Words By Contraâ„¢

The Sounds Of Blackness

“We’ve been playa hated…
I don’t know what, and I don’t know why?
Why they want us faded?”

The above was sighted in Geneva, Switzerland.

I’d be lying if I said this was the first time I’d seen this sign. Technically, it would be the fourth. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, it still tickles and stings the same.

The second or third time I saw it, I approached the store manager and asked him why he figured Blacks needed their own category of music (why couldn’t they be in Jazz, or Pop, or “Urban”, or Soul or 70′s or 80′s or 90′s..etc?), and how did they determine who fell under the “Black music” umbrella.

I got quite dyspeptic when he replied. Suffice it to say, at some point, he thought it wise to say “Cassie? Mariah Carey, she is.. uh.. black.. uh… because, she has the Black blood, no?”

I make reference to the one-drop rule still in effect in the United *cough* States of America.

I got mildly angry then and wanted nothing more than to shove my Ben Drury’s all the way up his rectum…pause.

Then a funny little thought occurred to me.

Mr. Nasir Jones is releasing a new album with an endearing name.

Customer: “Where is Nas’ new album?”

Attendant: “You’re looking for Nigger? Row #3: Black Music.”

Jokes aside.

We are all biased to our own degrees, and like it or not, racism will always exist until we all become a homogeneous people. For that reason, our opinions will always have some slant (no pun) or skewed logic in them and accepting that is the first step toward getting rid of the prejudice.

However, when it comes to what we put out officially, in terms of labels, names, movements, brands, icons; there should be no race-based, no class or caste categorization; because the labels and the supposedly harmless names are what end up injecting and enculturating discriminatory mentalities in the average person.

Why fuel a system that’s already working against you?

My $0.02.

Nas’ Nigger LP in stores April 22nd. (Supposedly)

Stray Shots

Main_One-Bronx_State_Of_Mind_(VLS)-2003

Main_Source-Just_Hangin_Out-(Full_VLS)-1991

Main_Source-What_You_Need-VLS-1993

Malik_Yusef_Ft_Kanye_West_And_Common-Wouldn’t_You_Like_To-(Read_Nfo)-(CDS)-2005

Mannie_Fresh_Feat._Tateeze-Conversation-(Promo_CDS)-2005

Mannie_Fresh-Real_Big-(Retail_VLS)-2004

Mannie_Fresh-Real_Big-Promo_VLS-2004

Marco_Polo_Ft_Skoob_(of_Das_Efx)-How_I_Get_Down-(Promo)-2005

Mario_Winans_Feat_Foxy_Brown-Pretty_Girl_CDS-2003

Markey_Fresh-The_Mack_of_Rap-(VLS)-1989

Juvenile_Ft_Beezel-Luggage_(Promo_CDS)-2004

Juvenile-Sets_Go_Up-(CDS)-2005

K.M.D.-Nitty_Gritty-VLS-1991

Kadalack_Boyz_-_Get_Em-Promo_VLS-2005

Kam-I_Don’t_Think_So_(Sway_and_King_Tech_presents_Back_2_Basics)-VLS-2005

Kaze_and_9th_Wonder-50-50_Amp-VLS-2005

Kev_Brown_Presents-Changes-VLS-2004

Kid_N_Play-Slippin_bw_Friendz-VLS-1991

Killah_Priest-When_I’m_Writing-Promo_CDS-2003

Killer_Mike_Ft_Amil_Big_Boi_S_Brown-ADIDAS_Remix-(White Label_VLS)-2003

Stray Shots