Gangster Rap Video on RonPaul2008.com TOTALLY Inappropriate for Presidential Campaign

[Thrice]

The arguments put forth by the OP smack of the same 'guilt by association' that we get from a neo-nazi donation.

 

[Jongleur]

I have seen a lot of people on this site champion the RP campaign for being a "big tent" - having people of all ages, races, and viewpoints. Most often this has been as a defense to charges of racism raised when RP didn't return Don Black's money.

If we use the big tent for that purpose, we sure as heck better be accepting of a little bit of urban culture (i.e., rap and hip hop) in this campaign.

I promise you that if RP makes it to the general, stuff like this video will ONLY help him.

- Kit

 

[JMO]

I think this thread is sad. I don't like Rap but you can tell the bias of the person who started this thread by calling it "Gangster Rap". There is absolutely nothing wrong with this video or song, it targets people who enjoy this music, if you don't enjoy this music then listen to the music you like, but we are fighting for freedom,the ability to enjoy your life as long as it doesn't infringe on others, we are not fighting to censor things we dislike.

I salute the rappers, and any Muscians regardless of their style of music for promoting a candidate that is trying to restore freedom to America.

 

[Sey.Naci]

first off, let me say that i like the song.
but like i stated earlier, i direct many many older professionals (mostly doctors) to the official site who will turn off rap music in any shape or form. This is the reality. I am quite certain that the message the rap song impart is quite powerful but if they are not willing to listen to it because its in the wrong form of music, all that message is lost.

And you are assuming this just because they are older than you?

In an earlier post you'd said you were in your 30s. Well, here was my earlier post, in case you missed it:

Am 57 years old and think the video and lyrics are clever and very well done - love the way the vid has been put together. Despite rap not being my usual choice, this vid I like and I can see nothing wrong with it's being included on the campaign site. In fact, the campaign's recognition of the quality of this vid is another demonstration of how different this campaign is from all the others: it's (dare I say this?) progressive!

I wonder how many other people over 40 on this board are not at all offended by this well-crafted video. My hat goes off to our younger generation's creativity.

As for the campaign including this video on its website, I think it's a brilliant move. It gives the message that the campaign is different, fresh, youthful, and runs counter to business as usual and the old way of doing things (MSM, corporatocracy, big government, lobbyists...) It has been recognized that the Ron Paul Revolution is largely (not exclusively) being led by people under 30. This encourages me.

 

[Revolution9]

Wayne Hammond wants to live in a country where gangsta rap...or in his mind...all hip hop...should never be associated with politics. Why did rap start again?... did it not explode into the mainstream when it became a social commentary? Don't those forms of rap exist today?

Pure fucking canard and total bullshit. Rap exploded onto the scene in conjunction with crack cocaine. Rap is associated with politics. In that it has led many a young black person to jail with a criminal record and unable to vote ever again. Great way to let the voter rolls self expunge themselves..from a political point of view. Give them a uniform and attitude problem and inject hard drugs, cash and cops into the mix and you have a perfect storm. Book em Danno and they never vote again.

The reptetive beat structures and lack of muscal ornamentation drive me nuts, I cannot listen to this crap for more than eight bars without wanting to kill the track.



Randy

 

[AgentPaul001]

Lyrics seem appropriate. That said I think it'd be more appropriate in some sort of college kids section.

 

[DrRich]

And you are assuming this just because they are older than you?

In an earlier post you'd said you were in your 30s. Well, here was my earlier post, in case you missed it:



I wonder how many other people over 40 on this board are not at all offended by this well-crafted video. My hat goes off to our younger generation's creativity.

As for the campaign including this video on its website, I think it's a brilliant move. It gives the message that the campaign is different, fresh, youthful, and runs counter to business as usual and the old way of doing things (MSM, corporatocracy, big government, lobbyists...) It has been recognized that the Ron Paul Revolution is largely (not exclusively) being led by people under 30. This encourages me.

I grew up listening to Run DMC, Dr. Dre and other earlier rappers.

the professionals i try to convince to join the revolution are people who happens to be older, are mostly white, conservative, and southern baptists who will turn off rap music at a first beat. (no matter the message).
thats the reality of the people that i deal with. sorry.

 

[hard@work]

Pure fucking canard and total bullshit. Rap exploded onto the scene in conjunction with crack cocaine. Rap is associated with politics. In that it has led many a young black person to jail with a criminal record and unable to vote ever again. Great way to let the voter rolls self expunge themselves..from a political point of view. Give them a uniform and attitude problem and inject hard drugs, cash and cops into the mix and you have a perfect storm. Book em Danno and they never vote again.

The reptetive beat structures and lack of muscal ornamentation drive me nuts, I cannot listen to this crap for more than eight bars without wanting to kill the track.



Randy

The only bullshit here is yours Randy. Whether or not you "like" music has no bearing on whether or not that music has a right to exist. Rap never led anyone to jail, they led themselves to jail. And those who would use music of any form to create social deviance of the criminal nature can only be promoted by choice. Some individuals with the power to spread negative messages choose to do so while drowning out those who create positive messages.

Rap is not responsible for crack cocaine or poverty. Poetry is not responsible for death or murder. People choose their paths and their expression. That's just the way it is no matter how you try to spin it.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

As a conservative, older American, this issue has made my blood boil like no other thus far in the campaign.

Wayne, you could probably find plenty of things "offensive" in other candidates campaigns. (Like their positions!).

As for featuring music videos on the "official" campaign website...probably not the best use of that space. As Ron Paul says, "Liberty unites people". On the other hand, "music" can divide people. Ever see a room clear when an "unpopular" genre of music gets put on? Some people's music is other people's noise...

 

[mkpdavies]

What a crap thread. This isn't gangta rap, it is political rap.

There is no putting chrome to the domes.
No bitches and ho's.
No packing a nine or murda.
No cussing.
No violence.

NOTHING.

Dear me, if this is all you have to moan about, then the site must be doing extremely well.

 

[Revolution9]

Stop judging it because it's "rap". Listen to the lyrics. After all, lyrics are what make a song. The style the song is played has nothing to do with how it should be perceived.

heh.. Case in point. "Sympathy for The Devil" with Mick Jagger singing and The Stones playing. Now.. Debbie Gibson with disco backup singers and a drum machine and padded chord structures doing the same song. Not the same song at all but something only worthy of the most utter contempt.

HTH
Randy.

 

[RPinSEAZ]

Why does everybody get their panties all in a bunch about every little thing that "may" turn off older conservatives. This is hardly the most controversial thing about Dr Paul to these types of voters so your concerns are misplaced IMO.

Jesse (thinks Dr Paul's statement that he will end the war on drugs is much more controversial, yet he does not shy away from it)

 

[smartguy911]

they need to remove that video ASAP from the main website. I listen to hip hop but man i don't want to see a link on the main site for it. Kinda makes people wonder if they are only targeting young people. We need to look serious to middle-aged folks.

 

[hard@work]

Great way to let the voter rolls self expunge themselves..from a political point of view.

Actually Randy I apologize partially (emphasis on partially), that is a really good point. And something also worthy of research.

 

[progrock]

I am somewhat upset that the official campaign has chosen to spotlight the "gangster rap" music video "Rise, Consise, Krookid -Ron Paul 2008 - Original music vid" in their "Daily Updates" section of the www.RonPaul2008.com website.

First of all, in the minds of many Americans, this kind of rap music is associated with vulgar potty-mouth violent young street thugs who treat women like property, and refer to them as "hoes" and "b*tches". While that type of language is not in this particular video, that is the image that comes to the minds of many people when they watch this type of trash music.

Second, I am offended that in this video, it refers to servicemen & women as "little soldiers". For anyone in the military, the term "little soldier" is very derogatory and demeaning. The term itself suggests that a "little soldier" is like a child in their understanding of issues - and only pawns who do whatever their "masters" tell them. It is the equivalent of patting a soldier on the head and saying, "you poor little child - you really don't know what's going on". If you were to call a U.S. serviceman a "little soldier" to his face, he would likely punch your lights out.

Athough this video may be used to reach a certain element within the younger crowd and perhaps can be used by the grassroots, it should not be promoted by the official campaign. If we are trying to reach the conservative Republican base, this video will lose us more votes than most realize.

If you believe as I do, please go to the link below and contact the Official Campaign to let your opinions be known on this.

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/contact/form

.

maybe it's this kind of association that younger generations needs, to show them than we don't need filthy language to make good rap music.
Personally i find this video very well thought out and heartfelt.
the guy that made this, made it out of passion, not hatred which is what differentiates it from foul mouthed gansta rap.

He gets his point across and does a really good rap i enjoyed it and hope he comes up with more of this kind of material. just my 2 cents

 

[inibo]

We....are...doomed!

I'm actually not much of a rap fan--at least not since Grand Master Flash--but I actually kind of like that video.

 

[Malakai0]

Stereotype much? How about you judge the song on its merits?

For real. This isn't the only issue some fans are stereotyping on.


We need to quit trash talking people suspicious about 9/11. Dropping the poor term 'truther' from these forums would please me much. I hate when we split our own base.


FIGHT THE COLLECTIVISM that has been ingrained into your mind since day 1 of school!

 

[progrock]

On another note i want to make the point that this is just another fine example of what freedom brings.
Diversity, personal choice and personal censorship.
Meaning you may find the video offensive while another may find it great, however no one makes you click the link and watch the video all the way through.
Which leads me to my final point. with freedom come personal responsibilities.
To worry that it may turn off the older crowd is injecting your personal censorship, not that your opinion don't matter by any means.
But we all have to be adults and find what is good for ourselves to be exposed to us as well as our children.
however i don't think it's ok to use our opinions to persuade or dissuade others to or from content.
This is what the federal government has hardwired into our brains for so long, that we need to re circuit our brains so we can fully enjoy what freedom was supposed to mean.

maybe i'm misinformed or off track, you decide happy new year all

 

[r3volution]

end of the world ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isTi-V5R7fw

 

[OReich]

Ok, I think this video is great. The only real problem is the "little soldier" comment, but I think that's only because you guys are misinterpreting it; it's referring to how the U.S. Government is valuing them and treating them, thus trying to encourage them to step up and join our cause.

As far as its association with "gangster rap," I don't know what to tell you. There's very little rap I actually enjoy, but I know from my friends playing it too loud that most of it doesn't involve gangs, or demeaning women, or violence; but that somehow all rap is "gangster rap" whenever its summarized by people who aren't really part of our generation. "Gangster rap" is as representative of hip hop as "Death metal" is representative of RUSH.

That being said, I just saw an image taken straight out of a Mises Institute video in a music video. It takes my grammy...