OK, so I thought the Hot Ghetto Mess was bad enough, but this Read A Book Music Video on BET just takes the cake! My family and I watched this video in awe. You hear the title and think, okay , maybe BET is trying to address some known issues in the Black Community and then you watch the video in HORROR.
Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of satire when done correctly but this is just wrong. It's disrespectful, its extremely stereotypical, and it is far from the correct way to reach our young Black youth. What BET, do you think our kids need this crap to understand the importance of books and education. This is crazy. If the intent of the producer was to either reach out to the kids in a way they could understand or anger us enough that we make a change - this was not the way to go about it.
I appreciated watching a segment of the black show Our World, on which the host interviewed Black Teens and got their perspective of growing up Black Today. I appreciate Russel Simmons Hip Hop Summits, as they reach young people and try to help them in ways they can identify with and grow from. I appreciate supporting the All Stars Talent show Network, because it lets our young people positively express themselves through Hip Hop and give them a strong, supportive community in which to grow in and learn. I can honestly even appreciate when a rapper comes out with a good hip hop song that speaks to the youth about the realities of life while uplifting them. But this, this can not be appreciated. It can not be accepted. And where is the buzz about this. Am I the only one who has been forced to watch this, over and over and over.
We as Black Parents and Bloggers need to flood youtube with video retaliations, post, petition, make complaints... something. We need to take back our communities because the constant rape and murder of Hip Hop Culture is added to the depression of our already deteriorated black communities.
*sigh*
Ok, so while you can still watch it online - watch it, tell friends and let me know what you think.
-lhenry (creator of BlackMomsClub.com)
