Clutch magazine's Kirsten West Savali says that Rick Ross is a "joke" and shouldn't be treated with any more sensitivity than other enemies of the black community.
Marc Lamont Hill's HuffPost Live conversations, known among other things for their analytical critiques on issues that matter to the Hip-Hop community and urban culture at large, are often fiery give and takes with thought leaders of the day. And yesterday’s conversation with Ebony Magazine's News & Life Editor Jamilah Lemieux, Washington Post columnist Rahiel Tesfamariam, activist and 2008 Green Party vice-presidential candidate Rosa Clemente, and Hip-Hop icon Talib Kweli, did not disappoint.
Jumping right into it with Lil Wayne's wildly controversial — and obviously sizzurp/purp/lean induced — lyrics that arguably desecrated the legacy of slain teen, Emmett Till, Hill segued into the Rick Ross controversy that will not go away 1.) Because it shouldn't; and 2.) Because he offered one of the most ridiculously stupid responses known to (wo)mankind as an excuse.
You see, women are precious to the Hip-Hop community and the streets (You hear that "video hoes," "bitches" and "tip drills"? You’re precious). And Ross would never use the word rape in a song and all the obviously overwrought women folk simply "misunderstood" him.
Oh.
The ideas shared by the panel were engaging, no surprise there, but things took an interesting turn when Clemente said that she didn't consider Rick Ross to be a part of Hip-Hop culture …
More than at any other point in the conversation, Kweli loudly spoke over Clemente, ignored Hill's attempts to rein in the run away monologue in defense of Ross' place in Hip-Hop culture and went completely in mansplaining to Clemente why we need to treat Ross with "love" and not dismissiveness …
But here's the thing:
Rick Ross is a joke …
Read Kirsten West Savali's entire piece at Clutch magazine.
The Root aims to foster and advance conversations about issues relevant to the black Diaspora by presenting a variety of opinions from all perspectives, whether or not those opinions are shared by our editorial staff.
Like The Root on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.