*GLORIFYING THE GHETTO

This is what I Gotta Know....
What is it that’s so fascinating about the ghetto? Why do we take what’s bad about the ghetto, and try to make it good by giving it affectionate names like “Ghetto Fabulous”, and “Hood-Rich” instead of taking the necessary steps to make things really better?

Our ghetto-glorifying in the film industry has done nothing but given us type-cast roles such as Pimps, Drug Dealers, and Dry Cleaners while leaving Basketball and Rapping as our only ways out.

We’ve gone as far as taking the old cars that our parents had, that we used to be embarrassed by, and rebuilt them by putting ghetto-fabulous rims on it(23”-26” wheels on a car…that just ain’t right). Is that what we’re all about Black people? That goes back to my previous writing about our Hip-Hop culture. Is this a part of our culture too? Well, society seems to think so. If it’s not a syndicated tv show, or a movie role starring Denzel Washington or Blair Underwood, almost all of our other black actors have been given those type-cast roles of gangsters, pimps and hustlers.


How do you feel about the ghetto becoming a gimmick? What do you think the term “Wigger” is associated with…..someone White trying to act (whatever that insult is supposed to mean) Black. As bad as the ghetto is, it is surprising to me how reluctant our black people are to uplifting and renovating our communities. Whenever someone tries to make a difference by cleaning and painting the buildings in the projects, all we do is graffiti them, then blame white society for our living conditions.

We’re starting to give the ghetto’s and ghetto ways such good connotations that when we DO encounter a “Wigger”, he, or she is automatically given a “ghetto pass”. Shouldn’t you feel insulted if someone that is not black goes out of his or her way to try to act like our ghetto brothers and sisters? All they’re doing is purposely neglecting their proper etiquette, and pretending to be dumb because that’s how they are viewing us….and we’re not doing anything about it, except excusing it. Now, I’m not saying that EVERY urban white or latino individual is acting. Some of our Latin or Caucasian brothers and sisters (we’re all the same….really) have grown up in the slums, or in the trailer parks, and that’s how they really act, BUT THAT’S NOT OK EITHER!!! Education is the key to our salvation.

I am tired of being labeled, or predestined to be a rapper or ball player instead of an educator, CEO or government official (not that they’re all smart). Why do we have to accept the identities that are given to us, by white society, and give lame excuses to make it better? Don’t get me wrong, so of the tricks that I’ve seen done to some of those old embarrassing vehicles is showcasing talent beyond reproach, but do we have to take that, and use it as a label for who we are? Why can’t we take that talent, and use it for special effects careers, or vehicle sculpting for major corporations like Chevrolet or Ford, instead of allowing it to become something that we’re later made fun of?

I GOTTA KNOW***WHO HAS AN ANSWER FOR THE QUESTION MAN***