The LA Times had an interesting article about 2 works that happen to be gaining recognition, made BY Black people AND don’t portray them eating fried chicken in Brooklyn or Compton.
As Americans of all colors reconsider the meanings and milieus of the African American experience in the Obama era, we may be witnessing a gradual sea change in the way that African American artists represent themselves and are perceived by others. In both “Stick Fly” and “Sag Harbor,” the characters intermittently analyze their language, relationships and socio-cultural heritage (or baggage) as African Americans. But what’s also striking about these works is that they present their well-educated, witty characters as matter-of-factly inhabiting a world of leisure and affluence, a very different way than many white Americans may be used to seeing black people portrayed in popular culture.
Actually, Black artist portray themselves in numerous ways. But producers and executives that put stuff out there don’t always SHOW that. Not so much a change in Black artist, but a change in what’s acceptable by the mainstream about Black people.
So after President Obama nominated Sotomayor, Newt decided to go all “SHE’S RACIST!” People didn’t particularly care for that. After some heat…
Writing in the conservative “Human Events,” he said, “The word ‘racist’ should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves are unacceptable (a fact which both President Obama and his Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, have since admitted).”
“My initial reaction was strong and direct — perhaps too strong and too direct. The sentiment struck me as racist and I said so. Since then, some who want to have an open and honest consideration of Judge Sotomayor’s fitness to serve on the nation’s highest court have been critical of my word choice. With these critics who want to have an honest conversation, I agree,” Gingrich added.
Sounds like someone got bitched. This isn’t the reaction of a reasonable man who realized his comments were stupid. This sounds like someone who didn’t know about the whoopass that was going to be opened up on him.
Interesting thought over at the Washington Post this morning.
Quick — think of the three faces of the Republican party: Dick Cheney, Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich immediately come to mind.
What do these men all have in common? They are over 50 years old, male, white and staunchly conservative.
That — in a nutshell — is the problem facing Republicans today, an imbroglio cast in sharp relief by a new analysis by Gallup of more than 26,000 interviews conducted in May.
Nearly nine in ten (89 percent) Republicans are white with the vast majority of those people describing themselves as “conservative” (63 percent). Just seven percent of Republicans are either Hispanic (five percent) or black (two percent).
Wait! Wait! Isn’t there a negro over there? I’m almost positive there is! Wasn’t he all “GOP and Hip-Hop” and stuff? What happened? He didn’t make the GOP cool? Everyone didn’t immediately mistake him for Obama?
That was a horrible plan. Perhaps its not about diversity GOP. Perhaps its about not being the Evil Empire. If you guys stopped being cartoony assholes perhaps you’d attract minorities and wouldn’t have to find them as if their name was Nemo.
Seriously. I walked in my house back in 1992 and broke out into my best Jamaican accent and let out the longest and most gutteral “GAL FLEEEEEEEEEX-ah TIME to ‘ave SEX -ah!” to which my mother responded “Excuse me, what did you just say?”
It was easily one of the most awkward conversations I had with my mother in my childhood because I then I had to try to explain what Gal Flex, time to ‘ave SEEEEX-ah, meant. My 12 year old brain had an idea but not quite the verbiage to really handle the assignment.
This song is what taught me that Jamaicans have lots of lovely metaphors for sex, a lot of which sounds violent. Action with the injection, just like a surgeon. Slice it like fresh ox, WHAT? This seems to pre-date the stab it up mentality that came later. Ah, Jamaicans.
Breaking news that has changed my WHOLE thought about LIFE really…
African-Americans in Missouri are still more likely to be stopped in traffic by authorities than any other racial group, according to a report released today by the State Attorney General’s office.
The report shows that African-American drivers in 2008 were 67 percent more likely to be pulled over than were white or Hispanic drivers.
In other news, obesity is rising, Americans are pre-occupied with celebrities and everyone has cellphones. Tune in later for more “Yeah bitch, we knew that” News.
Where do I start? This song has a plethora of ridiculousness starting with T-Pain’s decree of “This is the realest shit I ever wrote!”Right. This is it. Right here. About chillin’ in your Maybach. This is obviously the realest shit you’ve ever written. Perhaps you’ve never written about life or death or perhaps you’ve never written a grocery list. Yes, I’d argue that your Trader Joe’s Grocery List is realer than this bullshit. Maybe I don’t get it. Maybe I’m not from the hood and I don’t get the mentality…
Oh wait. I’m from Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. But I’m assuming I must be from the really bougie part though.
Let’s pick the line that jumped out at me, actually making me laugh audibly.
“I was barely getting pretty women, now I’m scooping anywomen likes kitty litter.”
I have to stop and first state that I think that this is a gross understatement. I don’t think Mr. Ross was “Barely getting pretty women.”I believe he was getting all ugly women. Have we seen Rick Ross? The Ross we see now a days is the dude WITH money. Let alone poor Rick Ross who must’ve just been in a perpetual state of greasy darkness. But now, heh, NOW he’s scooping any women like kitty litter.
Do I understand the metaphor? Yes. Do I think this was the best way to express his new found effectiveness with the ladies? I think not. And while I’m speaking on Mr. Ross – Seriously? How long are you gonna ride this whole “Boss” thing? I think we get it. You’re a boss. You take planes, while drinking plain whiskey and gliding on the astral plane. Yes, I get it. You also are a fan of one word meaning many things. But dude, if I have to hear one more time about you being a boss I’m asking you to sign my time sheet.
Seems like there’s a bit of hub bub about the new Disney movie with a black president…er…princess. Everything from her nick name of Maddy (too much like mammy!) to the prince (voiced by a Brazilian, which OBVIOUSLY means there’s no good black men out there for Disney!) to it taking place in New Orleans (HOW DARE YOU F**KING DISNEY!) Folks are making it much harder for Disney to star a black princess than I think it really needs to be.
OPRAH IS A CONSULTANT. They went and got flonkin’ OPRAH in order to try to hop skotch some of these pot holes and its still an issue. Perhaps, just perhaps, this isn’t that deep. I mean I could be wrong. I also like the TV show Friends, so who the hell am I to judge.
