As IF Times

Source: Muhammad Ali ushered in the era of preening, swaggering athletes: Ted Diadiun | cleveland.com

Clearly, Ali was one of the greatest influences of his time and that influence carries past his generation to this present day.  As this is written, memorial services abound in honor of Ali’s life.  As far as fame and influence, it’s hard to argue with his worldwide recognition.  He was ground zero for today’s brash, swaggering athlete as the linked author notes.  He was the progenitor of that display of “in your face” bravado that is aped today by many pro sports personalities, from Richard Sherman and Cam Newton, to entertainers such as Kanye West.  It can’t be argued that Ali was the hero of most black kids of that era whose last great idol was probably Hank Aaron.

There is another perspective however.  Many will say that the coarseness  and brashness commonly displayed by sporting participants today diminishes the spirit of sport.  Maybe; but that’s what sells, so there’s no reason to back off as long as it pays.   There’s classy and there’s brassy; both work if you’re good enough.  It can be argued that the roots of aggressive Rap culture may have been inadvertantly influenced by Ali’s prose and demeanor.

Apart from bravado, Ali’s most controversial notes concerned his joining the Nation Of Islam and the related refusal to obey his draft orders.   This made Ali a hero to many constituencies.  Although he would later abandon the radical Nation of Islam to support a more passive Muslim ideology, his association gave that group credence and legitimacy because of his membership.  It can also be argued that Ali’s refusal of military service sparked the rethinking of the national conscience on sending  kids to war.

The preceding narrative are matters of fact.  The opinions about them are not. While at the moment, there is almost universal praise for Ali and his life, there are those that don’t think that his life achievements are as laudatory as everyone claims.   This is not, as some may posit, racist.  Years ago, an article was written exploring the nuanced aspects of Ali: Muhammed Ali, Racist.   Pointing out some of the less admirable aspects of Ali’s life does not make one a racist, any more than pointing out the many shortcomings of Donald Trump is racist.

In the reading of the flood of commentaries post Ali’s death, the majority are kind to his legacy.  History will properly remember him as a transformative figure.  That doesn’t make the detractors racists or haters.  Ali went through a very bad period and made some unambiguously offensive statements.   Many of history’s notable figures had significant character faults that were overlooked in consideration of their greater contributions.  People like John Kennedy, Winston Churchill and even the well loved Dalai Lama were/are just people.  People who knew them well enough will most certainly have cause to characterize them as sons of female dogs.  That’s not racism.  Oddly race never comes up in criticism of them. The constant use of that label as an argument trump card has eroded that label of any edge.  It usually means that the user has run out of legitimate rebuttals.

During his eventful life, Ali was involved with dubious people and voiced all kinds of things, not all of them admirable.  He was a boxer and as he famously said, “I just happen to beat people up for a living”.  He wound up being much more than just a boxer though; his actions elevated him to icon status.  Despite his formidable life accomplishments, he took many wrong  turns along the way like everyone else.  Idol or not, he will be blamed by me for giving birth to rap music.  As a final send off, I pen this little homage:

 

Hey you fools, my name is Ali,

I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,

I also make rhymes, ’cause I’m so smart,

It’s intellectual poetry, linguistic art,

Y’all can try, to do me better,

Not likely ’cause I’m the master of letters,

During my lifetime, I was the best,

Now I’m done, I’m laid to rest.

 

 

link Former Oakland man, aspiring rapper, killed in shooting on Vegas Strip – San Jose Mercury News.

What’s the difference between a rapper and an aspiring rapper? Is there a threshold of earnings that has to be crossed?  Number of mentions on TMZ? Hits on YouTube? Value of exotic vehicles owned?  Maybe the criteria involves length of criminal rap sheet;  I wonder if that’s where the rap moniker comes from.

Is there a rap school where aspirants can learn their craft as ballet dancers and jugglers would?  And finally, is there an endless demand for essentially the same tribal bellicose beat tunes about violence, racism, misogyny and drugs?  Or is rap just the easiest of music to get into since all you need to do is chant words that generally rhyme? And not even real words; often the letter ‘g’ is eliminated altogether for convenience.  Just sayin’.

As is obvious by now, any artistic expression of rap also requires  the necessity of having the rap imagery and lifestyle.  Rappers can’t be wearing J Crew and Sperrys.  There has to be the standard garb of aviator shades, gold chains, earrings and the obligatory expensive vehicles and entourage of thugs and slutty women.   Most people know by now that this is a schtick.  Think back to the 60’s when all bands had the obligatory beatles haircut; the 70’s when big hair and moustaches were the standard costume.  In the 80’s it was the druggy/metal look which some relics like Steven Tyler insist on wearing to this day.  The fedex commercial in which a band manager complains about his guys carrying golf clubs instead of expressing hate and death hits it right on the head.

But the rap culture is a bit different.  Apparently, to have the look isn’t enough, the artists must have street cred.  So it’s good for business to get into the odd gang shoot out, crash the odd car, or beat up some of your competition.  Having a criminal record is even better.  Only then will the music have any legitimate meaning.  The music has to be about urban anger, overt racism and supposed disenfranchisement.  Seems to me if you can afford gold chains and drive fancy cars, there’s not that much to be angry about.  Here’s an oldie but goodie from 2004:

“…We gonna order take out and when we see the driver We gonna stick the 25 up in his face…… White boy in the wrong place at the right time Soon as the car door open up he mine We roll up quick and put the pistol to his nose By the look on his face he probably shitted in his clothes You know what this is, it’s a stick up Gimme the do’ from your pickups You ran into the wrong niggaz…” Artist: DEAD PREZ Song: HELL YEAH Album: RBG: Revolutionary But Gangsta Genre: Hip-hop Label: SONY Released: 2004

 

Not exactly “and I’d really love to see you tonight” or ” I want to hold your hand”.  On any given week, the media will have a story about some ‘rapper’ being shot, arrested or getting notoriety in some way.   It’s hard to understand why this is even news.  They could at least report the headline as it should be without the embellishment of the artist label.  Instead of:

” Aspiring rapper killed”, it should more accurately read,

” Pretend gangster killed by real gangster”

As for all those ‘aspiring’ rappers out there here’s an original rap composition:

Now this is a warning,

To one and all ya’s

Posin’ as a rap star

Yo’ sho to be fall ya’s

Yo think yo’ gon’ be all mean and gangsta

Someone bigga gonna kick yo’ assa

Tryin’ to build some street tough cred’

All’s ya gonna do is wind up dead.