Old School Scholar

How many times have you heard the question “Who’s in charge here?” I ask that very question when pondering the nonsense that passes for rap music today. Back in the day, you could really tell who was in charge. Each act had its own unique style, look, sound, etc. Run-DMC didn’t look like Whodini who didn’t sound like UTFO who were nothing like Doug E Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew. Each crew, MC, and DJ put a lot of thought and care into crafting their own signature sound and persona that set them apart. Which leads me to ask the question concerning (c)rap music now, “Who’s in charge here?”

For those not familiar, minstrel shows were theatrical skits that portrayed African Americans as cartoonish stereotypes. You know; lazy, uneducated, inarticulate, watermelon, fried chicken, yada yada yada. The characters were either played by Caucasian or Black actors in black face. White audiences in the 1800’s to early 1900’s were greatly entertained by them. Mainstream America [...]