NOT SO SUPER.............

Like many other Americans, I watched the recent Half Time Show. I have never been a fan of Rap or Hip Hop Music. It has always made me feel uncomfortable, like driving by a Strip Club, just dirty some how.

About 10 years ago I began to think that this "music" was in fact detrimental to Black Americans. When I tried to discuss my opinion, people said, "you're just old" Or, "you are a racist." Maybe both are true, I don't know.

So following the game, I posted comments on social media about how degrading this music is to the ongoing effort of Black Americans. Again the tidal wave of "old Racist" comments flooded in. But this time I did a bit of research. I found an article by John H. McWhorter. He is a linguist, professor and writer for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, National Review, Chronicle of Higher Education, Time, Daily Beast, Politico, The New Yorker, and New York magazine. He teaches at Columbia. And, it is important to say....HE IS BLACK.

McWhorter wrote in 2003 this article, How Hip Hop holds Blacks Back. How Hip-Hop Holds Blacks Back | Reinforcing Stereotypes of Blacks (city-journal.org). In it, he explains many of the same things I have said for years. Here are two quotes:

"But we’re sorely lacking in imagination if in 2003—long after the civil rights revolution proved a success, at a time of vaulting opportunity for African Americans, when blacks find themselves at the top reaches of society and politics—we think that Hip Hop signals progress when black kids rattle off violent, sexist, nihilistic, lyrics, like Russians reciting Pushkin."

"Today, even as television and films depict blacks at all levels of success, hip-hop sends the message that blacks are . . . uncivilized. I find it striking that the cry-racism crowd doesn’t condemn it."  

McWhorter believes and I agree, that Hip Hop helps to perpetuate the image of a crude uncivilized violent Black culture which is harmful to the ongoing effort to achieve equality. Hip Hop is racist and anti Black.

McWhorter wrote a book: Losing the Race (nytimes.com)

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