Playboy Bible ?

Playboy Bible?

I just happened to be flipping through the channels the other day and landed on a Congressional Hearing on African American Media Stereotypes. I came in on testimonies from rapper, David Banner, rapper/actor, Master P, and minister/professor, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson. The testimonies and questioning were intriguing but also disturbing. I heard some valid and praiseworthy comments, but I also heard some downright ridiculous statements, most coming from Mr. Banner. I’d like to share a few of them with you.

First of all, David Banner told the panel that he went through a terrible depression last year, and he consulted with two pastors, one who pastors a 50-person congregation in Mississippi, and another pastor who leads a 5,000-person congregation in St. Louis. Both pastors told him to keep rapping because he needed to let out the hurt. I’m all about stress relief, but if you need to vent out frustration, write in a journal, exercise, or talk to God! I cannot believe two pastors advised him to continue to distribute Godless, sinful, misogynistic, explicit music worldwide to people young and old. If true, this is sad.

BUT . . . it gets better. Later Banner exclaims to the panel, “I do horror music; I’m the Stephen King of rap.” He tried to convince the panel that what he did with his music was no different than what Stephen King did with his movies and books. He argued that his music, “was just music.” Interestingly though, he spent a great deal of time trying to tell the congressmen and women that he was presenting real problems that exist in his ‘hood. Russell Simmons cried the same tune on Oprah Winfrey’s town hall meeting about Don Imus a few months ago. When will these brothers stop making excuses! Having nearly naked women on videos has nothing to do with socioeconomic problems in the ‘hood. Bragging about cars and jewels doesn’t highlight problems we still see with racism. Glorifying violence, promiscuity, and pimping doesn’t denote the problem; it is the problem!

Furthermore, if it’s just music, why are kids dressing, talking, and acting like the rappers they see and hear. When I was a kid, I saw other kids dressing like Jason or Freddy Kruegger during Halloween. But if someone wore the costume all the time, he or she would have been going to see the psychologist. However, today’s youth emulate these “entertainment figures” EVERYDAY. So either the young people have a badly warped sense of reality (which many do), or rappers need to wake up and figure out that their words and actions are REAL and have REAL consequences.

David Banner tried to convince the panel that his music is some sort of moral compass that has a few rough spots around the edges. He claims that his music has a message, but he is FORCED to throw baseless music in with it to sell records. He emphatically exclaimed to the panel on two occasions, “My music is the bible with a playboy cover.” He wants us not to judge his music based on the singles he releases; he wants us to look at his whole body of work. Well, nearly EVERY song on his last album, “Certified,” is sexually explicit (check it for yourself). Actually, explicit is an understatement. I was utterly disgusted as I read the lyrics to his songs. And his new single, “9mm Speaker” to his upcoming album, “Greatest Story Ever Told,” is just as bad. He exclaims, “I Lick (Shoot) Em All Like 18 Ti@s On 9 Chicks . . . And Shove 9 Inches Of Di%k In 99 Hoes.

You tell me what I’m supposed to think. Sure, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover; but we HAVE to judge what’s between the covers. What good is one page (that’s a stretch) of wholesome information amidst 100 pages of pornography? Playboy Magazines have articles in them, but people don’t buy them for good journalism (those who say they do are lying). And which do you think has a more lasting effect, the 100 pages or the 1 page? Rappers need to Wake Up! and we do too because we’re buying and listening to this crap!

We look forward to bringing you more thought-provoking, soul-stirring, heart checking articles in hopes to change the culture! We will wake up the slumberous and agitate the apathetic. Will you join us?

Discuss this with your friends, children, co-workers, and neighbors. Forward this letter; print it out; and pass it on. Shedding light on these topics is the first step to tearing down the stronghold of the enemy. We would also encourage you to visit our website, www.churchcatsmusic.com, where you’ll find tons of good information and material. You can also find us at www.myspace.com/churchcatsmusic . Thank you for reading!

Submitted by Church Cats Music
ChurchCats@churchcatsmusic.com