Geoffrey Canada
Posted on 04/24/2007 7:36:31 PM PDT by beaversmom
Critics of vulgar, violent, gangster-style rap music make a mistake when they write off rap stars as stupid, immoral and self-destructive. They may be immoral and self-destructive, but they're not stupid. As one of my readers observed in a thoughtful e-mail, they're making a rational economic choice. The reader wrote: "I had to stop and ask this question to myself: 'Would I call my mother a 'ho' or my sister a 'bitch' if I could make a couple of million dollars and get out of poverty and live a pretty good life?"
In a line of work that dangles riches in front of impressionable kids, some rappers will sell out more than their mamas. They'll even cover up for killers.
Advertisement "Stop Snitchin'" has metastasized into a popular hip-hop slogan. Unlike when earlier generations of poor ethnic communities that zipped up their lips around police, the "Stop Snitchin'" message is displayed on T-shirts, rap videos and Internet sites, boosted further by the entertainment industry's money and marketing machines.
In a CBS' 60 Minutes report on this community cancer, the rap star Cameron "Cam'ron" Giles says cooperation with police would violate his "code of ethics." Besides, he says, "with the type of business I'm in, it would definitely hurt my business."
That explains the refusal by Mr. Giles or his entourage to cooperate with police even when law enforcement officials are looking for the man who shot the rap star in both arms while he was sitting in his Lamborghini at a Washington intersection in October 2005.
60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper asked Mr. Giles if he'd inform police of "a serial killer living next door." No way, said the rapper, "but I'd probably move." Gee, thanks.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
Geoffrey Canada was just on speaking with Anderson Cooper. Very smart guy. I hope other voices will join with him.
Geoffrey Canada
So, ok. You’re a local homey, and you’re walking down the street minding your own business. Suddenly, you come across some officers beating the snot out of a local homey, OneWipe Crow. Do you snitch?
Opinion Piece is by Clarence Page—would you mind adding him as author? Thanks.
Where is it published?..
The opinion piece? Link is at the top—Baltimore Sun.
I know.
But if I snitch I will never see my chance of ho’s and bitches in the afterlife. You must understand its the way of the screet. You no what I be sayin?
Is it 72 hos and bitches?
Word!!
What does it profit a homey to gain the riches of this world but lose his eternal soul?
They either don’t believe there will be an accounting or they don’t think it will apply to them.
Is there an effective counter-slogan to ‘stop snitchin’ in the ‘hiphop community’? ‘Uphold the law’ and ‘protect your community; report crime’ don’t seem to have enough of a ring to them.
This code of ethics, if you can call it that, is self-punishing. Homey be trapped in squalor and chaos fo' the rest of he life.
-ccm
Much too much ebonicatin’ be happenen on dis thread...the nannies will be here in full panty knottedness.
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