Posted on 05/11/2011 7:43:09 AM PDT by kristinn
Conservatives including Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Alaska Republican governor Sarah Palin were critical of the White House for inviting the rapper Common to perform at the White House on Wednesday.
"Common is a pretty peaceful loving poet. A poet’s job is to say things people think, even if you don’t like it. That’s their job," said Def Jams Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons," when I interviewed him on Tuesday about his recent meeting with Donald Trump.
Mr. Simmons defended not only Common but other rappers in the music community, like Snoop Doggy Dog. The hip hop mogul noted he sent rappers from his Def Poetry Jam to the White House during the last Bush administration saying, "They didn’t say nothing when I sent the Def Poetry Jam during George Bush’s administration." He added, "There’s nothing that Common could say that was more critical of the U.S. government than all the poets of my Broadway show. It won a Tony."
"Every rapper that’s famous is less gangster, less homophobic, less racist, and less sexist than Sean Hannity. I like him [Hannity], but that’s what I’m saying about the rappers I know," said Mr. Simmons. "Snoop Dog is less sexist than [Hannity]. Snoop Dog is less racist than him. Snoop Dog is less homophobic than him and Snoop Dog is a lot less gangster than him. So Sean Hannity has to handle his own business. He’s got his own issues." Mr. Simmons said.
He added, "All that is are songs that talk about police brutality in a kind of poetic way and say mean things. They promote dialogue. Poets always create controversy by saying what people think.They’re less sexist. They’re less homophobic. They’re less racist and they’re certainly less gangster than Sean Hannity...all of them rappers. (SNIP)"
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
If you go to a rap concert, most of the concertgoers are white.
Only 50 years from Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk to Common. It’s depressing.
In NewSpeak, killing cops and threatening the President = “Peace.”
They think we’re idiots, and we don’t see what we see.
Or even going from Motown and 70s acts like Earth, Wind and Fire, to these thugs is depressing.
“A poet’s job is to say things people think” - Everybody gets super powers but me. All these rappers can read people’s minds. When I was a kid, I bought those glasses that were supposed to let you see through girl’s clothing. You know what I saw? The Principal’s office. And then, the fists of the girl’s big brothers. Out five bucks...a mark on my permanent school record...two black eyes...guess I shoulda been a rapper.
Piss on rappers, hoppers, hippers, and their damned dialog. They’re nobody and nothing unless someone makes them by affording the ATTENTION. Flush, please!
Somehow the phrase "turds in a punch bowl" comes to mind.
Curious he didn't name them.
There. Fixed it.
It's not Common I have an issue with. It's POTUS's endorsement of him that I have an issue with.
Celebrating a poet who writes this kind of thing just doesn’t sit right with me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LssFolrpiD4&feature=player_embedded#at=44
Yes, he can write whatever he wants..but to have a Black President condone this black crap is disgusting
But what takes the cake for me is that Laura Bush couldn’t even have Dickninson read at a poety event.
I saw something where the Obama’s didn’t know what kind of lyrics he wrote.
I call BS.
Yes let him say what he wants just not at the Whitehouse. The local coffee bar is a better venue for Common.
“But one might be accused of nasty things for admitting to a fondness for that.”
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I can’t imagine who would NOT appreciate the musical triumph of say:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzTeLePbB08
What they do!
“A poet’s job is to say things people think, even if you don’t like it. That’s their job,”
And all this time I thought their job was to sound like Shakespeare or Lord Byron. Silly me!/sarcasm;)
Simmon’s using Hannity as an analogy misses the mark for two reasons. First. No one is saying Common doesn’t have the right to exercise his first ammendment rights. It’s about the obviously poor choice the White House makes, again, in inviting this poet.
And second. When was the last time Hannity was invited to the White House?
I’m sure concern over the message sent by inviting a gangsta rapper, will be met with another “they’ll never be satisfied” from Obama.
Some Snoop Dogg lyrics
"got bitches in the living room gettin it on and, they ain't leavin til six in the mornin (six in the mornin) So what you wanna do, sheeeit I got a pocket full of rubbers and my homeboys do too So turn off the lights and close the doors."
Nah, nothing sexist about that.
"Death becomes any n***** that takes me for a joke."
Snoopy's not a violent gangsta is he?
There's not enough time to post all the sexist, violent, hateful lyrics written by this one individual. Russell Simmons is delusional.
And today Snoop Dogg is the toast of white society. He’s always making cameos on kids shows.
Rappers are such virtuous folk.. shame most of ‘em shoot each other before they get too old.
“And all this time I thought their job was to sound like Shakespeare or Lord Byron.”
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High-achieving whites.
Clearly racist.
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