Yesterday as I half-watched the news related to the VA Te.ch incident, I did catch bits and pieces of “regular” tv shows. One being Oprah. Yes, Ladies & Gentleman, Lady O has finally stepped into the I.mus debate with her two-part town hall show, “Now What?” I missed the first part of the show but I believe her intent was to focus on what needed to happen now from the perspective of Black America, the music industry – specifically hip-hop/rap. Her guests included Al Sharpton, Stanley Crouch, Diane Weathers, Robin Smith, Russell Simmons, Common, India.Arie, and a group of African-American females who spoke with Gayle King. My title says “O shows up…fashionably late”. I chose that title because it appears to be so - in all the dialogue about I.mus, the Rutgers team, overhauling the music industry, Oprah showed up a little late for the ball. And her nod to the Rutgers team consisted of about 7 minutes of them saying the same thing that they’d been saying all over the media. Maybe she was blindsided by the fervor of this turn of events and how quickly it advanced. Maybe she didn’t want to tackle it. At any rate, she had Part I of her show yesterday, I think it was called “Now What? - Oprah’s Town Hall”. Here’s what I saw….

What I caught was Dr. Johnetta B. Cole’s statement about African-Americans and our hesitancy to “air our dirty laundry”. Dr. Cole implored us to air it – to hang it on the line, put clothes pins in it and let it flap in the breeze. She went on to say that if you left dirty laundry to sit, it simply became more of what it was – dirty. I like her analogy but would like to add that it’s not as simple as airing our dirty laundry (is anything ever simple?). I believe the first step is the acknowledgment that the laundry is indeed ours. That speaks to accountability which appears to be lacking in a lot of ways in our society – not just the African-American community but our society in general. There has to be acknowledgment that the laundry is indeed dirty. You know how we do – “dirty” to me looks and smells differently than “dirty” to you. As in any discussion, I think it is very easy for us to slip into a discussion of “how” the “laundry” came to be dirty in the first place which takes us away from the real issue – cleaning it up. We have to stop metaphorically lighting incense, striking matches, spraying perfume and/or air freshner trying to mask the odor and presence of the dirty laundry. We know that the debate will continue - who wore it last, who dirtied it, HOW it should be cleaned or laundered. Who cares? JUST CLEAN IT UP!!

What I caught was Diane Weathers saying just as I.mus lost his job, she feels many rappers should lose their jobs, their recording contracts. I’ve heard many things about what people think should be a consequence but I don’t think I’ve ever heard that particular call. I can’t say that I disagree (or that I agree wholeheartedly) but I know there must be consequences to every action. I also know that we are asking a lot. You are asking for a people to police themselves in an age where the NAACP gave Rruh Kelly an image award. You are asking a society to help us censor music when a song like “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp”. First, I know Rruh hasn’t been convicted but personally? He’s been accused one too many times for me. Nope, didn’t see the video. Didn’t need or want to. Trust me when I tell you that, while I think he is indeed a gifted musician/singer, I fell out with him long before the allegations hit the public. Can’t get with someone who says “you remind me of my jeep”. Now, what about “It’s hard out here for a pimp”? How many people who look like me are voting members - or members at all - of the Academy? So, it wasn’t “us” this time so to speak though “we” were bouncing to it in our rides and in the club. Yes – all we can do is address change within ourselves but we must be realistic about the forces that will come from outside ourselves to challenge that change.

What I did see was Al Sharpton say that this was never about a shockjock, not in and of himself but that someone had to be the catalyst, the spark that reverberated loudly to signal that enough was truly more than enough, that too much was absolutely funky, and that it needed to change – now. For me, it has always been larger than I.mus – he didn’t create himself – someone in corporate America played Dr. Frankenstein and the rest of society simply went along with it. Until it became too much.

What I did see was Oprah’s choice of rappers to continue the discussion today – Russell Simmons and Common. Yes. Russell Simmons. Common. I think I’ll cry “foul” right here on Oprah. Russell Simmons? Common? Perhaps there will be other rappers included and I missed that in the events that unfolded in VA yesterday. I certainly hope so because otherwise, I’d question Oprah’s commitment to really having a dialogue, I’d be more inclined to think she is playing it much too safe.

I know that Oprah is not a fan of rap. I can’t say that I’m a big fan of it either. However, I think that in selecting two rappers who would be considered “safe” by many listeners and other rappers, she is missing an opportunity to advance the dialogue. She is doing a disservice to Russell and Common by asking them to speak for an entire industry of which they are probably the least offensive (though Common did have his moments back in the day). This reminds me of being in 7th grade - my math teacher was an old woman, White, who truly should have returned ages before we reached her class. She had a class of black and white students, some quiet, some loud. Because she couldn’t handle the entire class, she taught only one side of the room.

So it is with Oprah - speaking to one side of the room. I understand not wanting to give a platform to a genre of music that you disapprove of. However, you can’t save souls by preaching to those who are already saved so to speak. Perhaps there will be other mainstream, “hard core” rappers on the show and I missed that part. (What a perfect opportunity for her to have brought Ludacris on her show again, especially after his comments after his appearance on her show with the cast of “Crash”.)

I do find value in the discussion but I challenge Oprah just as she wants to challenge others - what next? Just as I thought about the I.mus situation, that we needed to hold MSNBC and CBS and all the sponsors accountable, I think that Oprah’s guests at today’s table should also include a wider assortment of rappers and some of the suits who control the money…and not just the ones who look like her. Dig a little deeper Oprah. I believe you can do it. How do we move into a deeper, more inclusive dialogue and a place where viable solutions are put on the table. What’s next?

** Here’s a thought that I in the midst of this situation (and sadly, many others): “I’m tired .” I know I’m not alone in thinking and/or saying that. But then I remember who I am, what has been sacrificed so that I can be who I am, do what I do, etc. and I have to ask myself, “Can I afford to be tired?”

The struggle continues. This time it runs deep.

Live DELICIOUSLY!
~ J ~

Someone once told me they thought Oprah was an idiot. In all the amazing conversations we’ve had, we never got back to that. I was curious then and I remain so - especially now. A good topic of discussion, no? That and something about a book….