By: Amanda Anderson-Niles
Jay-Z a sell out? Jay-Z might be one of today’s most successful rappers in today’s music industry considering he’s managed to be relevant for almost two decades and has completely morphed into a multi-million dollar business man, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a target of continuos criticism. With a new hit album out and his brand new sports agency already flourishing, Jay-Z’s accomplishments are understandably praiseworthy, but not everyone is ready to label Jay-Z as a success. Instead there’s a whole group of people who actually view him as a sellout and a brand detrimental to the black community.
One person who views Jay-Z as part of the problem and not a symbol of success is The Last Poets member Dahveed Nelson. In a recent interview with Fox Sports Columnist Jason Whitlock, Nelson drags Jay-Z and says he’s nothing more than a black person in blackface, and selling out his own people for millions. He also says today’s Hip Hop music is of the “devil.” Dahveed Nelson says:
“Jay-Z is getting well paid. He’s one of the most wealthy people in America, certainly one of the wealthiest blacks and most influential, for being a n*gger, for putting on blackface and coo*ing. That’s what he’s getting paid for.”
He also had some words for Russell Simmons, and said he didn’t have any groups to promote uplifting messages:
“Russell Simmons was the first big pimp of hip hop. He had 99 million groups and only one of them had any positive words to put into it and that was Public Enemy. Simmons and Jay-Z are pimps and prostitutes.”
Known for his poems that spoke to serious issues of the black community, he now says he is disgusted with today’s Hip Hop generation:
“This whole hip-hop generation, it’s the devil. It’s Satan. It’s hedonism. It’s the pursuit of pleasure. There’s no soul. They’ve captured our medium.”
And when it comes to the Tryavon Martin tragedy and the overwhelming thug image the slain teen was attributed during his trial and after, Nelson says the blame rests solely on today’s Hip Hop culture:
“You can put the blame squarely on hip hop. It’s a marriage. It’s like the movie Django; you have those who collaborate with the enemy. The enemy has its responsibilities, but you’ve got the collaborators. That’s what the whole hip-hop culture is. I know the history of hip hop.”
Do you agree? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Sigh…so I guess we’re just going to act like the black community didn’t have issues before Hip Hop. *walks out post*
This guy is not a legend, he’s an uncle tom who hides behind being a “pioneer” of Hip Hop. There’s all kinds of Hip Hop out there. You have Lauryn Hill, Common, Kendrick just to name a few…and yet he’s only focusing on what he perceives to be as the negative. I’m sure that’s because he wants to uplift himself. He also cares too much about what white people think. There will always be ignorant people who can’t see past a stereotype. It will always be that way.
I’m so tried of people. This is not the time to bring each other down. We need to come together. If Jay-Z has all this success and influence, why make him the enemy? He has the kind of appeal to young people that could be powerful if used properly. Why not work with him to teach kids in the projects about starting a legitimate business? He did it and they can too. But nope, instead people want to point the finger and tear the man down. No wonder we’re so divided. We don’t know how to work together despite our differences.
Oh STFU. It’s amazing how every time a black person achieves the unthinkable they get the “sellout” label by people who suffer from small mindedness. Man get out of here with that BS. Crabs in a barrel!
So where’s all the people who got mad at Miguel for saying black people are the most judgmental people in the world to each other?
This reminds me of the whole role model debate. What people keep forgetting is good parenting starts at home. If you let a celeb, music, movies or anything else influence your child…that’s your fault. Trayvon didn’t deserve to be murdered, nor does he deserved to be called a thug when Zimmerman is the one with previous legal troubles. Trayvon was labeled a thug because people are racist and ignorant and they should be the ones held accountable for their disgraceful thinking.
And as far as Jay-Z goes, I’ve noticed more and more that the more successful a black person gets, the harder they get dragged by their own people. Look at Tyler Perry. Enough said.
I agree!!!!
This guy is so off base it’s absurd. But whatever. I’m sure the Jay-Z haters will have a field day with this.
So I guess I’m a sellout for bumping Jay-Z’s new album then. Okay. #shrugs
Wouldn’t go that far…..BUT BLACK ARTIST SHOULD MAKE FLORIDA AN EXAMPLE & DO SOME MAJOR PROTESTING…….SPEND YOUR $$$$$ ELSEWHERE……
Oh please. If Jay-Z would have never had all the success he’s had, this man wouldn’t be calling him a sellout. In the black community nowadays a sellout means a successful person. Jealousy is real.
Jay-Z is a former drug dealer and made music about crime and killings of black men to get ahead! Yes he is a sellout! I will never support him!
You said FORMER, which means he’s no longer a drug dealer. He also doesn’t rap about the street life anymore because he isn’t that person anymore. He started a business after he moved on from that life. He’s a married man, entrepreneur, and father now. You hateful people like to bring up his past because it’s all you have on him.
Thank you.
Agree
So now we’re going to blame Hip Hop on what happened to Trayvon? IGNORANCE!!!!!! What happened to Trayvon was George Zimmerman!
Man sit your old a-s down. You’ve already lost my respect for blaming music for the murder of Trayvon Martin. And open up a book, racism and racial profiling started way before Hip Hop. Idiot.
Wait, who is this guy again? *disgusted face* #next!!!
People wake up and truly listen to his and Kanye’s lyrics…one think he is God and the other thinks he is Jesus which are abominations. Then they rap about ungodly things which are influencing the masses to think that these things are okay to do…which they are in worldly terms. Read Revelations and you will see that they play a part of the wild beast and the harlot.
this is so sad that people are so brain washed by their idols**** THAT THEY CAN DO NO WRONG** THESE IDOLS ARE LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK***** SAD** HOW PEOPLE DEFEND THEM AND HOLD THEM UP IN THE LIGHT***MAKING MONEY MORE AND GOD LESS***AS MY MICHAEL JACKSON SAID THEY DON’Y CARE ABOUT US********
How is it okay for you to support MJ but people on here can’t like and support Jay-Z? Hypocrite.
IF YOU CAN’T GET IT* THAT IS WHY YOU ARE A FAN OF WHO YOU ARE A FAN OF**** TO EACH THEIR OWN ****HYPOCRITE????? ######
I don’t get it? Baby, you’re not intelligent. That’s clear by how you type and your disgusting and unwarranted attitude of elitism. People are grown and can like whoever they want to. You’re not God, so your judgement means nothing. Goodbye.
ANONYMOUS*******THIS IS WHY I SPOKE!! TO EACH THEIR OWN***I AM GROWN ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT ***I SEE THAT YOU DID AGREE WITH THAT**** PEACE****NO I AM NOT GOD BUT I AM A CHILD OF GOD’S*** MY OPINION AND YOUR OPINION IS LIKE A A*S HOLE EVERY BODY HAS ONE*** YES I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE THE RIGHT TO TYPE THE WAY I WANT TO. I DIDN’T ATTACK YOU****I SPOKE AN OPINION*** PEACE****
No one is perfect. and no one said Jay-Z can do no wrong. This is about blacks constantly bashing each other when someone reaches a level of notoriety. Michael Jackson was judged till the day he died and still judged to this day.This poet needs to spend less time bashing Jay-Z and more time uplifting his community. What has he done recently for the black community other than write poem about his opinions on it?
Thank you. I’m so tired of black people treating the successful black people like trash. No wonder we can’t succeed. If Jay-Z never reached the net worth of half a billion dollars they wouldn’t even take the time to hate him like they do. They do it to Tyler Perry, Beyonce, Oprah…anyone whose success is impossible in their eyes. Don’t blame your attitude of inferiority on others.
I don’t know Jay-Z personally…or any other celeb. But I ain’t God and I have no room to judge. Shout out to you “Christians” though. Smh.
Crab in a barrel! Michael Jackson actually liked Jay-Z and Beyonce…lol you hater! Get up and do something with yourself so you won’t have to hate on successful black people.
Exactly
I’m sorry so what is this guy doing to help the black community except for writing poems? Criticizing doesn’t do anything either.
how many people this guy employs? the american Negroes always seems to have problem when one of their own makes it to the top. You never hear of a next race using this sell out shyt only black people. this is why every other ethnic group come s to america and move up the ladder faster than blacks. god dam shame
Nothing but crabs in a barrel!!!!
I respect people’s opinions but this is not the time to be tearing down other black people.
You know, I’m constantly disappointed in how we black people come for each other on a daily basis. At a time when we should all be standing unified, you get this sort of foolishness. Why is he mad at Jay Z for realizing that the music game has changed and for figuring out a way to make it work for him, and make money in the process? The music industry has changed drastically from back in the day. Maybe therein lies the problem, Mr. Nelson’s jealousy is rearing it’s ugly head.
Here’s a thought, instead of hating on the other brothers who, unlike you Mr Nelson, have managed to remain relevant in the music/entertainment industry, maybe you could figure out a way to contribute to negating that “thug” image from hip hop you speak so eloquently about.
And you wonder why this handsome black Canadian cowboy thinks (c)rap and (c)rappers are RETARDED?
Who with an IQ higher than my expanded chest size-FIFTY,folks;I’m a rather brawny lad-CARE WHAT EITHER A**-CLOWN THINKS?GET A FRAKIN’ LIFE,PEOPLE!!!!!!
Thank for your insightful report – A long time ago Abiodun of the Last poets said “whitey is dying and his ghost is killing us” . I pray that enough of our communicators help our people to wake up and come out of Babylon before its too late. We welcome all righteous workers in Africa.