IslandMix - Soca, Reggae, Zouk and Caribbean Entertainment

graficman · 08-09-2005, 01:29 PM

i received this today. . "unbelievable"

My name is David Sylvester and I recently completed a charitable bicycle trip in Africa, riding over 7000 miles from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa . The trip made me the first and only African American to cross two continents on a bicycle. I have plenty of great and fascinatingstories. Many are funny, others bittersweet, some are poignant, but all areentertaining. Surprisingly one story has stood out and if it was not forthe fact that I have a picture of it, many would never believe it. and it is for that reason that I am sharing it with you.

While in Lilongwe, Malawi, I came across a store by the name of Niggers---that's right Niggers! The other riders, who were all white, could notwait to inform me of this to see my reaction. Initially, I thought that it was a very bad joke but when the other riders were adamant about the existence of the store, I had to see it for myself.
What I found was a store selling what the owner called 'hip hop style clothing . It was manned by two gentlemen --- one of them asleep! (Talk about living up to or in this case down to a stereotype) I asked the guys what was up with the store name. After hearing my obvious non - Malawian accent and figuring out that I was from America, the man thumped his chest proudly and said P-Diddy New York City! we are the niggers! My first reaction was to laugh, because many things when isolated can be very funny, but it quickly dawned on me that this was so not funny at all.

It was pathetic. I did these bicycle trips across the USA and through the Mother Land in honor of one of my good friends, mentors and fellow African American, Kevin Bowser, who died on 9/11. Here I am, a black man riding across the world on his bicycle in honor of another black man, riding home and what do I see?? Some Africans calling themselves Niggers! They were even so proud of it they put it on their store front to sell stuff. When I relay the story to folks back home in Philadelphia, most of them laugh too and rationalize it by saying well, we can say it to each other or there is a difference or even they just spelled it wrong. It should have been nigga or niggah, Gee like that would make a difference.

The issue is not the spelling. I was wrong. We are wrong.
There is no justification for an infraction of this magnitude. The word and the sentiment behind it is Flat out wrong! We have denigrated and degraded ourselves to the point that our backwards mindset has spread like a cancer and infected our source, our brothers, our sisters, our Mother Land. I have traveled all over the world and have never seen a store by the name of Jew Devils, spic bastards, muff divin dykes or anything like that- Only the store niggers!

I am to blame for this. Every time I said the word I condoned it, by not correcting others or rationalizing it gave it respectability, by looking the other way when others said hey nigga what up allowed others to see itand ultimately that when I purchase CDs, DVDs, T-shirts and other stuff, I enriched it. I now see the error in my ways and I am so so sorry black men and women. The flame that we called entertainment, that was only to warm and entertain us, now engulfs us and scorches our own self esteem. If a child only knows to refer to men and women as niggers, pimps and hoes, then what is he/she to grow up thinking of themselves and others as he/she gets older?

The bottom line is this I rode over 12000 miles on 2 continents through 15 states and 13 countries and broke 2 bikes in the process to get to a store in AFRICA called niggers. I am willing to step and admit my part in the havoc that we have wrought on our mindset but I think that We all are to blame.

I finish with 4 things:
if you dont like being called a nigger, faggot, dyke, spic, Jew dog, wop, towel head or anything of that ilk- then THINK. THINK before you speak those words, write those lyrics, support that rhetoric and most of all THINK before you purchase! Purchasing is akin to compliance- I may like the beats and rhythms of some songs but I can not support it any more. You rappers are intelligent- find another word to describe your selves

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOSAND WORDS!
read the quote below.
If they call you a nigger is one thing but if you answer to it then there is really something wrong!

let us please, please stop the madness!!

Oneshot · 08-09-2005, 01:41 PM

call it marketing.. sad.. though

Shandy 2.0 · 08-09-2005, 02:48 PM

Call it a sad result of Hip-Hop culture spread all over the world and the wrongs messages along with it. If a guy from Asia can create a game based on the hip-hop stereotypes he sees on TV then I'm not surprised that these cats opened a clothing store with that disgusting "N" word. Whose fault is that?

kevlocks · 08-09-2005, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by shandy

Call it a sad result of Hip-Hop culture spread all over the world and the wrongs messages along with it. If a guy from Asia can create a game based on the hip-hop stereotypes he sees on TV then I'm not surprised that these cats opened a clothing store with that disgusting "N" word. Whose fault is that?

What's even deeper arethe people whole now control Hip-Hop and the message that it sends. That's how they see blacks in america. so sad.

luvinlife0579 · 08-09-2005, 04:14 PM

Rappers don't want to take responsibility for this word being alive and well in 2005. It's because they use "nigga" in so many of their songs. There's no manual that comes with their CDs to let people around the world know the context in which they use it. So the evil, vile, word Nigger is continually being reinforced in our language and other cultures around the world and appears to be acceptable. "Well, they say it, so it must be ok"

The word won't disappear until people stop using it. Especially rappers who reach millions around the world.

Rappers say they're not role model or it's not their job to raise other people's kids, but they are role models, whether they accept the job or not. Anyone who creates music and serves it up to the masses is influencing the hearts and minds of the listeners so they should be aware of the impact that influence is having on children and adults alike and they should take responsibility for the negative impact it has on the culture they say they love so much. Who was it, Jay Z, that said "I do it for my culture" Well, they really need to sit down and look at what they're doing to their culture by constantly putting out songs about bi***es, hoes, niggas, etc....

sebas4920 · 08-10-2005, 12:50 AM

I dont really think its the rappers fault (to an extent) because that is the music that is pushed by the powers that be, and and also is the brand of rap that is the most popular today (also i think arguably mostly because of the "powers that be") Sure thats often how folks from the ghetto talk and its messed up and you could say well thats where (many of them at least) they are from and that damaging mentality needs to change, and the music is perpetuating that mentality and its a big cycle, and five year olds shouldnt be listening to whisper song etc etc. But then again even if thats where you are from that doesnt mean you are dumb at all and if you make it big, you gotta have some degree of sense. So why make songs like that? Because thats what sells. Eh... but it is complicated nonetheless because that kind of vulgar type rap is still popular among folks from the ghetto and even moreso amongst the demographics (suburban white girls and oversees) that buy the most of it. But rap back then (and most of it was from the hoods) used to be or had enourmous potential to be a positive force in positive black upliftment and expression and i think that its not entirely rappers faults that it has shifted so much from what it once was. Or entirely their fault that this is what they are now making. Only people like jay-z and outkast can safely be creative or positive (moreso than most anyway) without worrying about album sales or proper promotion. sorry about the rambling, all this is a tangent.

those stores are very saddening, they hae similar stores in china and korea (and god knows where else) with names and clothing brands such as ******-soul and stuff like that.

Shy Boy · 08-10-2005, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by graficman

i received this today. . "unbelievable"

My name is David Sylvester and I recently completed a charitable bicycle trip in Africa, riding over 7000 miles from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa . The trip made me the first and only African American to cross two continents on a bicycle. I have plenty of great and fascinatingstories. Many are funny, others bittersweet, some are poignant, but all areentertaining. Surprisingly one story has stood out and if it was not forthe fact that I have a picture of it, many would never believe it. and it is for that reason that I am sharing it with you.

While in Lilongwe, Malawi, I came across a store by the name of Niggers---that's right Niggers! The other riders, who were all white, could notwait to inform me of this to see my reaction. Initially, I thought that it was a very bad joke but when the other riders were adamant about the existence of the store, I had to see it for myself.
What I found was a store selling what the owner called 'hip hop style clothing . It was manned by two gentlemen --- one of them asleep! (Talk about living up to or in this case down to a stereotype) I asked the guys what was up with the store name. After hearing my obvious non - Malawian accent and figuring out that I was from America, the man thumped his chest proudly and said P-Diddy New York City! we are the niggers! My first reaction was to laugh, because many things when isolated can be very funny, but it quickly dawned on me that this was so not funny at all.

It was pathetic. I did these bicycle trips across the USA and through the Mother Land in honor of one of my good friends, mentors and fellow African American, Kevin Bowser, who died on 9/11. Here I am, a black man riding across the world on his bicycle in honor of another black man, riding home and what do I see?? Some Africans calling themselves Niggers! They were even so proud of it they put it on their store front to sell stuff. When I relay the story to folks back home in Philadelphia, most of them laugh too and rationalize it by saying well, we can say it to each other or there is a difference or even they just spelled it wrong. It should have been nigga or niggah, Gee like that would make a difference.

The issue is not the spelling. I was wrong. We are wrong.
There is no justification for an infraction of this magnitude. The word and the sentiment behind it is Flat out wrong! We have denigrated and degraded ourselves to the point that our backwards mindset has spread like a cancer and infected our source, our brothers, our sisters, our Mother Land. I have traveled all over the world and have never seen a store by the name of Jew Devils, spic bastards, muff divin dykes or anything like that- Only the store niggers!

I am to blame for this. Every time I said the word I condoned it, by not correcting others or rationalizing it gave it respectability, by looking the other way when others said hey nigga what up allowed others to see itand ultimately that when I purchase CDs, DVDs, T-shirts and other stuff, I enriched it. I now see the error in my ways and I am so so sorry black men and women. The flame that we called entertainment, that was only to warm and entertain us, now engulfs us and scorches our own self esteem. If a child only knows to refer to men and women as niggers, pimps and hoes, then what is he/she to grow up thinking of themselves and others as he/she gets older?

The bottom line is this I rode over 12000 miles on 2 continents through 15 states and 13 countries and broke 2 bikes in the process to get to a store in AFRICA called niggers. I am willing to step and admit my part in the havoc that we have wrought on our mindset but I think that We all are to blame.

I finish with 4 things:
if you dont like being called a nigger, faggot, dyke, spic, Jew dog, wop, towel head or anything of that ilk- then THINK. THINK before you speak those words, write those lyrics, support that rhetoric and most of all THINK before you purchase! Purchasing is akin to compliance- I may like the beats and rhythms of some songs but I can not support it any more. You rappers are intelligent- find another word to describe your selves

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOSAND WORDS!
read the quote below.
If they call you a nigger is one thing but if you answer to it then there is really something wrong!

let us please, please stop the madness!!

Ignorance.
I totally agree with that quote. A name doesn't make the person, the person makes the person.

Trini_Selecta · 08-10-2005, 06:14 PM

i'm in shock, i'm proud of my african roots but still u cant blame them cauz they dont kno better, it gies to show how powefull the media is

. · 08-10-2005, 06:45 PM

Interesting

saveoursoca · 08-10-2005, 10:17 PM

What allyuh actually think africans look at us different for other nations in the world? Allyuh need to wake up to all nations we are Niggaz. These in africa are just finding another way to make money off of us. Rap has nuttin to do with other nations calling us niggaz. What do u think they call us in india?(for example)

08-09-2005, 01:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
graficman Here to help Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: In a top vacation destination Posts: 895 Credits: 4,655	A Hip Hop Clothing Store Called 'Niggers' i received this today. . "unbelievable" My name is David Sylvester and I recently completed a charitable bicycle trip in Africa, riding over 7000 miles from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa . The trip made me the first and only African American to cross two continents on a bicycle. I have plenty of great and fascinatingstories. Many are funny, others bittersweet, some are poignant, but all areentertaining. Surprisingly one story has stood out and if it was not forthe fact that I have a picture of it, many would never believe it. and it is for that reason that I am sharing it with you. While in Lilongwe, Malawi, I came across a store by the name of Niggers---that's right Niggers! The other riders, who were all white, could notwait to inform me of this to see my reaction. Initially, I thought that it was a very bad joke but when the other riders were adamant about the existence of the store, I had to see it for myself. What I found was a store selling what the owner called 'hip hop style clothing . It was manned by two gentlemen --- one of them asleep! (Talk about living up to or in this case down to a stereotype) I asked the guys what was up with the store name. After hearing my obvious non - Malawian accent and figuring out that I was from America, the man thumped his chest proudly and said P-Diddy New York City! we are the niggers! My first reaction was to laugh, because many things when isolated can be very funny, but it quickly dawned on me that this was so not funny at all. It was pathetic. I did these bicycle trips across the USA and through the Mother Land in honor of one of my good friends, mentors and fellow African American, Kevin Bowser, who died on 9/11. Here I am, a black man riding across the world on his bicycle in honor of another black man, riding home and what do I see?? Some Africans calling themselves Niggers! They were even so proud of it they put it on their store front to sell stuff. When I relay the story to folks back home in Philadelphia, most of them laugh too and rationalize it by saying well, we can say it to each other or there is a difference or even they just spelled it wrong. It should have been nigga or niggah, Gee like that would make a difference. The issue is not the spelling. I was wrong. We are wrong. There is no justification for an infraction of this magnitude. The word and the sentiment behind it is Flat out wrong! We have denigrated and degraded ourselves to the point that our backwards mindset has spread like a cancer and infected our source, our brothers, our sisters, our Mother Land. I have traveled all over the world and have never seen a store by the name of Jew Devils, spic bastards, muff divin dykes or anything like that- Only the store niggers! I am to blame for this. Every time I said the word I condoned it, by not correcting others or rationalizing it gave it respectability, by looking the other way when others said hey nigga what up allowed others to see itand ultimately that when I purchase CDs, DVDs, T-shirts and other stuff, I enriched it. I now see the error in my ways and I am so so sorry black men and women. The flame that we called entertainment, that was only to warm and entertain us, now engulfs us and scorches our own self esteem. If a child only knows to refer to men and women as niggers, pimps and hoes, then what is he/she to grow up thinking of themselves and others as he/she gets older? The bottom line is this I rode over 12000 miles on 2 continents through 15 states and 13 countries and broke 2 bikes in the process to get to a store in AFRICA called niggers. I am willing to step and admit my part in the havoc that we have wrought on our mindset but I think that We all are to blame. I finish with 4 things: if you dont like being called a nigger, faggot, dyke, spic, Jew dog, wop, towel head or anything of that ilk- then THINK. THINK before you speak those words, write those lyrics, support that rhetoric and most of all THINK before you purchase! Purchasing is akin to compliance- I may like the beats and rhythms of some songs but I can not support it any more. You rappers are intelligent- find another word to describe your selves A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOSAND WORDS! read the quote below. If they call you a nigger is one thing but if you answer to it then there is really something wrong! let us please, please stop the madness!! Last edited by graficman; 02-01-2007 at 11:30 AM..

08-09-2005, 02:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
Shandy 2.0 Married to Richard Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Where no one has gone before... Posts: 24,980 Credits: 41,530	Call it a sad result of Hip-Hop culture spread all over the world and the wrongs messages along with it. If a guy from Asia can create a game based on the hip-hop stereotypes he sees on TV then I'm not surprised that these cats opened a clothing store with that disgusting "N" word. Whose fault is that? __________________ "If u put a small price on ur value.. rest assure that the world wont raise ur price! Love U 2day!" ~ Rev. Run "If you keep believing in yourself and seek enthusiasm inside your soul, things will get simpler, more spontaneous." ~Paulo Coelho "Knowledge is like the wind, once you obtain it, you can go anywhere." ~Yellow Hare(Native-American Chief) Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says: "Oh Crap, She's up!"

08-09-2005, 04:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
luvinlife0579 What is life really about Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Anywhere Posts: 73 Credits: 23	Rappers don't want to take responsibility for this word being alive and well in 2005. It's because they use "nigga" in so many of their songs. There's no manual that comes with their CDs to let people around the world know the context in which they use it. So the evil, vile, word Nigger is continually being reinforced in our language and other cultures around the world and appears to be acceptable. "Well, they say it, so it must be ok" The word won't disappear until people stop using it. Especially rappers who reach millions around the world. Rappers say they're not role model or it's not their job to raise other people's kids, but they are role models, whether they accept the job or not. Anyone who creates music and serves it up to the masses is influencing the hearts and minds of the listeners so they should be aware of the impact that influence is having on children and adults alike and they should take responsibility for the negative impact it has on the culture they say they love so much. Who was it, Jay Z, that said "I do it for my culture" Well, they really need to sit down and look at what they're doing to their culture by constantly putting out songs about bi**es, hoes, niggas, etc.... Last edited by luvinlife0579; 08-09-2005 at 04:20 PM..*

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08-09-2005, 01:41 PM	#2 (permalink)
Oneshot where de crix Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: UK Posts: 16,857 Credits: 24,372	call it marketing.. sad.. though

08-10-2005, 12:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
sebas4920 como el lindo clave Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: tallahassee, florida Posts: 3,685 Credits: 5,013	I dont really think its the rappers fault (to an extent) because that is the music that is pushed by the powers that be, and and also is the brand of rap that is the most popular today (also i think arguably mostly because of the "powers that be") Sure thats often how folks from the ghetto talk and its messed up and you could say well thats where (many of them at least) they are from and that damaging mentality needs to change, and the music is perpetuating that mentality and its a big cycle, and five year olds shouldnt be listening to whisper song etc etc. But then again even if thats where you are from that doesnt mean you are dumb at all and if you make it big, you gotta have some degree of sense. So why make songs like that? Because thats what sells. Eh... but it is complicated nonetheless because that kind of vulgar type rap is still popular among folks from the ghetto and even moreso amongst the demographics (suburban white girls and oversees) that buy the most of it. But rap back then (and most of it was from the hoods) used to be or had enourmous potential to be a positive force in positive black upliftment and expression and i think that its not entirely rappers faults that it has shifted so much from what it once was. Or entirely their fault that this is what they are now making. Only people like jay-z and outkast can safely be creative or positive (moreso than most anyway) without worrying about album sales or proper promotion. sorry about the rambling, all this is a tangent. those stores are very saddening, they hae similar stores in china and korea (and god knows where else) with names and clothing brands such as ******-soul and stuff like that.

08-10-2005, 06:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
Trini_Selecta di_triniteddybear Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: toronto Posts: 75 Credits: 132	i'm in shock, i'm proud of my african roots but still u cant blame them cauz they dont kno better, it gies to show how powefull the media is

08-10-2005, 06:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
. L O S T Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: .\|. Posts: 38,885 Credits: 43,469	Interesting

08-10-2005, 10:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
saveoursoca Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: flatbush Posts: 7,366 Credits: 6,463	What allyuh actually think africans look at us different for other nations in the world? Allyuh need to wake up to all nations we are Niggaz. These in africa are just finding another way to make money off of us. Rap has nuttin to do with other nations calling us niggaz. What do u think they call us in india?(for example)

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