One of my favorite songs from the golden era of hip hop is "You Must Learn" by Boogie Down Productions (although I'm still tight over the dis record "The Bridge is Over", you know I gots love for Q-boro). KRS One was preaching the truth to the young black youth before the Wu were hipped to C.R.E.A.M, as he raps about our heritage and legacy. Did this song fall on deaf ears? Medgar Evers must be shedding tears in heaven; I'm sure ya'll have heard of BET's new line of shows, including Hot Ghetto Mess, inspired by the eponymous web site. I could wax poetic about how far BET and its suits are pushing us back, how Viacom probably will only green light shows that show black folk shucking for a few quick laughs, or how this humor is indeed classist. But, you already know all that and probably watch BET because you can't find reruns of "Girlfriends" or "Wayans Bros." anywhere else (that's how they get my viewership).Instead of doing all that, I'll stick with this - how in the hell can they produce a show with a damn Sambo blackface logo? Haven't these people ever seen "Bamboozled". Al Jolson was slapping on blackface and singing and dancing for captive white audiences as recently as the1920s, that's not that long ago people. And now we are going to have a show dedicated to rediculing our brothers and sisters and have the NERVE to implore them to "do better"? Well BET, what exactly is doing better? You haven't provided any ideas as to how this would look or even what it would mean. It's not that I don't have a sense of humor, I laughed at Def Comedy Jam as much as the next kid and my best friend and I quote Chris Rock to each other on the reg. Sometimes humor has to be a little more socially responsible, and BET has dropped the ball this time.Negative representations of black people is not entertainment to me. They have to do better in their representations of us. And apparently some advertisers have pulled support for the show, so maybe there is some sliver of hope.
Whatever happened to "Video Soul"? BET needs to get Donny Simpson back stat!
