27 Jan 2009

So What?

I was just over on Kelly's blog reading a Biggie/Pac blog about which was their favourite. I've been meaning to get on the Biggie/Pac blog thing for a while, especially since I knew a film about Biggie was being made and by reading that blog jump started me to write one here, late but I get there in the end. I always mean to blog about something then I reminded again to get on it.
These two [Biggie & Pac] are again one of those bandwagons that a lot of people jump on.
"Who was greater Biggie/Pac?" That has been the question for how many years now, on radio, in magazines, Internet polls...
Who the fuck cares.
People want to tear into people who do something, who stand for something, who are successful, who don't glorify negativity, who make a difference with their money, who spread positivity like Oprah, Tyler Perry, The Obamas, Will & Jada Smith and many more. But want to hold these two fools up in high regard like they were the saviours of the black race.
I remember working in Allders in the 1990's on a Saturday morning as a teenager and one of the girls in my department looked sad and said to me she was upset that Tupac died. My reaction was a shrug and "So?" She was shocked. She probably thought because they were black I was supposed to be all upset. Listen luv, you promote a thug lifestyle, expect to go out in true thug style.
A thug with a record deal who lived by the gun and died by the gun. Wanted to tell the sistahs to keep their heads up but had no problem in putting his hands on them and disrespecting them verbally and on record for the world to listen to.
Let me be in the minority and not praise these fools who lost their lives the same way they glorified the lifestyle on record.
When you think of Biggie & Pac you're reminded of drama, beef, Lil Kim, Junior Mafia, Bloods, Crips, shootings, extra marital affairs, Charlie Baltimore, Faith, Big beating Kim, prison sentences, sexual abuse charges, East Coast/West Coast rivalry, Suge Knight, Death Row, and the way they died.
Shiiiiit, let me rep for a brotha who makes movies that black people wanna slam for being buffoon like who knows how to give back to the community, buy homes for those that lost theirs, create jobs, builds and opens his OWN film studio and delivers messages of prosperity and hope through his films which are not riddled with violence or profanity. Let me rep for a self made female and black billionaire who's inspired and influenced many the world over, opened schools, got people interested in reading again and changing their lives for the better all whilst building her own legacy and empire. And now let me rep for a self respecting black man, a hardworking father and husband who's now the President of what's considered to be the most powerful nation on earth before I give these two fools my props.
I don't celebrate bad behaviour, I never have. Like I mentioned in the comment section of Kelly's blog, how many kids could reel off Biggie or Pac lyrics, but don't even know the titles of some of the works of our most famous poets? Can they even name a famous poet or black author.
Pac's mother can make as many films and write as many books as she wants about her son. In my opinion she's reminiscent of one of those mothers who gets called into the see the Principal at school about her child's behaviour but rather than reprimand the child will go off on the teacher. There is nothing she can write that's going to convince me that her son was anything great for us as a global community of black people.
There is no room on the wall next to the white Jesus and Martin Luther King Jr, for no damn Biggie or Pac.
Many people may disagree with me.
I simply don't care. Got an idea I didn't give a fuck about Biggie or Pac?...You're damn right I didn't.

6 comments:

  1. Girl m just like that!! I was doing my A levels when Tupac got shot, and there was a few of us black kids at my school and they expected us to have a 'mourning' session or something BUT I couldn't be bothered, it wasn't coming up in any exam I was taking that year so why should I care? I remember one girl coming to me for the lyrics for 'Juicy' during 'prep time' (home-work time in boarding school) and I told her I could write out one of Hamlet's soliloquies for instead..the look on her face was 'priceless'...
    I just don't support that whole thing and yes I won't be going to the BIG movie, I won't buy the BIG/Tupac novels...no thank you...I actually felt some emotion when Luther and Gerald Levert passed on!!

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  2. *Sigh* I agree...I used to be on that bandwagon like 10 years ago back in my ignorant years...lol. I mean who cares!!! Who cares about biggie, tupac, matin luther king, OBAMA(I know you're going to have a heat attack about that one...lol), or any other man who people are looking at to be heroes!!! None of them went to the cross for your salvation and don't get me started on white Jesus because that's not who went to the cross either. My goodness!!!

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  3. No I won't have a heart attack about the Obama or Martin comment. As not everyone worships a God or a saviour, more people are inclined to look toward a human on earth as a role model and a lot of people do, no harm in that. Positive inspiration is a good thing. I'm sure part of God's purpose to create great role models and leaders is to assist in inspiring the human race. Nothng wrong with admiring somebody with a purpose or a message other than God and being inspired by them.

    My point being if you go that route, then at least look to someone who did/or is doing something worthwhile than some jumped up thugs. As for the white Jesus, that's very tongue n cheek re: a lot of black folks having a picture of the white Jesus [an Aryan depicted image] in their homes when they know full well Jesus was no white blonde hair or blue eyed man. So where a lot of em are inclined to have the pics of the Martin next to the white Jesus, don't even think about adding no Biggie or Pac who stood for nothing in my book.

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  4. I'm not a bandwagoner. But, I would be lying by omission if I didn't say that I like songs by Pac and Biggie. Yes, they had their bad sides. But, ALL of us do. Their lives were precious just as ours are. To put them down for their sins and think of our own as lesser is dangerous. So, I don't write them off.

    And, Pac was not the simple thug that people make him out to be. I'm not just referencing his famous sensitive singles that he put out. I'm talking about his thoughts and actions regarding social justice that he was involved in since he was a kid. Those can be found in documentaries, literature and Internet postings on him.

    Yes, there are many Black people out there with mostly squeaky clean images like Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Will and Jada who people hate on/call corny in spite of their many good works. However, to dismiss people whose dark side might be easier to see (e.g., I say 'easier' because once again all of those aforementioned folks have dark sides too) as inconsequential seems to be a path to seeing an incomplete view of the world and the struggles in it.

    (...and this one might really get me some backlash but so be it): As much as I also like songs by NKOTB, they can be considered as bandwagon fodder too. Although, I would still present the fact that they matter as people as well.

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  5. OK what have NKOTB got to do with Pac and Biggie I don't know?

    As for the 'sin thing' everyone puts down someone. That's like saying I can never disprove of anyone because I myself am a sinner. Well 'Just' there'd be no one voicing strong opinions. So you've never thought or criticized a murderer, rapist or child molester that's appeared in the news? Not even a politician? You never thought ill of George Dubya and thought of him as a total wanker? You didn't think ill of the person/people that murdered Jennifer Hudson's family? You may not go the route of writing people off [even though I believe you do and have], but if criticising the likes of Biggie, Pac, R.Kelly, his idiot wife and the like makes me a hypocrite or anything else then so be it. Thought and feeling about others whether negative or positive is all a part of human nature. That's like saying we should never speak in a negative light of anyone. Whether written or thought, you've done it. But I'm certainly not going to be a fool about it and give them a 'pass' just to use my holier than thou card to feel and appear to others as somewhat better. Blogging about Big and Pac is not going to hinder my chances of entering the holy gates. And if it's that deep to Jesus I'll ask for forgiveness, but I won't be losing any sleep over it…now to my rather long comment [which really should be a blog post of it's own, but what the hell, it's Friday and the boss it out to lunch and there's not a lot going on right now.]

    Biggie and Pac's lives were so precious, yet put in a position of wealth and fame and still had no regard for it. I'm not buying that one little bit at all. People who value life as precious don't constantly harp on about drugs, gangs and violence. All of this talk about what Pac did. What did Pac do that the world knows about where you don't have to go and watch a posthumous documentary to find out exactly that? Pac wasn't known and will NOT be remembered for his 'social activities.' I don't even care if OJ delivered food to the elderly, it doesn't stop him and characters like these being remembered for living their lives a certain way where they didn't have to. You're in a position of money and fame but still want to act like a gang member? Spare me.

    There's a dark side and then there's a dark side. Yes everybody has them, no denying that. But seriously there is a difference in going on record bragging about surviving being shot x amount of times, your beef with this man and that gang member, I fucked your wife…now what? Compared to people who have had a past or have a dark side and aren't promoting it. Will, Jada, Tyler, Oprah are not perfect and all probably have their bad sides, but they promote peace and positivity and give back when and where they can. They use their powerful positions to help uplift not separate and degrade. Biggie talking about some broad wanting to shit on her stomach, rub your titties if you love him and Pac bragging about who he pissed off and come at me if you think you're hard enough. All of that eclipses any good that they may have done.

    Like I said, I don't promote nor celebrate bad behaviour. They wanted to be famous, but still wanted to rep for the streets. The repped them well because they died just like any other gang member who hung out with the wrong crowd. Lyrics don't mean a thing unless you live by them. Just because it is written and spoken does not make it true. Pac may have loved his mama, but he didn't respect women that's for sure.

    Now if you want an example of someone who did wrong but did right publicly, Jay-Z is one that springs to mind. He done his fair share of selling that devil powder to his people, turned his life around and is now in a position where he's actually an influence in charity and political campaigns and a very good business man at that. What Jigga does now eclipses his past and that's how it should be. Not the bad stuff eclipsing the good [if any] that Pac did. If that is so then he wasn't doing enough bloody good then in my opinion. Even Ludacris is doing well with his businesses and foundations. I don't respect the man at all for all his hoe talk, but a business acumen and making something of yourself and helping others I can admire. What were Biggie and Pac promoting when they were around? Not an IBM commercial or brokering huge Live Nation deals that's for sure. Like I said thugs with a record label, and we're all supposed to sit in remembrance x amount of years later boo-hooing over what exactly? They were never a force in our history that's going to stand the test of time even though they will be remembered but not for any good though. Again like I mentioned earlier they'll be remembered for all of those negative aspects associated with them for years to come. Beef, beef and more beef, now Faith and Mrs Wallace want to big up BIG like he was worth remembering. Oooh like we don't know how that movie ends. They will ALWAYS be remembered for being shot to death and east coast/west coast rivalry, two things very synonymous with these two men. It doesn't matter about anything good or great that they did, they chose to live and have their lifestyle promoted a certain way that made sure anything positive didn't matter. I wonder if you asked somebody to write down 10 words associated with Biggie & Pac, most of them would be negative.

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  6. A. My comments about NKOTB were made because it's ironic how in life we can make just rosy-colored statements (i.e., bandwagon)about some people and not speak ill of them at all.

    B. The Lord never said He will keep us out of Heaven for judging people. That is not what I said either. However, He did say "Judge not lest you be judged".

    C. And actually, I do my best not to judge people. I'm not saying that I've done that perfectly. The ONLY perfect person that ever and will ever walk this earth is Jesus Christ. But, I do keep appreciating people holistically in the forefront of my thoughts. It's all about seeing both sides of issues...and the gray areas as well. So, I can see the points that you make. But, your points are not the only side.

    D. And yes, Jay-Z and Luda have made some progress. But, keep in mind that they were blessed to live past the age of 25 to do so. They did their dirt too of all sorts. Big and Pac just happened to be not so blessed to live to get to do the same as far as having their good efforts widely publicized. But, it doesn't make them any worse of a person than Jay or Luda.

    E. Somewhere in this world, the people in our lives, folks that only know us in one context or the other and/or those that we only met in a fleeting moment could be thinking/speaking ONLY or MOSTLY ugliness of us. Biggie, Pac and R. Kelly are a few public examples. But, what about turning those lenses on ourselves to dig deeper? Those shoes might be more painful to walk in. Ultimately, the less we challenge our thoughts the less we grow as individuals and build relationships together in this world on multiple levels.

    I mean no disrespect. But, I felt that I had to speak out.

    Peace.

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