Kerry: 'I'm Fascinated by Rap and Hip-Hop'

NewsMax.com ^ | March 30, 2004 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

Likely Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry claimed Tuesday night that he's a big fan of rap and hip-hop music.

The straight-laced Beacon Hill blue-blood who married into the $700 million Heinz ketchup fortune told MTV, "I'm fascinated by rap and by hip-hop. I think that there's a lot of poetry in it. There's a lot of anger - a lot of social energy in it."

Kerry said America's leaders disregard rap music at their peril, telling MTV, "I think you better listen to it pretty carefully because it's important."

Asked about some of the more outrageous lyrics in today's rap songs, Kerry replied, "Do I think some lyrics in some songs have stepped over what I consider to be a reasonable line? Yeah, I do."

He then explained, "I think when you start, you know, talking about killing cops or something like that, it bothers me."

Still, Kerry defended the gangsta rap genre, telling MTV, "I'm still listening because I know that it's a reflection of the street and it's a reflection of life. And I understand all that."

[Republican Wildcat]

Somehow I doubt he's talking about groups like DC Talk and Mary Mary.

[commish]

Maybe FlipMaster can get Big Teddy K and Huggy Bubba to join him as a new Rap Group... They could call themselves :

RUN DNC

[Starve The Beast]

RUN DNC

Hey, you're good at this!

[dasboot]

This reminds me of the SNL skit with Phil Hartman as Sinatra telling Chris Rock as some rapper, "Hey, kidd...yoo got talent!"

[Rapper] "Hey, mannnn...I ain't got no talent, mannnn."

[Sinatra]"No, yoo got talent; but yoo don't havta go 'blue'.

[Rapper]" Mannn...I'se tellin' ya: I..AIN'T...GOT...NO...TALENT; an' what's all this s**t about 'blue'? Git yo honky white A** outta my face, anyway, mannnn."

[Sybeck1]

quick someone with photoshop, give this guy some dreads! You know he is the second first brother right!

[Welsh Rabbit]

Wow! He's so hip! He's into rap, the Grateful Dead, snowboarding, and he looked so cool on that motorcycle.... Not! Too bad there wasn't a follow up question, I'd be curious to know what specific kind of hip hop he's into and who his favorite artists are. I'm sure his staffers are preparing the answer as we speak though.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1107944/posts

[E Rocc]

What the folks are doing on the other side of the tracks, is always fascinating to you, isn't it, John? It is a veritable modern antropological study, isn't it John? It probably deserves government funding to make sure it is all preserved, isn't it John?

Just like the Kennedys he's fascinated with poverty because he never had any as a child.

-Eric

[SandRat]

Next thing you know we'll hear him saying that he's "Down with the Cause!"

[Trajan88]

From the sounds of it, Keery has been sipin' a little too much of Nelly's new energy draaank... Pimpjuice.

Trajan88

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

He can't convince me he is serious about this until he appears in mega-baggy low-risers that show his butt-crack.

[Sybeck1]

Is he like Sybil? multiple personalities!

[BigSkyFreeper]

I keep having visions of Navin Johnson from the movie, "The Jerk"....."I was born a poor black child."

I was having the same visions, especially the last scene when Navin is dancing on the front porch to homegrown music.

[section9]

What a flaming ass clown.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Torie]

Well, one thing Frank might appreciate about rap, is that in some of it, the words are comprehensible, and effective timing and phrasing are everything. Sinatra didn't like songs where you couldn't understand the words, and he will forever more, be the acknowledged master of phrasing, when it comes to song. He had the gift.

[bray]

Yaaaaawn Tax & Kerry is about as hip as Bob Dole without the sense of humor!!

Pray for W and The Truth

[BigSkyFreeper]

Hah...Big Teddy K aka Notorious T.E.D.

[Hostile]

I love how he tries to play both sides of the rap issue. I guess he was for it then against it. Next thing you know he'll be telling us about all the rappers that tell him "you gotta beat this guy."

[BlessedByLiberty]

John Kerry, street Yo!

[blackbart.223]

"I just thought of a new word game. Thinking up 'rapper' names for John Kerry. How about "TaxMaster K"?"

I'll take a stab at this. "Busta lies."

[Torie]

Yep, the novel is always fascinating, to those of the leisure class. And it is easy to ideolize it, if you don't have to really have to life with it, or near it, or be affected by it. Heck, that's why we have elite private schools for these folks.