Alicia Keys blames the Government for Gangsta rap
April 14, 2008
In what has to be her most controversial statement yet, Alicia Keys told Blender Magazine that gangsta rap and the east coast/west coast beef of the 90’s were created by the government (“the man” )
‘Gangsta rap’ was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. ‘Gangsta rap’ didn’t exist,” said Keys, 27, in the magazine’s May issue, on newsstands tomorrow.
I’m intrigued by that perspective. I definitely think that recording labels encourage foolishness from their artists in order to drum up publicity. Something that may start as a choreographed “west side story” number could easily escalate when you’ve got rappers that are actually from the hood, former dope boys or gang members. Add in a healthy dose of testosterone and the fact that Black men are obsessed with proving their manhood (no offense boo’s I have a whole theory on that), and you got the makings of rap music war. I can see how Alicia thinks this way, but I’m not so sure about the government involvement , or this next phrase.
The singer also says that the rivalry between slain artists Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. was fueled “by the government and the media, to stop another great black leader from existing.”
Which next black leader? Do you mean Pac and Biggie were leaders or do you think the government made an “example” out of them to shut down any future leaders? I don’t know if I follow your logic. Nor do I think that they were really “Great black leaders”. Great rappers? Great musical leaders? Sure. But Black Leaders? No ma’am. I see no MLK or Malcolm X up in here. If the Government kills anyone it’ll be Kanye, they’ve been gunning for him since he said “Bush doesn’t care about black people.”
Shannon the Tampa Diva
mrkeyz
My opinion is that first of all Ms Keys is just a regular girl from the hood (even if not literally) who is simply reflecting what a lot of people black and white think about the government which are not all unfounded. The media, because Ms Keys is a major R&B artist is assuming that she is something less than human, less than black (with the black experience) and that simply because of money she things as white America does which is often the assumption placed on successful blacks. I believe that what Ms Keys what trying to express is that the elements of gangsta rap such as guns, poverty, lack of opportunity, lack of social support, drugs and alcohol channeled into the black neighborhoods, poor educational systems, social racism, media pitting minorities against one another and many more elements which created Gangsta Rap where, in many ways instituted and supported by the government to pit throw blacks into chaos and create internal strife in our homes and communities. Now does this sound ridiculous? The comment although not well articulated is very much true. History shows us many examples of the government taking an active part in the enslavement, discrimination and discouragement of African Americans. Even now government and media play active parts in making sure that African Americans and other ethnic groups of color remain as second class citizens and on the begging end of the American dream. We are all making the mistake of assuming that because gangsta rap is successful it is no less destructive for vulnerable teens and others in the black community and has not perpetuated violence and black on black crime. Her comments are correct.
As far a Biggie and Pac being leaders well i can’t really agree wiht that. They were great artists and i loved their music. However they to me were more of perpetuators, victims and products of Americas social-economic amd racial ills. Victims of a corrupt system that diverted them from other less destructive avenues for success. They were leaders in the way that they helped to show inner city youth that there other possiblilities in that these negatives could be turned into positives but in all i see them more as unsuspecting perpetuators.
But Gangsta rap, gangs, etc are simply a reflection of the ugly side of American racism and social and governmental neglect and abuse. When i was a child before rap hit the airways, there was a saying that if you ignore whats going on in the ghetto that it would eventially come to your neighbor hood. This was a warning to white american that all of its neglect and abuse would come back to haunt them. Dont blame Ms Keys for speaking, blame American for not speaking. Blame America for sweepitn it under the rug.
James,
While I am no fan of the government in general, saying that gangsta rap is a government conspiracy is setting yourself up to look the fool.
Crack, that was much more of a conspiracy.