Jackson Free Press

Read the Northside Sun editorial

You'd think some newspaper editors would at least have taken the time to do a little more research.

I don't expect everyone to immediately grasp the impact that hip-hop has had on this generation. I don't expect them to fully understand how a culture has shaped this generation's new activists and its new leaders. The negative aspects of hip-hop aside, perhaps few have realized its true power.

That being said, I don't readily expect folks to look to the Northside Sun if they want unbiased stories about North Jackson happenings. The same publication that I've given the benefit of the doubt to numerous times is the same paper that published (ahem) less-than-responsible piece on crime during the mayoral campaign. The same piece that led its readers to believe that there are only five or six black folks residing in North/NorthEast Jackson.

Consequently, I wouldn't expect them to understand the tenets of hip-hop nor its causes or effects. But I would at least expect a little research, sheesh! In a former life—my journalist life—I don't think I could have rested having written a piece so shallow as the one describing a recent Chokwe Lumumba event held in celebration of his Ward 2 victory.

Held at Hanging Moss Church of Christ, the event featured several entertainers, one of which was hip-hop artist/educator PyInfamous (Jason Thompson). The ensuing editorial, sans byline of course, proceeded to bash Py's lyrics and paint him into the "gangster rapper" category. Not surprising I guess considering the source.

Journalists often paint rappers with one huge brush. I should know; I'm still fighting to get past the "rapper" tag too. Dismissing the fact that completely competent adults organized the event for a sitting councilman; dismissing the fact that said adults realized that the event was taking place in a church; one would think they'd have sense enough to properly vet the talent, yes?

Methinks this isn't so much an attack on the artist as it is an attempt to quickly discredit a councilman who the Sun sees as confrontational to its (ahem) conservative readership. Instead of trying to mock Lumumba or chastise PyInfamous, it would probably be wise for you to do a little more research, Sun. If you're going to write about hip-hop artists at political events, you probably need to catch up on how the smart ones are using the music and those like Py to reach out to young voters. You may want to actually learn what a legitimate force hip-hop really is.

Your anonymous attempt to marginalize a local politician and scandalize the name of a man who makes his career out of making music bordered on bush league. As an artist, I was offended. As a black man, I was angered, and as a businessman I became motivated ... to help you "get it." Such articles/editorials will not go unnoticed again.

And that's the truth ... sho-nuff.

Previous Comments

ID

151516

Comment

In the third paragraph of the Sun's piece is this tidbit: "A quick search on the Internet fails to reveal the legal name of Pyinfamous." That alone is worth a laugh. Google "Pyinfamous," and the second entry says: "Pyinfamous (Jason Thompson)" and goes straight to his MySpace page, where you'll find his age, where he went to school and that he has a bachelor's in marketing and management from Ole Miss, among lots of other info. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt: Chances are that the folks at the Sun may not have discovered Google, yet. After all, they're still worrying about "anti-establishment" types like Lumumba (I haven't heard that word since the 70s). Py's lyrics must have made their heads explode. I mean, come on: Their top "news" story this week is about some guy named Willard who's dying his gray hair. Really? News? Relevant?

Author

Ronni_Mott

Date

2009-09-02T16:46:34-06:00

ID

151519

Comment

I read this editorial over the weekend, and was appalled by everything in it, and the lack of journalistic integrity. Jason's name is all over the Web, and we've written about him. You could tell from the lyrics quoted that the Sun had no idea what he was saying. And then they imply that Jason showed up at the church and went all vulgar and violent on the crowd; meantime, it was clear they were nowhere near the event. Wyatt Emmerich should apologize to Jason for this hit job. I just went to the editorial on the Sun's site to get the link and saw all the letters underneath it protesting it. I'm really glad to see that people are waking up to what the Sun is pushing, especially on the issue of race in this community. We didn't see this level of outcry when Wyatt gave a prize to the columnist who wrote that blacks should give thanks every day for slavery or, more recently, when another columnist compared the president to Hitler. As a community, we really need to talk back to what Wyatt is doing in that paper. I urge more of you to speak up and out against this kind of unresearched garbage -- especially when they are clearly trying to disparage a man like Jason Thompson's character. It's just too much.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-09-02T17:27:59-06:00

ID

151520

Comment

Also, here is Jason's response that he posted under the Sun editorial: PyInfamous wrote on Saturday, Aug 29 at 04:27 PM » This comment will preced a letter to the editor that I will submit on Monday requesting a retraction of this commentary and an apology from the Northside Sun to the citizens of the City of Jackson, City Councilman Chokwe Lumumba and myself. First of all if you plan to quote the lyrics of any musician, I would hope you try to get them correct AND understand the metaphors therin. The song "Greetings" has no negative references at all. The line "we left them with no arms to fire" means that we TOOK AWAY their firearms and "no legs to run" means they are unable to move away from the rationale and understanding that we impart. The author goes on to misquote and misinterpet in the line "without relying on the backdoor like PRINCETON," which is a basketball reference. Furthermore, the line is "it's a beautiful day in the hood with my NEIGBORS" like Mr. Rogers. I could go on with how the author has purposely distorted my words, but I do appreciate the free publicity. You can expect plenty of letters and e-mails from this article. Good job.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-09-02T17:28:44-06:00

ID

151522

Comment

Take it from me..or maybe ask Millsaps...or maybe WJNT lol. You do nothing but expand a platform when you make uninformed rushes to judgement or ignorant generalizations about hiphop artists or the craft. What youll find is cats like Jason are closer to being the rule than the exception. I wouldnt ask for a retraction..Id send em a thank you letter lol.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2009-09-02T17:38:51-06:00

ID

151523

Comment

Agreed, Kaze. Jason should take advantage of this. It's been the same for us since we launched: The jackasses and tabloggers have just helped build our platform as a voice in Jackson. We've had advertisers come in because they say *everyone* is talking about us, so that's where their ad needs to be. (At least one said he was coming on because they were complaining about us on Supertalk.) That said, every one of us should speak out about what is hiding in the pages of the Northside Sun so often. They have to be told that Jacksonians of all races do not want to see that kind of race ugliness. They need to leave that garbage back in the 20th century. Our state has had enough of that racist garbage to last a lifetime. It's time for Jacksonians to join together, get past differences, work for a positive future, stop whining all the time, quit obsessing over crime all the time. The Sun violates so many journalistic Best Practices--from "selling" editorial to using race in their crime stories when it's the only identifier ("a black male did this..."). Mosts newspapers in America years ago agreed to stop these kinds of practices, but not enough people call out the Sun (just as not enough people called out Mr. Tisdale for that Brown Society garbage). Enough is enough. Let's build this city up, not tear each other down.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-09-02T17:48:32-06:00