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Name: tightendsport

Comment: Yeah, but I'm sick of the generation being irresponsible with these lyrics and this expression of some stupid shyt. It may be your reality that you can "make it rain on these hos" but how many damn songs do we have to hear about it and why must we glorify this ignant shyt? Back in the day, young folks stood for something (Black panthers, X, etc) now its just about the first amendment right to call their queens ridiculous stuff and talk about "our monkeys and azz". Sad that I like hip hop but I NOW REFUSE TO LISTEN TO IT ON THE RADIO NOR BUY ANYMORE HIP HOP. I'M DONE!!!!

Name: Kulchaman

Comment: well all hip-hop is not bad to still listen too, just think it need more conscious artist ..

Name: McNasty

Comment: I still think that most of these rappers aren't getting it. It's not all rap or hip hop that's way too general. We want the rap hip hop with the degrading lyrics banned from radio and maybe eventually the rappers that make that kind of music will get tired of just being local underground and will be encouraged to grow up. As for a lot of this rap now - it's just not that good anyway.

Name: bigchassie

Comment: ....falling.....falling....falling...

Name: MDhornet

Comment: Interesting read. Well written, but I was expecting more from the oh so deep Saul Williams. Unfortunately he misses the reason why hip-hop has become so hated. It isn't that it's the first genre to degrade women. It isn't the only genre to use the N-word. It just happens to be the one that is in the limelight and thus the genre from which many people form their ideas of black people. Black people in Africa and the Caribbean didn't start calling themselves n!ggers when they listened to R&B or Blues. Modern-day hip hop has sold the collective souls of black folk for a buck. That's my issue with it. I'm sure there will be many who will jump at this chance to once again relive these "artists" or their responsibility when it comes to the "music" they put out. Afterall, it's not their fault. Blame the church. Blame society. Blame everybody but me.

Name: poeticlyspkng

Comment: There is no true hatred of women in hip-hop. At the root of our nature we inherently worship the feminine. Really Saul? How come we can't tell? There's such a thing as responsibility. Defend the mess all you want, blame it on God or whomever but gangsta rap has very little to do with ANY god. All the women these "rappers" know are not ho's or %*$!(es. All the rappers who spew such lyrics have not had rough childhoods or poor encounters with women. It is those women, the majority-- who are saying to you we are not down with this. Women in the world have enough problems in the world and the added fight against our so-called Brothers is ridiculous. And so too are you, Mr. Poetic Injustice.

Name: huey

Comment: aint this that ugly boy that use to play the role of "lynn's boyfriend", on that show "girlfriends"? he was supposed to be celibant on the show....he sholl look like him if he aint.....

Name: MDhornet

Comment: Yeah that's him. He ain't ugly though. What was his name on the show?

Name: MiMiLove

Comment: MDhornet> His name was (sp) SA-VAD

Name: barnone

Comment: MHdornet> i don't think he misses the point as to why hip hop is so hated now. he's just making the point that the objectification of women and misogyny did not originate with hip hop. that there's a deeper source. a valid point, however, one i feel should be discussed separately b-cuz when raising this issue in the confines which he does, the impression is that these current artists who are making these degrading songs are not accountable for their actions, which they most certainly are. as a black woman who lives outside of the u.s. i am constantly battling the negative and stereotypical images about black people. it is very difficult when the only image those outside of amerikkka have of us is thugs with our pants hanging below our behinds and gold teeth or gyrating half-naked women.

Name: JGGIRL

Comment: I don't think a twelve year old child listening to this crap on the radio wouldn't know a thing about what he is talking about. That's the real issue. The kids listening to this stuff are thinking it is cool to talk this way and their minds are being warped. Just get if off the radio.

Name: Bad_Kitty

Comment: All of these "open letters about hip-hop", what about "open solutions" to the problems being caused by hip-hop, the problem of poverty, the problems of ebonics and children and adults who cannot read or write nor do they want to learn, the problems of black on black crime, the problems of the "bling-bling" generation who wouldn't know a hard days work if it bit them in the a** - etc. etc.?? Let's find SOLUTIONS!!!

Name: ladybyrd

Comment: Brotha' I think you missed the point or the big picture. Though you are very intelligent, I think you spent too much time trying to prove her (Oprah)wrong without really tackling the real issue.

Name: star

Comment: I love the comments of MDhornet, Barnone, JGGirl, and Bad Kitty you all have some very valid points. It's really easy to point the finger at the influential Oprah, Hip-Hop, or even society. Adults can listen to whatever they want to listen to, but it's the kids that I'm worried about. Hip-hop artist the good one's and the bad one's are influential to our kids. However it's the bad hip hop artist that are more appealing to kids; the flashy bling, half naked women, bragging on their sexual conquest... It's no surprise that rap sales have decreased, it's the same tired formula and frankly it's just boring. Oprah is entitled to feel the way she does. I understand Saul's points, but he's missing out on something very important he wants to talk about society and the number one gangster George Bush...I hate when we compare ourselves to them (whites). We're talking about our people, our community, our music, our culture. It is our responsibility to look after us. F them! Where is the open letter to hip hop artist that sell their souls to get paid? Where is the open letter to young parents to educate themselves on being responsible parents? Where is the open letter to local govenors, senators, and mayors to reform our school systems? Writing Oprah is not enough, she may be powerful, but power lies within!!! Take control and stop blaming others for our issues.

Name: justmythoughts

Comment: But....the point he is trying to make is that one needs to identify the REAL source of the problem or else the problem does not go away. It's like when you pull weeds and leave the roots in the ground, they will only grow back. I don't feel that he is saying that certain rappers don't have accountability for what they produce, but he is trying to get to the root of why they would want to produce such garbage in the first place. Until you get to the root and eradicate it, the problem will only sit below the surface unnoticed and will, in time, rise again. Believe that!!!!

Name: Train

Comment: No matter how he tries to slice it there's still no excuse for those God awful lyrics that continue to bring us down.

Name: HarrisThomas

Comment: Some of our greatest written and lyrical art have given us cause for introspection, spiritual uplift, and, yes, encouragement when times were really bad . . . the current lyrical content of rap/hip-hop does not do any of the above AND is the global genre from which many people form their ideas of black people. THERE IS NO DEFENSE FOR THE CURRENT HIP-HOP CONTENT. I am insulted that a black man would be so bold as to tell a black woman that there is no true hatred of women in hip-hop and that hip-hoppers are inherently worshipping women. So, there is hatred but it's not true hatred. What kind of worship is that near-naked booty shaking supposed to inspire? Adding insult to injury, a black man tells a black woman that the emcees of the hip-hop gneration are the ministers of his father's generation. Humph, not at any church worship I have attended. Shame on that black man for attempting to put a genteel veneer on a steaming pile of loose dog dooky. Shame.

Name: TesticAl

Comment: *Plays Co-cktails by Too $hort*

Name: Sexee

Comment: Whateva, at the end of the day "Black Women" are still viewed as loud mouth B's and Ho's. We are not respected because our men don't respect nor honor us (from the media stand point). Hold these MEN accountable, instead of going after a woman that is making the $$ without berating or belittliing people.

Name: ladybyrd

Comment: HarrisThomas> Say It Loud!!

Name: ladybyrd

Comment: Train> That's what I'm saying. This was a point made by one of the news casters on CNN. It's Black men that are defending the bad behavior and it's the same men who will not defend Black Women in the same breathe.

Name: BigBlackRod

Comment: At first, I thought dude was being deep; but, like another poster has said, twelve-year-olds don't see all that esoteric boulderdash, they just hear bad words and phucced-up phrases. Saul Williams wasted a lot of ink proving his lyricism while disproving hip-hop's....PEACE.

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