I'm pretty sure this belongs in here, anyway interesting read:
Blood Money: The Financial Fruit from the Deaths of
Game & 50 Cent
By: Adisa Banjoko
Since America was first created, much of it's wealth
has been rooted in Black death. The Trans-Atlantic
slave trade, made this nation stronger than it could
have ever imagined and is the base of all the economic
success it achieved since 1865 (when slavery was
abolished). For several hundred years Black men and
women were raped, hung, tourtured at the whim of their
owners and discarded at the bottom of creeks and
rivers throught the south. All the while their free
labor was setting the economic foundation for the
earth we walk on today in North America. When Black
blood soaks into American soil, money sprouts up.
During the Jim Crow, Civil Rights and Black Power
struggles we saw it again. The murders of Malcolm X,
MLK Jr., Medgar Evers, Lil Bobby Hutton, Fred Hampton
and Emmit Till were a source of income yet again. The
media made a lot of money capturing footage of the
struggle for African Americans to be recognized as
equal citizens of this nation. They sell us back the
footage in documentaries and t-shirts. Black America
buys it's own death right back in anyform it can-
accept books.
Now we see it again with Hip Hop. Black death is big
business. We can only speculate how much Interscope
Records has made from the death of Tupac Shakur.
Surely they made was more than when Pac was alive. We
can only wonder how much Arista made after the death
of Norotious B.I.G. Virtually every rap mag makes sure
they can rake in the profits with an annual Pac and
B.I.G. issue. Nevermind the fact that most of these
mags are a CORE REASON these men died. It was in many
respects the irresponsible Hip Hop press that threw
gasoline on the deadly rap flame. Now theres all kinds
of merchadise, t-shirts, hats, cell phone cases etc.
that generate untold millions.
Looking forward, we see blood on the horizon for Game
and 50 Cent. As we sit in the quiet before the storm,
I can only speculate which T-shirt companies have
thier new "RIP Game" and "RIP 50" shirts already
designed. I imagine many of the Hip Hop press outlets
are putting the final touches on their memorial
covers. Anybody with old footage of Game and 50 (pre
or post fame) is making sure the sound is tight and
the clarity of the picture is all in order. DJ's are
making their super duper memorial mixtapes. Radio
keeps pushing idle talk and unfounded rumors about who
said what, did what and when. The feast is being
preppared and Game and 50 are the main course...The
money vultures circle this "beef" looking for their
cut. Whether you are a thug, or just want to look like
one, there is a way you can get you money outta this
feud if you play your cards right.
Often what we miss in America but in Hip Hop
specifically, is that these are real men. The hype can
be blinding at times. But these are men!! Men with
families and histories. They love people, and people
love them back. Hip Hop is just a happenstance of
their journey as Black men on this earth, in this day
that we live. Rap music can no longer be the excuse we
use as to why Black men die in the street. Hip Hop has
gone from a non-violent reaction to racism, economic
and cultural oppression to being a key factor in why
Black women lose their sons. The leaders of the white
corporate run Rap industry are the core culprits in
the shift of the non-violent dynamic to the murderous
one we see today. They have turned their backs to life
affirming rap and chose to promote much of what we see
today on MTV, BET and on the radio outlets across the
planet. Even if Black people were making all the
money- the mindstate is still disgusting.
I have no idea to what degree Game and 50 are furious
at one another. I don't have a clue as to the real
reason they have issues right now. But trust me when I
tell you that there are TV outlets, magazines, t-shirt
companies, cell phone ringtone and film companies are
LITTERALY BANKING ON THEIR DEATH TO MAKE MONEY. Blood
money is the new cash cow of the rap industry. I hope
these brothers wake up. I hope they can squash it it
and just keep it on wax. Because if they don't, Rap
industry vultures will feast on the carcasses of these
Black men- yet again.
Adisa Banjoko is author to the highly controversial
book "Lyrical Swords Vol. 1: Hip Hop and Politics in
the Mix". Buy one today at www.lyricalswords.com
You can hear this guy speak on some important issues in this interview done with Davey D on the anniversary of Biggies death: Interview (props to Thug4Life for posting that in Life)
Thoughts?
Blood Money: The Financial Fruit from the Deaths of
Game & 50 Cent
By: Adisa Banjoko
Since America was first created, much of it's wealth
has been rooted in Black death. The Trans-Atlantic
slave trade, made this nation stronger than it could
have ever imagined and is the base of all the economic
success it achieved since 1865 (when slavery was
abolished). For several hundred years Black men and
women were raped, hung, tourtured at the whim of their
owners and discarded at the bottom of creeks and
rivers throught the south. All the while their free
labor was setting the economic foundation for the
earth we walk on today in North America. When Black
blood soaks into American soil, money sprouts up.
During the Jim Crow, Civil Rights and Black Power
struggles we saw it again. The murders of Malcolm X,
MLK Jr., Medgar Evers, Lil Bobby Hutton, Fred Hampton
and Emmit Till were a source of income yet again. The
media made a lot of money capturing footage of the
struggle for African Americans to be recognized as
equal citizens of this nation. They sell us back the
footage in documentaries and t-shirts. Black America
buys it's own death right back in anyform it can-
accept books.
Now we see it again with Hip Hop. Black death is big
business. We can only speculate how much Interscope
Records has made from the death of Tupac Shakur.
Surely they made was more than when Pac was alive. We
can only wonder how much Arista made after the death
of Norotious B.I.G. Virtually every rap mag makes sure
they can rake in the profits with an annual Pac and
B.I.G. issue. Nevermind the fact that most of these
mags are a CORE REASON these men died. It was in many
respects the irresponsible Hip Hop press that threw
gasoline on the deadly rap flame. Now theres all kinds
of merchadise, t-shirts, hats, cell phone cases etc.
that generate untold millions.
Looking forward, we see blood on the horizon for Game
and 50 Cent. As we sit in the quiet before the storm,
I can only speculate which T-shirt companies have
thier new "RIP Game" and "RIP 50" shirts already
designed. I imagine many of the Hip Hop press outlets
are putting the final touches on their memorial
covers. Anybody with old footage of Game and 50 (pre
or post fame) is making sure the sound is tight and
the clarity of the picture is all in order. DJ's are
making their super duper memorial mixtapes. Radio
keeps pushing idle talk and unfounded rumors about who
said what, did what and when. The feast is being
preppared and Game and 50 are the main course...The
money vultures circle this "beef" looking for their
cut. Whether you are a thug, or just want to look like
one, there is a way you can get you money outta this
feud if you play your cards right.
Often what we miss in America but in Hip Hop
specifically, is that these are real men. The hype can
be blinding at times. But these are men!! Men with
families and histories. They love people, and people
love them back. Hip Hop is just a happenstance of
their journey as Black men on this earth, in this day
that we live. Rap music can no longer be the excuse we
use as to why Black men die in the street. Hip Hop has
gone from a non-violent reaction to racism, economic
and cultural oppression to being a key factor in why
Black women lose their sons. The leaders of the white
corporate run Rap industry are the core culprits in
the shift of the non-violent dynamic to the murderous
one we see today. They have turned their backs to life
affirming rap and chose to promote much of what we see
today on MTV, BET and on the radio outlets across the
planet. Even if Black people were making all the
money- the mindstate is still disgusting.
I have no idea to what degree Game and 50 are furious
at one another. I don't have a clue as to the real
reason they have issues right now. But trust me when I
tell you that there are TV outlets, magazines, t-shirt
companies, cell phone ringtone and film companies are
LITTERALY BANKING ON THEIR DEATH TO MAKE MONEY. Blood
money is the new cash cow of the rap industry. I hope
these brothers wake up. I hope they can squash it it
and just keep it on wax. Because if they don't, Rap
industry vultures will feast on the carcasses of these
Black men- yet again.
Adisa Banjoko is author to the highly controversial
book "Lyrical Swords Vol. 1: Hip Hop and Politics in
the Mix". Buy one today at www.lyricalswords.com
You can hear this guy speak on some important issues in this interview done with Davey D on the anniversary of Biggies death: Interview (props to Thug4Life for posting that in Life)
Thoughts?
