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09.07.05 12:31 PM
kanye west and rhymefest katrina real talk
Kanye West told the world: "George Bush doesn’t care about black people."
"[Kanye's] a hero 'cause he said something that we're too scared to say," Rhymefest said of West's words, which echoed around the world.
During a live telethon for hurricane relief on MSNBC, West and Mike Myers were set to speak for 90 seconds about the disaster. After Myers made his comments, West ignored the script on the TelePrompTer and instead looked into the cameras and stated: "I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they're looting. If you see a white family, they're looking for food."
Then he added, "George Bush doesn’t care about black people," and was immediately cut off.
See the clip for yourself here
.....
I've been sitting glued to the television the past few days, flipping back-and-forth (FOX News, MSNBC, CNN). Shit I just may need therapy after having all of those images transfixed in the cerebellum. My father's eldest daughter - who I haven't really spoken to over the years - lives in New Orleans. Is she OK?
Oprah and Geraldo are dramatic. The really know how to dramatize the event and get the human emotion pumping. They both cried on their shows. Both of them and their staffs, doing things above the call of duty.
Recovery and Relief? How will the people who experienced this recover - ever? There is some long-term PTSD going on here. Long term.
posted by lynne | link to this |
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Comments
not feeling bush or the government's lack of urgency with regards to the victims, or with regards to the victims in the Iraqi war (our and theirs). but as far as kanye's comments go, i have a mixed feelings.
on one level, i applaud him for saying something that needed to be said even though it wasn't scripted. I APPLAUD THAT WARRIOR SPIRIT.
on another level, and maybe i'm wrong for this but, part of me doesn't believe him. when a guy constantly makes everything, and every situation about him, it's hard to believe, even in times of tragedy, that in some way, he's not making this about him as well. throw in the timing of this with his album release and....let's just say my bullshit detector starts beeping fanatically. i don't remember kanye saying bush didn't like black people during the elections. matter of fact, during all that "vote or die" bullshit, i don't remember one rapper just coming out and saying "fuck bush, don't vote for him". yet, it was just as obvious then as it is now.
the poorest crackhead in new orleans is bright enough to say "bush doesn't like black people", so although i applaud kanye for doing what more celebs should be doing, let's not make it more than it is. i have nothing but love for our artists, poets, and rappers, but echoing the people's voice alone, doesn't some how qualify you as a leader. one.
posted by hardCore | September 7, 2005 3:20 PM #
True, Kanye just said what people already know but, for whatever reason, haven't said. Granted. But how many of us have the voice the Kanye has right now? And how many of us have an album on the top of the charts right now? And how many of us are on the cover of Time magazine right now? How many of us have as much as Kanye has to lose right now? I know it's becoming trendy these days to be a Kanye cheerleader, but let's be for real: how many us would risk success to tell the truth when it is APPARENT that that very success - maybe even life itself - is completely at risk?
posted by Donald![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.lynnedjohnson.com/nav-commenters.gif)
| September 8, 2005 1:08 AM #