Why Don’t Rap Lyrics Bother The White House?
October 29, 2016 at 5:07 a.m.
By Gary [email protected]
She was regaled by the press as providing a seminal moment in Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the White House.
Here’s what CNN had to say:
In the course of attacking Donald Trump on the campaign trail Thursday, first lady Michelle Obama created a watershed moment in the national conversation about gender equality – one with effects that will surely last long after the votes are counted on November 8.
Michelle Obama, stumping for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, launched a devastating attack on the brazen, scandalous words and behavior of Donald Trump, especially his foul-mouthed boasts about sexually attacking women.
Similar accolades popped up all over the news sites on the internet.
Fair enough.
Trump said some pretty vile things about women. Most likely it was empty bragging, but nonetheless, he said some pretty vile things. That point is easy to concede because it’s inarguable.
And, as a candidate for president of the United States, he’s fair game for criticism over it.
Here’s some of what the First Lady had to say:
"I can't stop thinking about this. It has shaken me to my core in a way I could not have predicted. ... This is not normal. This is not politics as usual. (This is where her voice breaks with emotion, according to the transcript.) This is disgraceful. It is intolerable. And it doesn't matter what party you belong to – Democrat, Republican, independent – no woman deserves to be treated this way. None of us deserves this kind of abuse."
There’s more:
"I know it's a campaign, but this isn't about politics. It's about basic human decency. It's about right and wrong. And we simply cannot endure this, or expose our children to this any longer – not for another minute, and let alone for four years. Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say enough is enough."
You know what?
I agree with her. One hundred percent. But here’s what I don’t get.
Back in August, xxlmag.com compiled a list of 10 rappers who have visited the White House: Common, Queen Latifah, Big Sean, Killer Mike, Wale, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Will Smith, Nicki Minaj and Ludacris.
That’s not a complete list. Back in April, as part of the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, another group of rappers was recognized for their artistic contributions to minority communities.
Jay Z and Beyoncé have been guests of the president and first lady on multiple occasions.
There are plenty of photo ops with all of these folks smiling and hanging out with the first couple.
Now, since this is a family newspaper, I will spare you the agony of reading too many rap lyrics. But take my word for it, rap artists write some of the most crude, vile, vulgar, violent and mysognistic things you can imagine – replete with multiple b-words, f-bombs and n-words.
I mean, these songs make Trump’s “grab them by the p****” comment look like Sunday school.
One more quote from Mrs. O’s rant against Trump:
"What message are our little girls hearing about who they should look like, how they should act?"
That is a legitimate question.
But I wonder if the First Lady asked that question of Nicki Minaj when she visited the White House?
Minaj’s collaboration with David Guetta produced the song “Hey Mama,” which says, in part:
“Make sure mama crawls on her knees keep him pleased rub him down be a lady and a freak" ... "Yes I do the cooking/ Yes I do the cleaning/ Yes I keep the nana real sweet for your eating/ Yes you be the (boss) yes I be respecting."
Seems like a nice wholesome message for the age group of girls most likely to be reached by Minaj’s music, eh?
Is the First Lady OK with this?
I know, I know.
These people are entertainers and Trump is a candidate for president.
Big difference.
I get it.
But it seems to me if Trump’s comments truly shook Michelle Obama to her “core” in a way she “could not have predicted,” wouldn’t the message of all these rap artists have the same effect?
Shouldn’t she and her husband be decrying the awful messages put forth by rap musicians?
And let’s be honest.
Rap music has an exponentially greater impact on today’s youth culture than Donald Trump’s blatherings ever could.
But far from denouncing rap’s debasing message and privative influence on young people, the First Lady seems to embrace it.
Seems just a wee bit hypocritical to me.
*****
Here’s a little bonus tidbit.
I’m sitting at my desk Friday afternoon and I hear the news that FBI?chief James Comey sent a letter to Congress saying he is re-opening the investigation into Hillary’s emails.
The story drips out over the next few hours. Then, right before 5 p.m. I saw this on the New York Times website:
The F.B.I. is investigating illicit text messages that Mr. (Anthony) Weiner, a former Democratic congressman from New York, sent to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. The bureau told Congress on Friday that it had uncovered new emails related to the Clinton case — one federal official said they numbered in the thousands — potentially reigniting an issue that has weighed on the presidential campaign and offering a lifeline to Donald J. Trump less than two weeks before the election.
Comey’s letter said some of the emails may have been classified.
The emails were found on a computer used by Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin. Abedin is Hillary Clinton’s top aide.
Let’s recap.
The husband of Hillary’s top aide is sending sexy texts to a teenager. The FBI is looking into it and stumbles onto thousands more Hillary emails on her aide’s computer that may or may not contain classified information.
This has the potential to undermine Hillary’s campaign.
So sexy texts may ruin the chances of the U.S. electing its first female president – Hillary Clinton – whose husband, Bill, got impeached for fooling around with his intern.
This is truly stranger than fiction. Seriously, folks, you just can’t make this stuff up, can you?
She was regaled by the press as providing a seminal moment in Hillary Clinton’s campaign for the White House.
Here’s what CNN had to say:
In the course of attacking Donald Trump on the campaign trail Thursday, first lady Michelle Obama created a watershed moment in the national conversation about gender equality – one with effects that will surely last long after the votes are counted on November 8.
Michelle Obama, stumping for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, launched a devastating attack on the brazen, scandalous words and behavior of Donald Trump, especially his foul-mouthed boasts about sexually attacking women.
Similar accolades popped up all over the news sites on the internet.
Fair enough.
Trump said some pretty vile things about women. Most likely it was empty bragging, but nonetheless, he said some pretty vile things. That point is easy to concede because it’s inarguable.
And, as a candidate for president of the United States, he’s fair game for criticism over it.
Here’s some of what the First Lady had to say:
"I can't stop thinking about this. It has shaken me to my core in a way I could not have predicted. ... This is not normal. This is not politics as usual. (This is where her voice breaks with emotion, according to the transcript.) This is disgraceful. It is intolerable. And it doesn't matter what party you belong to – Democrat, Republican, independent – no woman deserves to be treated this way. None of us deserves this kind of abuse."
There’s more:
"I know it's a campaign, but this isn't about politics. It's about basic human decency. It's about right and wrong. And we simply cannot endure this, or expose our children to this any longer – not for another minute, and let alone for four years. Now is the time for all of us to stand up and say enough is enough."
You know what?
I agree with her. One hundred percent. But here’s what I don’t get.
Back in August, xxlmag.com compiled a list of 10 rappers who have visited the White House: Common, Queen Latifah, Big Sean, Killer Mike, Wale, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Will Smith, Nicki Minaj and Ludacris.
That’s not a complete list. Back in April, as part of the “My Brother’s Keeper” initiative, another group of rappers was recognized for their artistic contributions to minority communities.
Jay Z and Beyoncé have been guests of the president and first lady on multiple occasions.
There are plenty of photo ops with all of these folks smiling and hanging out with the first couple.
Now, since this is a family newspaper, I will spare you the agony of reading too many rap lyrics. But take my word for it, rap artists write some of the most crude, vile, vulgar, violent and mysognistic things you can imagine – replete with multiple b-words, f-bombs and n-words.
I mean, these songs make Trump’s “grab them by the p****” comment look like Sunday school.
One more quote from Mrs. O’s rant against Trump:
"What message are our little girls hearing about who they should look like, how they should act?"
That is a legitimate question.
But I wonder if the First Lady asked that question of Nicki Minaj when she visited the White House?
Minaj’s collaboration with David Guetta produced the song “Hey Mama,” which says, in part:
“Make sure mama crawls on her knees keep him pleased rub him down be a lady and a freak" ... "Yes I do the cooking/ Yes I do the cleaning/ Yes I keep the nana real sweet for your eating/ Yes you be the (boss) yes I be respecting."
Seems like a nice wholesome message for the age group of girls most likely to be reached by Minaj’s music, eh?
Is the First Lady OK with this?
I know, I know.
These people are entertainers and Trump is a candidate for president.
Big difference.
I get it.
But it seems to me if Trump’s comments truly shook Michelle Obama to her “core” in a way she “could not have predicted,” wouldn’t the message of all these rap artists have the same effect?
Shouldn’t she and her husband be decrying the awful messages put forth by rap musicians?
And let’s be honest.
Rap music has an exponentially greater impact on today’s youth culture than Donald Trump’s blatherings ever could.
But far from denouncing rap’s debasing message and privative influence on young people, the First Lady seems to embrace it.
Seems just a wee bit hypocritical to me.
*****
Here’s a little bonus tidbit.
I’m sitting at my desk Friday afternoon and I hear the news that FBI?chief James Comey sent a letter to Congress saying he is re-opening the investigation into Hillary’s emails.
The story drips out over the next few hours. Then, right before 5 p.m. I saw this on the New York Times website:
The F.B.I. is investigating illicit text messages that Mr. (Anthony) Weiner, a former Democratic congressman from New York, sent to a 15-year-old girl in North Carolina. The bureau told Congress on Friday that it had uncovered new emails related to the Clinton case — one federal official said they numbered in the thousands — potentially reigniting an issue that has weighed on the presidential campaign and offering a lifeline to Donald J. Trump less than two weeks before the election.
Comey’s letter said some of the emails may have been classified.
The emails were found on a computer used by Weiner and his wife, Huma Abedin. Abedin is Hillary Clinton’s top aide.
Let’s recap.
The husband of Hillary’s top aide is sending sexy texts to a teenager. The FBI is looking into it and stumbles onto thousands more Hillary emails on her aide’s computer that may or may not contain classified information.
This has the potential to undermine Hillary’s campaign.
So sexy texts may ruin the chances of the U.S. electing its first female president – Hillary Clinton – whose husband, Bill, got impeached for fooling around with his intern.
This is truly stranger than fiction. Seriously, folks, you just can’t make this stuff up, can you?
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