Comments on: Call to Action: Verizon In Hot Water Over ‘TechNigga’ Partnership

By: chloe

chloe — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:41:58 +0000

There are plenty of voices in the black community that oppose rap music and what it represents but those voices are silenced. Their concerns are rarely publicized through mainstream media outlets. Thousands of protests against the destructive lyrics in gangsta rap have been launched since its inception to little media fanfare. Don’t assume that we haven’t spoken out or that anti-rap movements don’t exist just because CNN hasn’t covered them. Society has a vested interest in keeping gangsta rap alive, in spite of what we want. The negative global and social impact alone has made it more than worth its continued industry support. Alicia Keyes was tarred and feathered by the media for commenting that gangsta rap encourages black male genocide. She was forced to immediately issue a retraction or face being blacklisted. This is a perfect example of the backlash experienced by black artists who speak out. The fact is, a young black male trying to break into the music industry has a greater chance of being handed a record deal if he uses the N word 30 times per song than if he doesn’t. Blacks aren’t fueling gangsta rap sales, white youth are. They comprise 70% of its consumer base…so even if we stopped buying it, it wouldn’t go away. It serves a very useful purpose.

Yes, there are racists on the internet and racists in the real world but businesses rely on sales and if Verizon values it’s black customer base, they won’t take us for granted. If the target of this guys racist parodies were Asians or Jews, the deal would have never taken place. It’s bad business to do business with racists and we should most definitely let them know. The Chinese community, despite what internal problems they have, rightfully condemned Sharon Stone offensive comments and forced Christian Dior to drop her as their spokesperson but we should let similar incidences slide? Please. We should never become so complacent that we’ll knowingly patronize a business that partners with racists and businesses should never become so complacent as to think we will.

By: Tyra D.

Tyra D. — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:46:57 +0000

I agree whole heartedly Erika and Donna. There is a lot of work to do as a community to stop putting out our own negative images. And Erika, about that BET panel discussion; isn’t it sad how no one wanted to take responsibility for anything? And I just shook my head at the response from “Lola Love” about how being a “model/actress” in a video is different from being a groupie.

By: ericka

ericka — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:22:28 +0000

Ditto on that Donna I could not have said it better, it drives me absolutely crazy to see all of these organizations coming out for people like this mundane guy and all the “Kramers and Imus”, yet I have not seen an organization go all out for the things that are effecting us directly (and panel discussions on BET is not going all out)…like you said…directly in our communities from our own people. I honestly think that we need to STOP focusing on them SO MUCH and START focusing on us first through our actions…because they would not have that stereotype if it did not exist. As far as this video…there will ALWAYS be racist people, and surely we must have the common sense to know that many of the companies we support on the DAILY are filled with them from employees to their owners, so I guess we will only put up a fight when it is thrown in our face. This is not the way to fight racism(in my opinion) You fight it by changing from the inside out…if you know what I mean.

By: donna

donna — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:03:06 +0000

To tell you the truth, and I’m certainly not supporting this guy but I wish we would fight as hard to get our own not to embrace these stereotypes. I can’t even get but so mad watching this because not only can I see someone like Damon Waynes doing something just like this or Keenen or make your pick and no to me it’s not more acceptable that’s being done by one of my own. But we also have a very dominate image of this particular black man stereotype in the world’s view right now. Which we need to do our part to x that out rather it’s in our communities what we tolerate in our music on the movie screen etc.

Again I’m not saying this is cool lay off of him, but let’s get just as irate when we embrace this crap in our own culture.

By: Glennisha

Glennisha — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:09:13 +0000

Wasn’t Verizon is the hot seat before for something else controversial. It seems like they would have learned the first time.

By: Technigga vs Canhead « Canhead

Technigga vs Canhead « Canhead — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 18:31:24 +0000

[...] know a few other real tec niggas that are not laughing at this joke, however! Where are the black blogs? I’m right here, ya twitterin’ [...]

By: Keysha E.

Keysha E. — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:59:46 +0000

! WOW! ok then Verizon…. get with this dude and word gets out and somethings might not go right for a while.

Correction made

By: Keysha E.

Keysha E. — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:59:09 +0000

! WOW! ok then Verizon…. get with this dude and words gets out and somethings might not go right for a while