Today while doing work on the computer at school, I was listening to Cross Canadian Ragweed's self-titled cd, the purple album. Now, for those of you who don't have this cd, lemme tell ya, it's got some downright violent tunes on it. Examples include:
Truth be known, I could smoke you where you're standin',
But what kind of good would be done then?
Rip off my gloves, and do it bare handed
But then again, I'd feel better in the end
("Don't Need You")
Had an eye for things a-shinin', my pockets were not deep
She went out a-prowlin', lookin' for some fresher meat
Thought she was clever, I pulled up in the rear
I pulled out my Old Timer, I cut that boy from ear to ear
Yeah, she begged me not to do it, said her runnin' days are through,
I said, I forgive you, as the bullet casings flew
Satisfaction, it locomotived through my brain
Now the walls of Huntsville, keep me under lock and chain
("Walls of Huntsville")
No doubt the folks who are being weaned on Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney and their ilk would hear that and clamp their ears in agony. "Oh my God, he's talking about killing! I can't let my kids listen to that!" Never mind that the music was not really aimed at kids, but that's another post entirely. My point is, it may be that these good ole boys from Oklahoma are singing about violently killing an unfaithful or contrary lover, but you can't, even in your wildest dreams, ever see them actually doing it. Contrast that to the kind of folks that Proof, the Notorious B.I.G, etc. ran with, and it's quite plain to see that those folks do indeed live the violence they sing. I don't know the guys from Cross Canadian Ragweed, but I do know the kind of folks that listen to them, and they're all pretty good people, get up and go to work every day for an honest day's pay, and respect their elders and all that good stuff -- in other words, not the kind of folks who'd solve their marital problems (or any other kind of relationship-type problems, for that matter) with a knife or a gun. Now, granted, the so-called "hip-hop culture" has undoubtedly been quite corrupted by some bad people, but, like it or not, it is what it is -- and the fact is that the members of that culture enable the worse aspects of it by continuing to finance those who promote those bad aspects. We may well have a DUI now and then, and that's regrettable, but at least you don't see us listening to songs that refer to our women as bitches 'n' ho's, or that talk about pullin' out a Glock nine and bustin' a cap in somebody because they "disrespected" you. You want your culture to shine and be respected? Well, clean it up and start looking in the mirror instead of pointing out the flaws in other cultures to distract everyone!!
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