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  Susan Mangatal

Greetings On-Line Family!.  

Alright...alright...I know you must be saying by now "enough already" with the racial, derogatory and assaulting remarks made by shock jock Don Imus about the Rutger University Women's  Basketball team, and I'm sure at this point you probably feel you don't need to hear another person comment on this issue.  However, we have received so many e-mails about this, that it has prompted some heated debates among us and with many in our circle. 

Lots of you are angry with this man, and you should be...rightfully so!  How dear he refer to the mostly black Rutgers team as "nappy-headed ho's", especially on the air where millions are listening.  In this day and time, it's insane and just plain disrespectful to black females, especially coming from this man.  Of course, we all know he has since apologized and  has acknowledged his comments were "repugnant, repulsive, and horrible", and as a result of the outcry over his senseless remarks he was suspended for 2 weeks from his syndicated radio show which is owned and broadcast by CBS Radio, but it was recently announced  that he has been fired.  Additionally, his show which is broadcast and simulcast on NBC's cable news network MSNBC announced Mr. Imus was suspended as well for 2 weeks, but several hours later it was announced the show was canceled.

I simply think it's appalling, but at times I know I can be quite passionate about important issues such as this one!!!!  For me though, I was personally angry and offended by the first part of Imus's remark "nappy-headed", [which was a big surprise to Todd] so I had to explain to him throughout my life I felt it was "not cool" to have nappy hair or to be referred to, or called "nappy-headed", and as a child I often felt real bad when I heard statements such as "come here let me comb your nappy hair", or "o'gosh, why is your hair so nappy, why couldn't you get good hair?  Of course, the "good" hair was straight hair.  So, as a small child and throughout my young adult life I felt nappy hair was not good/wrong, and the moment I was old enough to straighten my hair I did it.  "Nappy Headed" has always been a bad word to me.  Many of you may not be able to relate, but I know some of you might.  As for the other part of his remark "ho's", that's just downright awful and pretty sickening, there is no excuse for that statement!

Some comments I've heard in Imus's defense are (1) Imus is a "shock jock"...so what else should folks expect from him? (2) What about the "freedom of speech" act? and the most critical comment I have heard is (3) "you hear statements like this on every rap song so why shouldn't he say it?  This last statement we all know is true in some form or another, but that does not give an older man such as himself the right to use such negative words to describe these black female players.  Actually, "on the real" you must ask yourself do you really believe he is listening to rap songs since he is so up in age...I don't think so!  So, please folks don't use that comment in his defense, and most importantly again, it is not his place, nor does it give him the right to say it...because it is used in rap songs.  Oh no...no...no, absolutely not!!!!

Truly, this issue really opened up "a can of worms" on all sides.  On one hand you know what Imus said is wrong and should not have been said (which he has acknowledged), and on the other hand, here it is - a deep rooted problem that has been infesting within our people, and our popular rap music is coming to the surface.  Yes, indeed, the negative lyrics written regarding black females in rap music must end.  We have no respect for each other, how then do we feel others should respect us?   We cannot degrade and disrespect our black females in these rap lyrics, it should not be happening and it  must stop!!!!

Honestly, out of all this controversy what really opened my eyes and lots of other folks eyes is the negative lyrics in the rap music of today.  Certainly, I grew up on rap music as well as many of you have, and loved it just the same, but during my young adult life I must frankly say the lyrics were more about positive things, partying, having a good time, dancing, sneakers "my addidas", ladies being first and queens, parents not understanding, etc.  However,  as the music progressed (in the early eighties) it  began drastically changing into "gangster rap", which started on the west coast of the United States and rapidly spread throughout the United States.  Actually, most of the rap lyrics have completely changed to "gangster" today.  

Well, I must say Todd got real deep with me on this issue, and has some pretty strong feelings about this whole rap lyrics issue.  He feels that this transition must have been a plot by the "powers that be" and by the establishments to destroy the image of black America, because he pointed out that many of the players in this early rap music has been rewarded by crossing over to the mainstream, through not only music but through music and television.  He got real indebt about this portion of the issue, but it's too lengthy to share with you.  Another issue he point out was where are the positive rappers today, you don't ever see any of them getting any airplay or video play, some has simply just vanished.  He questioned the whereabouts of  KRS One (we know Chuck D is doing some things, but hear nothing about it),  we all know where Queen Latifa and Will Smith are (mega stars) but where is their positive  rap music (which is where they began as entertainers).

     I remember just a few years ago how strongly Dr. C. Delores Tucker (Civil Rights Activist) felt about the Hip-Hop/ Rap music  and the "stance" she took on the music, and which she dedicated much of the last few years of her life fighting.  Dr. Tucker bluntly described hip-hop/rap music as "misogynistic and threatened the moral foundation of the African American Community", she felt "it was not healthy for our children" and felt "it was a current form of genocide of black people".  However, many of us couldn't see her points, and did not support her fight to make rap/Hip-Hop music become more positive.  We closed our eyes and ears and refused to listen.   Her fight to make rap/hip hop music more positive was a hard one, which resulted in many rappers disliking, disrespecting, and expressed their feelings negatively about her in their lyrics.  Here it is today we see she was right, the lyrics are degrading and has indeed become even more  "gangster".

So, I say to our brothers, sisters or whomever are writing these lyrics please stop it with the negative and degrading of black females in your music.  You may thing it's just a song, just words, and it may not mean a lot!  However, it's more than just words, there is a whole generation that loves this rap music, finds it very appealing and lives by it.  Since this whole generation is attentive to your music/lyrics then use it to teach! Yes, teach our youths through your music positive things, reflect in it positive images about your mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins and daughters.  

Please feel free to share your thoughts with us regarding this important issue ariousentertainment@earthlink.net. 

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