The Audacity of Dope

(you like that 3rd person blog title, don’t ya?)

The homies Doc and Armond do one of the best hip-hop podcasts around with their Clock Radio Speakers show and I was honored to be a guest on a recent episode of theirs.  Toss this on and listen to us nerd out about all sorts of topics, including rap’s fascination with radio play and how radio really works, Wale’s issues with Complex, “event” releases in 2013 from artists like Jay-Z and Beyonce, my #InboxMadness Twitter series, industry tastemakers, and a whole bunch more.  Just a fun discussion with some folks that truly love music.  Good times.

You really could have made about 10 different soundboards with all the glorious quotes from Jersey Shore.  I’m just glad they had my favorite quote, where the Situation explained that he’s in the gym for an hour and a half…workin’ on his fitness.

Perhaps the blog is getting a little serious lately, but it’s important.  As I’ve watched the Olympics every night this past week, it’s been great to see athletes from all over the world come together and put our petty differences aside.  Unfortunately, these moments are really just brief respites from the daily onslaught of ignorance and animosity that normally pervades societies all over the globe.  Inspired by the controversy over the Spanish basketball teams, Complex Magazine (the fine folks who brought you the fine Cassie photoshoot) ranked a few other recent anti-asian examples.  Check ’em out right here.

In a related topic, I recently read a great piece by Matt Bai in the New York Times, where he asked if Obama represented “the end of Black Politics.”  Peep it here.

The uneducated will see Obama’s ascension to the highest rank in the United States as a sign that racism has disappeared in our country, but that’s obviously not the case.  Intelligent people will surely agree that it’s a step in the right direction, but I worry that our society, and especially our media, will focus solely on white/black interaction.  If we do that, we’ll continue to overlook the shockingly prevalent racism towards Hispanic, Asian, Middle Eastern, etc.-Americans that exists all around us.  If it’s not ok to use racist images and terminology attacking black people in our media, why do we let it pass when it’s aimed at other groups?  It’s unacceptable, and we all need to start calling attention to it when we see it.  If someone says something ignorant, call them on it.  If you see an offensive commercial, complain and spread the word.  We have the power and obligation to demand better from ourselves.

Shout to Yang Wei for killing it in the all around gymnastics competition last night, and shout to Info for the Complex post.

The new issue of Complex Magazine features 4 covers, 2 with Cassie and then the other split between N.E.R.D. and Lupe.  Marcus Troy has the pics, including some of Cassie’s photoshoot.  Look at them.  Now.