For some reason, mainstream news outlets love to blame Hip Hop whenever racist whites get caught using the N-word. It’s quite easy considering how widespread rap has become and how the music at large has influenced pop culture. This is why everyone from Talib Kweli to 2 Chainz are using their rather large platforms to tackle issues on race. However, for every moment of brilliance that pushes Hip Hop forward, there are events unfortunately degrading the movement. Case in point, Atlanta’s own Trinidad James.
Controversial CNN pundit Don Lemon welcomed the former Def Jam artist to debate the usage of the N-Word. This comes after another video from University of Oklahoma’s SAE chapter emerged with the fraternity’s dorm mother Beauton Gilbow was caught mouthing words to James’ sole hit, “All Gold Everything.” Of course, this comes after the organization was caught singing a racist chant and promptly removed from campus.
Unlike 2 Chainz and Talib Kweli, Lemon welcomed James enough to call him a potential co-anchor which seemed like a bad omen from the start. By the time the debate including Marc Lamont Hill and Ben Ferguson came to an end, the man who once was bold enough to say Atlanta ran New York Hip Hop sounded unintelligible despite making a few good points. Therefore, the conversation regarding race and usage of the N-Word went absolutely no-where.
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With that in mind, allow DX to break down exactly what Romey Rome’s illegitimate child did wrong during his time at CNN.
His Appearance Was Too Distracting
Between the old feathered newsroom fedora, silky hair, bright red jacket and gold chains, it was hard to take James’ weak arguments seriously. Lemon, Ferguson and Hill were all dressed ready to have a serious discussion. James is still dressing like it’s 2012 and “All Gold Everything” is still hot. Take notice on this small but helpful advice, if he wants to be taken seriously on the world stage, the best thing for him to do is start looking appropriate.
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He Called Ben Ferguson His Nigga
What began as an honest way of displaying how the N-word transformed from negative connotation for a group of people to a term of endearment, things went downhill when he referred to Ben Ferguson as his nigga. This is the same guy who openingly endorsed racial profiling among others at one point. Ferguson is a social conservative who is against everything Hip Hop stands for and therefore, isn’t a friend of the culture.
Flawed Logic That Elimination Of The Word In Rap Will Stop Usage
Looks like Joe Scarborough and James have solved the problem in regards to the N-word. If rappers cease usage of the word, the rest of the world will follow. The problem with that logic is that the original SAE chant was apart of the fraternity’s long honored traditions going as far back as the old confederacy. The 77-year-old Gilbow thought it was just humourous for someone like her to sing along to James’ sole hit. Like Hill mentioned, the usage of the N-word existed long before Hip Hop and as long as racist institutions exist, it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Says There’s No Racism In Trinidad
Maybe things have changed within the last couple of years but European colonization in Trinidad via slavery has left some scars. That includes opposition between descendants of African slaves and Indians that was orchestrated by white settlers. Obviously, an intellectual for the moment like James wouldn’t even care to understand that institutionalized racism exist in his homeland as well.
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Attempting To Stretch His Long Gone 15 Minutes
To be completely honest, if Gilbow wasn’t caught on camera reciting the hook of “All Gold Everything,” James would have continued his long going descent into irrelevance. Since his gold selling single, the Atlanta native has failed to deliver a follow-up worth a listen. Mr. Nicholas Williams decided to capitalize on a serious issue by haphazardly blending ignorance with respectable politics. Bottom line, not only did James make himself look foolish, it didn’t help his lackluster career not one bit.
