Though we are officially into Imus discussion overdrive, I felt that there are a couple of things I would like to leave you with (including music videos…!!!) before old, tired, disgraced Imus slouches off into the sunset (or, more likely, some type of blockbuster deal in satellite radio).

1. Like so many braying donkeys, most commentators (many white, almost all men – it seems to be beyond most media outlets to actually consider the views of those women targeted by Imus’ throwaway slurs) are using this opportunity to either a) engage in vigorous bouts of self-congratulation over their ‘progressive’ views on race or b) shovel heaps of scorn and blame on that perennial favorite target – young black men. Of course, this takes on its usual form – a bunch of clueless, hopelessly ignorant commentators lobbing insults at hip hop. Note that very few of these commentators display anything approaching a familiarity or even passing knowledge of hip hop, and seem to take their cues from that most staunch defender of black women, Bill ‘Falafel’ O’Reilly.

2. Why is Snoop Dogg the universal go to guy for hip hop? Why is his the only name that is consistently brought up? Yes, Doggystyle was good. But it wasn’t that good. Let’s see Nas, Common, Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, Kanye, Missy Elliott, Jean Grae, dead prez, T.I., Saigon, Lupe Fiasco, etc., etc., get interviewed or spoken about – though all different, they are certainly more relevant to where hip hop is at now than is Snoop Dogg. Fox News of all organizations did try to branch out by interviewing M-1 of dead prez – the full video is nowhere to be found, but a segment of it can be seen here.

3. It would be nice to see someone bother to acknowledge that hip hop is a remarkably diverse art form that is more than capable of self criticism – it displays more of this than any other music genre, all of which are also guilty of sexism. Yes, there is an uncomfortable amount of misogyny in hip hop – but I fail to see how it is even relevant in this case, and I also fail to see what moral right these predominantly old, white, male, conservative commentators have to even begin a discussion about misogyny and racism in hip hop.

4. Check this article out that attempts to shine the light on what should be focused on right now – inconvenient truths like institutionalized racism, skyrocketing prison populations, the resurrection of New Orleans, the hideous war on drugs, and the other assorted failures of America when it comes to race.

Finally, here are the videos, as promised. And as long as Imus is getting his just desserts, is there any way we could get rid of the rest of these racist, sexist, homophobic, idiotic, knuckle dragging shock jocks that pollute the radio everyday???

One of my favorite music videos ever:

Common engaging in a perfect example of the self criticism I spoke about before…if only these self-important, puffed up commentators were capable of the same:

And, of course, no hip hop post is truly complete without the G.O.A.T.:

Photo courtesy of http://www.grumpygourmetusa.com/imus_200w.jpg