Antoine Dodson embodies the new American Dream. We’re not speaking of the age old idea that anyone in this great land of opportunity can prosper with the right combination of elbow grease and dedication. The updated version of the dream says we can become rich and famous for doing essentially nothing out of the ordinary. It supposes that while trudging along through our mundane lives, a certain something will take place and inexplicably change our lives forever and for the better. For me, it’s either going to come from starting and maintaining a Hip-Hop website or from riding around punching my brakes in heavy traffic. By whiplash or web, I’ll get there. Still, I don’t think I’ll receive my comeuppance as quickly as Mr. “They Rapin’ Everybody.”

The web caught it’s fair share of flack for inadvertently laughing at the misfortunes of Antoine Dodson and his family. Many writers questioned at whose expense our laughs came. By the looks of it, Antione played Brer Rabbit and cashed in while we guffawed, since he’s buying his family a new home from the proceeds of his internet fame.

“We found a house!” he tells Us, adding that he is so “excited … It’s for my whole family. And these are new houses that have just been built.

“Dodson is paying for the new pad thanks to money he earned after musicians the Gregory Brothers turned his tirade into an Auto-Tuned song that hit the top 50 iTunes list (Dodson got half the proceeds).

“I still can’t believe this,” he tells Us of his sudden fame. “Even though my life is moving forward, it’s at a standstill in my mind. I’m like, ‘Wow! All of this is happening just off a news interview!’” [Us]

While we made light of the hood, Antoine made moves. Interviews, merchandising and song royalties helped take his family from danger to a new domain. Yes, it all came as a result of his sister almost being raped. Make no mistake about that almost forgotten strand in the narrative. Ultimately though, Antoine caused enough of a stir to focus attention on his neighborhood and the dangers faced. Point scored.

“I was angry!” he tells Us. “I was like, ‘I can’t believe this!’ I was really mad and everybody took the video and put it all out there. Now I’m glad that the world knows what’s going on so they won’t sweep this under the rug. This will bring pressure on the police department and investigators investigating the case.

“Dodson says he also plans to return to school. ‘I signed up to finish my Associate’s Degree in business,’ he says. ‘That way I can take everything to the next level and be on a more professional level.’”

How’s that for triumph over near tragedy?

And I don’t remember none of these Negroes in an uproar when all of America was poking fun at William Hung.