Where have all the Emcees gone???

Ok, so I stated in my last post that i was going to do this one. I also stated that singer John Legend's letter to that Washington Post was going to be up here too...well, here it is:

Open Letter to the New York Post

Dear Editor:

I'm trying to understand what possible motivation you may have had for publishing that vile cartoon depicting the shooting of the chimpanzee that went crazy. I guess you thought it would be funny to suggest that whomever was responsible for writing the Economic Recovery legislation must have the intelligence and judgment of a deranged, violent chimpanzee, and should be shot to protect the larger community. Really? Did it occur to you that this suggestion would imply a connection between President Barack Obama and the deranged chimpanzee? Did it occur to you that our President has been receiving death threats since early in his candidacy? Did it occur to you that blacks have historically been compared to various apes as a way of racist insult and mockery? Did you intend to invoke these painful themes when you printed the cartoon?

If that's not what you intended, then it was stupid and willfully ignorant of you not to connect these easily connectible dots. If it is what you intended, then you obviously wanted to be grossly provocative, racist and offensive to the sensibilities of most reasonable Americans. Either way, you should not have printed this cartoon, and the fact that you did is truly reprehensible. I can't imagine what possible justification you have for this. I've read your lame statement in response to the outrage you provoked. Shame on you for dodging the real issue and then using the letter as an opportunity to attack Rev. Sharpton. This is not about Rev. Sharpton. It's about the cartoon being blatantly racist and offensive.

I believe in freedom of speech, and you have every right to print what you want. But freedom of speech still comes with responsibilities and consequences. You are responsible for printing this cartoon, and I hope you experience some real consequences for it. I'm personally boycotting your paper and won't do any interviews with any of your reporters, and I encourage all of my colleagues in the entertainment business to do so as well. I implore your advertisers to seriously reconsider their business relationships with you as well.

You should print an apology in your paper acknowledging that this cartoon was ignorant, offensive and racist and should not have been printed.

I'm well aware of our country's history of racism and violence, but I truly believe we are better than this filth. As we attempt to rise above our difficult past and look toward a better future, we don't need the New York Post to resurrect the images of Jim Crow to deride the new administration and put black folks in our place. Please feel free to criticize and honestly evaluate our new President, but do so without the incendiary images and rhetoric.

Sincerely,
John Legend

I felt that was very well played by Mr. Legend, as we needed someone in the entertainment spotlight to say something.

Speaking of saying something, where have all the emcees gone? Isn't it funny how all the established rappers can make diss records in a matter of minutes, over something stupid...but when it comes to this blatent act of irresponsible racism, there are no rappers to be found....NONE. No comments by Jay Z, no videos on 50 Cent's website, no records or cartoons by Rick Ross, nothing. Where you at?

I'm not trying to downplay the severity of the Rihanna/Smackdown Brown incident, and i'm definately not trying to pay any attention to the 50/Rick Ross circus (cause nobody besides the two of them actually care), but this is a serious issue that affects all of America, not just Blacks. If we can waste f'n time making stupid animations, talking bout how hard we are, taking trips to see peoples parents (50), and all this nonsense, shouldn't we be able to speak out against something like this?

I guess that's not cool, huh?