Interesting juxtaposition between Jessup's quote above, and the story below on Gordon Parks being the father of the "blaxploitation" flim genre. While I don't consider Parks' "Shaft" films in the same category as "SuperFly", given what Parks was trying to do with his work 35 to 45 years ago, you have to wonder what he'd think about what Hollywood has found worth affiriming and honoring when it comes to the black experience in America.

The votes for "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" no doubt came from liberal, white Acadamy voters wanting to show their coolness and connection with the black experience, and who thought "going ghetto" would be the best way to do it (I knew kids going to exclusive Manhattan private schools back in the 70s, when the "blaxploitation" movies were at their height, who acted the same way to try and heighten their coolness. But at least they had the excuse of beeing teenagers at the time, something I assume most Acadamy voters are long past).

John,
Now they're the academy voters, having never grown up.

"It was another example of how they pick the worst aspects of black life and reward that. There are more important things in our culture that need focus more than the hardships of a pimp," he said.

"They", I presume, refers to the "artists" who make this garbage and the culturally deficient children who listen to it? Or are "they" evil White executives?

"It's not easy to be greennn"

I was leafing through an article in Vanity Fair at the doctor's office recently, and they had this huge article about rap music and how it's the "poetry of the streets" and that kind of thing. The article struck me as a bunch of square, liberal New Yorkers trying desperately to prove how cool and with it they really are. Of course, Vanity Fair does that to me on most other topics too.

Bryan --

The same types were calling subway graffiti "the art of the streets" back in the 1970s for roughly the same reason (Of course, they also were the ones who never rode the trains or had to run downstairs to try and catch one with no idea what it's destination was, because the windows and route signs were all painted over).

To Quote Mr. Jessup:

"It was another example of how they pick the worst aspects of black life and reward that. There are more important things in our culture that need focus more than the hardships of a pimp," he said. "The only place many people see our culture is through movies and on television, and at the same time, this country is experiencing an influx of people coming over here from all over the world, and the only thing they see of black America through the media is . . . pimps and gangsters and all of that. It's always some low-down brother or some welfare mother."

Interesting..No disrespect intended, but who are "they", Mr. Jessup? Are you talking about whites, or the black community that not only looks the other way, but defends, endorses and excuses this behavior. I an as angry as you, but the blame need to be shifted to black people.

As long as many of our people continue to have a low self image, no respect for self or others, promote and finance the hip hop industry, glorify the "gansta" lifestyle and dress and act like thugs, the media will continue to depict us this way on the screen and capitalize from it. Let's not forget that no one forced this group on the stage at gunpoint..They went on their own accord and will. From reading posts on various websites, many blacks are cheering this group on. In fact, why is ANYONE surprised. This was going to happen sooner or later.

Most blacks have nobody to blame but themselves. That modern day circus on Sunday night..Is that really the way we perceive ourselves today? If so, that's really pathetic. Look around you, especially here in DC..You don't have to look far or on TV to see how most blacks carry themselves as I mentioned earlier. Yes, Cosby WAS right.

A radio station here had a fake promo for a CD of Oscar winning songs (Mona Lisa, White Christmas, High Noon, etc.) If you acted now, you could get a bonus CD with this year's winner "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp." Sort of put it in perspective.

I want to write a book entitled What's The Matter With Harlem about why blacks don't vote the way their social conservatism would dictate.

racist

so which movie was this pimp song from ?

OJ: Well, that is the downside.

Everyone knows it's the Jews voting Democrat that we need to investigate.

Nazi.

ooops, there's the other downside....

Okay, can we agree the Asians are the problem?

Darn Asians, taking all of our computer science jobs...

Racist....

D'oh