David Banner Testifies to Congress on Hip-Hop

LMAO, Ray you're obviously an uninformed, delusional(to use your word) member of the out-of-touch older generation. So I cant blame you nor can I condemn you for your horribly uneducated statements but your ARE entitled to your opinion. One man's trash is another's treasure my brother. No one has to buy it. You protest by not purchasing it. As T.I. put it so eloquently last night. Its up to us (parents) to teach our kids in the way they should go. Teach them whats "good" music and whats "bad" music. Im no Lil Boosie fan, maybe not for entirely the ame reasons but he's no Kamikaze by any stretch. However, he's him and has his ow reasons for the lyrics he produces. I have much more of an issue with the new prevalent trend in hip-hop that promotes gratuitous drug-use(pills). THAT is going to develop into our bigget issue in the music and its a much more important one to me than the verbiage some use. Now THAT Im not down with. the drug situation is getting worse with these kids and Im all for erasing THAT imagery from the music first.

Ray, Boosie was contracted, as I have been before, to perform the radio or edited versions of his songs. It is customary in the biz for promoters to put clauses and provisions in contracts that bind the artist to do clean edits of his/her songs when in front of certain crowds. To put it bluntly, you cuss, you dont get the balance of your money. I, boosie, and plenty of rappers have had to do this. So that we get paid we comply. Consequently at those points where Boosie had bad language their was an edit and he held the mic away just to be sure. Simply put, he's not responsible for the actions of that crowd. period. to say otherwise is reckless! Of course, he probably figured they would complete the phrase for him but hey, what are you gonna do censor 20,000 people? Same thing happened to me at Millsaps. i didnt say the f word because having performed on college campuses, I knew not to. the CROWD filled in the blanks. Not my fault but in that case I LOVED IT LOL!!

Alright. I'm out. In parting, let me say, my brother-in-laws and I play our neices and nephews basketball games when we all get together for events. All of them are great players in their minds, especially the girls who are playing basketball on college scholarships right now. We call ourselves "Old Like Fine Wine" and we call them "Young and Dumb." The old has won every game thus far.

I'll jump back in if I hear or see somthing to comment on.

Kudos to Banner again...the internet is abuzz and if Al Sharpton had any canteloupes he would have allowed Banner to participate in the town hall meeting on BET which I think was one of the FIRST decent steps in dialogue. Not many can say they have testified in front of congress. MISSISSIPPI!!!!!

I saw parts of the BET Town Hall meeting last night. Unless Banner had something better than what I heard from Smelly Nelly and T. (tainted) I. (intellect), Sharpton had nothing to fear or worry about at all. Unless he fears those being loud, shallow and obnoxious. I only missed about 15 minutes and didn't see Sharpton at all. Most of the audience from what I could see were young college-aged rap lovers. It doesn't take much to impress them. otherwise rappers would be out of business.

Couch was on the money in his comments, whether the rappers or supporters agreed or not. So too were Farai and the other sisters who talked about the damage and futility of most of rap. Dyson was on the money as well although he often compliments rap while denouncing the lyrics and content simultaneously.

Banner totally evaded the issue of misogyny. I find it cowardly. Yes the issue is a community issue, but he totally ignored the disrespect of women. Crime, violence and profanity do not equal bitches.

And Boosie never should have been contracted for that event. The person who hired him for a school related event should have known better. So should the parents who dropped their kids off, and then called to complain the next day. I didn't go because I knew Boosie would perform. Seems those parents should know more about what their kids are listening to.

You know what, it time to move on from the rappers and on to white suburbia to get some help with this rap and hip-hop plague the country is suffering from. "Where your treasure is, is where your heart will be." Rappers treasure is the almighy dollar, and white suburbia, young white males in particular, are supplying the dollars to drive this disease that could be part of the antidope for so many other problems or diseases, but defaults often to nothing but further waste and disease. Once white suburbia tell these feces-mouthed and modern day uncle toms that it's alright to love black folks and to say good things about them, these modern day uncle toms will soon follow suit.

I'm composing a letter to white suburbia, Mr. Charlie and boss man to rappers/hip-hoppers, and the good and powerful folks in government and corporate America, imploring and begging them to help us save our youths. I've moved on past rappers/hip-hoppers, most of which, are the equivalent of a junkie who will sell their body, heart, mind and soul for a $10.00 rock or bag of weed.

Ray, can you repeat that after another cup of coffee?

Iron, I hate alcohol, drugs, cigarettes and coffee, too. I'm a blessed man who don't need anything to alter my reality. I'm happy and blessed, and I thank God daily for the health and state of mind I enjoy.

I could use some help with this english language thing though. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made that grammatical error.

We black folks have expended all our energies trying to get knuckle-headed rappers to see the light. They plurally ignore us because we're not Mr. Charlie, the only boss they will listen to. We don't have the money or connections to get the "crap nation" to listen to us; therefore, we'r forced to seek help elsewhere. Rappers hate our leader, dead and living, and tell us, more or less, or in so many words, "you ain't got the complexion for the connection."

Please help us. We need help real bad. My dollars, mentoring, teaching, et al, can't compare to the almighty dollar that white suburbia is supplying.