The video for Read a Book (NOT SAFE FOR WORK AT ALL! Lots of cussing) is stirring up a lot of controversy, and a lot of people are calling it racist. I find it interesting that no-one considers rap videos encouraging the murder of other African Americans racist, but that a rap calling for people for buying land instead of rims is. And God forbid a rap video actually be thought provoking. Watch the CNN “journalist”, who certainly never questioned Bush this hard in the leadup to a freaking war, attack the creators of the video (And Here is part 2). It is incredible how clueless this journalist is. Does he not understand the irony that if they had just simply done a normal song about reading, they would have never appeared on CNN? BET should have played it at night instead of the daytime, but other than that, I think that it is an excellent satire of how despicable and ignorant hip hop music has become. Here is the rapper’s website. And here is an excellent column about the video.
As you probably know, I coach a lot of young African American children. Trust me, most of what they listen to and see on TV is a hell of a lot more offensive than this. And I am qute confident that 12 year olds understand sarcasm and satire.