REGGIE’S RANT — Rapper’s foul language mars an otherwise impressive Artscape
Editor-in-Chief Regina Holmes
IF THEY WON'T LET YOU IN THE DOOR?
By Regina Holmes
I wanted to write a rant on Monday about Artscape but I was still recovering from it. All the walking, the heat; the crowds, the heat; the sore feet, the heat; the overeating, the heat. Not that I'm complaining. I had a great time at Artscape. One of the biggest perks I've found about living in Mount Vernon is having the nation's largest free arts festival unfold around me. I went to multiple events on all three days, popping back home two or three times a day to make a pit stop, refuel and, in some cases, shower and change.
I was very excited about this year's Artscape and I have to say that overall I really enjoyed it. I'm awed by the sheer magnitude of the event; it's obvious an enormous amount of planning has to be done to pull off an affair of this size and scope. I was impressed by the variety of entertainment, food, and artwork, although there could have been a bit more diversity in the entertainment acts. (There were few if any Latino-flavored musical acts, for example, and no such dance performances.) A friend and I noted with humor that a Middle Eastern dance troupe performing at Penn Station was comprised (from what we saw) of all white women. I heard several great jazz bands, including the Craig Alston Quartet, which won the Chick Webb Jazz Combo Competition. I found the crowds to be in good spirits and upbeat; everyone seemed to be having a good time.
My experience was marred somewhat, however, by an incident on Sunday evening on the Wachovia stage, the main one, at Cathedral Street and Mount Royal Avenue.
I was not at the stage at the time; I had just returned home two blocks away around 7 p.m. to grab a quick bite before going to hear Wale at that stage. I wasn't familiar with the D.C.-based hip-hop artist (born of Nigerian-immigrant parents, whose real name is Olubowale Victor Folarin) but several friends had told me about him, so I thought I would check him out. I could hear the music and rapping very clearly from my balcony, which offers a bird's-eye view of the stage.
Suddenly I heard a rapper shouting the chorus: “We only f—k with real n—s!”
LANGUAGE SHOCKS, DISTURBS
Over and over again, he repeated the f-word and the n-word ad infinitum. I was shocked. Now, many rappers do use such language and if a fan chooses to buy a concert ticket or watch a video, that's his or her choice. But in a public venue at a city-sponsored, family-oriented event attended by many young children, blasting such offensive language on a sound system that could be heard blocks away was not only ill-advised but should not be tolerated... http://www.investigativevoice.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4987:reggies-rant-artscape&catid=25:the-project&Itemid=44
*****
Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com
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