Negro Please

February 27, 2007 by Marc Lamont Hill

On the latest wing of his “Exhoodus” tour designed to chastise the Black poor for their bad behavior, Bill Cosby threw a harsh diss at slain rapper Tupac Shakur. Cosby said:

“In the book, ‘To Momma With Love,’ or something like that, he is so happy that he’s able to take money from selling cocaine and give the money to his mother. How wonderful. Isn’t that wonderful. You’ve got to be kidding. How many lives have you ruined selling packets? How many mothers are not going to go to work because they want to snort? How many dead mothers because of crack, how many babies we got to make turn around because they are crack babies? Hang up the pictures of the people’s lives you ruined.”

My only question is: WHAT THE HELL IS HE TALKING ABOUT?

First, Tupac never wrote a book. Second, in the song “Dear Mama,” to which we can only assume Cosby is referring, Tupac talked about reconciling with his crack addicted mother and how he was proud to be able to support her through his rap career, not drug dealing. Instead of disrespecting the memory of Tupac by inventing negative stories about him, Cosby could have held the song up as an example of the profound love, character, and critical intelligence that many members of the hip-hop generation posess.

Of course, some will argue that the accuracy of Cosby’s claim about Tupac is irrelevant in light of his larger point about the glorification of drug dealing. While I agree with Cosby that drug dealing is a horrible practice that is destroying our community, his lack of respect for hip-hop culture only serves to alienate him from the very people he hopes to reach.

Categories: MLH
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17 Comments

1. cynthia wrote:

The man needs help.

February 27, 2007 @ 9:29 am

2. Blaxx wrote:

Marc, he’s not going to make any calls to Temple University for challenging his comments again is he? I still remember that radio interview

February 27, 2007 @ 11:28 am

3. Blaxx wrote:

Garrett it’s a double standard because while you’re right that it is outlandish to blame a gun manufacturer if their gun is used to kill another human being but if you choose to put a cigarette in your mouth and contract lung cancer, it’s entirely understandable to sue the tobacco company and entirely possible to win that lawsuit.

February 27, 2007 @ 11:37 am

4. Garrett wrote:

I think the tobacco companies are losing less of those lawsuits, aren’t they? Didn’t a verdict against the tobacco companies get overturned recently?

It doesn’t matter, though. Because if you’re stupid enough to smoke cigarettes, or rock for that matter, you have to suffer the consequences that you created.

February 27, 2007 @ 11:52 am

5. Blaxx wrote:

I’m not sure whats been going on in the tobacco industry to tell you the truth. The provincial government in British Columbia was awarded the right to sue tobacco companies here for all the money they spend on health care treating smoking related ailments so I thought things were lookin bad for them again. But I hear your point, this isn’t Training Day and no one is putting a gun to anybody’s head and making them smoke

February 27, 2007 @ 12:14 pm

6. Mike wrote:

Marc,

There is no ‘context’ where those comments would have any redeeming value.

February 27, 2007 @ 1:49 pm

7. tom wrote:

i agree with comments #11, #13, #18, #21 amd #24

February 27, 2007 @ 2:04 pm

8. Naomi Christine wrote:

Damned if you do…

February 27, 2007 @ 2:14 pm

9. omodiende wrote:

i didn’t know we were allowed to agree with ourselves

February 27, 2007 @ 3:03 pm

10. Dafney Antoine wrote:

thanks sis!!!!

February 27, 2007 @ 3:21 pm

11. Dafney Antoine wrote:

thanks sis! AKA Miss Martin!

February 27, 2007 @ 3:23 pm

12. Garrett wrote:

and Tom, those trust fund kids in some fancy college snortin’ blow? That’s acceptable collateral damage. Just like the poor crackers in Appalachia. The white power structure kills some of its own to make it look good. Didn’t you get the memo?

February 28, 2007 @ 7:18 am

13. Garrett wrote:

I’m sensing a love connection between Miss Martin & Mr. Eng.

February 28, 2007 @ 12:53 pm

14. Nikki wrote:

Garrett, Don’t even try it. Tyrell Where are your facts? Crack vs. Cocaine sentencing are the same? I work at a legal center bruh so you better come correct on this one. Mandatory sentences set by each state is not equal and offenses that don’t reach mandatories allow the judges to have discretion in sentencing. Basically they get to decide whatever they want. Many judges in their minds already carry the opinion that crack is worse than cocaine.

February 28, 2007 @ 3:03 pm

15. omodiende wrote:

and I am PROUD of the way DC is holding it down in here

March 2, 2007 @ 1:06 pm

16. David wrote:

Well, i know this is a year later and all, but in the interest of preserving the truth, there was a line in the song that went “and even though i sell rocks, it feels good puttin money in yo mailbox.”

Not saying Cosby is right, but just getting all the facts.

April 28, 2008 @ 1:02 am

17. Marvin Bing wrote:

First and Foremost the “Exhoodhus tour” was not Bill cosby tour to chastise Black America! It was a tour that gave hope to ex0offenders whom recently came from from incarceration. Please research before you condemn. The people in that organization have all overcame many obstacles, and for you to group them with crazy rhetoric from an old man is not acceptable.

February 17, 2009 @ 2:54 pm

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