If anyone hasn't seen it on BET, here it is.

It caused quite an uproar. It has been compared to Sesame Street and other shows that promote good stuff. However the create explains that it should be compared to other explicit material instead of kiddy programs.

Is it any different than cigarette companies and fast/junk food business targeting a younger crowd? (i.e. Super-Size Me, Truth) If anyone watches/has watched those.

Discuss, please.

(hopefully this topic hasn't been touched on yet?)

EDIT: Personally. I don't see anything wrong with it. I like rap and I like this video. Tells the truth about the world. Or U.S.? Materialistic, social status? idk

It portrays a positive view, no dout, however the level of profanity is unsuitable for younger children, at least in the minds of many people.

The level of profanity is pretty consistent with what most of the targeted audience are already hearing.

I miss the point that it is for kids. I never saw BET as a channel that little kids watch. It really is not that different when it comes to language that a lot of stuff they already have. The whole point of the language was too make it funny and make fun of current rap songs.


CNN story. Mostly here because I hate the parents they speak too

Right on target.
I picked my little brother up from Elementary school and heard more profanity than the video.
The same day I walked through a high school. Although they acted more maturely, and did curse as much, the topic of every girl's conversation was about sex or boys. I saw a crap load of pregnancies, too. Points all used in the video.

I thought it was a good song/video. This is something I can not really comment on, not being white/american/or black, but as an outsider looking it, it seems to be very true.

There are lots of black kids at my school. Every one of them almost without question looks/dresses/talks like a thug/gangster. They wear disgusting baggy clothes and walk around in sweatpants and a hoody with a cap turned to the side, with their boxers sticking out, grabbing their bollocks all day to keep their trousers up. They do smell like socks and penis, and their English is soooo hard to understand. They yell NIGGAR! in the canteen and swear like sailors.

Thusly, I have no reason NOT to believe that the sterotypes addressed by this video are not the fringe but indeed the status quo. I am pretty sure the only black person I know who does not fit the bill to a T is Lyco, and I only know him from IRC from way back when.

I love hip hop, and rap, but not in English. English rap music is foul. We have rappers who rap about things that I can blare in my car without worrying if there are children around, you know? Honestly... someone explain to me why someone can yell obcenities like the n word in a song, but you can not say it? Is America really a Carlos Mencia world where
"he says it because you can't!" kind of place?

EDIT: Thusly, I am saying that I agree with the video in that it is a problem that needs to be addressed because like it or not, this is how people will percieve you. Say "Thailand" to anyone and they think "whores" eventhough we have less whores per capita than Vietnam and Burma, we are known for it because we keep it in districts (patpong road in Bangkok, Walking Street in Phuket, etc").

I hate don't like Carlos Mencia. South Park, Family Guy, Dave Chappelle, and other poeple do it a better and in an even more funnier way. People are quick to think about the war in Iraq and starving in Africa but never touch on domestic problems. Let us handle the war.(I'm in the U.S. Army) Politicians you handle the obesity problem. kthx

I can agree with that. A surprising as this might be to hear to a lot of your nation's populous, the war is not really the main reason people do not like you, as convenient as that is an excuse. I would more look at how the WTO is used as an offensive/defensive tool, or, the idea of "American Cultural Imperialism" before I would point to a war that a lot of countries could care less about, if you want a reason to dislike America.

I love America, but yea, it has issues, but not like every other country doesn't too. I think it is sad that so few people are "proud to be American". Really. Your governance != Your persona. Be proud of who you are, an American, and leave politics out of your personal enjoyment of life, that is my 2 cents.

I am not a fan of the new government back home in Thailand, but I would be damned if I would not die for her tomorrow. Sure the General can go piss off for all I care, but she is still my home. (eventhough I'll prolly end up living out my days here... in the good ol' US... >_>)

EDIT: Also, I would ---LOVE--- to see the U.S be all like...
USA: Fine, you are going to bitch about us putting our hands in your cookie jar? Fine, bye, no more us, kthnx.
Other Nations: WOO! Finally, they are going to leave us alone.
Random Small NIC Nation: Waaaa, Big Industrialised Bastard Nation just kicked me!
**USA is now known as USA|AFK
BIGGIE_NATION: Shut yo mouth, NIC! T'aint no US to help yo now!
Other Nations: He has a point...

I think it would be cool to see what the world would REALLY be like without the US, in a sense that it closed down it's influence and went introspective for a while. I bet people would think differently when it was not there to help them anymore, I know I would.

It's called the UN.

Except the UN has failed to make any difference in just about every single situation they've ever been involved in. Ever seen Hotel Rwanda? That's pretty much the truth of most instances.

One word for you: Haiti.

Aww I thought you knew me too.

Well I do Ialie,but not in the sense that I "know" you, we do not speak oocly really, and I do not really know you as a person, but I simply, "know of" you, as in, your existence.