Sunday, June 04, 2006

Oprah vs. Hip Hop: The Rap Attack

Oprah vs. Hip Hop

50 Cent is popular for his rap disses; his tongue-lashings have been known to destroy hip hop careers. His most recent beef with Oprah is drawing other rap elite in what is developing into one of the greatest hip hop beefs since the east coast-west coast rivalry--and Big O isn't even a rapper.

Now, we love hip hop, but some of today's popular rap lyrics aren't suitable for the children that consume them, let alone stay at home moms and middle aged women--Oprah's core audience. Couldn't you just see 50 Cent serenading Oprah's viewers with an ultra-bleeped out version of "P.I.M.P" or taking those sweet older ladies to his "Candy Shop?"

Ludacris on The Oprah ShowLudacris, and most recently, Ice Cube, have added logs to the fire of the Oprah roasting. Ludacris, infuriated that some of his interview had been cut out of an Oprah taping for the film Hustle and Flow, recently made statements that suggested Oprah trimmed his comments because he was a rap artist. (Come on, Ludacris. We love ya’, but it's called the Oprah Winfrey show. EVERYONE's comments are edited for time).

Kanye West on OprahWe can't help feeling that this is an attempt to dethrone the Queen of Talk using the guise of Hip Hop music. If Oprah’s producers are smart--and you can bet they are--next season's Oprah will feature a roundtable of Hip Hop artists who want an opportunity to have their say.

But, really, some rappers should put out more responsible lyrics if they want to speak to a mature audience. But that's another blog altogether...

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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oprah should definitely listen to the brothas. Rap music is big everywhere now so she needs to have a show about it. But 50 Cents gets on my nerves with all of his diss crap. Oprah isn't some thug off of the streets so he should show more respect when he opens his mouth.

P said...

I don't necessarily agree nor disagree IN Particular with how Oprah has not just shut out HIP HOP in SPECIFIC, but I do notice that many genres of black music and other black forms of arts and entertainment IN.GENERAL.

Fiddy has a big mouth. That's his hood mentality, coupled with being filthy rich, that gives him a flippant way about himself, where he disses EVERYONE. He has no business even participating in that foolishness, up to and including with a thug. He's going to end up missing if he doesn't shut his piehole. To me that translates into him being offended that he has not been on the show which is VERY influential. I'm not the biggest Oprah fan - but for whatever reason, she works, and has done so for two decades.

Luda: Now I love him and I won't go as far as to say what Oprah did regarding that, but you can look at a snapshot of her book of the months, and sans Toni Morrison and maybe a sprinkle of a few others, she is missing some fine literary journalists (I'm not talking about anything a la Omar Tyree), I'm talking more on a more Virginia Deberry/Walter Mosley kick.

Anonymous said...

Oprah only has big issues on her show that's why none of these rappers have been on there. Ain't nobody outside of Vibe and The Source really talking about these dudes. Now that they made themselves a issue, they'll get on. LOL.

That's how you do it right there!

Anonymous said...

I Love Oprah and Oprah is the queen of this world.She can do whatever she wants to do because she ownes everything she has her name on.50 really needs to shut the hell up because Oprah could ruin his entire career if she wanted to.That's his elder and sometimes you have to show a little respect especially to a women who has done so much for this world and for our black people. I believe that they just need to get over this issue because she is a legend and a inspiration to all and nomatter what they do no one can beat Lady O!!!!

Anonymous said...

Oprah furthers the stereotype when her elitist ass only recognizes blacks with money and position.

Oprah does not bend down to lift up from any of the hoods, she takes her considerable influence and wealth and uplifts Africa and its people.

She believes that to offer assistance to poor blacks in the hood it is a handout and not a handup. She does not have to bring money into the innercities of America, but she could bring in community centers, afterschool programs that promote educational endeavor, financial planning, budgeting, etc. These things are needed in the neighborhoods and would be a place for the kids to go to that will advance their future prospects.

Don't you think?

Hip Hop is a way of excusing her non participation in the innercities and that is sad.

Bill Cosby got it wrong. You are asking people who are fighting the good fight, earning minimum wage, to figure out how to stretch their paychecks to meet rents that are out of control, cost of commuting, and pay for a college education.

It is so much harder now than it has been throughout our history.

These are not excuses I am offering, but realities overlooked by rich folk who have not had to struggle to decide between bread or milk purchases in over 40 years.

Realities, not rhetoric.

Anonymous said...

When did it become an inherent RIGHT to be on a show? I have issues with the big O, but I support her RIGHT to choose what images she will portray on her show. As for Luda, Fiddy, & Cube...real funny how success has turned them into playa hatas & punks! If Oprah was vindictive she'd use her considerable influence to stop each of their careers cold! They best be careful they don't awake a sleeping giant.

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Matt said...

Now don’t get me wrong I love rap; I listen to screw, hardcore rap and everything else because it is an artistic form of expression about the hardships many rappers have incurred; and the beats go hard, but getting on Oprah because she does not want that on HER show is wrong. Now Oprah can’t really blame rap for having a total influence on young kid because they kids are going to do what the hell they want to do anyway. Oprah even said she likes “rap as a form of expression” and that she likes listening to certain artist, but let’s face it, rap has strayed far from its positive roots. Why would she want to have people on her show that praise gang-bangin’ and drugs. The only way she would have that on her show is if a person used to do drugs and gang-bangin’ but turned their lives around; which she has. Most rappers now are doing the same thing they used to do but just have more money while doing it. So if these rappers are so hard and independent, why would you want to go on the Oprah Show on the first place? The only thing Oprah did do wrong though is by not having Ice Cube on the show where they talked about his show, where blacks and whites traded skin colors and hair.
As for the comment above about Oprah not helping inner-city kids that statement is false. Oprah has improved and created after-school havens for kids, she built a whole damn neighborhood for Katrina victims and donated 10 MILLION dollars to the Red Cross. She has put inner cities children through college, and has renovated houses and bought Christmas toys for underprivileged kids. I think you are expecting her to fix all inner city problems; which she can’t do. As the kids in Africa many of them can’t afford to go to school. In America school is free and a good number of Black kids don’t even want to go or don’t give a damn while they are there. Bottom line everybody needs to get off Oprah’s jock!

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