As we all know, Lil Wayne was convicted of weapons charges and sentenced to one year in prison. The day before he was scheduled to go to jail, the judge granted him a 1 month pardon so he could have surgery on his teeth! Now I know I’m not the only one that feels some kind of way about this. Why are these artists getting special privileges? It’s already bad enough that our hard earned tax dollars are going towards housing them. Why are artists receiving get out of jail free cards? Do their successful careers make them any more important than the dope dealer on the corner, selling drugs to feed his family because he can’t get a decent job? Are Lil Wayne’s teeth more important than the laws that have been set for us citizens to obey and abide by? What significant contribution has Lil’ Wayne made to society that sets him aside from the rest? Granted, he has a successful music career, but he has brought forth nothing but negative influences. With his sizzurp sipping, pill popping, and lasciviously sexual lyrical content, I fail to see why so many people admire him…and let’s not forget the multiple children he’s fathered within the past year. Is this really who our youth is looking up to? While on Twitter, I already see trending topics declaring to “#FreeWeezy”…free him from what?
And while on the subject of admiration, what is going on with this whole Barbie “movement”…or as I like to call it plague/epidemic. By now I know you’ve heard/seen the artist that calls herself Nicki Minaj. She prides herself on being a “bad bitch”, “harajuku barbie” and is a proclaimed bisexual. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see anything bad about her. She is pretty…BUT…she is fake; fake hair, fake nails, fake butt (yep, she wears padding), and I question the authenticity of her breasts. I’m not hating, but it saddens me to see what so many of youth have to look up to, or rather, what they CHOOSE to look up to. With prominent woman like Dr. Ruth Simmons, Maxine Waters, and of course our first lady Michelle Obama, why is it that so many look up to and mimic artist such as Nicki Minaj? There are young celebrities that display a positive influence and are positive role models as well; Raven Simone, Chrisette Michelle, hell…even the Simmons sisters are among the names that I wouldn’t mind my child looking up to. I recently came across several YouTube videos of young girls impersonating this Ms. Minaj, and my question is…how would you feel if this was what YOUR daughter aspired to be? I’m just sayin’ **kanye shrug**
Joy, the demeanor and mindset of the youth today is not surprising. Granted, there are many artists out there who negatively influence the youth. But there are also positive ones out there as well, like you pointed out. These artists are not to take full blame of the situation. They are only doing what they are allowed to do. I believe it is the parents' responsibility to raise their child and by doing such, they should teach their child not only morals, but should also be role models for their child. Now granted, I am no parent, but we all were children at one point. As a child, my mother instilled a fear in me that kept me from doing a lot of things I would have regretted. God knows, I was no "angel-child", but I do know I could have been a terror if I wasn't so "shook" of my mother.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you! It's so sad, this imagine that is in the media of what a young black woman should be is really deminishing the minds of our young women. They value their body more than their mind and they have no substance. I'm glad that I can value the Michelle Obama's and the Maxine Waters of the world...they provide hope and guidance in what a real black woman should be.
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