Sometimes I wonder

[Sho]

Gangster see gangster do I'm Langston Hughes predecessor

My wrist is freezing up sick of these ducks on my hiatus
Poking out their chest like they tall as sky scrapers
But they small as a shanty in a African village
Soft as cotton candy we assassins and killers

Everybody's crazy,
Somebody's gonna get shot get rob get done get stomp get drop,
Ladies love thugs and my thug love hip hop,
Thugs love ladies and ladies they love hip hop.

Nas - Everybody's Crazy

Nas said it best; even though it's a chorus hook, this accurately defines some niggas in America's culture, literally.

Some people are basically doing shit they see other people do (on TV or places that don't even apply to where they live), because they think it's "what's cool" and they never move their mindset past what wouldn't them "embarrassed". Example: I recently got myself back into school to finish my degree in Comp Science-- I look outside and see niggas acting like niggas in college just because because they can and to maintain whatever rep they have. Kinda sad when you go to college for higher learning and you still wanna be a nigga like it's high school.

Nas does rap about crazy stuff sometimes, but normally his older raps hit the nail on the head repeatedly.

[SephYuyX]

I THOUGHT WE WERE BROTHERS

[Abandon]

That's what you get for thinking

[Dimmauk]

Slightly on-topic.. This whole incident is saddening and tragic, which makes this kind of thing even more sick & twisted.

Drudge links to report on murder in Chicago with headline "Olympic Spirit: Video Shows Brutal Gang Murder In Chicago" | Media Matters for America

Matt Drudge, you're seriously a sick motherfucker. Seek professional help.

WTF.

[Nuker]

Every black male, and female should get a psychological health check at the age of 18. Cause round' these part's most are retard's who get influenced by every trend in history, and television, and think they're hardcore Gangsta'.

[Mizango]

Shit I can show you some real "gangstas", its the being proud of it and embracing your own ignorance part that gets me.

[Charismatic]

Shit I can show you some real "gangstas", its the being proud of it and embracing your own ignorance part that gets me.

bing bing bing, looks like we got a winner

[MrW]

Hey, how about we get rid of BET. I'd elaborate but do I really need to?

[Dimmauk]

Does Rap music perpetuate that stereotype too?

As I post this I'm listening to Nuthin' but a "G" thang

[wipers]

You have to understand that music is entertainment. When you get that it shouldn't influence your behavior.

[Sho]

You have to understand that music is entertainment. When you get that it shouldn't influence your behavior.

Well music is influential as well as entertainment. It's just that people take shit too far (like what MrW is saying in a all too subtle way). I guess you're saying the same thing lol.

What I don't understand is why some people don't try to better themselves by escaping the lifestyle they bind themselves to by constantly immersing themselves in hip-hop culture. Which is OK by all means, but the top-of-the-chart rappers and artists aren't living off of music and hustling alone... they actually learn the mechanics of how the economy works around them. Example: Jay-Z and Kanye West (as ironic as it sounds) vs some no-name in-city artist that believe he/she should "stay true to the game" by staying right where they are. Then all of the hip-hop culture followers that do nothing but act like niggas for the good majority of their lives.

[Woozie]

Some people are basically doing shit they see other people do (on TV or places that don't even apply to where they live), because they think it's "what's cool" and they never move their mindset past what wouldn't them "embarrassed". Example: I recently got myself back into school to finish my degree in Comp Science-- I look outside and see niggas acting like niggas in college just because because they can and to maintain whatever rep they have. Kinda sad when you go to college for higher learning and you still wanna be a nigga like it's high school.

Oh man this is one of the things that bothers me the most. I also see this crap all the time. People in college who are still trying to be 'gangsta'. I mean seriously, dudes, seriously. You're in college now.

[AoE]

To be fair, actin like a nigga is fun sometimes.

[isladar]

...its the being proud of it and embracing your own ignorance part that gets me.

This transcends race. The "Oh yeah, well we're all stupid, so you're not included" mentality is fucking frightening. Comfort in groups, absolutely. Comfort in groups that pat themselves on the back for under-performing and disregarding education is I don't even have a word for it. I have literally gaped at people in my classes.

The American feeling of "don't think you're better than anyone else, we're all equal" has become "if you're smart, you're undermining the group, and thus need to be ostracized".

[Sho]

To be fair, actin like a nigga is fun sometimes.

Of course bro, of course. Time and place for everything however, esp after you hit 18~22.

[Cream Soda]

If premature ejaculation means I'm not black then I guess I'm not black

[MrW]

I'm going to preface this by saying that I am not talking solely about black people but rather ALL of those people who have come from similar backgrounds and circumstances.


It seems like a downward spiral that leads to nothing but a lasting ignorance. I understand that sometimes people come from less fortunate households and the odds are "stacked against them". But on the same token, many of us have come from the same situations and have still been able to become productive members of society. Many of the people have hit the nail on the head when it comes to strength in numbers and being ostracized for deviating from the pack. You have ignorant parents that raise children who are just as ignorant. Then, you have Tom, Dick, and Harry who are raised with undertones of ignorance sharing the same "values" that their ignorant parents taught them. What's more is that these ideals are further solidified because the cool thing to do is watch shows like MTV, BET, etc. and embracing the worst of the hip-hop culture.

Not to say that Hip-hop is bad... I grew up with that too. But I didn't listen to the Soulja Boy's, the Flo-Rida's, and whatever terrible rapper that comes along with some kind of song about a two-step. I grew up with NAS, 2pac, Rakim, Wu Tang and the like. The main difference is the fact that I saw the people in my neighborhood and KNEW that I didn't want to end up like them. The peer pressure to “keep it real” coupled with parents’ inability to teach and the nonsense they see on TV are a recipe for disaster and this is the result: The productive members of a certain race are overshadowed by those who give them a bad name.

[Cream Soda]

Soulja-Boy up in this!

[Dimmauk]

A Tribe called Quest up in hur.

[Sho]

Soulja-Boy up in this!

You have no idea how annoying Soulja-Boy is to me. And all the new "step dances" that are released every 1-3 weeks. I wish we could rewind Hip-hop to 1983~2002 sometimes. Pretty sure most of it died @ 2003.