Where’s the outrage (pt. 2)

I’m back and I have to get on the hip hop bashers (read: hypocrites) once again. I mean the ones who claim that hip hop is a 21st century minstrel show, playing on negative stereotypes. Again I have to ask the question: Why are rappers condemned to be minstrels or “coons” but black comedians get a pass. Now I will admit part of this rant is because with the exception of the late George Carlin, I’m not a fan comedians of any race, but I especially loathe black comedians. Why? Well first of all there’s nothing funny about racism. It wasn’t funny when the guy from Seinfeld made jokes about black people, or the fat Italian woman (whose name escapes me at this moment) who makes jokes about black men and it’s not funny when Chris Rock or any other black comedian makes jokes about white people. But my main beef is how these Step and fetchit wanna-bes get on T.V. and set us back to the Amos and Andy era. What’s worse is people are so caught up in bashing hip hop that they don’t see it. Everyone and their mother wants to denounce hip hop and yet are literally splitting their sides laughing at black comedians who perpetuate worse stereotypes than any rapper (gangsta or otherwise) would ever do. No, hip hop is not perfect by a longshot. However like I said last time, if you are going to get on one, then get on the other too.

Where are they now? Detroit hip hop edition.

As I sit here, musically reminiscing about the good old days, there are some artists that stick out in my mind, and I wonder what they are up to these days. Their cassette tapes and CDs are long out of print and stubbornly hard to find. Some had their careers cut short by the legal system, while the majority of the others have just seemed to drop off the face of the earth. While some of these names may be unfamiliar to some and others are just not checking for them, personally I still wonder where are they now.

• Suspect Establishment: They made one of my all time favorite hip hop joints “Through the cracks of my blindfold” back in 1997, when they called then mayor Dennis Archer on his bullshit and ripped him a new asshole on his corruption and neglect of the city’s neighborhoods.

• Schoolyard Bully: He had a dope cut about his hood “12000 Block of Roselawn” that was pure dopeness.

• Snake Pletzkins: In 1993 he debuted with his first tape “We got a bone to pick 666" Featuring Bitches off 6 (6 mile) was produced by Detroit hip hop pioneer Doc Chill. While every track was fish grease, my personal favorite was the title track which in my opinion is the quintessential posse cut up there with “the symphony”(yeah, I said it) . Damn shame people slept on it though. To paraphrase biggie: “I let the tape rock til the tape popped”: Literally. And ain’t been able to find another one since.

• Rap Mafia: One of the first Detroit hip hop artists to get play on the radio, their single “The underworld” as well as “Assassination of a Kingpin” were fixtures on video jukebox (channel 41, back when Comcast cable was then known as Barden cablevision) in the early 90s. These boys were poised to put Detroit on the hip hop map until their career was cut short by federal charges of money laundering and they haven’t been heard from since 1991. Ironically this only generated more buzz about the group.

• Detroit Boxx: Affiliated with Detroit’s Most Wanted and their clique APB, Boxx and his lead-off single “Spin to the Grooveline” as well as his follow up single “R U with it?” Made big noise throughout the D in 1990 and ‘91 respectively. Then like so many others, just dropped off.

Needless to say I’m also looking for these artists’ music also, so if you have a copy get at me at mista.ecks@gmail.com