Tyler, The Scapegoat

Tyler, of Hip Hop band Odd Future, received MTV’s coveted best new artist award Sunday, at it’s Video Music Awards ceremony. Though I didn’t watch, I received a legitimate play-by-play in real time, thanks to Black Twitter. It actually sounded like fun to watch, once I waded through the various comedians I follow. Numerous sideshows apparently broke out before/during/after the festivities, but for my buck, Tyler’s story line is by far the most important one. Unless you found the Rick Ross/Kreayshawn gang fight a hotter button issue.

Apparently, GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, didn’t take kindly to Tyler’s crowning, due to his use of certain words & phrases in his music. The organization also urged MTV to “educate” it’s viewers on homophobia in the future, as well as looking to “more deserving artists.” One has to wonder, though, if it was more of a slight at MTV than towards Tyler, making him a scapegoat. Surely he isn’t the only Best New Artist to say politically incorrect things in their music – albeit offensive & perverse – & the category is “Best New Artist,” not “young humanitarian.” That’s the same type of weirdo nonsense that earns PETA a bad reputation, because even if it’s a valid point, hate the front office, not the front line, but I digress.

In order to win the title, Tyler had to “beat” fellow west coast rapper Kreayshawn, who’s had quite a bit of controversy, herself. For about 2 weeks (154 years in ‘Net time) earlier this month, Kreayshawn & her ace boon spoon V-Nasty were the eye of an “n-word” hailstorm, that had all of the so-called Hip Hop community shaking their proverbial fists. The issue was whether or not V should be allowed to say the word “nigga” in her rap lyrics since we do. There was no groupthink resolution to the somewhat important matter, only nonchalant acceptance, nonetheless, what V-Nasty (& by association, Kreayshawn, also) does is tantamount to what Tyler does, no? If the word “nigga” (used by a White woman) isn’t aimed at niggers per se, then I highly doubt that Tyler (a heterosexual Black man) is directly insulting gay men when he says the word “fag,” or any of it’s numerous incantations.

When it’s all said & done, interpretation is a matter of contexts & perception, so far be it from me to tell anyone how to react to what they think is bigotry & prejudice. That said, I wonder would the N.A.A.C.P. have released a statement if Kreayshawn won a little moon man? Probably not. & as much as I detest asking questions only to answer them myself, is GLAAD being hypersensitive? Slightly. More importantly, though, it shows that if they perceive wrongdoing to their sect, they don’t just talk, they respond. That’s what a community is all about, regardless of career titles, sexual orientations, or skin colors. Maybe if Hip Hop had some sort of brotherhood there would be more advancement & less gang culture, so to speak.

MTV has a hard enough time holding on to the little credibility it has left, so I’m highly doubtful they’ll start shooing away rap stars because they call somebody a “fag.” What MTV should’ve done was release a retaliatory statement telling GLAAD’s lawyers to kiss it’s collective, respective ass (or something to that effect). At least that way, they’d walk away from this ridiculousness with more swag than they came with.

(Editor’s note: I was going to stream Tyler’s acceptance speech here, but Viacom had other plans. Thanks for nothing, MTV.)

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17 thoughts on “Tyler, The Scapegoat

  1. G.L.A.A.D. right now is full of shit !! When I first heard about this, I was like “AGAIN ?” Wasnt Eminem the target years back with the same mess. Corny ? Yes. Hypersensitive. HELL yeah !! The N Double A don’t have time and I wouldnt expect them to step to chick over shit we as fans can handle ourselves if we wanted to.

  2. Pretty much the n-word is more specific in context than the f word (homosexual one), i’ve known gay dudes to call peeps and me the f-word. might be an aussie thang,(we tend to take the piss alot outta people even friends in aussie culture) but yeah i agree Tyler is being made a scapegoat

  3. Ace Boon Spoon – add it to the slang dictionary. That shit is way better than “butch” or “bull-dyke” or any other epithet describing bitches who scissor.

  4. Isn’t the important thing here that MTV is a horrible promoter of hip hop culture?

    We should be ignoring Kreayshawn V-Nasty AND Tyler.
    All they do is bring negativity and have horrible lyrics and don’t even do it with good rapping!
    They aren’t skilled at the art of rap, and they make no positive contribution.

    Also Grand$ I don’t think even you should post about these people. You make points against them, but because they can make blogs and be discussed, they will keep making their horrible music

    • I pointed out that GLAAD takes swipes @ MTV (& Curt backed me up).

      I pointed out that GLAAD has it’s peoples back, while Hip hop doesn’t.

      I pointed out that MTV has bigger issues than misguided censorship & misguided education.

      ^
      None of those issues are about V, K, or T. Those are interchangeable characters that just happen to be a part of the story. I didn’t write about them. I wrote about a (few) situation(s). Notice I never harped…

      Also, why not write about them? Who am I supposed to right about? Like it or not, these people get attention for a reason. Boring is the new boring, fam, & people don’t want to read about boring stuff. I’m a writer. I write about things people want to read about. That’s like telling Doritos to chill on the cooler ranch because it’s too zesty for you.

  5. “More importantly, though, it shows that if they perceive wrongdoing to their sect, they don’t just talk, they respond. That’s what a community is all about, regardless of career titles, sexual orientations, or skin colors. Maybe if Hip Hop had some sort of brotherhood there would be more advancement & less gang culture, so to speak”

    TRUTH

  6. Yea but you should be writing what we need to hear, and then you can use your writing skills to spin it in an entertaining way haha

    I don’t think GLAAD is in the wrong, they are just seeing that someone who uses the word fag freely is being hailed as the Best New Artist, and they are prali worried that that shows the youngins its an ok word to use.

    Altough I think if they really wanted to do something about hatefull speech, they would take the meaning away from the word.

    Maybe thats why the NAACP is ignoring those white girls, maybe their non verbal statement is “Its ok because they aren’t using it negatively against african americans”. Good thing or bad thing?

    • Fam, it’s plenty of sites writing the same old bullshit & spinning it as entertaining. Head over to one of those aggregation machines & complain to them…

      As long as you’ve been coming to this site & youre telling me that I should be writing what you need to hear?! I do that shit nonstop. Smh…

  7. @Loki, their music had nothing to do with this right here. This is about an Organization with nothing better to do just trying to be seen and heard. The fact that Mr. Mathers has calmed down as of late probably is pissing them off because shit, we all know MTV and Eminem were homies for life right up to “Encore” ( Notice any Eminem RECOVERY performances ? ) Tyler is a rookie in mainstream status with nothing to stand on but his music thats just getting a buzz. If you don’t like it, you can ignore it but when it’s being attacked for stupid shit, we as Hip Hop fans gotta stand up. I wasn’t close to being a 2 Live Crew fan but when they got stepped to, I was right there saying “FUCK YOU” to the government trying to ban. On another note, MTV did great with YO MTV Raps and Raps today with Ed & Dre….Belee Dat !!

  8. GLAAD is full of ish…a minute ago they were trying to say their plight for rights was equal to what Blacks have gone thru in America. They’re ok with the n-word, but upset at the f-word.

    Fraudulent opportunists they are…

  9. Can’t say i know a whole heap on GLAAD, but if they are anything like some encounters i have had with some organisations who ask for donations at times (i assume GLAAD do), no matter the cause they are probably douches.

    I volunteer for charitable organisations no charge, refugee causes, low income cats who aint eating and the mentally ill and homeless. i make minimum wage but still i like to help. (too broke to throw bucks at it so i get my hands dirty)

    But several of these organisations had full time employed cats to run the show, as well as the cash flow. These peeps drove high end cars, live in great houses etc all part of their kick arse wages, with funds derived from donations and government support. And for the most part they never really interacted with the people their job was to help out, and to be honest they just treated it as a job, not doing a great service fo people in need.

    When i decided to be picky about my time i donated, it happened after i was involved with small business’in the area organising donations at an event ran by a local charity. i ws there making bags up with business owners, fresh off a 12 hour shift in a factory, whilst they chatted about their luxury holidays in Europe . So i wasn’t feeling exactly comfortable but then we got to 8pm peeps were hungry. Charity manager says alright time for dinner, charity will pay for the food. i was like WTF ,ended up accosting the gathering and left.

    I doubt the entirety of GLAAD are douches, but especially when they need publicity to encourage further donations, in turn to help fund politicians when they need to influence em through campaign donation…..

    BTW volunteering is awesome on the most part , meet new and different people, new stories and new knowledge. just vet the organisation before commiting overly much

    another rambling and slightly off topic comment brought to you by the letter C and the number 9
    care of Nagan

    Peace

  10. Pingback: Rap Round Table, Week Ending 9/2/2011

  11. yeah, glaad is totally over-sensitive. hell, we should be applauding tyler. there are way too many faggots out there. and besides, they’ve had it so good all these years. you know, all the beatings and murders and intimidation. and now they want rights! can you believe it? next thing you know those homos will want to get married!! the nerve….who do they think they are?? props to tyler and to every other homophobic rapper out there. you’re a beacon of light for your community….

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