It's obvious. Bush (and associates) don't really care... Spend billions of dollars on overseas warfare, but go shoot up the hoods of New Orleans, LA, like the Third World country it's become.
When I saw that t-shirt link on the right, I wanted to look a little bit further into Kanye's expression of what we've (i.e. the people I converse with on the regular) been saying for life. Just insert the name of the current president.
I'm glad somebody popular in both Hip-Hop and the mainstream media put that out there. It's good to see that Hip-Hop ain't all about bling-blinging and twenty-inch rimming right now and that a current superstar is willing to challenge society like the Hip-Hop of wayback. (Related: Juve and H3 Enterprises are teaming up to use their entreprenuerial muscle to directly help some of the lost souls in New Orleans.)
In other Kanye West news: He's suing DJ E-Smoove for trying to make cheese off some pre-18-year-old Kanye tracks. Here is an interview about Late Registration.
Under The Radar:
Diddy drops the P. Minus P drops his newest project, the mixtape "The Best in the Heights Vol 1-The King of the Heights".
Hip-Hop + Theatre + In-Line Skating = This...
It's cool that people like Kanye and Little Brother are brining something different to the current state of the Hip-Hop genre.
Ghetto Philosophy 101: Hip-Hop's Official Bird, the Pidgeon.
Love, Peace and Bee's Wax...
I know I'm up entirely too late, or early, or is it late? Anyway, I just got a chance to see Kanye make that Bush statement, and MAN was it funny! The fact that he was nervous because he know what he was about to do make me grin. (I get like that sometimes, too.) But the faces Meyers and Tucker made were priceless. Kanye suckerpunched everybody with that one... Classic material, classic!
Posted by: Joey Pinkney | 2005.09.04 at 03:00 AM
Yes! I love Kanye for what he's doing to Hip Hop and American Society. He's turning these people on their heads, not just with music, but with stuff like this. If any other rapper had done this everyone would have been all "oh that irreverent black man." But Kanye just got the cover of Time magazine. I'll bet those old white men are up there scratching their heads like "What the... I thought he was housebroken." He was there on screen representing the people, he actually looked sad about the hurricane, unlike Meyers who was just doing a condolences thing off the teleprompter.
Also, the pidgeon clip is classic.
Posted by: Ross | 2005.09.04 at 04:35 PM
what? kanye for president? lol
he's not perfect but is not afraid to speak his mind. i salute him. bumping the "diamonds" tune as i type. heartfelt.
yes hashim, i'm with u on this one.
Posted by: obifromsouthlondon | 2005.09.04 at 05:02 PM
Kanye has just said what millions of African-Americans were already saying on the low. He looked nervous but there he was at least brave enough to say it publicly
Posted by: Rizoh | 2005.09.04 at 05:31 PM
Kanye has just said what millions of African-Americans were already saying on the low. He looked nervous but he was brave enough to say it publicly. That counts for something.
Posted by: Rizoh | 2005.09.04 at 05:32 PM
Actually it was the Louisiana gov't that ordered the hit on ppl looting and G. Bush ordered them to stop... Kanye was actually wrong. He could have incited a riot with that comment especially since it was false... however it was true about when he said that when they referred to white ppl they said that they were trying to find food and when they referred to black ppl they said lotting for food... it was on Yahoo news and all of a sudden it was changed and Yahoo issued an apology. He could have done more damage with that comment. Good thing nothing too serious has happen because of that comment.
Posted by: GenoBaby | 2005.09.04 at 05:55 PM
Well, regardless if it's Bush or his associates, we all know they do not have black people's best interests at heart.
I have read many books on disenfranchisement and gentrification and the like. They sound good, but...it's nothing like living in areas where those seemingly lofty concepts eloquently illustrate a harsh reality.
When Kanye West said Bush doesn't care about Black people, the people who live it know it first hand. History books and opinions are one thing, but the reality is ruthless.
If Kanye said something like, "F*ck Bush, let's do what we got to do!", then I could agree on the riot thing. But I think his statement has a right to be nestled right beside those like, "Oh, it's so unfortunate what's going on..." and "Those people should not be looting."
Posted by: Joey Pinkney | 2005.09.04 at 09:29 PM
Yo, whether or not you agree with Kanye, we need to support him and start a dialogue. Maybe just maybe... we can get a "head of steam" and put our advancement back on track! I don't fully agree with his statement...but that's my man! I'm ready to back Kanye...
one
Posted by: Donnell | 2005.09.05 at 03:44 PM
I thought what Kanye said was true before the hurricane, like how he constantly refused to attend that one black conference (forget the name). yeah, west rules
Posted by: Alex | 2005.09.05 at 10:49 PM
First let me start by saying that I love Kanye West's music. Now let me say how frustrating it is, to watch people like Kanye show how uneducated they are about american politics and make blatently ignorant statements. I am just as dissappointed in Bush as the rest of the world for the delay in rescuing hurricane victims, but let me point out some things.
1. Yes the news showed huge amounts of black people on the highways, superdome, and convention center in New Orleans. But sick and poor white people were there also. For this to be a racist issue, all of the white people would've been rescued from New Orleans first. But instead the white people in the suberbs are still on roof tops in Miss, and LA with no food or water for over 1 week and very little coverage is dedicated to them, except for the occasional tearful reminder from someone. New Orleans got the most attention because of the criminal activity that was also hampering rescue attempts. This has left untold people (including whites) to die when they did not need to.
2. As for bush sending the troops to kill black people (looters), this again is ignorance at it's finest. The soldiers are only allowed to use lethal force if their lives are in danger and I am sure our troops are not threatened by black people carrying food, water, meds, clothes, etc. They are there to prevent the rapes, and murders of innocent people who have already been victimized enough.
3. It is all Bush's fault. Yes, the president is responsible for his PART in this mess, but there are many more that could be held more accountable. Governor of LA - She is in charge of the state (anybody recall history lessons teaching us about states being able to make their own laws, plans, etc., without Federal involvement). I agree since the Governor really dropped the ball, the Feds should have took over, but ultimately it is the governor in charge of the state, and the states National Guard troops (and no they were not all in Iraq). Next would be the Mayor, a black man, and the one who should know the demographics of the city he was elected to lead. This being said this Mayor did not have a plan for the poor or disadvantaged for his city, does he too hate black people (oh wait he is black).
It is too easy to say it is a black and white thing, or all George Bush's fault, but the fact is every american is too blame. We have continually allowed our politicians of all races to forget about the poorest members of society. These are the indiviuals that do the day to day jobs that allow the politicians and big business to make the big profits.
When you live in a capitalist society can you be suprised that money rules.
Finally, the media gets viewers by broadcasting controversy. They have no interest in factual information most of the time, and often serve a political agenda. The media would be the ones who referred to the black people as looters and the whites carrying items. The American public for the most part is intelligent enough to know that taking items necessary to survive is not looting no matter what race, except apparently Kanye. People need to educate themselves in this country and stop spouting what they hear as gospel.
Posted by: Jen | 2005.09.06 at 04:18 PM
I think one thing that is so poignant about Kanye's statement is that it's the sentiment of a group of black people-past, present, and most likely future...
When your government has a history of wrongdoing against you and yours, exact facts become less important than the point you are trying to make with them. At one point, Hip-Hop had a mainstream segment dedicated to not only bringing up social ills and issues but also simply having the forum and personal power to express them.
To me, that got lost in that back of somebody's Jeep sitting on 20s with the TV in the steering wheel. Chuck D shouldn't be the only one that's famous in Hip-Hop that's taking an anti-establishment. Will it cause a riot? Probably not because most people watch and not act.
Yes, it can be problematic to base your foundation on shaky facts, but the national media made the Katrina inflicted NOLA play out like a COPS episode. Not many would step up and challenge the media portrayal of this situation. Most were setting up benefit concerts, not chastising the government.
If Kanye wouldn't have made his statement, the most memorable thing coming from this incident would probably be Bush hugging up the crying mother and daughter. That scene would have over-shadowed the shotgun-weilding cop intimidating the "looter".
When you talk about "American's intelligence", it makes me laugh. People are people. People are EASILY influenced by what they see on TV. They say what they hear. Looting equals stealing. Black people taking stuff from stores equals stealing regardless if its bread or beer.
His statement is rooted in a history that's corrupt from the jump. You might need specific facts. I just want somebody to say something...
Posted by: Joey Pinkney | 2005.09.07 at 12:33 AM
I think Kanye West made the right statement about Bush and I stand firmly behind him. Kanye only said out loud what all of us (black people) have been saying or thinking anyway, THANK YOU, KANYE. I don't know why so many people are coming down on Kanye we are ALL allowed FREEDOM OF SPEECH, so he can say anything he wants. Kanye West is HIP-HOP'S CONCIOUS, its about time somebody told us about ourselves! God Bless
Posted by: Aviance Hill | 2005.09.17 at 06:21 PM
Yeah. I just wanted to comment on the Kanye West comment he made about Bush. I think that Kanye was right about what he said. Bush and the govt. did not do what they could have done in the time that they could have done it. Fema's response was so slow and delayed. Black people watched in horror as our own people were referred to as refugees. The definition of a refugee is a perosn that is from another place. These were tax paying U.S. Citizens like everybody else. What makes them a refugee. Please let me know. I think Kanye West said what nobody else had the guts to say and I commend him for that.
Posted by: Sky | 2005.09.27 at 09:10 PM
I believe that Kanye West comment about President Bush was true,but it shocked everyone that he said what they where thinking on national t.v. I give him his props because a lot of people would of thought it and never stood up and said anything, so maybe Kanye's comment will make Bush think a little about how bias he has been.
Posted by: southerngyrl | 2005.10.04 at 07:21 PM