Prince's New Video Sparks Racism Debate
Fri Oct 15, 9:15 AM ET
MINNEAPOLIS - Prince is once again stirring up some controversy. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer is generating debate with a new music video depicting an Arab-American teenage girl imagining herself as a **** bomber.
The "Cinnamon Girl" video — created mostly in the Twin Cities and released to music television channels this week — has been criticized on Fox News and CNN.
"Prince intended for it to spark some dialogue," said the video's director, Phil Harder, of Minneapolis-based Harder-Fuller Films.
The clip features Keisha Castle-Hughes, 14, the Oscar-nominated actress from the movie "Whale Rider." She plays a schoolgirl who witnesses a ****attack and then experiences racism from classmates and others. The racism pushes her to dream about carrying a **** into an airport.
"Cinnamon Girl of mixed heritage, never knew the meaning of color lines," Prince sings. "9/11 turned that all around, when she got accused of this crime."
Prince will not comment on the clip because he prefers that people make up their own mind, his publicist said.
Representatives for MTV, VH1 and BET channels said their programmers were aware of the clip's content. MTV plans to begin airing it next week on MTVU, its universities-only channel, to gauge the reaction of viewers. VH1 and BET are undecided.
Rana Abbas, deputy director of the Midwest chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee in Dearborn, Mich., voiced her support after seeing the video Thursday.
"It was shocking, but in a good way," Abbas said. "Prince is the first major recording artist to address the prejudice and issues that (Arab-Americans) are facing after 9/11, and I think he has done it in a very powerful way."
The New York Post said it "might be the most tasteless video ever." Fox News commentator John Gibson suggested that Prince is "causing trouble," and CNN anchor Kyra Phillips said it is "shaking and rumbling the entertainment industry."
Rolling Stone magazine music editor Joe Levy said the video should be put in context, and the song says that Arab-Americans were victims of hate after Sept. 11, 2001.
Harder said the lyrics show Prince is "sincere in wanting to speak to the times." He also emphasized that the video "resolves itself peacefully."
( http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&ncid=529&e=4&u=/ap/20041015/ap_en_mu/prince_video )
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has anyone seen this video yet??? i haven't...about to go check it out on Yahoo! Launch tho...
sounds interesting...sounds good...sounds like he's right...i don't blame him...this is something that needed to be addressed...and what better than a music icon that everyone'll pay attention 2?? a Black one, no less (automatic extra controversy)????
but anywayz...bout 2 go check it out...just thought i'd share that with ya'll....
Representatives for MTV, VH1 and BET channels said their programmers were aware of the clip's content. MTV plans to begin airing it next week on MTVU, its universities-only channel, to gauge the reaction of viewers. VH1 and BET are undecided.
. . .
oh, so let me get this straight...BET doesn't hesitate to show videos w/ a's & t's in every little nook & cranny ALL DAY EVERYDAY...24/7-365....
as if anyone even takes that station serious anymore :roll: - WHAT IMAGE WOULD THEY BE TRYING TO MAINTAIN BY NOT SHOWING IT?!? i mean, really...
they gotta think twice about whether or not to air this video....give me a break
& yeah yeah yeah, i know about Viacom, yadda yadda yadda...but why if MTV has already made some type of decision about it & BET is "undecided"? :roll:...
Black folks, i swear...
well being that there probably isn't any **** and **** in the video and it delivers a message about a certain issue BET probably won't air it. God forbit black people learn something from that network besides the new crunk song or lean back dance. :roll: :roll:
it would be nice if they did play it if just to honor Prince.
well being that there probably isn't any **** and **** in the video and it delivers a message about a certain issue BET probably won't air it. God forbit black people learn something from that network besides the new crunk song or lean back dance. :roll: :roll:
it would be nice if they did play it if just to honor Prince.
Ain't that the truth.
As for Fox and CNN... whenever one of us "colored folks" steps outside of the boxed limits they've set they get their **** all in a bunch. They can Hush up with the nonsense, because the man hasn't really did anything wrong. They just want to be seen and heard. :roll:
Ummmmmmmm
I resent that.......... :x
BET only shows that from 3am-4am Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, and SOME Sundays.........
All tha rest is just pure Teasing of Lurking T&A :roll:
. . .
oh, so let me get this straight...BET doesn't hesitate to show videos w/ a's & t's in every little nook & cranny ALL DAY EVERYDAY...24/7-365....
as if anyone even takes that station serious anymore :roll: - WHAT IMAGE WOULD THEY BE TRYING TO MAINTAIN BY NOT SHOWING IT?!? i mean, really...
they gotta think twice about whether or not to air this video....give me a break
& yeah yeah yeah, i know about Viacom, yadda yadda yadda...but why if MTV has already made some type of decision about it & BET is "undecided"? :roll:...
Black folks, i swear...
Censorship
Now do you think a roundtable of Ol’ white men want a whole country of black folk THINKING about what Prince says in Cinnamon Girl? It is about racial “harmony" or in other words "CALM the SAVAGE BEAST” as far as white folks are concerned. (yes we are STILL considered less than human by white folks in general.)
Keep in mind, the majority of MTV viewers are white, and do not have to deal with racial issues like say…an Arab or African American. We have to this day, a large percentage of African Americans enlisting in the armed services—BET must keep the subliminal messages PRO America/white—BET does not want us thinking about ish like Prince sings about.
W do not watch BET in our home, not for what is shown or not shown, but for the attitudes and agenda of its owners:
“[Doing]…BLACKFACE for profit and continued disrespect of Black teens, Black women, and Black men”. Anonymous WHITE BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!
blackvoices.com owned by Tribune Media Corporation
Blackfamilies.com owned by Cox Interactive Media
Blackplanet.com owned by Asian Avenue (I don’t have a problem with this one, since I’m part Filipino-hey keep it in the family)
Defjam.com own by Polygram
“[Doing]…BLACKFACE for profit and continued disrespect of Black teens, Black women, and Black men”. Anonymous WHITE BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!
blackvoices.com owned by Tribune Media Corporation
Blackfamilies.com owned by Cox Interactive Media
Blackplanet.com owned by Asian Avenue (I don’t have a problem with this one, since I’m part Filipino-hey keep it in the family)
Defjam.com own by Polygram
That reminds of this book I had to read called 1984. I don't know if any of you read it, but every thing that happened in that book is going on in society today in differents fashions and forms. And the thing is that it's mostly done to Minority, especially the black community. I encourage people to read that book then take a look at our society. And, please believe, BIG BROTHER knows EVERYTHING that we are doing.
“[Doing]…BLACKFACE for profit and continued disrespect of Black teens, Black women, and Black men”. Anonymous WHITE BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!
blackvoices.com owned by Tribune Media Corporation
Blackfamilies.com owned by Cox Interactive Media
Blackplanet.com owned by Asian Avenue (I don’t have a problem with this one, since I’m part Filipino-hey keep it in the family)
Defjam.com own by Polygram
That reminds of this book I had to read called 1984. I don't know if any of you read it, but every thing that happened in that book is going on in society today in differents fashions and forms. And the thing is that it's mostly done to Minority, especially the black community. I encourage people to read that book then take a look at our society. And, please believe, BIG BROTHER knows EVERYTHING that we are doing.
well being that there probably isn't any **** and **** in the video and it delivers a message about a certain issue BET probably won't air it. God forbit black people learn something from that network besides the new crunk song or lean back dance. :roll: :roll:
it would be nice if they did play it if just to honor Prince.
Ain't that the truth.
As for Fox and CNN... whenever one of us "colored folks" steps outside of the boxed limits they've set they get their **** all in a bunch. They can Hush up with the nonsense, because the man hasn't really did anything wrong. They just want to be seen and heard. :roll:
Amen, amen.
phoenix wrote:
Quote:
. . .
oh, so let me get this straight...BET doesn't hesitate to show videos w/ a's & t's in every little nook & cranny ALL DAY EVERYDAY...24/7-365....
as if anyone even takes that station serious anymore :roll: - WHAT IMAGE WOULD THEY BE TRYING TO MAINTAIN BY NOT SHOWING IT?!? i mean, really...
they gotta think twice about whether or not to air this video....give me a break
& yeah yeah yeah, i know about Viacom, yadda yadda yadda...but why if MTV has already made some type of decision about it & BET is "undecided"? :roll:...
Black folks, i swear...
Censorship
Now do you think a roundtable of Ol’ white men want a whole country of black folk THINKING about what Prince says in Cinnamon Girl? It is about racial “harmony" or in other words "CALM the SAVAGE BEAST” as far as white folks are concerned. (yes we are STILL considered less than human by white folks in general.)
Keep in mind, the majority of MTV viewers are white, and do not have to deal with racial issues like say…an Arab or African American. We have to this day, a large percentage of African Americans enlisting in the armed services—BET must keep the subliminal messages PRO America/white—BET does not want us thinking about ish like Prince sings about.
W do not watch BET in our home, not for what is shown or not shown, but for the attitudes and agenda of its owners:
“[Doing]…BLACKFACE for profit and continued disrespect of Black teens, Black women, and Black men”. Anonymous WHITE BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!
blackvoices.com owned by Tribune Media Corporation
Blackfamilies.com owned by Cox Interactive Media
Blackplanet.com owned by Asian Avenue (I don’t have a problem with this one, since I’m part Filipino-hey keep it in the family)
Defjam.com own by Polygram
i dp understand all of this...
but #1...Black people watch MTV too...a LOT of Black people watch MTV, contrary to what is probably popular belief...so it's just funny how BET is the one that has to always be the one looking stupid in situations like this...I mean i know WHY they are the ones to have to do so...but that was just my point....it's sad...
#2...I do realize that the hands behind BET at this point are not ones of color...but regardless of the fact, my point is that, as I just mentioned...it is a shame that that is the case....and they don't even try to be SUBTLE about their decisions....(typical case: BIG issue going on in America....MTV covers it...BET covers music/comedy, point blank)
#3....Despite those White "powers that be" being mostly responsible for BET's **** decisions....the majority of the network's programming consists of Blacks...so we are partially to blame....perhaps if we wouldn't be so ready and willing to contribute to the MADNESS that that network has become over the last 5 or so years....& would speak up more in the numbers about it...those same "heads" would be forced to reevaluate their strategies....
CLDenning wrote:
Ummmmmmmm
I resent that.......... :x
BET only shows that from 3am-4am Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, and SOME Sundays.........
All tha rest is just pure Teasing of Lurking T&A :roll:
lol, can we agree then that u have proved my point??
pretty brown eyes wrote:
That reminds of this book I had to read called 1984. I don't know if any of you read it, but every thing that happened in that book is going on in society today in differents fashions and forms. And the thing is that it's mostly done to Minority, especially the black community. I encourage people to read that book then take a look at our society. And, please believe, BIG BROTHER knows EVERYTHING that we are doing.
GUURRRRRRRRRL YES YES YEESSSSSSSSSSSSS
me & my mom have been saying that PARTICULARLY since *cough**cough* 2000!!
we may not live in a blatant communist nation, as is so in many other countries around the globe....but if you put on ya seeing glasses, you'll peep what is really going on....that, for a so-called "democratic society"...we are much closer to that being the case here than what should be :?
