Lil Wayne, You're SERIOUS?!

It appears the wittiest of the witty has out done himself again with this track called "Whip it Like a Slave", and to be honest, this reference is surprising to me, even for Lil Wayne's standards. For this, a younger generation may appreciate Wayne's ability to constantly play on words, and the "Its just a song" excuse has grown tired for Hip Hop listeners and supporters. Although it is just one song out of a million, Lil Wayne is not just a rapper. He has become a pop icon who has spawned millions of disciples across the country. There in lies the problem.

The main problem I have with this simile is that there hasn't been, nor will there be any repercussions for Wayne's choice of words. In the last month or so, Wayne has said a couple of things that simply cannot be ignored. One, He preforms the uncensored version of his song "Every Girl in the World" at the BET awards, in front of an all ages crowd. Two, in the same song, he mentions at the end "Miley Cirus, holla at me in a couple years" and Three, this latest stunt. Now...these things may seem tame by comparison to other lyrics said by other rappers, and even Wayne himself, but I ask...what are the consequences for these actions?! It is NOT OK to express sexual interest in a minor. It is NOT OK to talk about fuckin every girl in the world when there are adolescent girls present. It is NOT OK to have a song called "Whip it Like a Slave". And who is out there to tell him this? No one. Now look, I'm not asking for a stamp out or a boycott, but all I'm saying is that there needs to be an authority that will check Lil Wayne and other rappers that are way out of pocket. BET apologizes for the performance, but what if they took a more proactive stance and said 'No Wayne will be on BET for 6 months?' or Where is Billy Ray Cyrus to say "This is out of line?" Professional athletes have to choose their words carefully in interviews and press conferences, why? because if they don't', they know a fine is coming. Actors and Entertainers know that they can't say anything controversial, because movie rolls are at stake. What is at stake for Wayne? Who is gonna let him know that what he did is poor taste? What does he have to say to the millions of youth that look up to him?

Growing up in the late 80's Early 90's, Hip Hop was an educational tool. Public Enemy and BDP showed pictures of Malcolm X, Tribe, De La, and damn near every other Hip Hop song was a sample, which was a door to a whole other realm of music. This was what was cool. It made me want to learn more, and educate myself on my cultural history, and the history of music. Unfortunately, the game has changed. I feel I will always listen to Hip Hop, and there will always be music out there that I will enjoy, but it's sad to say there are going to be ignorant and distasteful messages in Hip Hop as well. If it is true that trends happen in cycles, then it is true that Hip Hop WILL return to it's essence, and that one day Hip Hop will once again be a powerful and effective learning tool for all ages and generations.