Rapper: Blacks 'cheered when 9-11 happened'

[Jay Bell]

Knight Ridder Newspapers
Oct. 14, 2004 03:08 PM

If Osama bin Laden ever buys a rap album, he'll probably start with a CD by KRS-One.

The hip-hop anarchist has declared his solidarity with al-Qaida by asserting that he and other African-Americans "cheered when 9-11 happened," reports the New York Daily News.

The rapper, real name Kris Parker, defiled the memory of those who died in the terrorist attacks as he spouted off at a recent New Yorker Festival panel discussion. advertisement

"I say that proudly," the Boogie Down Productions founder went on, insisting that, before the attack, security guards kept Blacks out of the World Trade Center "because of the way we talk and dress.

"So when the planes hit the building, we were like, 'Mmmm - justice.' "

The atrocity of 9-11 "doesn't affect us the hip-hop community," he said. "9-11 happened to them, not us," he added, explaining that by "them" he meant "the rich ... those who are oppressing us. RCA or BMG, Universal, the radio stations."

Parker also sneered at efforts by other rappers to get young people to vote.

"Voting in a corrupt society adds more corruption," he added. "America has to commit suicide if the world is to be a better place."

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I've got $5 to add to the pot so he can go do a concert in Syria, or Somalia. Moron.

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

I've got $10!

 

[Bammx2]

Heck....

I'll spring for the greyhound tickets so the can get there!

 

[Xequat]

You know, it's one thing to get publicity by showing a boob at the halftime show or something, but this is just wrong. Sad thing is, my sister teaches at an inner city school in Cincinnati (it's pretty bad) and she said that when the planes hit the WTC, some of the kids started laughing and thought it was cool. Of course, she got upset and tried to explain the situation to them, but I guess they just didn't get it.

 

[Sapper6]

I say that proudly," the Boogie Down Productions founder went on, insisting that, before the attack, security guards kept Blacks out of the World Trade Center "because of the way we talk and dress.

i guess im wondering why else would the security guards let these gang-banging, foul-mouthed thugs inside...? i doubt they would have made it through the metal detectors anyway :idunno:

theres always the chance that their crack selling business got slow in "the hood" so they went to the WTC to talk to some financial "brothers" about helping get their business off the ground :idunno:

in the eyes of these idiots, i guess they feel a couple thousand deaths are an even trade for what they call "discrimination". give me a break

 

[Flatlander]

The sick irony is, if Mr. KRS-One believes that an Al Qaida operative wouldn't blow him to smithereens in order to complete an objective, he's an idiot. I'm reasonably certain that Al-Qaida isn't terribly sympathetic to the "hip-hop" cause.

Anything for exposure, I guess.

 

[Sapper6]

Anything for exposure, I guess.

and to sell a few more albums i guess. we all know even the most negative exposure sells. it's all about money.

 

[loki09789]

You know, it's one thing to get publicity by showing a boob at the halftime show or something, but this is just wrong. Sad thing is, my sister teaches at an inner city school in Cincinnati (it's pretty bad) and she said that when the planes hit the WTC, some of the kids started laughing and thought it was cool. Of course, she got upset and tried to explain the situation to them, but I guess they just didn't get it.

Not just an inner city issue, it is a developmental issue. During the teen years the egocentrism element of growing up can come off as 'so what' or 'cool' about another person's pain or condition. That is why teachers/adults need to teach and stress the social perspective on issues like 9/11. Simple questions like "What if it was you in there?" or "what if that was your - fill in with friend/family as appropriate?" Even if they act tough to save face/ego in front of their peers, the question sticks more often than it seems.

Of course, having 'role models' that someone wants to identify with simply because they are 'of my kind' in the mind of the kid that is cheering this kind of thing can take that kid right back to the stone ages of personal development...

KRS doesn't seem to realize that he may have cheered because it happened to 'them' but his business will be taxed, his tour travel will be more expensive and his personal life style and musical message are not 'cheered' by those who did it. He would be lined up and shot just as quickly as the corporate suit because we are all infidels and sinners in the eyes of religious fanatics...I doubt that the Baptist/Pentacostal Christians that are 'his type' approve of him very much either.

 

[loki09789]

and to sell a few more albums i guess. we all know even the most negative exposure sells. it's all about money.

Which, ironically is exactly the unsympathetic, use and abuse people mentallity that rappers like KRS accuse the 'corporate white America' of having. AND the very mentallity that he will gladly spin into lyrics and sell records as he perpetuates his own brand of fundametal hate.

Yet another case of how being a 'master artist' doesn't automatically equate to a more 'evolved human being.'

 

[TonyM.]

He'll need the money to repair his jaw when I get hold of him.

 

[Makalakumu]

You know, it's one thing to get publicity by showing a boob at the halftime show or something, but this is just wrong. Sad thing is, my sister teaches at an inner city school in Cincinnati (it's pretty bad) and she said that when the planes hit the WTC, some of the kids started laughing and thought it was cool. Of course, she got upset and tried to explain the situation to them, but I guess they just didn't get it.

Kids see horrific things in the movies and on TV all of the time. When the real thing happens, many can't tell the difference.

 

[Tkang_TKD]

I wonder if this guy could get charged under the patriot act, considering he appears to be condoning and advocating terrorist attacks....

Then again I guess there is still free speech, even though I disagree with the message

 

[DavidCC]

I've been a fan of KRS-One for many years and I am stunned that he would say these things!

He's not a gun-carrying crack-dealing thug at all. He has always been one of the most thoughtful and most positive role models in the hip-hop genre. I don't believe he does anything "just to sell records". Sadly I think he might really belive this junk but some of you are showing your own stereotypical prejudices by some of the things you are saying. Mostly Sapper :snipe: LOL

I think though one thing that should be discussed is, how did he get to this point. if you think this is contrived to sell records, then that assumes that there is a large population of record-buyers who believe the same way. So why do those people beleive like they do? They aren't trying to sell records or get exposure. These americans (who you assume exist to be pandered to by this kind of message) believe that American is not the "golden wonder hero" that most on the 'right' think it is. You can't deny America (and American companies) have screwed many people around the world. I'm not saying it is so evil as many ont eh left try to make it out either! But the fact of the matter is, there are many people in the world, inside the US and out, who might have very justifiable hatred fear or resentment of the USA. This doesn't justify terrorism. This doesn't justify terrorism.

So how do you react when you encounter somebody who expresses that sentiment? I admit, KRS-One is out of line. But his resentment of big corporate / government greed and oppression and destruction of lives can be justified, and is a fact of life for a lot of people around the world for the last 100 years or more. So to just dismiss the beliefs and attitutdes of millions of people, many American Citizens, is to live with your head in the sand.

to you Liberals - not everyone in the world hates us. The USA is not Evil. We are going to have enemies, but it doesn't mean we are bad.

to you conservatives - some people do hate the USA, and many for good reason. Maybe you should try to figure out why.


Yeah bust him in the jaw, that will teach him that Americans are good people! :iws:

 

[rmcrobertson]

So why is this worse than Pat Robertson and that other religious nutcase getting on the CBN and announcing, gloating the whole time, that 9/11 was the fault of liberals, humanists, the ACLU, lesbians, and the rest of the ungodly in America?

 

[Jay Bell]

So why is this worse than Pat Robertson and that other religious nutcase getting on the CBN and announcing, gloating the whole time, that 9/11 was the fault of liberals, humanists, the ACLU, lesbians, and the rest of the ungodly in America?

I'm not so sure it is

 

[Flatlander]

So why is this worse than Pat Robertson and that other religious nutcase getting on the CBN and announcing, gloating the whole time, that 9/11 was the fault of liberals, humanists, the ACLU, lesbians, and the rest of the ungodly in America?

Come on, Robert. We can 'cause they did?

 

[Brother John]

So why is this worse than Pat Robertson and that other religious nutcase getting on the CBN and announcing, gloating the whole time, that 9/11 was the fault of liberals, humanists, the ACLU, lesbians, and the rest of the ungodly in America?

I don't recall anyone here saying that THAT was okay either.
So I don't see how your point relates.

Your Brother
John

 

[Sapper6]

I've been a fan of KRS-One for many years and I am stunned that he would say these things!

He's not a gun-carrying crack-dealing thug at all. He has always been one of the most thoughtful and most positive role models in the hip-hop genre. I don't believe he does anything "just to sell records". Sadly I think he might really belive this junk but some of you are showing your own stereotypical prejudices by some of the things you are saying. Mostly Sapper :snipe: LOL

I think though one thing that should be discussed is, how did he get to this point. if you think this is contrived to sell records, then that assumes that there is a large population of record-buyers who believe the same way. So why do those people beleive like they do? They aren't trying to sell records or get exposure. These americans (who you assume exist to be pandered to by this kind of message) believe that American is not the "golden wonder hero" that most on the 'right' think it is. You can't deny America (and American companies) have screwed many people around the world. I'm not saying it is so evil as many ont eh left try to make it out either! But the fact of the matter is, there are many people in the world, inside the US and out, who might have very justifiable hatred fear or resentment of the USA. This doesn't justify terrorism. This doesn't justify terrorism.

So how do you react when you encounter somebody who expresses that sentiment? I admit, KRS-One is out of line. But his resentment of big corporate / government greed and oppression and destruction of lives can be justified, and is a fact of life for a lot of people around the world for the last 100 years or more. So to just dismiss the beliefs and attitutdes of millions of people, many American Citizens, is to live with your head in the sand.

to you Liberals - not everyone in the world hates us. The USA is not Evil. We are going to have enemies, but it doesn't mean we are bad.

to you conservatives - some people do hate the USA, and many for good reason. Maybe you should try to figure out why.


Yeah bust him in the jaw, that will teach him that Americans are good people! :iws:

i have no sypathy for anyone, white or black, that is going to say, "they wont let us black folk in because of the way we talk or dress". give me break man. if they had any legitimate business there, im quite sure they would have been allowed entrance into the WTC. so for this guy to say, "thats what you get for discriminating against me", and condoning the attacks and murder of U.S. citizens, sorry man, thats just wrong!

if it's not for the money, why else would he come out to make these statements? regardless if you or anyone else feels the same way he does, its EXPOSURE. its simple business marketing: EXPOSURE SELLS PRODUCT.

i could care less if he's black, white, red, yellow, blue or whatever else color. what he says is blatantly un-American.

@ Robert

im not sure, im not a big CBN fan myself. OMG, we see eye-to-eye on something...? say it aint so :asian:

 

[loki09789]

I've been a fan of KRS-One for many years and I am stunned that he would say these things!

He's not a gun-carrying crack-dealing thug at all. He has always been one of the most thoughtful and most positive role models in the hip-hop genre. I don't believe he does anything "just to sell records". Sadly I think he might really belive this junk but some of you are showing your own stereotypical prejudices by some of the things you are saying. Mostly Sapper :snipe: LOL

Not able to speak for anyone else but my point is that if he is truly this 'thoughtful' then why is it that he can't recognize that this 'us and them' mentallity is just a reactionary 'hate the hater' type of attitude that turns you into the very thing that jaded him/her/'them'

Local example. The kids had a pep rally and suffered vandalism from a rival school. The students, at a meeting of the class officers called by the Principal took the initiative to volunteer time and class funds toward the repair of the community and private property that had been defaced as a "demonstration of our character." (their words) They COULD have chosen to simply retaliate with counter vandalism, witch hunt/lynch mob mentallity searching for the vandals and used the legal process with the motive of 'hate' and revenge, but they made the mature choice to take the high road. I am very glad of that.

KRS may be a positive role model "within the rap music community" but IMO, that really isn't a high bar to get over in the current day. He has not chosen to take the high road and live up to an ideal so much as simply say "fair for them, fair for me." And this is not IMO any 'worse' than any other celebration or 'you deserved it' mentallity expressions from anyone else out there. THe victims of 9/11 (meaning the surviving families and the dead) didn't 'deserve it' any more than you or I do. Even waxing Biblical, there is the idea that you shouldn't look at the path of a catastrophe and assume that you were spared because you are 'holier' than the victims and that they 'deserved' it (I think it is in one of the Paul Letters).

Early on, when it was more closely linked to Beat poetry, free verse instead of "kill da Man" Rap was more respected as an art formand authentic as an art form....now, it definitely ain't that.