BlackTree TVHip Hop vs. The World
HIP HOP VS. AMERICA II: WHERE DID THE LOVE GO?
Parts I and II to Premiere on Wednesday, June 25 and Thursday, June 26 at 8:00 p.m., With Part III Airing Exclusively on BET ON BLAST
NEW YORK, June 19 — On Wednesday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. BET News premieres the second installment of its popular town hall series, HIP HOP VS. AMERICA II: WHERE DID THE LOVE GO?, a no-holds-barred discussion focusing on music videos, misogyny within the hip-hop culture, race vs. gender, the strained relationships between black men and women and the media's role in shaping the perception of African Americans. Hip-hop culture and controversy have always made for familiar bedfellows, and with this special, BET News provides viewers with a forum to address some of the most pressing issues facing the Black community today.
Hosted by BET News correspondent Jeff Johnson and hip hop pioneer MC Lyte, this primetime special provides a platform for a heated debate that aims to uncover the cause and effect of relationships between Black men and women. This three-part special features a passionate, lively and opinionated debate that tackles many sensitive issues, including:
- the images of women on television, particularly in music videos;
- sins of sexism;
- a segment about "What's love got to do with it?" to explore if this current climate further erodes the familial structure;
- a segment "Am I my sister's keeper?" featuring an all-female panel that cuts across generational, socioeconomic and cultural lines;
- race vs. gender; and
- the role the media plays in shaping American and international perceptions of Black women.
Here's what some of the panelists had to say:
" ... if you watch The Bachelor and you check them out, they're not only still married, they are expecting a child, and they're respected as having a serious relationship. However, when we did it, and I found my mate in that household, it was looked at as though it was 'toony' or it was a joke ... "- Deelishis London Charles, Winner, Flavor of Love 2
"I will say this to all the women: If you want to change what's going on - pick better mates. In most cases, with these men, you know what type of men they are when you lay down with them. You have to make a decision for yourself to pick a better mate. If you want to change this society, close your legs."- David Banner, rapper
"An artist's job is to voice the struggle to inspire a generation of leaders. It is wrong to put the job of raising children on the artist when it comes in the home first."- Talib Kweli, hip hop recording artist
"We need to see more female video directors, we need to see more female executives and we need to just diversify really what we're looking at. Its just one type of man that seems to be running the business of hip hop."- Kim Osorio, author
Participants in HIP HOP VS. AMERICA II include David Banner (rapper/producer); Lil X (director); Talib Kweli (hip hop recording artist); Lyfe Jennings (R&B recording artist); Lola Ogunaike (journalist); Allison Samuels (Newsweek magazine); Nelson George (author/director/producer); Kevin Powell (writer/cultural critic); Michael Eric Dyson (author/professor, Georgetown University); Deelishis London Charles (winner, Flavor of Love 2); Angel Lola Love (video model/actress); Kim Osorio (author); Fershgenet Melaku (video model/actress); Michaela Angela Davis (journalist); Esther Armah (BBC journalist); Eugene Rivers (Christian activist); Clayton Gavin (hip hop artist/activist); Marc Lamont Hill (professor, Temple University); Melissa Harris Lacewell (professor, Princeton University); Lavonne Alford (recording artist); Beverly Bond (founder, Black Girls Rock, Inc. / hip hop DJ); Moya Bailey (activist/actor); Byron Hurt (filmmaker); Henry Bonsu (journalist); Akosua Anobil-Dodoo (journalist); LaShawna Stanley (President/CEO, Ethnicity Models); Ali LeRoi (producer/writer/director); M1 Dead Prez (hip hop artist/activist); and San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris.
Part I premieres Wednesday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. with the second hour airing on Thursday, June 26 at 8:00 p.m. The third episode with additional exclusive footage will be available on BET ON BLAST, the network's broadband channel, immediately following Part II's airing. Part III aired on BET on July 6.
Selwyn Seyfu Hinds is executive producer of HIP HOP VS. AMERICA II: WHERE DID THE LOVE GO?.
HIP HOP VS. AMERICA
In addition to its sizzling performances, the BET HIP HOP AWARDS 2007 was, in essence, an extension of BET News' recent special HIP HOP VS. AMERICA, offering insights into the state of hip hop today. The show featured appearances by David Banner, MC Lyte and Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, who shared the reasons why they love hip hop. Katt Williams, host for the second year in a row, once again delivered with hilarious and smart commentary, while the influential Dr. Cornel West presented the "I Am Hip Hop" Icon Award to living hip hop legend KRS-One. Also participating in the BET HIP HOP AWARDS 2007 were two of the young men of the Jena 6, Carwin Jones and Bryant Purvis, who presented the Video of the Year award and thanked the hip hop community for its support.
Hip Hop vs America or America vs Hip Hop: A Tale of Two Trials by Min. Paul Scott
Hip Hop was on trial twice last night. One was Hip Hop vs America Pt. 1, a prerecorded attempt by Black Entertainment Television to appease its viewers after years of complaints which came to a broil after last Summer's ill advised "Hot Ghetto Mess" Reality Show. The other was "America vs Hip Hop," sponsored by the Subcommittee of Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection of the Committee on Energy and Commerce . The first one was catered towards a predominately young, black teeny bopper audience who had just finished watching videos on "106 and Park" and wanted to to see if Nelly had gotten any new gold teeth since his last CD. The other was for the rest of mainstream America who have grown sick and tired of a bunch of young black "thugs" ruining "their" country.
The BET special was pretty much what you would expect from the company, a weak attempt at self criticism with bumpin' videos and applause signs. Perhaps Part 2 will get "deep" but Part 1 did little to elevate the "rap" beyond the realm of where it has been since C. Delores Tucker dissed 2 Pac (Tupac Shakur) back in the early 90's.
"You don't understand Hip Hop!"
"And you, young man, need to pull your pants up!"
You still have the same panelists from the older generation trying to to be a parent/buddy friend to 30 somethin' year old millionaire Hip Hop artists. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson did the Biggie rap thing that he has been showcasing since the mid 90's and rappers, Nelly and T.I. proved once again that loud "don't" make it right.
T.I. kinda lost me with the whole "I have to trick my fans into learning" logic. (or lack thereof)
Not to mention his brilliant theory that the problem with Hip Hop is "you got fake thugs rappin' about being real thugs who never were thugs instead of real rappers rappin' about being real...."
Oh, never mind.
And then Nelly came with the "it's not fair to judge me based on a four minute rap video with credit cards being slid through a black woman's booty" defense.
What else can we judge you by Nelly? Your PH.D dissertation on "The Juxtaposition of Capitalism and Marxist Leninism?"
Down the way in DC, "From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degrading Images," hearing called together by Senator Bobby Rush featured Master P and David Banner along with activists and industry big wigs such as Edgar Broffman and Doug Morris.
Needless to say, the theme of the hearing was problematic in itself.
Although Hip Hop activists have raised this issue over the last five months, it cannot be overstated that this current national discussion on the state of Hip Hop is a diversionary tactic in the aftermath of the Michael Richards/Don Imus controversies to take the focus off of institutionalized racism and white male bigotry and replace it with a focus on dirty dancin' and baggy pants.
While the efforts of former Black Panther Bobby Rush may be commended, would his time not have been better served making sure that a thorough congressional hearing on Reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans takes place. Or hearings on COINTELPRO, for which groups like the Jericho Project have been advocating that could result in the exoneration of his former Panther comrades and other political prisoners still locked in jail and in exile?
Also, it must be also noted that if we look at the emphasis that America has put on Hip Hop compared with the coverage of stories like the Jena 6 and the black woman that was tortured in West VA, the comparison is troubling.
What is unfortunate is that many of us do not see this current Hip Hop controversy in socio-political terms. While the kiddie converation on BET may have had a better looking stage, the meeting in DC could set public policy for generations to come.
Did anybody think to ask where the Hip Hop discussion fit in the agenda of the Subcommittee of Commerce Trade and Consumer Protection on a highly compartmentalized Capitol Hill?
Did anyone notice that the committee is in charge of dealing with some Homeland Security related matters? So which part of Hip Hop are the feds really concerned about; the "misogynist" lyrics of a Nelly or the inflammatory political rap of a M1 of Dead Prez?
Hip Hop vs. The World, Part 7
After much outcry from our audience, BlackTree Media finally presents volume 7 of our 10 part series on the coverage of BET's Hip Hop vs. America.
As we continue this discussion, we will bring you bonus footage from past interviews with the panelists and other members of the hip hop community worldwide.
- Video courtesy of BET Networks
Hip Hop vs. The World, Part 2
BET NEWS Presents HIP HOP vs. AMERICA, a Powerful Special Addressing the Current State of Hip-Hop
Honest, Candid Town Hall Meeting Features Voices Across the Full Spectrum of Opinion Including Nelly, T.I., Chuck D, MC Lyte, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Reverend Al Sharpton, Stanley Crouch, Cornel West, Mike Jones, Master P, Kim Osorio, Dr. Ben Chavis
NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Hip-hop culture and controversy have always made for familiar bedfellows. Yet, in the wake of the Imus controversy and in a year when the genre's sales have tumbled, hip-hop finds itself under an exceptional amount of scrutiny and pressure — and the stakes have never been higher. BET NEWS takes a powerful and compelling look at the state of hip-hop today in a three-part series titled HIP HOP vs. AMERICA. Hosted by BET's own Toure and Jeff Johnson, this special showcases a candid, heated forum that will allow audiences to hear the opinions of prominent leaders in the hip-hop industry, the political realm, academia and the Black church.
- Video courtesy of BET Networks
- Verbage courtesy of Keith Boykin
Hip Hop vs. The World, Part 1
BlackTree Media extends BET's special, Hip Hop vs. America with more interviews that express opinions and thoughts from celebrites who were not on BET's panel on the television show.
As seen on BET, the debate over Hip Hop vs. America Feat. Russell Simmons, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, T.I., Nelly, Master P, and hosted by Cousin Jeff and Toure
For all the criticism they receive, BET deserves credit for taking on this topic and broadcasting it as a special prime time event during the first big week of the new television season. The image of BET in the media and in the black community is often reduced to a caricature that fails to acknowledge the subtlety and nuance of BET's programming.
But having said that, I'm not sure that one television series is quite enough to make amends for years of missed opportunities. I've been very critical of the business model initiated by BET's founder Bob Johnson, which amounted to little more than profit over programming. For years, BET was little more than music videos, syndicated TV shows, and late night infomercials. Now, under new leadership, the network has been trying — sometimes in questionable ways — to build original programming.
What troubles me about BET today is the absence of timely news and public affairs programming. It's great that "Meet The Faith" airs on Sundays, but the show is taped so far in advance that it's impossible to be timely in response to new news. Even in the Bob Johnson days of the 90s, BET had a nightly news broadcast and a lively and current evening talk show with host Tavis Smiley. If we still had a daily news and talk show on BET, we wouldn't have to wait almost six months to have this discussion on hip hop and America. While everybody else in America was talking about offensive language back in April, that discussion was nowhere to be found on our own black network.
And I have to say that the discussion we had at the town hall meeting in June was important. Rapper Nelly was clearly the most controversial and outspoken of the performers, repeatedly defending hip hop and his own music, including his controversial video "Tip Drill," which as some observers said, has come to identify his career.
Nevertheless, the movers and shakers at BET, Reginald Hudlin and Debra Lee, were both involved in the town hall meeting, and both attended the event in Los Angeles, held the day after the BET Awards. They heard a lot of discussion about BET and about hip hop that day, and I hope they took the messages to heart in a constructive way.
- Video courtesy of BET Networks
- Verbage courtesy of Keith Boykin
Hip Hop Is America
The real problem here is not just BET or hip hop. The real problem is broader than any one TV network or one cultural phenomenon.
Hip hop didn't invent sexism, violence, homophobia or materialism. If you listen to the language used by President Bush, you'll realize that all those things are as much a part of America as baseball and apple pie. Who is more sexist, violent, homophobic and materialistic than the President of the United States? He's the guy who wants to take away a woman's right to choose and a gay couple's right to marry. He's the guy who wants to arm the nation with hand guns and started two wars in his first term alone. He's the guy who promotes unchecked capitalism at the expense of worker's rights. And he's the guy with the power to do something about those things.
Still, that shouldn't let hip hop off the hook. Hip hop may not have started any of those things, but it has amplified, and in many cases, glorified the images of violence, materialism, sexism and homophobia. Some people pick on hip hop just because they don't like it. But many of us pick on hip hop because we want it to do better. We remember when the music of hip hop was connected to the streets, powerful and political and entertaining at the same time. And we worry that much of today's hip hop and rap has descended into something meaningless, produced by people of color but largely consumed by young white guys in the suburbs.
And no matter how much we talk about hip hop, the white and black executives in the music industry don't look like they're ready to change its formula anytime soon. Nor for that matter is the consumer changing. Unless and until consumer outrage spurs action, the industry won't be doing much about it.
