A statistically improbable polymath's views on politics and culture.

 
Okay, now why haven't I been hearing more about this?

Continuing his criticism of rap, Spike Lee told an audience at Brown University that popular music portrays blacks in a negative light.

Speaking to an audience of more than 400 students Monday night, the director of films including "Do the Right Thing" and "Malcolm X" repeated the complaints he's made at colleges and universities over the past year.

"I've always felt you can feel the progress of African Americans by listening to their music," Lee said. "Some of this 'gangsta rap' stuff, it's not doing anybody any good. This stuff is really dangerous."


--For several years we've been hearing both conservative and liberal commentators complaining about how the modern hip-hop bling-bling culture screws over urban youth. But these guys have all been oldish, not that hip, and frankly not powerful enough in youth-oriented media to make a difference in youth culture. Spike Lee, I think, can do something about it... perhaps the next Bamboozled could puncture the street pretensions of Jay-Z and P.Diddy?

But then, I'm probably not an authority on these matters. I don't even own any rap CDs.
posted by Maureen at 11:14 PM