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By now, you've probably seen the video for Bomani "D'mite" Armah's Read A Book (some of you may even remember reading about it on this site well over a year ago). Not surprisingly, the video has generated a fair amount of controversy, but it suprises me just how many people are throwing around the word "racist" when describing it. Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow Coalition are the latest to completely miss the point of the song, releasing this statement over the weekend:
"If Benjamin E. Mayes challenged us to reach for the stars, the not-a-rapper video "Read a Book" on YouTube takes us into the abyss. Billed as a satirical look at popular culture, a viewer is left with the distinct impression that nothing matters, that life is futile, knowledge fruitless, manners meaningless.
A common definition of satire is witty language used to convey insults or scorn. The video is plenteously scornful and insulting, but not of crassness. The video insults reading, personal hygiene, family values and frugality. "Read a Book" heaps scorn on positive values and (un)intentionally celebrates ignorance. The narrator is obviously illiterate, unkempt and disrespectful. So who takes his advice seriously?
The best Hip-hop is clever, with allusions to politics, history, great music and literature. Part of the fun is finding the hidden meaning. I was prepared to forgive the crude language and lack of creativity if there was as message encouraging viewers to read and otherwise conduct themselves responsibly. I was disappointed. Thesimplistic repetitive rhyme and tune made it clear that the creator had not taken his own advice, i.e. to Read a Book."
Link to the full press release
The mission statement for the Rainbow Coalition is to develop a "progressive organization fighting for social change [a]s a mighty coalition of conscience." If Jackson wasn't so desperate for attention from the media, he'd realize that Bomani's Read A Book is as relevent to the group's stated goals as any of the other initiatives the Coalition has undertaken in recent years. It's good to see that the group has moved on from less relevent issues, like The Jena 6 case, and can now focus its resources on the animated music videos that B.E.T. is playing.
If there was any doubt in your mind that Jesse Jackson had sold out to corporate interests, this would seem to settle the issue. By turning a blind eye to the minstrelsy of 99% of the videos that get played on BET and criticizing the one song that actually speaks out against some of the problems within rap, he's essentially giving the major record labels license to continue to perpetuate the stereotypes that have become a central theme in today's hip hop.
8/26/2007 8:28:29 AM posted by Fresh