OK, so I thought the Hot Ghetto Mess was bad enough, but this Read A Book Music Video on BET just takes the cake! My family and I watched this video in awe. You hear the title and think, okay , maybe BET is trying to address some known issues in the Black Community and then you watch the video in HORROR.
Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of satire when done correctly but this is just wrong. It's disrespectful, its extremely stereotypical, and it is far from the correct way to reach our young Black youth. What BET, do you think our kids need this crap to understand the importance of books and education. This is crazy. If the intent of the producer was to either reach out to the kids in a way they could understand or anger us enough that we make a change - this was not the way to go about it.
I appreciated watching a segment of the black show Our World, on which the host interviewed Black Teens and got their perspective of growing up Black Today. I appreciate Russel Simmons Hip Hop Summits, as they reach young people and try to help them in ways they can identify with and grow from. I appreciate supporting the All Stars Talent show Network, because it lets our young people positively express themselves through Hip Hop and give them a strong, supportive community in which to grow in and learn. I can honestly even appreciate when a rapper comes out with a good hip hop song that speaks to the youth about the realities of life while uplifting them. But this, this can not be appreciated. It can not be accepted. And where is the buzz about this. Am I the only one who has been forced to watch this, over and over and over.
We as Black Parents and Bloggers need to flood youtube with video retaliations, post, petition, make complaints... something. We need to take back our communities because the constant rape and murder of Hip Hop Culture is added to the depression of our already deteriorated black communities.
*sigh*
Ok, so while you can still watch it online - watch it, tell friends and let me know what you think.
-lhenry (creator of BlackMomsClub.com)
4 Response to Have You Seen This Read a Book Video????
I am disgusted!
When I first saw this video I was disgusted....then I came to realize that this video was not aimed at me (a 20-something, educated black professional without children).
This video is aimed at the youth/people who engage in the negative behavior depicted in the video....that means, the people who are really living the lives depicted in videos and songs like "Chicken Noodle Soup", "In My Projects", and any video which glorifies materialism as a way of life. Sadly, it's a different world, which I am not able to relate to.
If Barack Obama or Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker got on BET and did a public service message encouraging folks to read, take care of their children, buy property, etc. how many of the people in that target audience would take either of those men seriously? More than likely, they would be dismissed as "sell-outs", "not black enough", or just "out of touch with the community" as they usually are.
Well-read, articulate Black people will find this video offensive....but BET doesn't represent them, and it's been a long time (circa Tavis Smiley and Teen Summit) since BET has represented or targeted that segment of Black America. Maybe it's time for a new "Black network", but that's a different story for another day. Unfortunately, graphic things like the "Read a Book" video are what it takes to get the attention of BET's current audience. If you have the chance to influence young children, remind them that "Reading is Fundamental (RIF)" the way libraries used to do back in the day, so that they don't end up as part of BETs audience. While I am not a fan of the profanity or anything else that goes along with it in this video, I'd rather see them exclaiming "read a book, motherf****" than alot of the other stuff the videos are usually talking about.
This is so embarrassing. We're going backwards and don't even know it. And we wonder why black people are considered by others and ourselves to be dangerous, ignorant, and uncivilized. I work in a multi-cultural environment. We(Black People) treat each other worse than any ethnic group treats their own. We want attention at any costs. Even our own. Many of us think that if we don't live in this environment or if my children don't watch BET or listen to this type of garbage, then you're an upstanding "Black Person". This type of propaganda is affecting every single one of us.I don't care where you live or who you think you are. If WE don't do something about US someone else will.
This video was absolutely awesome. Only a black individual with a brain would understand it. However, I believe it sends a strong message to the community. If the video stated all of the things that it did in a much less offensive way it would be ignored and BET would have never played. It has a bit of attraction to it with all the slang and urban ghetto jargon attached. More money wasting non reading young black men and boys have probably seen this video than bought the last positive gospel rap album. It's an avenue to reach the young black. This video sends a message to stop wasting time, money and your life and to do something positive with it. It even gives suggestions. Read a Book, brush your teeth, take care of your children, stop wasting money, buy something to show with your money. There aren't too many things out there that give this message that actually receive air play.
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