Why, why, why must hip-hop vindicate itself yet again?
Not since the early days of rock ‘n’ roll has a popular music form been criticized so much by so many, from the mainstream media to groups of concerned parents to even self-proclaimed arbitrators of what is supposedly appropriate music.
Needless to say, hip-hop culture and rap music has often been on the receiving end of much criticism, and over what, I might ask? What exactly makes it “crap”?
Is it because of the lack of proper grammatical usage? Never mind the fact that language itself is an ever evolving entity, whose rules fluctuate, dependent on the time period and context. But is it a sin worth denigrating the art form?
If it was unique in its so-called abuse of language, then perhaps it is. Many other popular music forms have misused language. Recall almost any form of folk music, and one sees that the lexicon utilized is usually the colloquial language of the time and of the people the music represents.
In fact, improper language usage is usually the norm, not the exception in popular music. A very easy example can be found in country music. How many times will one hear “y’all” in any given song And by most accounts, “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog” isn’t that far removed from many of the lyrics found in rap.
So then, what else is wrong with rap? Ah, yes, the apparent lack of meaningful lyrics that reflects social and political strife in the world today. Well, there is a valid point. After all, every other music form on the radio today describes the harsh reality of war in foreign countries, or the hardship of daily life for the lower economic strata, calling for solidarity against the forces of oppression. Oh, wait a minute…
I never understood why for many people who do not like rap music, that the only way rap’s existence can be justified is for it to have a “message” of some sort, as if every other music form only produces “meaningful” songs.
I’m not insinuating that the lyrics to “Back That Azz Up” are rich in context (although I must admit it is rich in imagery). But, once again, to imply that rap is the only music form with vacuous lyrics is just plain wrong.
Even in jazz (another music style that was criticized for various reasons), that American music form which is now so highly regarded, there are plenty of examples where the lyrical content isn’t exactly enlightening.
Then there are those who assert that the good old days of Public Enemy and Tupac Shakur are gone in rap music. This is ridiculous!
Yes, perhaps artists whose lyrical content is more profound than the average song played on the radio today find it harder to breakthrough to reach a mainstream audience. But there are plenty of artists underground and even aboveground who produce “meaningful” music. Perhaps the oeuvre of a particular artist isn’t dedicated to socially conscious music, but then there remain many artists whose body of work is comprised of such.
With that said, there is still much to discuss about hip-hop and rap music. After all, music is a reflection of the people who produce it and the society they live in. Yes, perhaps rap is a dominating force in the airwaves today, but the driving force behind it, the business itself, and the consumers largely remain outside the domain of those who create it. There is no denying that.
I won’t deny that much of mainstream “hip-pop” is materialistic and chauvinistic. But is this so far removed from mainstream culture that is prevalent today?
The fact remains that rap will continue to be vilified and the real reason behind the witch hunt of rap music? Well, quite frankly, that’s a whole ‘nother article.

Christian Martinez can be contacted at c.martinez7@umiami.edu.

In the days following Hurricane Katrina, Kanye West said, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” Barbara Bush said, “And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them.” Two different people. Two different opinions regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

These statements reveal that something is wrong with our country and those who govern it. A serious evaluation of the state of our society is desperately needed. The handling of the evacuation and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina opened the eyes of many and keeps the eyes of some closed.

Making racist accusations against our commander-in-chief and government in general is not helpful, but this ought to be taken as a realization that people in this country are unhappy with the current administration.

When the former first lady, the current first grandmother, considers the displaced Gulf Coast area residents better off, it shows a detachment from reality, more so than the previous opinion against her son.

Like 9/11, the disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina allowed our nation to see where we are vulnerable and what needs improving. Our government outwardly professes “compassionate conservatism,” yet its actions display “non-compassionate incompetence.”

The richest country in the world knows how to give orders and pull a trigger but needs directions on how to lend a helping hand. The U.S. is compelled to manage its superiority with violence, firepower and technological advancements.

It is no wonder that with war we quickly pull the trigger but prove to be inept with helping those in need from a natural disaster at home. If our nation and the rest of the world began to open its heart to guide its actions to create peace and curtail suffering, we could slowly create a planet that cares.

Unfortunately, we live in a country of quick fixes and quick pick-me-ups. We tend to handle situations with haste and with little regard for others. Violence proves an easy means to an end, a solution when all other options appear futile. When Gulf Coast area residents needed our country the most, our government took its time.

Does a man-made disaster deserve more attention than a natural disaster? When loss of life occurs all disasters become the same. As soon as our country begins to reorganize its mixed up priorities, we might have a chance to better protect our citizens should tragedy-in any form-strike again.

Tragedy is part of the cycle of life, but we have the potential to subdue the painful trail of tears tragedy can leave. As the horrific scenes from the Gulf Coast region flooded television and computer screens, Kanye West probably said what many were thinking. Mrs. Bush, a woman of socio-economic privilege, reveals her “let them eat cake” attitude in times of great need. There is no sensible reason for such an attitude; senility is the only excuse for this asinine comment.

There is much to rebuild following Hurricane Katrina and even more to rebuild for the well-being of our citizens and country. Will we finally learn from our mistakes? I hope we will not need another war or act of nature or terrorism before we turn toward the philosophy of kindness and away from the philosophy of greed and power. For now, we can all begin to follow the guidance of the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nath Hanh: “There is no path to peace. Peace is the path.”

Sam Rega can be contacted at s.rega@umiami.edu.

I’m part of a group of employees that has decided to oppose the Service Employees International Union because of its tactics.

First, I’m touched by Patrick Gibbons’s comments. Sometimes we find students’ words more valuable than $13 dollars an hour. Most of us need to hear that from you guys, not from our supervisors and managers.

After Hurricane Katrina we had to work really hard, yes, and we were paid accordingly. There wasn’t enough manpower to face such destruction, but we made it. More than the work that we do, more than getting $13 dollars an hour (that was what they promised us), we prefer to focus on the consideration and acceptance that comes from the students and faculty.

Yet, sometimes we feel denigrated in front of the students and faculty. We have to accept that some of them think we are the scum of the world. They should wear our shoes, so that they can see what it feels. It is not only from UNICCO that we expect something. UNICCO pays us for work; students and faculty should gratify us with words like Mr. Gibbons’s.

The SEIU divides and separates fellow employees, using scare tactics, lies, promises and most dangerously, pits the employee against the company. I have even heard one story of a SEIU worker telling female employees who didn’t want to sign any petition that they disgust him. Isn’t this harassment?

I’ve asked a couple of supervisors that are against the Union what they have to say about it. They say that we have the right to unionize, and they respect that decision. The company hasn’t made any drastic decision against any employee or discriminated or fired anyone because of SEIU. Everybody seems to be misinformed about that.

I recently became an American citizen. I adore this country; I will defend the freedom and democracy whatever it takes. I’m still working at UNICCO, working for a small wage, but at least I have a stable job until another opportunity comes along. SEIU wants employees to believe that their signature is their vote. No, no, no. A vote means a direct and secret vote, a secret ballot! I had my right to vote in the past elections and my vote counted! Why doesn’t SEIU want elections?

The other day SEIU approached some employees that haven’t yet signed its petition because they want an election, and SEIU told them to forget about the elections and just sign. I couldn’t believe what I heard-only tyrants say that. If I will defend democracy at whatever price it takes, I believe we should fight these wrong tactics of SEIU.

I thank Mr. Gibbons very much for his attention and hope that everyone begins supporting a fair race to the end. Let’s keep democracy alive in this institution. We all expect your help.

Mario Pelegrin – UNICCO employee

Last April when freshmen Ashley Kelly and Andrea Cinque were hit by a car on U.S. 1 resulting in fatal injuries for Kelly, the UM community was shocked, saddened and moved into action. Many students were angered and expected the driver to be severely punished.

Kristin Arbuckle, the 25-year-old driver in question, received her sentence last week. After pleading guilty to running a red light, Arbuckle’s license was suspended for six months, and she must serve 50 hours of community service, attend an eight-hour traffic school course and pay a total of $323.50 in fines, court fees and a donation to a memorial scholarship fund set up in Kelly’s name.

This seemingly light punishment astonished the UM community. A young woman’s life is gone forever and the punishment is 50 hours of community service? Surely a life is worth more than that. Thoughts of how we would feel if our friend or family member was killed in a similar situation lead us to the immediate and emotional conclusion that we’d want someone to pay.

But after setting those initial thoughts aside and thinking about Arbuckle’s side of the issue there are many of us who should, with some reflection, be able to empathize with her, at least to a certain extent.

Every day a large portion of the UM student body drives to school, work, the mall, the beach or any other number of places. Many of us are in a hurry, not wanting to be late for class, a hot date or our favorite TV show. In our rush to get wherever we’re going, there are many of us who have pushed the speed limit a little (or a lot). Seeing a yellow light, there are at least some of us who have made the decision that yellow means go, not slow down.

For most of us, these decisions haven’t brought on any negative consequences, other than the fact that we don’t get in trouble, so we continue with our actions. For Arbuckle, her decision to run a red light-a decision that many of us could have made in our rush to be somewhere-ended in tragedy. That tragedy is something she will have to live with for the rest of her life.

Arbuckle pleaded guilty to running the light and didn’t fight the charges against her. In fact, our anger should not be directed at her but rather at the law. This case should be viewed as an opportunity to bring to light, and if deemed necessary to lobby against, Florida laws that protect drivers more than pedestrians.

For now, the legal system has decided that Arbuckle did not display a disregard for safety when she ran the light. While many of us may disagree with this decision, our legal system has made its decision. Part of the responsibility of the law is to stop people before they offend or re-offend. Rather than lambasting Arbuckle for her actions, no matter how angry we are, we should use her situation to guide our own decisions. We can’t change what happened, but we can help make sure it doesn’t happen again.

In the end, though, this isn’t about our outrage or agreement with the situation or punishment. It’s about a family that has to live with only the memories of their daughter. No amount of punishment, anger or regret can change that fact or bring about adequate closure for a grieving family. We keep the Kellys in our hearts.