Jackson Free Press

Bill O'Reilly stabs at Luda, claims "rap destroyed music." In case some of you missed it, Ludacris shouted out Bill O'Reilly and Oprah Winfrey when picking up two of his Grammys this past weekend. Good old Bill apparently didn't appreciate the love and took it as an opportunity to take more shots at the Ludameister. After reporting on Luda winning a Grammy for Best Rap Album, O'Reilly immediately questioned his win, pointing out lyrics from "Slap," a stand-out track on Release Therapy in which the ATL rapper mentions "slapping a nigga" and killing his boss. Ehhhhh, it was hypothetical, Bill. "Do you think there's a liberal, secular, progressive culture in the music industry that makes it easy for these people to prosper?" Bill asked Nathan Davis, a Philadelphia journalist. "These people?" "People don't understand a guy like Ludacris saying the N word 50 times in a song and saying he wants to kill his boss in the song," he continued. "They don't understand why that merits a Grammy award. Why does it?" Constipated-ass Williams also pleaded that the N word will be used as long as albums that feature it prominently get awarded.

"I really admired Motown, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Earth, Wind & Fire...but now, I think that this rap stuff has destroyed music, because this is what is honored," Bill commented. "This is what is being pushed onto the consumer. It's a fragmented audience now. It's not what it used to be." Eeehhhhhhh!

Previous Comments

ID

110408

Comment

This HAS to infuriate him..the fact that O'Reilly realizes he has absolutely NO juice and Ludacris' career arguably has risen to even GREATER heights after he hated on him and cost him that Pepsi endorsement. Now a GRAMMY...ROTFL..I LOVE IT

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-02-16T12:23:18-06:00

ID

110409

Comment

"I really admired Motown, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Earth, Wind & Fire...but now, I think that this rap stuff has destroyed music, because this is what is honored" is a mind-blowingly offensive statement, not because he's being critical of the hip-hop industry, but because he is making a "good blacks"/"bad blacks" connection between old Motown, new Motown, and hip-hop that isn't really relevant to the discussion. It would be sort of like if he said "I really admired Dr. Martin Luther King, J.C. Watts, and Alan Keyes...but now, I think that Jesse Jackson has destroyed politics." When blacks had less social parity, O'Reilly seems to be saying, "they" produced great music; now that blacks are not acting subservient, "they" have destroyed music. Gee. Not just produced bad music, not just produced offensive music, but destroyed music, from Debussy and Vivaldi to Slipknot and Papa Roach, they've destroyed it all, leaving a barren landscape. There goes the neighborhood, huh? "If only we could make things like they were before..." Not to mention the fact that soul is very much alive. There was no signed agreement by the black community to abruptly stop producing old-school R&B and start producing hip-hop. It's just that the white suburban kids of O'Reilly's listeners buy a lot more rap, so that's what's raking in the big bucks. Note to O'Reilly: Don't comment on things you don't understand. And listen to some friggin' John Legend and Mary J. Blige before you start rambling like an idiot about how much you liked groups that haven't recorded in 30 years. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2007-02-16T13:32:35-06:00

ID

110410

Comment

Oh, and I say this as someone who thinks that Ludacris is a misogynistic scumbag. But see, I can say that because I've actually listened to enough of his stuff to know he's a misogynistic scumbag. The Four Tops? Give me a break, O'Reilly. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2007-02-16T13:35:07-06:00

ID

110411

Comment

And by the way: If Roman Polanski can win an Oscar after raping a 13-year-old girl, Ludacris winning a Grammy is NOTHING. The problem is not black music. The problem, if we choose to see it as a problem, is that moral considerations are not generally taken into account when artistic awards are given. Cheers, TH

Author

Tom Head

Date

2007-02-16T13:50:58-06:00

ID

110412

Comment

What ever...three is all you need: 1. Miles Davis 2. Sting/Police and 3. Bob Marley! All other music is worthless :-)

Author

Big Tee

Date

2007-02-16T14:03:33-06:00

ID

110413

Comment

Bill O'Reilly is the epitome of white supremacy and the notion that all white is right, the paradign, model, and utopia for what is right, decent and good. Rappers, many of which are misguided and crazy as hell, are not old school uncle toms or wanna-be-like-white-folks many negroes are. Rappers question all notions of racism, white supremacy, even old notions of blackness, and everything in between. Many rappers, if not most, are trying to do things their way. Of course, the problem is too little guidance and lack of any willingness to listen to those others who have already been down this road. Too many don't know know sh!t from shinola. The blind can't successfully lead the blind, but a one-eyed man can be king, even if that eye is bad. This seems to be the motto of too many of them and thier fans.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-02-16T15:38:11-06:00

ID

110414

Comment

And they're totally without any meaningful sense of history. If you don't know where you have been you're destined to return.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-02-16T15:39:59-06:00

ID

110415

Comment

What all of us must do who are concerned about transcending and transforming the past is constantly engage in ongoing critical self-reflection and analysis, and be willing to engage, discuss and listen to others. Are rappers willing to do this?

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-02-16T16:27:43-06:00

ID

110416

Comment

Big Tee: You should've put Trane on the list.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-02-16T16:31:31-06:00

ID

110417

Comment

Whole lotta other people should be on this list. King, do you mean Coltrane? Bob is clearly the master and king of reggae. Miles arguably the master of the trumpet and a great composer in Jazz but then there are other guys named Louis Armstrong, Hugh Masakela, and Duke Ellington, pianist and composer, who Miles said the following about :"every musician should get on their knees once a year and thank God for Duke Ellington." Then there is Motown, STAX, TSOP and so many more groups and labels of equal and greater acclaim. Sting and the Police are good but there are many rock groups just as good and better.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-02-16T16:45:08-06:00

ID

110418

Comment

If I have to tell you who I mean by Trane..................

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-02-16T16:47:43-06:00

ID

110419

Comment

I have some of his albums. Who is Bird?

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-02-16T16:50:40-06:00

ID

110420

Comment

are you going to shoot me in the head for not knowing the answer?

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-02-16T17:00:54-06:00

ID

110421

Comment

King, I know you know who he was and lots of things about music.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-02-16T17:06:19-06:00

ID

110422

Comment

what would you recommend of his? I was referring to a scene in Collateral. pay attention.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2007-02-16T17:12:44-06:00