by Imus are similar in the sense that neither is that big of a deal but both can be demonized and sensationalized by a parasitic media when there's nothing else to talk about.

Answer 5

Who cares what is most offensive to African-americans specifically? A lot of people who are taking offense at Imus' stupid and hateful words are very tolerant when it comes to making hateful comments about Non-African-Americans. That sister Lottafat or whatever, is one. She has no business hollering about Imus after she made those statements about not enough white people being killed in the south central LA riots. Farrakhan or Sharpton? What a joke. Both of these manipulators made their fortunes by bashing the supposed "oppressor" races (IE white folks. asian folks, jewish folks, and more) at every opportunity. They are many more times racist than Imus. Dont get me wrong, I am not here to defend Imus at all. I dont listen to his show, dont go in for the Schlock Jock thing at all, but hypocracy just ticks me off. Time for all these racist gooobers on every side of the fences to shut up and grow a brain!

Answer 6

You're on the right track, but I don't think you see it clearly yet.

Rap has become the image of "black culture". I know its a phony image, because it overlooks black scientists and their discoveries, black politicians and leaders like MLK, jr., and black heroes of every war, and the list goes on and on.

Despite the truth being otherwise, the effect of rap music is to claim on behalf of black Americans "This is who we are".

Don Imus was influenced by this, whether he realizes it or not. I doubt seriously that the phrase "nappy headed ho" would have been in his vocabulary but for rap music and its influence on American culture. We're all like that. All you have to do to know this is listen to some of the bizarre things toddlers say. You KNOW where they get it. It's the same thing with adults, famous or otherwise, they repeat what they hear, it's just a little harder to track the source.

Well, the source is obvious in this case. Rap music is huge, and its influence has permeated society.

Anyone offended by Imus' remarks needs to take a good long look at themselves. What role have you played, what opportunities have you missed to challenge rap music as personifying black culture? Have you protested it representing black culture as being about guns and cop killing, crack and abusive treatment of women, paranoia and lack of education, reveling in poor literary skills and diction, and ostentatious consumption? Has it not made people who otherwise probably couldn't hold a job wealthy telling the world how hopeless and miserable life really is?

Is that the image of black culture you want?

If not, why not protest the people that create that image, rather than the first white person who sees it, hears it, and repeats it?

Answer 7

Yes they can! It is No Different, especially when you place your own in jeopardy and make targets out of all women or people of color! It is nothing more than a MINSTREL SHOW of filth and reprobate, abject, language! Rock and Hip Hop has made not just minorities look cheap it has made everybody look and sound cheap. That is Not what Free Speech is about. Their are more intelligent ways to translate your experiences without being a low life, supporting a violent lifestyle, pornography while destroying your own community or neighborhood!

CBS/MSNBC and the Record Companies are responsible for unleashing this type of sordid entertainment if you will for over 30 years. They are making millions and billions of dollars off of the violence people are suffering, while making only a few of the so called untalented artists rich. The Record Companies should be sued for being accessory to crime! The Crimes you ask? low self esteem, rape, pedophilia, pimping, pornography, prostitution, murder, should I go on? They have gained too much at the expense of others, especially women and young impressionable girls!

Answer 8

Bottom line is that they are both racial in nature. The blacks just get away with it because they are now protected as a race, and can do and say as they wish. If questioned or approached that only have to play the race card and they get a pass. On the other hand if a white person makes a similar comment they are not protected, and they are persecuted at will. Its a simple double standard and until the bull poo racists hate speach laws are repealed, nothing will change, and non-blacks will not be able to exercise their free speech rights where as blacks will continue to be protected no matter what they say or do.

Answer 9

OK let me put this very clear... a lot of people keep talking about how Black rappers and comedians say hoe and stuff
but we have to remember this..IMUS WAS REFERRING TO INNOCENT REAL LIFE PEOPLE. rappers use the word hoe almost every other lyric but very very rare will u hear them talk about someone who is real ... you would never hear a snoop dog song called "Rutger Basketball Hoes" ... if Bryant Gumbal called the other team Trailer Park Trash Hooper's he would have been jobless today. i do not like the horrible way rappers talk but i am just stating the fact that they don't call out innocent peoples name and if and when they do (like when kanye talked about bush and when tupac talk about bob dole) they are punished for it. It shouldn't be a race thing it should be about the defenceless real women who were verbally attacked for no reason.

Answer 10

What Imus said was ignorant, but meant to be a mockery of how black rappers speak.
What black rappers & some of the community say is ignorant and creating a negative influence on the behavior of many youths.
Which is worse