A friend of posted on facebook saying that white people shoudnt rap, becuase it was invented by 'people of colour' (we dont use the term in the UK, and I find it very prolomatic, but will use it for the sake of ease in this post. It was a public post, and I feel, as a muscician that i understand this and can comment on it. I replied saying I think we woudldnt have had some of the best kinds of music, if other people, white or otherwise, hadn't built upon blues music. I was then told in response that blues was stolen by white people. I replied saying I play folk punk music and i didnt invent it, but i dont feel like a thief. A friend of my friend then said they wanted to focus on 'poc' and i was steamrollering. I replied saying that i wasnt steamrollering and that my opinon shoulnt be worth less becuase of the colour of my skin. They told me i was abusing my white privelege. I replied that th original argument makes no sense, because 'poc' didnt invent rap music, black people did, and that under this rule, latino people wouldn't be allowed to rap either. They told me to stop steamrollering and called me a troll and a racist. I replied saying the racist comment was absurd and 'you woudn't tell an asian pianist they couldnt play western european classical music' they said 'no, beucase theyre playing music of a more priveleged group. So I said ' equality meand one rule fr everyone' and they said ' i dont believe in equality, i beieve in equity and social justice' The equity and social justice comment makes me feel as though this person wants to fight fire with fire, and opress white people down to the level of everyone else, rather that working together for equality. I'm not about to claim these commenters where racist toward me, i dont believe discrimintation against white people can fairly be called racism. I do believe however that in this case, theyre the biggots and not me. Im having a big falling out with my friend about this right now, and i really fail to understand how wanting to be equal is racist. Im really confused right now. I'd like to hear everyones opinon, maybe non white people can help me better understand this. Iwas really hurt by the racist comment. Im a good ally and a member of several anti fascist groups
Art is art. Should Whites be prohibited from painting murals because Diego Rivera painted murals? Should Whites refrain from poetry due to Maya Angelou? If your friends call for diversity, they cannot complain when they get it.
Agree with every previous post here. Almost every important musical innovation since the beginning of the 20th century was the result of an artist thinking outside the box and drawing inspiration from other cultures.
Everything you said is true. He is just full of self hate. There are blacks that play instruments in symphonies composed by white composers hundreds of years ago. No one would think they are stealing....anything.
Do you belong to these groups because they denounce racism from all quarters or do they just take the typical left-wing stance and only moan about white people being racist? Suffice it to say, I know what the answer is, having been a former leftist myself. You may wish to take this into consideration regarding your choice of associates. You're dealing with anti-white racists. - - - Updated - - - The common lefty political lie is that white people have more due to their "stealing" from backward societies, not by actually coming up with things on their own. Aside from that being a complete slap in the face of reality, it's clearly meant as a soothing explanation to people from cultures that have done very little in comparison as to why they're so far behind.
Suffice it to say, these people would howl if white folk said, "Don't use things we've invented." That would include but not remotely be limited to: The wheel, televisions, radios, electric power, telephones, automobiles, computers, the internet, trains, airplanes, jet engines, rockets, and so forth.
don't make a big deal out of it. Black people are sensitive to history and are rightly proud of their contributions to music and the arts. just let it go.
whites didnt invent any of those things, they simply built upon innovations that already existed and changed the name to make it seem like they contributed. What is funniest of all is you think that Sumerians [ who according to the bible were Ethiopian ] were white ppl. Whats next, the messiah is white too lmao. You seem to forget that he was hunted by the romans (not the other way round), he raised the dead, healed the sick and because of this spirit the romans cast stones and crucified him. Now look around, who is babylon and who is the the messiah, ididnt say it, youre just thinking it right now.
I'm thinking the Beastie Boys were rich from rapping (in their blend of rap, singing and yelling) long before Tupac. They go back to 1983 if my memory serves me correctly, but rap existed long before then and was, as the OP stated, originated by black rappers. But who cares? Basketball was a white sport but today includes people from many races. There are black country music singers going back decades, and they've done it with great success. Your buddy is bull headed and wrong. Eminem has been a great success in today's rap culture. Greatness should just be appreciated for what it is and we need to leave the childish color vision at home. Great is great and can come in any color or form. Your friend isn't much of a friend. Music knows no colors and true musicians appreciate and understand that. Perhaps reminding him that the record label Def Jam was launched by Russell and Rubin Russell (1984) and one of their first releases on their label was by the Beastie Boys. CLEARLY they understand music is not about color!
You're really stretching here. Look where Sumer was on a map. Between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Pretty much where Iraq is today. Now find Ethiopia on a map. see how it is nowhere near either the Tigris or Euphrates rivers. While you're working on this exercise, please show me the references to ancient civilizations inventing TV, radio, electric power, telephones, etc. I'm interested. Jesus wasn't white. Racially he was Jewish. Why do you think it's significant to jesus' race that the Romans crucified him at the behest of the Jews? After all, it was a Jewish court that convicted him of preaching without a license.
its commendable that you spent 2 weeks researching before you bothered to reply, at least you did. now try 10 more years of reading and research then we can discuss on a level playing field.
Sorry. This forum isn't the center of my life. You still haven't provided any citations or references for your opinions. I'm beginning to believe you base them on what you want to be true rather than what is likely or possible. Nor did you address either of my points, I note. You simply make a vague assertion of superiority and leave it at that. Given that you can neither punctuate nor spell, I think the high probability is that my education is superior to yours. Study up young man! One day you'll be able to hold your own with the adults.