How Ferguson, Missouri called the bluff on thug rappers
By: Dr. Samori Swygert
Where are these rappers?
I was doing as President Barack Obama told me to do, and I was “reflecting” on the situation in Missouri. I started thinking about the countless numbers of rappers that inundate the airwaves, and fill our playlists and entertainment shelves with their CDs.
I started getting angry because I think of all the “wolf-tickets” they sell our youth in their verses. Consistently there is a consistent segment of the rap community that chooses to demonstrate their bravado and machismo by brandishing a plethora of guns on Youtube, World Star Hip Hop, and Music Videos.
This segment of rappers will spend each line of a 48-bar rap song talking about how “gangsta” they are, how they will kill anybody, how they’re a thug, how they’ll leave slugs in you, how they’ll empty a whole banana clip in you. They feel the need to constantly remind us that they have a “gang, click, posse, crew, squad, goons, clan, set, mafia, unit, hood, and army”. Rappers will scream “Fu*k the Police!”, they’ll make all these songs about what they would do to the “PIGS”. They always “REP DA’HOOD!”
Well dammit as T.I. said, “Bring em out”!
It’s convenient, trendy, and a sales strategy to intimidate and invoke fear into competition, but guess what, the Ferguson Police Department has just pulled your card. Where is the tough guy talk now? I’m not talking about posting a “TWEET”. Where are these tons of guns, and battalion of goons that will “body a n*gga”, ……..that looks just like you and going through the same socioeconomic struggle like you?
See it’s easy to talk “greasy” about guys on the block in an interview or in a studio, but what happens when you face a police precinct with military grade weaponry, state of the art body armor, tear gas, tanks, helicopters, night vision, gas masks, riot shields, tactical assault rifles, physically train for combat with paramilitary techniques, and have the permission from local chiefs.
No, you rappers don’t want it. These rappers “ain’t built like that”. Your young black loyal fans and their family are out protesting for their lives and yall won’t dare “STRAP UP AND RIDE ON” the police department. So to me your hood pass has been officially revoked! I’m thinking we would see clicks and gangs crossing state boarders on some N.W.A. influenced effort.
Don’t talk like gorilla killers to impressionable young youth and neighborhood citizens, and you won’t even step up to defend them, participate in their demonstration, and support them in their struggle. However, you’ll make a song about how you’ll kill young black youth. However, these same youth have paid $12.00 for your album download. Maybe your corporate DON has told you guys to not get involved, but for now keep your hypocritical vocals and bars off the airwaves.
To the young black youth that read this, ask yourself “where are these gangster thugs”? Don’t imitate these guys, because Ferguson, Missouri has just exposed how real these rappers are, or if they even care about the customers that look just like them (you). As Jay-Z would say, “we don’t believe you, you need more people”.
hit me on Twitter: @docswagg06
HERE IS A POEM I CREATED IN 2007 I DEDICATE IT TO THESE FAKE RAPPERS AND BET (BLACKS. ENTERTAINING.THEMSELVES):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1E3gRjgv0I
There is a sprinkling of profanity but it’s strictly for the purpose of demonstrating what these rappers sound like. Please enjoy.
I also remember when rap sounded like this, and rappers addressed black on black crime:
This was a very good article