Adisa Banjoko recently interviewed Snoop Dogg for AllHipHop and dropped in a marketing question:
AllHipHop.com: Few rappers market themselves as well as you do. How do you choose what Snoop Dogg puts his name or image on?
Snoop Dogg: I got to like the s**t for one. For two, they gotta get they paper together, ya dig? That’s important. Once you get all that together, it’s gotta be something effective and efficient enough to go along with Snoop Dogg; it’s got to be the same cup of tea. It can’t be no s**t that’s out there…you ain’t gonna see no Snoop Dogg Speedos. F**k that.
While I’m sure many are relieved at the assurance that Snoop Dogg Speedos are not in our future, Snoop had a more startling revelation regarding the Slave Trade:
AllHipHop.com: You mention unity. You recently went to Nigeria. Tell me about your trip to Africa, ’cause I have not yet been. Many people say that such experiences give them clarity on what it means to be Black in America. Did you have any such experiences? Did you learn anything?
Snoop Dogg: I got more in tune with my spirit musically out there, which I knew that I would. That American/African s**t, I’m not into all that s**t – I’m happy where the f**k I’m at; good look for bringin’ us n***as [as slaves] over here, we appreciate that. Good lookin’!
The thing is, Adisa assures me Snoop wasn’t joking. And I have no further comments.
The Do You!!! Takeaway: "Ignorance is Bliss".
Peace
I know you didn’t expect some Malcom X shit from Snoop Dizzle!
lol
I know, I know. But still.
Snoop dogg career is done!…he needs to call it quits..that new single “hat to the back” is garbage at its best…real talk
Wow. Just when you think public cooning might be going the way of the dodo, another egg is hatched.
THAT WAS A DUMB ASS REMARK.I KNOW IM AN AFRICAN AMERICAN AN PROUD.AN I AINT NO MALCOLM X NIGGA EITHER.BY HIM SAYING THAT GIVES THE WHITE PEOPLE TO USE THAT AS A FAVOR OR SOME SHIT.IF WE DIDNT NO THIS LIVING OVER HERE WE WOOULDNT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT IT.
Peace
I agree Clyde, if I understand your response – there should be standards…and there are standards.
I hope the Bishop puts that interview on blast worldwide…you will see what I mean.
If I was Adissa, I would send the interview to Bill O’Riley, Oprah, everybody I could to see if my slavery appreciating Brother can stand by his words – or at least explain them.
I really don’t expect much more than singing and dancing from a cat whose hair looks like my daughters, and has made a career from self genocidal perspectives.
Peace
Do you people sit there surprised that Snoop Dogg or any rapper/actor/entertainer would make a stupid comment like that. The stupidity is expecting these entertainers (in all fields, sports included) to be role models. Ya’ll the same ones letting your youngster listen to these fools, watch their videos, buy their products they are being pimped to push, and expect these ghetto acting entertainers to actually take responsibility to be role models when they had no one to teach these idiots any better. Malcolm, Martin, Jesse, Al and Jackie are not these people’s momma’s or daddy’s. Those are the people responsible for teaching this idiot or idiots like him but because either one parent or both wasn’t around, or just didn’t care enough to school their offspring (or income tax recipients to some) enough to make them take responsibility for how they conduct themselves amongst their own community, that is why we have folks like Don Imus and Howard Stern make the comments they make and still stay in business. We in our community set ourselves up for letdown because we always keep putting these entertainers on pedestals and plateaus they are not worthy of being on. We do it to ourselves.
However, as asenine as his comments was don’t get it twisted. None of you standing on a soapbox uppity black folks would even dream of going back to Africa, for one to visit for a week, and two, to live. Anyone who says they will and give up their cushy American way of life, to give up the bling, the cars, the ice, lord knows giving up the cell phone would damn near kill the population itself along with giving up DirecTV and cable. Let’s see how long you last without your luxuries in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cameroon, etc. Matter of fact, most Africans are insulted we call ourselves African/Americans because we have long lost our roots to the motherland. Which is why most Africans don’t respect us and turn their noses up at us in our own communities when they come to America because they know compared to how they live(d), we don’t really understand what struggle is and to a certain degree they are correct. Snoop was ignorant to say what he said but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true, and that many of our people haven’t muttered the same exact thing. Unless you’re Jesus Christ coming back to get his people, stop throwing stones and acting all high and mighty like you’ll so politically correct beacause none of you are and you’ll need to clean up you’re own backyard before looking at someone else’s.
Reggie, you sure have a lot of assumptions about people you don’t know, which makes you ignorant.
I was going to respond but what’s the point?
I don’t think anyone looks at Snoop as a role model, but even some of the most ignorant rappers would not go as far as be thankful for being bought over as slaves. Snoop couldn’t have thought too deeply about what he said before he said it. Most of the f*#ked up situations we grow up with; poverty, lack of unity, general lack of respect in the world community just to start can be directly attributed to slavery. It has almost wiped out our knowledge of our great history prior to slavery and has overshadowed most of our accomplishments since. Rappers talk all the time about growing up poor and not having options outside of selling drugs to make a living. Does Snoop not know that this is attributable to slavery also? Did he forget his life wasn’t always cushy?
You don’t have to have a perfect life nor do you have to have your life in perfect order to speak up when you know right from wrong. It’s not hypocritical, high and mighty or uppity when you at least live by that principle your standing for. You can’t correct things that are wrong without speaking up. It lets people know that their actions are having an effect someone other than themselves.
I actually know a few people that have been to Africa, some to visit, some to live. They all say it’s beautiful despite whatever issues the people were dealing with and they didn’t want to come back. There’s a whole community of black folk in the states who are in touch with the issues going in on there, here, and throughout the diaspora. Maybe we could do a better job at reaching out to the African community here, but we haven’t all lost our roots
This is what I love about ProHipHop, an over the top comment that deserves no response is followed by a beautifully meaningful comment that needs no response.
Thanks, Yquinox.
Unfortunately, those aren’t assumptions, they are facts. There are many, for years, who’ve echoed the same sentiments publicly and behind closed doors that I mentioned above but when approached, their tongues disappear. Well, my tongue is in tact and don’t mind spitting what’s being said.
It is not ignorant to want better and expect more from our black entertainers when it comes to representing their race in a dignified manner. However, it is up to us as a community to choose wisely who we want to wear those big shoes. You can’t keep expecting because somebody’s a star, and your kids idolize them, and spend up all their money and yours too on their products, to all of a sudden change who they are and become something they may not be mentally ready for. Whether it’s Snoop, 50, GAME, Luda, T.O., L.T., DWADE, or any other entertainer out there doing big things, you can’t pin your hopes thinking it’s their job to role model and raise your kids. They are human beings just like us and prone to making mistakes and saying dumb things outta their mouth just like we everyday folk do. Unfortunately, ours doesn’t get magnified nearly as much as their comments do.
My point is, there’s no need to be shocked at what Snoop said because obviously Snoop doesn’t know his history, the reprecussions slavery had had on our people even today, and the ole saying is, if you weren’t taught any better coming up then you won’t know any better when you’re grown. And as an adult, with information and technology the way it is, if you don’t take the time to know, and study, then you’ll stay ignorant. Which Snoops comments were, but let’s not think that he’s alone in his way of thinking either. Not saying it’s correct at all but if one thinks the way Snoop does, then it’s one too many.
If we do not take away Snoop’s pass into our community, then we deserve to be dissed.
Also, remember the neglect and mayhem put upon Africans (and others) in New Orleans during the hurricane? Well, Interscope Records and Eminem supported rapper, 50 Cents, said that we should not be hard on President Bush. On the war, 50 Cents said that he supports the war and that Bush like himself, is a gangster.
Finally and forever, we have to use blunt force activism to change the current state of hip hop. There are SO MANY powerful, uplifting and rigtheous hip hop artists who can fill the void left when we replace these KKK assistants like Snoop, 50 Cents, Mc Eiht, etc.
It is no wonder why our youth are so messed up. And yes, hip hop is significantly responsible for our youth’s sad disposition because we, unfortunately, live in a media drunk environment.
Peace,
Fige Bornu, Chairman
Positive African Image Instittue