Why do they do that?
Why did Pitchfork Media take Chief Keef
a 17-year-old rapper that has had a history of trouble with the law -- and
who was placed on probation after a 2011 incident in which he pointed a gun at police officers
why did that website choose to take this boy to a gun range for a featured interview?
of all the places they could take him
why a gun range?
I'm sure they have interviewed a plethora of bands in their basements and around their musical instruments
or better yet -- in the pixie-like shimmery sunny daylight of a central park
so i shall ask again...
why would they take a troubled black youth to a gun range for a featured interview?
what kind of results were they trying to achieve with these actions?
do you know?
well...
I can tell you what DID happen
after the rapper actually fired a gun at the gun range during the interview
judge Carl Anthony Walker found that Keef exhibited a "willful disregard" of the court
in other words, he violated his probation and as a result was jailed in his hometown of Chicago
So there you have it...
cognitive dissonance to the most disturbing degree
I guess, in one sense, someone at Pictchfork thought the music of Chief Keef was good enough to shine light on
in another sense they couldn't resist the stereotypical "street coolness" of ::::
taking a troubled black youth who had been known for pointing guns at the police to shoot a gun at a gun range
YUP --> GANGSTURR!!
Usually in the state of cognitive dissonance, people may sometimes feel "disequilibrium"
OR -- frustration, dread, guilt, anger embarrassment and anxiety
but I doubt Pitchfork felt any of these emotions
and even if they did...how would we know?
they simply took down the segment from their site
There is an interesting trend happening within our generation
young white 30-somethings feel entitled enough to make an attempt at writing the hip-hop or black culture narrative
they feel like since they grew up with hip-hop, that they "understand it"
and so...I keep asking
why do they do that?
assuming they have right to present "rap" to the world as they see fit
There has never been a better example of the misuse of this assumed power than this Chief Keef incident
strangely enough you hardly find hip-hop or black music websites writing about foxygen or tegan and sara (which maybe they should)
As an artist these bold contradictions in cultural ethos exchange really disturb me
I am tired of watching black culture being fed back to black people and the world without so much as a positive or intellectual spin
by NON-BLACKS
I think the people behind these types of websites act in weak and racist ways
but they hide their racist actions behind humour or tongue in cheek "indie irony"
this type of irony may actually be more disturbing and cowardly than the behaviour of their forefathers
DJANGO UNCHAINED
at least those Colonel Sanders dudes weren't chicken
they just spoke how they really felt through their fear and ignorance
this new yuppie form of fear racism and ignorance tho...is way more subversive and dangerous
simply because the images being presented to the world constantly frame rap and black people in a very violent and specific way
leaving absolutely no room for progressive ideas and positive profiles
despite their obsession with Frank Ocean
George Michael Faith
So I ask you again...
why do they do that?
From what I can assess the underlying motive is fear
fact is -- black music has always changed the pulse and face of pop culture
if you can control the perception of black music at its inception (or indie-ness)
you can control its effects on the whole world
which is A LOT of watch-dog/gatekeeper power for any group of young people to have
this extensive emasculating savage scaffolding continues to be built with the precise skill of white privileged architects
like the tower of Babel
Cody ChestnuTT
Take the one of the headliners of this years Pitchfork Festival for instance -- Mr. R. Kelley
we all know his story
and you can bet that Pitchfork knows it as well
is there any question that playing towards prison convictions is the new new racist subversive fashionista?
Keep spinnin' those prison records on "black" vinyl yawL!
Woop-Woop!
Beep-Beep
I see the message
Saul Williams
And what can be done?
I feel ...
absolutely nothing
however...
what i do hope is that if you read this story and then you go on over to Pitchfork's website
you will realize that the titles
"Frank Ocean and Chris Brown in Fight at L.A. Studio"
OR "Rick Ross Was the Target of Drive-By Shooting"
aren't just headlines
they are deadlines and dread lines...
designed to keep your mind tampered with
like some Holy Books
where the f# *k is Jay- Electronicaaaah
maaaaang!!!!
Follow k-os on Twitter: www.twitter.com/kosinception
As far as I can tell Pitchfork has reviewed every genre of music I can think of. If they didn't review rap it would be consipcuous in it's absence.
The worst part is that you may have actually have a relevant point or two and it is clear you feel strongly about it but your one-sidedness and the examples you extrapolate are such a stretch that it negatively impacts your credibility. It's like you wrote this to purposefully upset people.
why does Mr. os use the term "troubled black youth" instead of youth with a prior gun conviction?
why point out that he's black?
The fact that K-os believes black people are superior to any other race when it comes to "writing the hip-hop narrative" makes him the text book definition of a racist. And it's possible to have a "race problem" without being a racist.
You don't see them taking Earl Sweatshirt to the shooting range, but he gets plenty of space on Pitchfork, so quit your bullshit.
Websites can post whatever they want and write about whatever they want, who are you to sensor this and say they must write about more black artists when a huge majority of their audience are white kids who like indie rock?
Calling someone a "troubled Youth" after he aimed a gun at police is racist in itself. He should be called a Hoodlum.
The evidence for k-os's grammar, punctuation, and basic formatting problem is quite conclusive however
So this guy, a Black Disciples member who pointed a loaded gun at a cop is the victim of some sort of internet racism because they took a trap rapper to a gun range?
You are the epitome of what is wrong with society.
I see that you, almost randomly, placed a few interesting artist in the article, and i feel that for quite some time, media dictates who just don't fit in the media's stereotype... so they aren't "good enough" to make it in "mainstream hiphop"... Cody Chesnutt, Saul Williams, Jill Scott, Esperanza Spaulding, Ramona Robbins, TV on the Radio, Corrine Bailey Rae, and the Noisettes and many many other "black people' that should be dictating what "black music" sounds like... instead of what the subpar bull you will hear when you turn your radio on... when was the last time you learned as you listened about anything new.. you heard and rhyme and had to break out a book to figure out what in the world is going on??? Don't understand the point i am trying to make?? Play Mos Def's Black on Both Sides and gain understanding...
Closing, you know where i saw your first video K-os? on BET''s 106 and Park... think on that...
Bit of friendly advice from a fan? Get an editor next time. I'm available.
Don't quit your day-job just yet...
If he doesn't understand something, he should've done what any journalist that takes their writing seriously, does - investigate it.
The issue the article goes into, is a very significant subject, in and outside of the music industry. It deserves to be taken more seriously than his "style" is capable of.
Readers need to respect their authors. I assume you can see how that's an issue, here...