*WARNING* The following video contains scenes of violence and vulgar language, including racial and sexual slurs. Please view at own risk.



Yes, this is a YouTube video. HOWEVER, it really deserves its own thread.


Discuss. This video is a self-proclaimed slap in the face for African-Americans about both the sorry shape of today's hip-hop culture, and (as it seems to me) African-American culture in general (though, where you make that differentiation can be sometimes difficult). I'm not sure I see it that way. What do you think?

i posted this before, and i got no reponse at all, i was astonished.

i think its great personally. i think its obviously a purposeful slap in the face of the culture right now, and how its lacking a conscious. there's no discipline anymore, no one's being accountable for their actions, and not thinking before speaking. right now, like it or not, rap and hip hop has the largest voice in popular culture, its spread like wildfire and because of that the evil corporations moved in and blah blah, but this song honestly shows what it takes to get on, to be heard. thats the only thing that will get air play is that sound, that sells and they don't want to deviate from the plan. and now kids grow up listening to that, especially inner city youth, who normally have no formal parental guidance for a number of reasons, they're role models are feeding them this negative imagery, and while that won't force a person to do anything, psychologically, that is the father figure for alot of young kids, and that is what sticks in their mind, not to mention if they're father is around, more often then not, he's not the most upstanding citizen himself, and so it perpetuates the cycle.

but now is that a knock on that father for doing what he has to do to feed his family? no..because he doesn't have many options himself, but what i'm saying is that its a cycle, and thats reflected in the music...its just a hot button topic now that its catching on with the white suburbs where the stupid ass white kids listen to it, and try to emulate it to be "cool"...and thats not a knock on them either, cuz im a stupid ass white kid that got into hip hop, but the average fan of top 40 rap, doesn't know what the fuck hip hop is

so, how the fuck did i get here? i dont know, im in the mood to type tonight i guess

You posted this before? Hm. Musta missed it.

Anyways. I'm not offended by this or anything, but I question it's validity as a satire. It seems to perpetuate more than it educates. I'm not sure the message gets across in such a way that says "Hey, look at this imagery, this is the problem". The lyrics, personally, are great. My only issue I guess is with the imagery.

i think its genius how this video was done, because he took it exactly and threw the image right in you're face, you can't avoid it...here it is, now deal with it. if you're educated, you'll figure it out...if not, and you think this is just a new hot song, then kill yourself

Which is pretty much the purpose of satire so I don't know how you, Justin, can question its validity as satire.

I just feel like it perpetuates more than it educates. The gun imagery, sexual objectification, stuff like that, isn't ever really shown to be *wrong*. The song is trying to be persuasively perscriptive, I just don't see the video as following along with that.

The more I listen to the actual lyrics, though, the more I like the song in and of itself.

That video sent a message that needed to be heard. this crap is what is going on in black entertainment. this is the truest depiction of the ignorance widely accepted by the youth today. If you did not like this video then maybe you are a part of the problem and are feeling deep shame more so than anger.

Much as I would like to agree that rap is ruining our society, I can't. It's too similar as to say that Marylin Manson and Rammstein caused Columbine. As I'm sure is discussed in some other thread somewhere here at PTF (though I don't recall where) music is often used as a scapegoat to blame the problems in our culture on. I would sooner say that the violence in our culture influences rap, rather than the other way around.

I'm not saying the video doesn't have a point; it does. The media does affect our culture just as our culture affects the media, and it does say more than that rap causes violence, IF it says that. Therefore, I would agree with everything else the song tries to convey, such as that common values don't mean anything anymore.

But I think I'll just post this now before I talk myself into a corner.

yes i really believe that rap is kind of ruining the country. cause most of rap songs are not good and they contain so many sexual and explicit lyrics which really affects the moral values of the people.

indieover, if I've ever wanted to delete a post, it's that one. You didn't talk about THE VIDEO at all. Christ. If you're going to open your mouth, CONTRIBUTE.

Here's the lyrics, I'll make it easy for you.

[Intro:]
YEAHHHHH~! Wassup y'all, ha ha ha
This your boy D'Mite
You see I usually do songs with like
hooks and concepts and shit right?
BUT FUCK THAT MAN, I'm tryin to go platinum
So I'm 'bout to go rock this shit
Check this out y'all, uhh

[D'Mite in the style of Lil Jon:]
Read a book! Read a book! Read a muh'fuckin book!
Read a book! Read a book! Read a muh'fuckin book!
Read a book! Read a book! Read a muh'fuckin book!
Read a book! Read a book! Read a muh'fuckin book!

R-E-A-D, A, B-O-OAHH-KAYYYYYYYY~!
R-E-A-D, A, B-O-OAHH-KAYYYYYYYY~!
R-E-A-D, A, B-O-OAHH-KAYYYYYYYY~!
R-E-A-D, A, B-O-OAHH-KAYYYYYYYY~!

Not a sports page (what) not a magazine (who)
But a book nigga, a fuckin book nigga (YEAHHH~!)
Not a sports page (what) not a magazine (who)
But a book nigga, a fuckin book nigga (YEAHHH~!)
Not a sports page, not a magazine
But a book nigga, check this out

Raise yo' kids, raise yo' kids, raise yo' God damn kids
Raise yo' kids, raise yo' kids, raise yo' God damn kids
Raise yo' kids, raise yo' kids, raise yo' God damn kids
Raise yo' kids, raise yo' kids, raise yo' God damn kids

Your body needs water - so DRINK THAT SHIT
Your body needs water - so DRINK THAT SHIT
Your body needs water - so DRINK THAT SHIT
Your body needs water - so DRINK THAT SHIT

Buy some land, buy some land (what) FUCK SPINNIN RIMS
Buy some land, buy some land (what) FUCK SPINNIN RIMS
Buy some land, buy some land (what) FUCK SPINNIN RIMS
Buy some land, buy some land (what) FUCK SPINNIN RIMS

Brush yo' teeth, brush yo' teeth, brush yo' God damn teeth
Brush yo' teeth, brush yo' teeth, brush yo' God damn teeth
Brush yo' teeth, brush yo' teeth, brush yo' God damn teeth
Brush yo' teeth, brush yo' teeth, brush yo' God damn teeth

Wear deodorant nigga, wear deodorant nigga
Wear deodorant nigga, wear deodorant nigga
Wear deodorant nigga, wear deodorant nigga
Wear deodorant nigga, wear deodorant nigga (WHAT~!~!~!!)

It's called Speed Stick (bitch) it's not expensive (bitch)
It's called Speed Stick (bitch) it's not expensive (bitch)
It's called Speed Stick (bitch) it's not expensive (bitch)
It's called Speed Stick (bitch) it's not expensive (bitch)

Read a book! Read a book! Read a muh'fuckin book!
Read a book! Read a book! Read a muh'fuckin book!
Read a!