Big Ten Conference "Rap" Commercial

[Van]

Yep, that commercial ran during the Orange Bowl.

I was fairly disgusted, as well as a bit embarrassed for the Big 10...

[WolverineSteve]

Haven't seen it, but I'm offended...on principle.

[Sky]

88, you are so damn funny. I probably agree with you but as I haven't seen the commercial, I can't say. But really, as I just start to read your post, before I know what you are saying, I coule tell it was going to be some conservative, non-pc rant that is probably right on. Man you are fun, no holds barred.

[Terry in Crapchester]

Yet another reason why ND should never join the Big Ten. :D They just keep piling up, folks. :D (Yes, I know that's not the topic of this thread, but I couldn't resist.)

Sky,

Imho, politics has nothing to do with this. I'm pretty far apart from 88, politically speaking, but I'm 100% in agreement with him on this one. I haven't seen the video, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't talk about drama with your baby's momma, or smacking around your "hos," but that's precisely the sort of thing the rap culture chooses to glamorize, and it's precisely the sort of thing that is the antithesis of what college is, or at least should be, about -- hard work and delayed gratification.

Having said all of that, I realize that this is, at least in part, a generation gap perception thing here. I suppose it's unfair of us to think that the high school students who are "college material" don't listen to rap, much like it was unfair of my parents to think, back in the Stone Age when I was in high school, that kids who were "college material" didn't listen to Led Zeppelin or AC/DC.

[PSUFAN]

From what I gather, there is as wide a spectrum in rap as there is in other things. Not all rap is celebratory of the negative...just the popular stuff, I guess.

Seriously, the commercial is ridiculous. The rapper might have saved it if he had dropped a line about Pell Grants, or admission standards.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

From what I gather, there is as wide a spectrum in rap as there is in other things. Not all rap is celebratory of the negative...just the popular stuff, I guess.

Prett-ay much. There's actually a ton of indie rap groups who preach a more positive message, but they don't make record companies any money, so the majority of us don't know about such groups. Really don't see how mainstream rappers of today are much different than classic rockers from the 70s....you know, with that whole sex, drugs and rock n roll theme. And you guys seemed to turn out ok (well, most of you).

By the way, many of these kids who are "working hard, attending college and making something of themselves" are listening to these very rappers we lambaste. The reason they're not pulling guns on people is because they didn't live in broken homes, and were raised right (in my opinion, and on the whole). Amazing what a little parenting can do.

[PSUFAN]

I wouldn't like to be the one to suggest to Alan Zemaitis that rap can have no positive message. I choose him because I know he's a big rap fan, and that he has lived his life in a very positive manner. I actually wish he, or other Big 10 athletes, could comment on this issue for us who are so removed from it.

[Degenerate]

The rap culture is the antithesis of college. It praises violence and discourages education and hard work.

You left out cash money, yo. Five hunny LARGE. Peep the left hand.

Sin,

[L45B]

Rack this thread.

Funny shit surrounds us.

[the_ouskull]

At least it wasn't like 50 Cent or somebody.. I mean, if you're gonna have a rapper do a commercial, it may as well be an innovator. Although I'm sure there are a couple of other members of Tribe I'd rather see do a Big 12 commercial... What's Q-Tip up to?

the_ouskull

[indyfrisco]

I can hear it now...

Goin’ to my class in room 6-4
Crunchin’ the numbers, learnin’ some prose.

Went to the lab to get with group
Coeds in there be playin’ with goop.

The prez strolls up who can it be?
A fresh Myles Brand in ole’ Bloom-T.

He held out his hand and he started to say
It’s all about making that GPA.

Cuz the persons in the quad are always vanguard
You come bringin’ those books, we’ll getcha all smart.

Knowin’ ev’thing in class is all but moot
Don’t smote me boy cuz I’ll file suit.

[Cicero]

^^^^^


Word to ya mutha!!!

[Sky]

I can hear it now...

Goin’ to my class in room 6-4
Crunchin’ the numbers, learnin’ some prose.

Went to the lab to get with group
Coeds in there be playin’ with goop.

The prez strolls up who can it be?
A fresh Myles Brand in ole’ Bloom-T.

He held out his hand and he started to say
It’s all about making that GPA.

Cuz the persons in the quad are always vanguard
You come bringin’ those books, we’ll getcha all smart.

Knowin’ ev’thing in class is all but moot
Don’t smote me boy cuz I’ll file suit.

I am impressed, not bad for a white guy.

[King Crimson]

i didn't know Indy had a '64 Impala.

;)

[indyfrisco]

U kidding?

I was all into this rap shit as a middle-schooler. I made up a little Vanilla Ice Remix...

Yo! PMS! Let’s kick it!

All right stop, masturbate and listen.
Playboy’s back with a brand new edition.

Something, goes into her tightly.
Hard as a rock, daily and nightly.

Will it ever spit? Yo! I don’t know.
Pull off my pants and you’ll blow.

To the extreme to you suck my dick like a blow pop.
Tight up my eyes while you give me a blow job.

Horny, just to fuck a wide ho.
Anything less than my dick…is a dildo.

Cunt…cunt…baby…two folds.

[Terry in Crapchester]

<<<<<

Not into rap and proud of it.

[peter dragon]

horrible horrible commercial.. rack you 88

I kept waiting on them to tell me where to text message to get my 9.99 ringtone

[RadioFan]

I saw that commercial during the Rose Bowl as well. Horrid.

What is the point? To get kids to attend a Big 10 school because of this video?

Anyone who makes a decision such as where to attend college based on that garbage probably should take a step back and re-examine other, more important decisions ... like where to buy their next pack of cigs and a 40oz.

[Sky]

U kidding?

I was all into this rap shit as a middle-schooler. I made up a little Vanilla Ice Remix...

Yo! PMS! Let’s kick it!

All right stop, masturbate and listen.
Playboy’s back with a brand new edition.

Something, goes into her tightly.
Hard as a rock, daily and nightly.

Will it ever spit? Yo! I don’t know.
Pull off my pants and you’ll blow.

To the extreme to you suck my dick like a blow pop.
Tight up my eyes while you give me a blow job.

Horny, just to fuck a wide ho.
Anything less than my dick…is a dildo.

Cunt…cunt…baby…two folds.

I am afraid to ask, is that from memory or did you have to remember it?

[King Crimson]

the excellent boise state poster (can't remember yer exact handle dude) and I mocked it in one of the BCS game threads.

there's a lot of *other* kinds of hip-hop out there....what you guys are talking about is the kind that white kids buy at the mall.

much of it very political, using your brain, pro-responsibility, not being a criminal dickhead for life, etc. and much of it using cues from jazz anf funk heritage to pay tribute to a rich musical history.....not just the hoes and the bitches and my glock.

you guys are close to sounding like a bunch of old ladies with aqua net hair spray some of ya.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

"Joy" by Talib Kweli

[Talib Kweli]
Wooaahh! yeah
on top of the world
Yeah, that's how my seeds got me feeling' right now
on top of the world
Yeah, you ever felt like you could do anything, (Yeah)
on top of the world
(?) I'ma hold y'all down for real, (Gotcha!)

[Talib Kweli]
It was 1996, 4th of July, looking off in the sky
dealing with thoughts inside, when something caught my eye
It was a silhoutte of a beautiful woman, bright with life
carrying my first seed, looking like she gone bear fruit tonight
We at the African street festival, and she walking around
talking about the midwife said, that bring the baby down
I'm about to be a father, the sights and sounds, seem brighter around me
and for starters, I know I'ma work harder, word
We got home at three in the morning, I was beat
them contractions started coming as soon as I fell asleep
3:05, like every five minutes, then the water broke
we on the go, yelling at the cabbie, cause he's sort of slow
You know them hospitals all trying to get paid, no questions
hear come the doctor's with they drugs, trying to do c-sections
But my baby stay's strong, in labor for yay long
eight-pound baby boy, to carry my name on, joy!

[Chorus: Mos Def + (Talib Kweli)]
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
See my brother, I know how you feel, Kweli, I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
So when you, have a seed, come in the world, say dog that shit's real
(That's the sound of joy, y'all)
Huh, Kweli, yo I know how you feel, Kweli, yo I know how you feel

My baby girl

[Talib Kweli]
June 10th, 1999, I been on the grind
since the birth of my son, it's been about, way more then rhymes
Baby on the way, my lady glowing today, at least
that's what the midwife said, on the phone
Anyway, the music got me going away
Like everyday, but it's a blessing, so I gotta have patience
and she got pregnant on a Jamaican vacation
So it's all good, this time well have the baby in a house
I went the hospital route, I know what they all about (Never again)
So I'm out on tour, in Baltimore
get the call around four, when the water hit the floor (Damn!)
I gotta rock my show, but I gotta go
got second thoughts about her not going, to the hospital
I left the show early, Mos held me down, good looking (No doubt)
call the car service, like, take me straight to Brooklyn (Uh huh)
Got the news in the car, stayed sorta calm
but I cried tears of joy, when they put my daughter in my arms, how precious!

[Chorus: Mos Def + (Talib Kweli)]
Huh, huh
Said I know how you feel, uh, said I know how you feel when you
(My precious joy)
Said I know how you feel, uh, Kwe I know how you feel
(I know you do, huh, my precious joy y'all)
Huh, uh, said I know how you feel (yeah), said I know how you feel
(My precious joy)
Huh, man I know how you feel (yeah), said I know how you feel

[Talib Kweli]
I do it for the seeds y'all, in they formative years when they need y'all
we gotta believe, in what we conceive y'all, it's deep y'all
I give them the truth, so they approach the situation, with ammunition
I keep nothing away, they hear everything, cause they know how to listen
Teach them the game, so they know they position, so they can grow
and make decisions, that change the world, and break old tradition
They put kids in jail, for a life they ain't even get to start
that's murder too, and it's breaking my heart, it's breaking our nation apart
We gave the youth all the anger, it's just
we ain't taught them, how to express it, and so it's dangerous
You can't talk to them
Unless your language is relating to what they going through
so busy ignoring them, you can't see what they showing you
And you wonder, why we called baby-daddy's and baby-momma's
when we grow up, we can't act like adult mothers and fathers, yo
I'm so blessed to have a boy and a girl, everyday they bring joy to my world

[Chorus: Mos Def + (Talib Kweli)]
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
Brother Kwe', I know how you feel, Brother Kwe', I know how you feel
(Baby girl, my precious joy)
Kweli, I know how you feel, say bro' I know how you feel
(Fela, be my joy, yo)
Huh, if you know how the people feel, let me really know how you...yo

I do it for the seeds y'all [Repeat 5x]

Yeah, what a thug.

[Degenerate]

Yeah, what a spokesperson for the values of education, effort and literacy.

Talib Kweli is the son of two teachers who turned to poetry, plays, short stories, and yes, rap, in high school when he realized he wasn't good enough to cut it as an athlete - baseball, i believe, was his sport.

Several years ago, he helped purchase a black-owned bookstore in Brooklyn that was about to shut down and converted it into a nonprofit that deals mostly in giving books to kids, holding book club sessions, author Q&A forums, etc.

Considering the socioeconomic backgrounds of more than a few Big Ten recruits - who sure as hell aren't being sought after because of their "literacy" - you may want to rethink who constitutes a shitty role model.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

88, if you actually read up on the guy, you'll see he's not one of those "cappin' n¡ggas and slappin' hos" kind of rappers. That song might look damning taken out of context, but if you look at more of his other lyrics, "Gun Music" starts to look more like a commentary on gun violence, if not an outright parody, as opposed to a genuine glorification of gangsterism.

FWIW, I haven't seen the commercial (it won't play on my Mac), and it may very well be stupid. PSAs in general don't tend to be the most entertaining or creative advertising. But if you were going to pick a rap artist to promote "education, effort, and literacy," Kweli is a pretty solid choice.

[indyfrisco]

U kidding?

I was all into this rap shit as a middle-schooler. I made up a little Vanilla Ice Remix...

Yo! PMS! Let’s kick it!

All right stop, masturbate and listen.
Playboy’s back with a brand new edition.

Something, goes into her tightly.
Hard as a rock, daily and nightly.

Will it ever spit? Yo! I don’t know.
Pull off my pants and you’ll blow.

To the extreme to you suck my dick like a blow pop.
Tight up my eyes while you give me a blow job.

Horny, just to fuck a wide ho.
Anything less than my dick…is a dildo.

Cunt…cunt…baby…two folds.

I am afraid to ask, is that from memory or did you have to remember it?

Sad to say, that is ingrained in my damn head just as much as the A-B-C's.

[King Crimson]

Mike-

I don't think you are getting my point. Talib Kweli might be a great guy, for all I know. He appears to be married, with children, and whatever. The problem is the culture he promotes. His words can say anything (peace, love, unity etc.), but when he dons the clothing of gangsters and the mannerisms of the uneducated, criminal element of our society (e.g., gang signs and the use of gang slang), he disqualifies himself as an ambassador for colleges in my opinion. It is ridiculous that the Big Ten Conference would use the rap culture to promote itself. As it would be if they had Britney Spears cartwheeling across the stage in a near see-through outfit bleating out how important it is to go to college. The cultural persona of the messenger make the message seem silly.

Here are some questions I'd like to know:

Did Talib Kweli graduate from college?
Did Talib Kweli graduate from a Big Ten member institution?
Is he putting his college degree to use in his profession?
What makes him or his profession a good fit for the Big Ten?

let's make a distinction here: between what you percieve as "gangster culture" and black youth culture. because there is one. are there a bunch of bad actors, sure.

i don't think you are getting Mike's point 88.

i think the ad is dumb, but it doesn't allow for the generalizations that are being made in this thread.

[Terry in Crapchester]

88,

I get what you're saying, but I would disagree with one of the criteria you listed:

Is he putting his college degree to use in his profession?

C'mon, you know as well as I do that there are a lot of college grads out there who are not using their degree in their profession.

Case in point: after graduation, I served four years in the Navy. I was a poli sci major at ND. Was I putting my poli sci degree to use as a Naval Officer? For that matter, am I putting it to use today as a lawyer?

Not in either case, or at least, certainly not directly in either case. Certainly, I could not have been commissioned without my degree, nor could I have been admitted to law school without my degree. But in that regard, all that mattered was that I had a degree, not the course of study of my degree. I could have had a degree in Physical Education, and it would have served the same purpose.

[indyfrisco]

Personally, I think the Big 10 just made that ad to turn heads, make people talk about it. Mission accomplished. The fact we, and probably many other message boards, are discussing this means the advertiser is probably getting a bonus check.

It is a stupid ad. There are much better ways to target blacks for college, which I believe is what was intended. That's like luring a cocaine addict into rehab with a line.

[SunCoastSooner]

88,

I get what you're saying, but I would disagree with one of the criteria you listed:

Is he putting his college degree to use in his profession?

C'mon, you know as well as I do that there are a lot of college grads out there who are not using their degree in their profession.

Case in point: after graduation, I served four years in the Navy. I was a poli sci major at ND. Was I putting my poli sci degree to use as a Naval Officer? For that matter, am I putting it to use today as a lawyer?

Not in either case, or at least, certainly not directly in either case. Certainly, I could not have been commissioned without my degree, nor could I have been admitted to law school without my degree. But in that regard, all that mattered was that I had a degree, not the course of study of my degree. I could have had a degree in Physical Education, and it would have served the same purpose.

I don't use my degree in the least in my line of work.

[King Crimson]

King Crimson:

How do you distinguish "gangster culture" from black youth culture?

because not all black kids are in gangs? not anywhere near the majority.

[Cicero]

I wonder if Heaven has a Ghetto?

[PSUFAN]

A great deal of effort is made to distinguish black youth culture from "gangster culture". I guess those efforts are largely successful, because most black kids grow up without joining them. It's funny how when a kid is successful, he/she is largely invisible.

There are deplorable images being pushed at youngsters by popular media. The "baby mama" stuff is surely a destructive cultural image to portray as somehow acceptable. Yet, just because it is portrayed, we shouldn't assume that it's automatically accepted by all youngsters.

Marilyn Manson was kind of a disturbing cultural image, and most kids were familiar with his "work". However, I don't think all too many kids accepted the lifestyle he portrayed as their own.

[Terry in Crapchester]

But don't you think it would be a good idea for someone who is promoting the college experience to have experienced it?

Absolutely. And in this particular case, if someone is promoting the merits of institutions that belong to the Big Ten, that someone should be an alumnus of one or more of those institutions, although, of course, that would not apply if one were merely advertising the benefits of a college education in general.

[indyfrisco]

They should have had John Mellancamp do the commercial.

[poptart]

The outrage here is comical.

The spot is clearly selling the conference to black athletes, who the conference needs to keep the $$$ rolling in.

This bothers you...?

Don't act like you (supporting fan of DI football and roundball) aren't a WILLING participant in the filth that IS big-time college sports.

Get off your high horse.

[PSUFAN]

They should have had John Mellancamp do the commercial.

Bad ticker, I guess. I guess his young wife wore him out.

what a way to go...

[WolverineSteve]

PSU,
Why are you speaking of Mellencamp in the past tense? He's still kicking, isn't he?

[poptart]

I'm completely on-board with your wish that college athletics be played by real students (who, btw, are also not being paid).

College athletics jumped the shark a LONG time ago, and it won't be coming back.
This commercial IS disgraceful, yes, but it is a look at reality.

I suspect that THE OSU still gets your financial support....?


Do you think there ought to be a thing called an 'athletic' major available...?

What's your major, son?
Football.
Ok.

Wouldn't solve the problem of players being paid, but it would stop much of the charade of kids putting in 30 hrs a week in a big-time sport posing as university students.

[PSUFAN]

Do you think there ought to be a thing called an 'athletic' major available...?

What's your major, son?
Football.
Ok.

Wouldn't solve the problem of players being paid, but it would stop much of the charade of kids putting in 30 hrs a week in a big-time sport posing as university students.

I'm on board with that, actually. I would prefer that to what is presently in place. The "Football" major would feature things like basic financial management, basic sociology, basic public speaking, etc.

As it stands, many kids are waved through, and that needs to change. The results are clear to see.

[MiketheangrydrunkenCUfan]

88,
I understand what you're saying about the perception of hip-hop culture in general, but you're kind of throwing out the baby with the bath water. If anything, the Big 10 should be appauded for taking the trouble to seek out a socially conscious rapper from the underground/indie/backpack hip-hop scene who takes pains to separate himself from the popular misconceptions about rap music being all about gang-banging, pimping, and drug dealing. I'm sure it would've been a lot easier for the Big 10 to just throw some money at the Black Eyed Peas or some other, more recognizable flavor-of-the-month type act.

I just don't think hip-hop's image is as set in stone as you think. In the early and mid 80s, hip-hop had a fairly squeaky clean image as simple party music. Then, in the late 80s, NWA started the whole gangsta rap genre. I think that gangsta rap was necessary at that point in history, because it shed light on issues that most of us small town white kids had no idea even existed.

Unfortunately, as a result of NWA's success, a lot of rappers cashed in on the whole gangsta rap image, constantly attempting to "out-thug" each other. Right now, idiots like 50 Cent sell millions of records bragging about how many times they've been shot and how gangsta they are. But there is also a swelling underground rap scene that eschews all the gangsta bravado and actually creates meaningful, artistic music in an attempt to change hip-hop's image. Talib Kweli is part of that underground, along with Mos Def, Blackalicious, and The Roots, just to name a few.

I really don't consider gangsta culture and black youth culture to be interchangeable, although there is obviously some overlap. I mean, if you go out & run some errands in your Ohio St. jersey, are you promoting gang culture just because a lot of gangstas wear jerseys? Just because gangs are associated with a certain type of rap music does not mean all rap music has that image. Your average gang-banger in Compton has probably never even heard of Talib Kweli. They're not in his target audience.

BTW, if you want a funny example of the backlash against gangsta rap, download the song (well, it's not really a song per se) "Thuggity Skit" by the group Lifesavas. It pretty much sums up the stupidity of the genre in about a minute. On the CD, it's the intro to the song "Skeletons." Not sure if you can find it separately. Regardless, it's pretty hilarious.

[Shine]

It praises violence and discourages education and hard work. Find me some lyrics that tell kids to work hard in school, attend college and make something out of themselves. Naw, rap is about baby mama drama etc.

Huh. Here I thought all Republicans were pro life, but reading this abortion of a take I stand corrected.


88- You shouldn't speak on subjects you clearly know nothing about except what you've seen on TV. You prolly wouldn't like it if I put forth a legal arguement based on watching Night Court.