Getting out of my car this morning, I swiped my radio's faceplate off just as this bounce beat came on the radio. The first few bars are, " O , K, K, K!" I didn't hear the rest of the song, I'm sure I've heard it before, but it been a conundrum of sorts for me once again that it's okay for Black people, African Americans, Negroes, Little John to shout out the KKK on the radio?
When did this happen? Why are we letting it happen?
I know some may say I'm pushing this outside of it's bounds, that I'm streaching my imagination a bit but, lets think about this for a second. The first few seconds of a song are crucial. It's the ones that can make or break a song. Now Little John, is not new to this music game. He's a millionaire from his music. So I can safely say Little John knows how to make music that sells, he knows the formula for what works and what doesn't. Though he my look like a caricature, as a entrepreneur I can admire his path. He has major endorsements, drinks, music:his own label, production company his own music sunglasses, Movies (Porn is a movie) etc..etc.. The man should have money coming out of his ears. He has even had a segment about him on one of those VH1 shows where they follow the spending patterns of "superstars" the man spends it like no tomorrow.
Suffice to say the man knows a little something. So it can't be a mistake that he has on several occasions and several different albums chosen to spread his musical genius with as few syllables or words as possible. Okay, Alright, What, and Snap Yo Fangaz, are just a few of his trademarks. But why drag it out? Why the OKKK?
Is there something were missing with all of our finger snapping, snap dancing and booty shaking? Is the KKK really endorsing all of this buffoonery and eating it up that they get first dib shout outs in the first and last bars of all of Little John's songs? I mean that is how endorsements work isn't it? Aren't you required to say your sponsors name every once in a while? Every more than once in a while? I mean it's why artist do shameless plugs. They get paid too do it. It's in their contracts. Sure they want you to buy their product but many of them are required to say certain people's names at awards shows and even promote their own work. It's how it works.
So is it safe to say that Little John is working for the KKK?
If not, for a boy from the south I wonder if he's getting back, that it's all a big joke, that it makes the KKK stew in their own juices knowing a black man is giving them props all over "Urban Radio" or does it never even cross his mind that distinctly pronouncing K K K could be a problem? Mind you there are many words Little John says that we can't really comprehend without careful scrutinization. But KKK? OKAY! and WHAT! We hear loud and clear.
Perhaps it's just his trademark but maybe he needs to choose a bit more carefully. It just seems this contributes to the continued dumbing down of our music. Our Culture. Our people. All people. You can't just say it's black people. There aren't enough black people out there buying music to support this new wave of music millionaires. Rap music has transcended color and culture lines for quite some time. Going anywhere in the world is just like being in America if you go to where the youth are. (Which I find a bit disgusting. I don't want to go to the Bahamas, Africa or France and see the ghetto or hear Biggie, I go abroad to see new things not the same things from home!)
You would think with such a far reaching capacity to touch and affect people we'd do something constructive with our powers and use them for good and not evil.
A change is gonna come. It has too. If enough of the intellectual and conscience people haven't been touched by this ignorancy virus, perhaps the day will come (sooner than later) when we will be a bit more careful about the words we put out there. One can only hope, dream and keep writing.
Until then, guard your mind catchy music has the characteristic of sticking on your brain and coming out at the most inopportune times. You don't want to be out in a crowd unconsciously shouting OKKK! in front of the wrong people.
Peace,
J
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