Hip-Hop is dying
When it comes to quality music, who are you going to take: the O’Jays or Ne-Yo? Michael Jackson or Lil’ Wayne? Perhaps the younger performers I use as examples here have the common sense and humility to admit that they could only hope to aspire to the example to the example those greater entertainers have set. But considering how empty-headed the music of Ne-Yo and Lil’ Wayne is (no funk, no soul, doesn’t make me want to move, intellectually offensive, wouldn’t sell me a cash advance if I were a Madoff victim), I have serious doubts as to whether they can see beyond the overblown pigs’ trough of their own hype.
Even Jamie Foxx, who should stick to comedy and biopics, fancies himself worthy of dressing like the departed Michael Jackson and moonwalking as a “tribute” during the 2009 BET Awards. The Jamie Foxx moonwalk is yet another tacky and tasteless testament to the lack of imagination on the part of television networks. I’m curious as to whether he was cajoled into doing that, or whether it was his own idea. Either way, everyone loses. Cash loans for a critical thinking class would be in his future, but I’m sure he thinks he’s too cool (and rich) for school.
And the fans back me up
Check out some of the user comments left on Entertainment Weekly’s live blog of the 2009 BET Awards. Nearly all of them are critical of the entire event. “Boring” and “tacky” are just two of the words used to describe a listless show that was punctuated only by a touching tribute Janet Jackson gave for her departed brother Michael (see video below).
Many fans say Beyonce sounded tired, and she was the headline performer. Certainly not enough to distract us from the “Beat It” monstrosity that not only was tasteless, but offensive. Do they need emcees to continually scream “make some noise?” And are sheeple dumb enough not to know when to applaud anymore? Or perhaps the truth is that they’re smart enough to know when to WITHHOLD applause. Take a look at what’s going on here and see how sour and hollow this sounds. Sticking with videos of the “King of Pop” in his glory days would have been both more appropriate and a more fitting tribute to his legacy.
I think what we have here is a lack of real talent in the over-commercialized hip-hop world. There are too few skilled artists. Unless individuals with talent start to hit the scene, this music will die before its time.
Class in a vacuum
Janet Jackson and family patriarch Joe Jackson attended the BET Awards in order to simply be a part of a presentation honoring the legacy of Michael. Joe, who was known to be a harsh taskmaster, sat beside the ubiquitous Reverend Al Sharpton at the event. Apparently moved by the tribute, Joe Jackson told the media “I wish the world had recognized him when he was living. Right now, he’s bigger than ever. But I wish he was here to see all this, to hear all this.”
Then Janet Jackson took the stage before a brief video tribute aired. It was an emotional moment that resonated, a tonic that almost made viewers and attendees forget the slap-dash production put on by the failing BET Network. Janet said, “My entire family wanted to be here tonight but it was too painful. To you, Michael is an icon. To us, Michael is family. He will forever live in all of our hearts. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support. We miss him so much. Thank you so much.”
Jamie, Jamie, Jamie
You can act. You can do some comedy. You can dance. You can sing. You are talented – don’t destroy your career with bad decision-making like this ever again. Michael Jackson is a pop music god. Imitation isn’t the sincerest form of flattery when the body’s still on the cooling board.
Speaking of good music, I have to refer to America’s past, present and future. Jazz is an original art form with a history of talented musicians who testified as to its greatness. That the youth of America – African-American or otherwise – has lost touch with this vital, living music is criminal.
What passes as music for too many youths today, while slickly produced, seldom has any kind of social conscience. It’s brainwashing bump and grind. It isn’t tribal, it isn’t sexy and it definitely won’t get you anything that lasts longer than a small sugar rush. Give me Ben Webster playing “My Romance” and I’ll show you what real sex sounds like. In-your-face booty shaking and gangsta talk are peacock feathers poseurs use to cover their no-talent backsides. In the event you’ve already spent your album advance on Cristal for your bathtub, try a cash advance for the cash loans you’ll need for music lessons.
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NOW,they realise that MICHAEL JACKSON was one of the best singers on this wourld,,They didn’t think of it years ago,that they have done everything in there power to DISTROY him,,,DAM them all,,what’s the use of crying over spilt milk ,,michael was and ever will be,THE BEST OF ALL;,,,the wourld is full of,HIPOCRIT’S,…..a long life fan of michael ,love you allwayes.
I would like to say that idc what everyone has to say about the bet awards I may be the only one who thinks that but i’m glad…i for one enjoed watching the show i laughed harder then i ever have and i needed it i love michael jackson like i’m sure millions do and i was so hung up on his death when i heard the news..for all the entertainers to come together and change their whole performance just for micheal that was great micheal had an impact on many lives and he should be apppreciated for that people dogged him out when he was alive and it don’t make sense micheal was the victim in life and for what …now that he’s gone people who don’t even like him are buying his cd’s and things….thats fake as hell…all you hatas pick your faces up no matter what you say i loved the bet awards and the performances that were featured on there to the whole jackson family i am truely sorry for your loss…R.I.P MICHAEL JACKSON
Blame BET
I lot of people get together and make jokes and remember the fun times, just to lighten up the mood,after someone dies. Now Jamie Foxx is a comedian, he was there to make jokes, this was not in anyway disrespectful.That’s what he was there for. What kills me is that people would talk about Michael when he was alive and everyone would laugh, no matter how harsh the jokes were, but now you are offened.Get over it. It’s not jamie’s fought at how the show turned out he was just a victim in the crash. The show was schedule for that day and was put together before Micheal’s death. People were expecting it to be a fun show and for the show to end with a sad good bye to Micheal. The show opened up hilariously. Everything after the moon walk up until Janet got on stage was awfully put together. Keep in mind that this was the BET awards not BET’s tribute to Micheal. It was thrown together, I won’t deny that. I also won’t deny that it looked a mess, but nodoby said anything about Keri Hilson getting on stage and do a show based off of Elvis. Now that was disrespectful. Beyonce, Jay-Z, Lil’ Wayne,Soulja Boy, and Keri Hilson should have called in sick, those performances where not good and a waste of time. And crazy enough to hear a rumor that Jay-Z threated that he and Beyonce would not perform if Chris Brown would have be invited and perform, pisses me off cause their performaces stunk and Jay-Z used the BET awards as the showcase for his new addition to his lack of talent entitled the Blueprint 3 (isn’t he suppose to be retired anyway). Lil Wayne should be ashamed of his self performing a song entitled “every girl”, which explained how he could have sex with every girl in the world, as his little girl danced in the background. Now that was disrespectful. Also no one said anything Ving Rhames coming on stage drunk talkin about pistols and butter. That was disrespectful.Don’t throw Jamie Foxx under the bus, throw BET under the bus. They should have rescheduled the show for a later date, so that they would be able to rework the show to tribute it to Micheal. I believe that Jamie’s part was not disrespectful, but everything after that excluding the actual Micheal tribute songs, where ridiculous and an embarassment to all black people.
I enjoyed most of the show but my favorite part was when the ojays came out and eddie levert cussed and then got his hand caught in the award that was so funny eddie was even laughing.The ojays still got it a the new member fits right in and he is sexy as hell.But Jamie Foxx made me mad.I feel is was disrespectful.He should have left his not so funny jokes at home.
Am i the only one who was taken aback by Jamie Foxx’s reference to the size of his genetalia during what was supposed to be a Michael Jackson tribute so soon after his death? Where is the class today? Where is the shame? What a sad state pop culture is in, today.
LOL. Love the video! Jamie Foxx certainly knows how to strut his stuff like MJ. Michael Jackson certainly had a huge impact on many lives and he will forever be remembered till time indefinite. It’s just sad that his story had to end this way, with all the ugly publicity amidst throbbing stress and heartaches. RIP Michael.