B.E.T.... BLACK ENSLAVEMENT TELEVISION

              "I say!!! I say!!! If Good Ol' Mistuh Whitefolks hear bout what we's dunn did dis time.... Weeee's liable to be in a whoooole heap of trouble!!!!!!" The ridiculously erratic organ music kicked in signaling the start of what would be a display of sheer Coonery at its best and most degrading. For the next 2 minutes, the two men onscreen kicked their legs, knocked their knees, and tap danced their way into Niggerdom. Their faces were painted black, their clothing, tattered and torn, and their old worn straw-hats flopped lifelessly with every clumsy movement. Their already full lips were poked out and smeared with bright lipstick sloppily applied to magnify their size. This was the first time the handful of young men I sat in the room with had been exposed to the Menstrel show (at least in its most blatant form.) and they didn't like what they saw. One of them shot me an irritated look. "Nigga.... You really finna sit here and watch this shit??" I looked at him from the corner of my eye, smirked and nodded toward the t.v set. Another one laughed and said. "Maaaan... This nigga Ant always fuckin' wit some other ass shit.". I just kept watching, as did they. For the next 20 minutes we watched Black Men shove their faces in watermelons, do splits, fall into washbins steal chickens and participate in all sorts of other mindless fuckery. No one spoke a word, lauged, or so much as breathed loudly. I scanned the room and watched looks of  utter disgust creep across their faces. I smiled and sank into the couch to silently wallow in the delicious satisfaction of once again getting my point across.

            What none of my friends understood, was the fact that I had intentionally tuned in to the program only seconds before they entered the room. I wanted them to see it. I needed them to share my embarrassment and see for themselves what they had only hours before referred to as my "Hating" during a discussion that took place on a corner.  I had opened their eyes without saying a word. And though they didn't admit it, I had added yet another "W" to my record where our "on the block" debates were concerned. I was sure that they were, at that point, tired or admitting defeat at my hands, (and I didn't want to take from such a powerful lesson by gloating) so I left them to their thoughts. And judging from their faces, they had some serious thinking to do. And here comes the pain people.

          In the early days of motion picture based entertainment, Blacks had a specific role in American society and culture... NIGGERS... No matter what amount of education or gainful employment we had procured within our lifetimes, at the end of the day that's what we were considered by White America to be.  For this reason, any role we landed in the budding film industry was just that. The Nigger.  However our black wasn't quite black enough, our lips weren't quite big enough, and our antics weren't quite "niggerish" enough. We were made to paint our faces pitch black and our lips scarlet red for the purpose of amplifying our "blackness" or "nigger" features. We were then instructed to display completely foolish and morally oblivious behavior for not only America's entertainment, but as a fond recollection of a time not long before when were, (though not ignorant as human beings) completely ignorant to the ways and laws of the land and therefore, regarded to be brainless savages.  Each film was a testament to to our immeasurable simplicity as people. Each tap of a shoe, yet another kick to the heart of Black manhood. Each broken sentence, a resounding testimony of our extreme illiteracy. America adored the harmless incompetence of the images we portrayed. And popular figures such as Mr Bojangles were the nation's favorite stringless puppets.

           Fast-forward roughly a century, turn on a t.v, switch to BET, and witness the great distance which we've come as Black people. Upon closer inspection... Has that distance really been that great? Sure, our faces are no longer slathered in lipstick and black shoe polish, but our "amplified niggerishness" is still very prevalent today. Slave-like dialect spoken over catchy instrumentals being and heralded as "hit" music. Chains, watches, and bracelets  being paraded across the screen resembling Noose and Shackle ensembles more than jewelry. Self-destructive and immorally suggestive lyrics praising unadulterated "Coonery". Men of great intelligence and unparalleled talent reduced to playing the part of common hoodlums although it's a life that few of them have actually experienced. Yes... This is the Minstrel show at it's most potent. In the early days of black exploitation, "Niggers" danced their jigs and went home to families that knew and respected the fact that they were not actually the men which they portrayed at work. These days "Niggas" dance their jigs, go home, and often welcome controversy, arrests, and even incarceration, in their quest to prove that they are "Real Niggas". They aren't allowed to learn lessons and seldom acknowledge consequences in these matters. For to let go of the street life and admit that there is no longer a need to engage in "hood" habits would basically challenge their credibility as "Real Niggas" and ultimately render them useless in the eyes of their puppeteers.

            It is a common practice for rappers to exhibit a "Do what i please" attitude in the media. In reality, no album, song, or music video reaches mainstream America without corporate America's stamp of approval. More often than not, upon their inception into mainstream media, rappers images are worked and reworked so they'll fall into a specific criteria which usually involves being as "Black" as possible. The so-called "Real Nigga" is actually nothing more than America's latest model of it's"Tap dancing monkeys" of yesteryear. Popular culture is still the same now as it was then, it has only been revamped to make the humiliation of Blacks more subtle and acceptable with the changing times. This was the the basis of the discussion which took place on a street corner in Oakland that day. And it was understood without a reasonable doubt with the viewing of a long forgotten and buried piece of black history. My friends left that room with a new view of the so-called black image in American entertainment .  A view which was made evident when i switched the channel to BET and Soulja Boy bounced and bobbed around the screen spewing loud, obnoxious,  meaningless drawl and waving his watch in the camera. One of the young men took the remote from my hand "Man... I'd rather watch the niggas that ain't have a choice do this shit.... Fuck him and this channel bruh..." With that he turned back to the Minstrel show and we watched the rest of it in silence... Point Proven...

          This is not to say that all rap music is without substance or a positive message. But for the most part, the image often portrayed by rappers is one that has been put into place with the intention of glorifying ignorance. It's a known fact that White America is responsible for as much as 70% of rap albums purchased annually. We're still a-tap-tap-tapping away in our Coon dancing shoes as far as they're concerned. Hopefully... One day,,, Maybe-just maybe,,, We'll wash our faces clean for the first and last time...

                            B.E.T...... WHO IS IT REALLY ENTERTAINING???

                   
                          AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY I SEE IT..........