Spike Lee spoke out against the promotion of gangsta pimp images within hip hop and pop culture during a lecture as part of the University of Florida's Accent Speaker's Bureau series.
"No one gets upset that pimpdom gets elevated on a pedestal," he said, during Wednesday’s speech in front of about 2,000 people. "We are bombarded by these gangsta images again and again and again and again . . . They do make a difference on human behavior.”
Lee singled out Snoop Dogg as a prime example of an artist who is glamorizing the lifestyle. He also criticized the stereotypical images in the film Soul Plane, which starred Snoop as the pilot, and said kids being allowed to watch television unsupervised is “criminal.”
In addition to denouncing rap videos as misogynistic and calling rappers who promote the gangsta/pimp lifestyle “coonish,” Lee dropped some career advice on the audience of mostly college students.
“These four years or more, this is the time to decide what it is you love,” Lee said. “I am blessed. I say my prayers every night. Not many people on this Earth get to do what they love. Find a profession you love so much, you'd do it for free.”
"No one gets upset that pimpdom gets elevated on a pedestal," he said, during Wednesday’s speech in front of about 2,000 people. "We are bombarded by these gangsta images again and again and again and again . . . They do make a difference on human behavior.”
Lee singled out Snoop Dogg as a prime example of an artist who is glamorizing the lifestyle. He also criticized the stereotypical images in the film Soul Plane, which starred Snoop as the pilot, and said kids being allowed to watch television unsupervised is “criminal.”
In addition to denouncing rap videos as misogynistic and calling rappers who promote the gangsta/pimp lifestyle “coonish,” Lee dropped some career advice on the audience of mostly college students.
“These four years or more, this is the time to decide what it is you love,” Lee said. “I am blessed. I say my prayers every night. Not many people on this Earth get to do what they love. Find a profession you love so much, you'd do it for free.”
