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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 9:33:40 GMT -5
So you take a "moral stand" against Gucci Mane because of his violent lyrics but you have no problem with Nicki Minaj coming on stage looking like a porn star?
This is a bad precedent for A&T to try to set. You might as well stop having homecoming concerts altogether because damn ever rapper is talking about selling dope, disrespecting woman and killing people these days.
How is Gucci Mane any different from when you had Lil Wayne here a couple of years ago?
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bluehaze
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Post by bluehaze on Oct 7, 2009 9:53:25 GMT -5
I was thinking the exact same thing. You can go back to when I was in school. We had Biggie, Tupac and Ice Cube all in Corbett
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 9:58:18 GMT -5
Hell, Jay-Z, DMX ... the list goes on and on.
When was the last time A&T had a homecoming headliner who didn't have violent lyrics?
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 10:01:23 GMT -5
I think Martin is about to back himself into a corner like Bush did with Iraq.
This is one battle you don't want to engage in.
You have only two options: change the subject matter in hip hop music or stop throwing homecoming concerts.
That's about it.
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bluehaze
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Post by bluehaze on Oct 7, 2009 10:07:13 GMT -5
I think Martin is about to back himself into a corner like Bush did with Iraq. This is one battle you don't want to engage in. You have only two options: change the subject matter in hip hop music or stop throwing homecoming concerts. That's about it. From reading some of the quotes from the students, he let a small segment speak for the masses. You put a concert in the Coliseum headlined by Mos Def and Common you won't be able to sell 1,000 tickets.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 10:14:04 GMT -5
Martin needs a better team of advisers. I could have told him that this was a lose-lose proposition.
Now he is gonna be forced to do the same thing next year when MC. Killah Joe Blow is the top rapper in the country. Or else Martin will look like a hypocrite.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 10:37:38 GMT -5
www.ncat.edu/events/fall09/Homecoming_Concert_Update.pdfTO: North Carolina A&T State University Family FROM: Chancellor Harold L. Martin, Sr. DATE: October 5, 2009 RE: Issues Related to Student Homecoming Concert“The Greatest Homecoming on Earth” is fast approaching and has brought with it a series of unintended consequences. Our student leaders and our administration, with the best of intentions, have made decisions that place the university in a position that is inconsistent with its values and principles. The headliners booked for our student concert have generated dissonance among our student leaders and our constituents. This dissonance has provoked internal discussion and policy reviews which are both necessary and welcomed and which will undoubtedly make us better as a university community. While we have benefited from this internal review, we find ourselves with limited options. We must respect the rights of our partners; honor our legal obligations; while remaining steadfast to our principles. We have agreed with the promoter to remove the name of North Carolina A&T State University from the event. While this does not absolve us of our connection to the event, it allows us, within our limited options, to take a moral stand while we simultaneously honor our legal obligations. N.C. A&T State University does not wish to assign blame but seeks to move forward in a constructive manner. We will work with all parties involved to make sure “The Greatest Homecoming on Earth” is successful and meaningful for students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters. Please be assured that we will benefit from this experience as we plan for the future. We are committed to improving the oversight and control of these events in the future and creating a situation that protects the academic freedom and rights of our students. We are in need of your understanding and patience as we manage through a very difficult set of circumstances.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 10:43:36 GMT -5
What that means is that A&T will no longer be sponsoring an "official" homecoming concert. There is no way you can get a popular hip hop artist today whose lyrics are "consistent with the values and principles" of this university.
Next year, there will still be a concert at the Coliseum but it will be promoted just by Diamond Life, Ent. and not the A&T student government association.
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DECKS
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Post by DECKS on Oct 7, 2009 10:44:15 GMT -5
This was the right move for the school. I'd rather see us not have a homecoming concert if it means supporting one of these clowns that glorify gang violence. Props to the chancellor!
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 10:52:05 GMT -5
Hell, the last concert I went to was to see Maxell in Durham. Before that, it was Neo and Alicia Keys at the GC. So this decision doesn't really affect me. The only CD I pump in my car these days is Baby Einsteins.
But please turn to BET or 102 JAMZ and find two top artists who do not promote something negative in their lyrics. You can't do it and neither can Chancellor Martin.
This is a no-win situation.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 10:58:52 GMT -5
Maybe Martin can get R Kelly to perform next year.
Nope .. he urinates on underage girls. Not consistent with our values and principles.
How about that new singer Trey Songs?
Nah. His latest jam is titled "I invented sex". Not the right message for our youth.
What about Common? He's a positive guy.
Well, he would probably draw about 50 people on the strength of his name alone, and don't forget he once made a diss track titled the "B*tch in Yoo" against Ice Cube. Don't want to bring any of that past drama to Greensboro.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 11:29:21 GMT -5
A&T refuses to back concert Wednesday, October 7, 2009 By Joe Killian Staff WriterGREENSBORO — N.C. A&T has removed its name and financial support from the university’s annual homecoming concert after complaints about hiring a gang-affiliated rapper. With recent controversy about rapper Gucci Mane performing as the concert headliner , Chancellor Harold Martin said the school had to take a “moral stand.” “We could not replace Gucci Mane on the bill at this late date,” Martin said. “So we made the decision that we would remove our institution’s name from all advertising, all marquees, all tickets, and we would withdraw financial support from the show so that we would not be in any way, shape or form associated with his message or his image.” With more than 8,000 tickets sold, the show will go on as planned Oct. 31. But now it will be put on exclusively by a production company, Diamond Life Concerts. Read more: www.news-record.com/content/2009/10/06/article/nc_at_will_withdraw_name_financial_support_from_homecoming_concert
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Gator
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Post by Gator on Oct 7, 2009 11:42:54 GMT -5
Trilla,
Your reasoning gives one the impression to just say it's okay, do or say nothing, and it's okay regardless if things are against the values of the university.
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90Aggie
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Post by 90Aggie on Oct 7, 2009 11:55:22 GMT -5
When was the last time A&T had a homecoming headliner who didn't have violent lyrics? Hmm, Imma say 86-87, when the homecoming concert was held in Corbett, we had Cherelle.
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Post by Bornthrilla on Oct 7, 2009 12:01:06 GMT -5
My personal philosophy would be akin to "don't ask, don't tell." Some issues you just don't want to tackle. There are bigger things on the new chancellor's plate than waging a war against the lyrics in rap music. More powerful men and women that him have took on that fight and lost. BTW:This is now one of the top stories on a leading hip hop news site: allhiphop.com/Yep, we just made national headlines. If Gucci Mane was the only negative rapper out there, this decision would have merit. But the sad truth is that there are more top rappers who have lyrics similar to him than there are top rappers who have positive lyrics. That is just the sorry state of popular music right now. There have been Gucci Mane-type rappers headlining A&T's homecoming concerts for the past 20 years. If you had no problem with them performing then, why do you suddenly have an issue with Gucci Mane now? Because the News & Record wrote a few articles and gave you some bad pub? Next year, if the students want Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, 50 cent, or even Drake to perform, how can Martin sit back and approve that same nonsense? He has already set a precedent and now he'll have to live by it. When I was a student Wu Tang, Biggie, Tupac and Nas were the biggest acts. How many of them do you think would pass the Martin criteria? I guess the students will no longer have a deciding vote in who performs at their homecoming concert. Get ready for gospel rap or some watered down R&B. When you start talking about "moral stands" you start getting into that trap social conservatives have fallen into in recent years. No one is hollier than thou. Trust me, I am far from a Gucci Mane or even a gansta rap fan. Most of the music I listen to now has nursery rhymes in it. But I do know how to look past the curve, to see potential problems further down the road.
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