Black Culture Discussion Thread

[tokes99]

https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/wale-says-being-dark-skinned-hurt-his-rap-career-news.49398.html?_amp

colorism may have had some impact on his career, as that can be an issue in society generally...i don’t think anyone can seriously say he can’t rap, even if you don’t particularly care for his music but i feel like the thing that has hurt wale most is the perception of him just being a aggy/salty dude...

as such i think he has had a weirdly combative relationship with the hip hop audience, as j.cole worded in that false prophets verse, instead just focusing on making the music and building the relationship with his core fans/supporters, it always SEEMED as though he was complaining about not being more popular/respected/successful and never happy which made him easy opportunity to troll for some, and like most people the negative stuff gets more attention which just made dude appear that much more bitter...who knows how that perception affected the opportunities he got (or didn’t)

ultimately it’s one of those things every artist/creative has to come to terms with, being alright with the grind...dealing with their ambition(s), disappointment(s), success(es), etc. without necessarily comparing it to others; which is increasingly difficult these days and also can result in cynical art and/or attitude towards the art...i hope dude figures whatever it is out, and has his own independent metric for happiness/success

 

[tay1]

Wale has hurt his career more than colorism will ever have. He's insecure and even his fans be cool on him at times

 

[hand2handking]

how could insecurity hurt him to that degree?

is he the first insecure artist?

 

[tay1]

For one, his career isn't in a bad place. He's still relevant, which is hard to do these days

He hurts himself because he comes off as arrogant and unlikable which plays a role in how successfully you are. When you alienate your own fans, what do you expect?

 

[hand2handking]

i thought i heard he got dropped from mmg

he raps about it on this song called staying power and another song negotiations i think too

 

[big panda]

Wale biggest problem like others have mentioned in here is that he didn't stay true to his core fans, tried chasing wishy washy fans who come and go and having that unlikeable aggorant personality.

I've been listening to wale since 06 and when he was first coming up just being a local D.C. Area rapper. his music was something fresh and original with his uniqueness to incorporate gogo beats in his song.

What really ****** him up was when he got dropped by interscope after his first album( which I personally think til this day is still his best studio album) he questioned himself and the direction he was trying to take with his music cause not as many people were buying his music. If he had kept his humbleness and weathered the storm he would be right up there with j cole, drake and Kendrick. Him and j cole had a very very similar path to blowing up only thing different was that j cole didn't try and chase new fans and remained humble even after becoming mad famous.

Another problem with wale was that once he signed to MMG his whole entire style of music changed, from his beats to his flow to his rap content, he tried fitting in with the mmg label roster which was a whole bunch of street ****** and he was a poet. All his fan told him that he was making the wrong move signing with Ross cause sonically his music was totally different than what mmg was putting out and at times completely opposite of his.

Ultimately one of the biggest things that can't be remedy is his arrogance and cringe worthy corniness. The way he acts and just feeds into negativity doesn't help his image all to much with him trying to be a superstar. The core essence of super stardom is having a loyal fan base that will weather storms for you and basically continue your relevancy even in your off periods. He abandoned his core fans so now all he's left with is leftovers and fans hoping one day he'll return to mixtape about nothing wale.

Nothing to do with him being a dark skinned African

 

[seasoned vet]

I've been listening to wale since 06 and when he was first coming up just being a local D.C. Area rapper. his music was something fresh and original with his uniqueness to incorporate gogo beats in his song.

incorporating gogo beats into hip hop is not original to Wale, he just talked about it.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

 

[seasoned vet]

ive been talking for years about that being a dangerous myth

 

[d nice]

I've always been lukewarm on Wale since his early mixtapes. He's had tracks that I like but I've never been drawn to his music to the point that I wanna buy albums or go to shows. To me he's one of those middle of the pack MC's who has his core following that mess with him heavy and everyone else could care less.

His lack of mainstream success has never been about his skin color or his direct link to Africa more than it's been about people outside of his core following being blah on his music. He doesn't have the same content that most of the mainstream artists have aside from Cole, and when he's tried to go into that lane, it just didn't catch. Does his social media presence hurt that? I don't know. But there's very few MC's doing it on the level of Kendrick, J Cole, and Drake at the moment. He should be happy that he's doing fine in the lane he's in.

 

[goledensilence]

 

[tay1]

Somebody in the comments said its black founded but no longer black owned

 

[goledensilence]

I'd have to do some research on it. This is my first time hearing of MoviePass.

 

[nawghtyhare]

As someone who didn't grow up in the US, I'm of two minds when it comes to opinions like this. On one hand, there's valid points to be made regarding a lot of systemic injustices here. But my view is the opportunities and potential in America still makes it the best country in the world. sure, not everyone has access to those same opportunities, but when one's in the position lucky enough to make the most out of the opportunity, America becomes the vessel for them to succeed at a level which is unparallel to other places in the world. I grew up never having to worry about shelter, education or food but when I made it to the States last year I'll never go a day without expressing the gratitude and appreciation that I have for making it here. America represents the pursuit of an opportunity and a dream. Whether or not one ever realizes that dream isn't the point, the satisfying part is the pursuit.

So many Americans are baffled I left NZ and Australia to come here, but when you compare the talent and opportunity there really is no comparison.

And I respect ur view
But again growing up in this and experiencing this is totally different
U make valid points
But still doesn’t come close to justifying
The **** we and our ancestors went through
Not at all
There’s folks
Living in Africa right now
In Villages
Living great
Living their best lives
Without electricity and all
But they have their rich culture
And family values still entact
Being the best them
And what’s more important
Me being able to type this on my phone in America
Or me being surrounded by my elders
Who pass down lessons and teachings
That to me way more valuable
America ain’t the melting pot we assume
It’s really a bunch of white people appropriating other cultures and calling it American culture

 

[nawghtyhare]

Let me get this straight: "Slavery was a choice" is actually being debated now? Like a statement that stupid is actually being validated as a subject for discussion, with various people voicing their opinions on it?

I’m sayin
Folks scared to ask their bosses for vacation days
But want me to believe u woulda not been a slavery

 

[RustyShackleford]

Somebody in the comments said its black founded but no longer black owned

An analytics firm is the majority owner now. They bought their stake last year

 

[tokes99]

how could insecurity hurt him to that degree?

is he the first insecure artist?

artists do tend to be insecure anyways, so who knows how much it has affected his perception with fans? as with most things it isn't always what you do/say but how you do/say it...

i remember reading about the business model of moviepass, not only are the large theater chains against it, it's basically a bet that people won't actually use it that often...it will be interesting if that works out...

America ain’t the melting pot we assume

definitely true, and whatever truth there ever was to it seems like is becoming less true as there is less social mobility and more segregation along cultural, economic, and ethnic lines...and even less true once you get away from the coasts/big urban centers. that said, i'm not sure there are many places in the world that don't have their issues with acculturation & culture clash of different cultures...

 

[hand2handking]

 

[hand2handking]

Cynthia Nixon Ignites Outrage for Saying Marijuana Could Be ‘Form of Reparations’ in Black Neighborhoods


Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon meets the press at the New York City Cannabis Parade and Rally in Union Square on Saturday, May 5, 2018. (Jefferson Siegel/New York Daily News)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...gnite-outrage-black-leaders-article-1.3976450

ALBANY — Cynthia Nixon took heat Monday from black leaders over her comments that creating a legalized pot industry in New York could serve as a form of reparations in black communities.

Nixon on Saturday told Forbes magazine "now that cannabis is exploding as an industry, we have to make sure that those communities that have been harmed and devastated by marijuana arrests get the first shot at this industry."

"We (must) prioritize them in terms of licenses. It's a form of reparations."

The comments came under fire from some community leaders.


"I'm for legalizing marijuana and I like Cynthia Nixon but putting pot shops in our communities is not reparations," the Rev. Al Sharpton tweeted. "Health care, education !!"

Manhattan Democratic Party Chairman Keith Wright, a former long-time state assemblyman from Harlem, said Nixon's comment "is ill-informed, lacks understanding of the greatest crime in history, and should cease and desist."

"Reparations is a repayment for the free labor that built this country," said Wright, a former state Democratic party chairman under Gov. Cuomo.

"Ms. Nixon should relegate her comments to legalization, pro or con," he said. "I believe social equity should be a part of licenses to sell marijuana, if and when legalization does occur. However, it is insulting to my soul, that the free labor that my ancestors gave to this country would be equated with the selling of marijuana."


Nixon is taking heat for saying marijuana in black communities could be a form of reparations. (Getty Images)

Black Lives Matter of Greater NY blasted Nixon's comments as "offensive and ignorant."

"It does a disservice to our community for her to play into harmful stereotypes of African-Americans as drug users and dealers," the group said in a statement. "And it does an even greater disservice to the enduring consequences of both slavery and Jim Crow and the inequities these systems of oppression perpetuated to claim that legalizing marijuana would somehow erase that experience."

The group called on Nixon to apologize.

Nixon on Saturday attended a rally for the legalization of pot in New York. She has focused heavily on the issue and the fact that the disproportionate number of pot arrests impact people of color.

A Nixon spokeswoman could not be immediately reached for comment.

A year after calling pot a "gateway drug," Cuomo this year has ordered a state study into the issue of legalizing marijuana. He has argued that with Massachusetts having already legalized it and New Jersey considering it, the issue has changed.

 

[hand2handking]

Al Sharpton's Secret Work As FBI Informant
Untold story of how activist once aided Mafia probes

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/investigation/al-sharpton-764312

 

[nawghtyhare]

Cynthia Nixon Ignites Outrage for Saying Marijuana Could Be ‘Form of Reparations’ in Black Neighborhoods


Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon meets the press at the New York City Cannabis Parade and Rally in Union Square on Saturday, May 5, 2018. (Jefferson Siegel/New York Daily News)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...gnite-outrage-black-leaders-article-1.3976450

People doing too much
She clearly said the people in the communities
Affected by arrests for weed
Should be the first ones getting licenses
For opening businesses for weed
And a form of reparations for that
Not reparations for slavery or anything like that
Anyone reading her exact quote
Can see exactly what she meant
I hate when they change the narrative
To try to make something out of nothing
Then when folks really do racist ****
They mouth be closed
Don’t say ****
Just post about it on ig and fb

 

[nawghtyhare]

Al Sharpton's Secret Work As FBI Informant
Untold story of how activist once aided Mafia probes

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/investigation/al-sharpton-764312

Already knew he wasnt ****

 

[Mark Antony]

Cynthia Nixon Ignites Outrage for Saying Marijuana Could Be ‘Form of Reparations’ in Black Neighborhoods


Gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon meets the press at the New York City Cannabis Parade and Rally in Union Square on Saturday, May 5, 2018. (Jefferson Siegel/New York Daily News)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/pol...gnite-outrage-black-leaders-article-1.3976450

I agree with her and have been a proponent of that. Reality is we've been hit the worst by drug enforcement, we should be at the forefront of a now booming legal industry. Those short sighted idiots sound like Russian plants.

 

[nawghtyhare]

I agree with her and have been a proponent of that. Reality is we've been hit the worst by drug enforcement, we should be at the forefront of a now booming legal industry. Those short sighted idiots sound like Russian plants.

I’m sayin
It’s like folks playing telephone
And ain’t even get what she originally said
Just heard what she said
From someone

 

[hand2handking]