(vanity) ODB Death, the sadness of some of the comments

[ConYoungBlack]

I know this a message board and that I am new, but being a black man I have some problems with the tone of some of the comments earlier posted.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1279414/posts

While his music is a subjective matter of tatse, I don't think it warrants a "good riddance" shout upon the announcement of his death.

I am (as many know) probably the only conservative in my family and neighborhood. I am usually on the side of these things where I am the one that comes across callous and insensitive (yuk, I hate that liberal word).

In this case however, I can identify that is someones father, brother, son. I know that he chose his own road, butfrom accounts and reports, this man was mentally ill, and rich and famous. A deadly combo in my humble opinion. Especially in a business like the music business and around the pimps and hustlers he was surrounded with. It sounds like many used this mans unstable mind for a free ticket of their own to the point of not protecting him from himself and the leaches.

I find his death to be a sad tale, and just as sad as any tale of the death of Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, or Donny Hathaway. Not because think he was as talented as them. to the contrary. Because I think he was as human as them.

Not all rappers, or young blacks in rap media are deserving of death. This man, played the role of a clown. He fought his mental illness with drugs and attention. No one stepped up for him. In this case I feel sorry for him, and I hold this as another in the long line of indictments of the loss of family and community in the black culture and neighborhoods.

I was shocked by some of the more spiteful coments. Any and every death deserves either full inspection and comment with thought, or no comment at all.

Sorry to rant.

CYB

[dasboot]

Guess it was England, not Denmark. "Inhalation of Vomit"

Spinal Tap lost at least 2 drummers that way.

[dennisw]

Not surprised. I thought Jimi died in the USA. But England was where he made his big splash, discovered and managed by Chas Chandler of the Animals (bass player). He probably loved it there and the Brits dug him being an exotic and cool Black guy. In addition to his musicianship and showmanship.

[bikepacker67]

I'm fascinated by rap and by hip-hop. I think there's a lot of poetry in it. There's a lot of anger, a lot of social energy in it. And I think you'd better listen to it pretty carefully, 'cause it's important.

~ JF'nK.

[Pyro7480]

You've got to admit, "Machine Gun" was pretty awesome.

[dasboot]

I've had, and discarded, every album JH ever made...except "Rainbow Bridge": Paly-Gap; Dolly Dagger; Roomfull of Mirrors, etc. I think some of those tunes were incomplete at the time of his death; and I think there are only two guitar tracks on Paly. That's what really rocks my boat, and shows me that he was really a special player.

The engineers, producers and promo-oids didn't have, or take, the opportunity to gussy things up with 10 more guitar tracks, reverb, echo, fuzz, and other junk. Just real solid playing, great time, and pitch discipline.

I can't listen to the Purple Haze era stuff and enjoy it much; his acoustic double album was forgettable. And his live stuff drives me nuts...I wanna just get in there and tune up his freakin' guitar. And Mitch's early drumming was IMHO, garage-band sloppy, distracting, and annoyingly unsteady, rhythmically.

I understand that Jimi said that the Rainbow Bridge project was his best playing and singing ever. I agree.

I have friends who think I'm a dufuss cuz I don't like early Jimi. Sorry.

[squidward]

"Or is it still open game on ODB simply because he was a rapper?"

ODB also had charges of robbery and assault besides his drug charges. Maybe you are so quick to forgive him (and not eminem who I also despise) is because of their skin tone?