From: Bob Davis (earthjuice@PRODIGY.NET)
Date: Sat Aug 31 2002 - 15:32:27 CEST
Some of you might be surprised by me re-publishing that article about the travesty of Cathy Hughes Radio One operation from the Cleveland Scene Newspaper?
Well you shouldn't be...
Soul-Patrol has always stood firm in it's opposition to these so called "urban" radio formats.
They are quite literally CATHEDRALS to the CORRUPTION OF OUR CULTURE.
In fact, the so called "urban" radio format is pretty much what we are talking about when we use the term...
"KNEE-GRO RADIO".
I realize that many of you out there don't care about this issue.
You are more than content to simply kick back and listen to your old scratched up records, tapes and for some of you illegally obtained MP3 files and discuss the Temptations ad nauseum.
However, Soul-Patrol has a different perspective on this...
* We think that it's a "bad thing" for Black music.
* We think that it's a "bad thing" for Black culture.
* We think that it's a "bad thing" for Black people.
* We think that it's a "bad thing" for ALL people.
Frankly we think that the FUTURE is more important than the PAST.
However we also recognize the need to discuss the PAST so that we can prepare for the FUTURE.
Make NO MISTAKE about it.
DON'T EVER THINK THAT WE ARE EVER HOLD ANY OTHER VIEW.
We KNOW that "URBAN" automatically translates into...
"bad for People and Music/Culture"
To understand the issue we have to as always, look back at history and deal with facts and not emotions.
Back in the 1980's the term "urban" came about in the radio industry as a euphemism for BLACK and has been used as a racist code word for BLACK (and yes I will use that term here because it has been INSTITUTIONALIZED).
Of course the REALITY is that what URBAN has become is another word for....
SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY, SLAVERY,
Black radio was swiftly changed into what we know today as "urban" (ie: KNEE-GRO RADIO).
And it has become one of the biggest impediments to the advancement of OUR culture into the future.
It has become a way to...
"be Black"
"without actually being Black"
Of course today Black people will tend to use that term in a positive sense.
However, I am here to tell you that it's acceptance and usage over the course of the past 20 years have been one of the biggest detriments to the survival to our culture.
And the worst part of it all is that WE buy into it (as usual).
This has GOT TO END!!!!!!!!!!
So just what are "Plantation Radio Stations" (ie: KNEE-GRO RADIO)?
Well, it's pretty clear to me, however let's be specific and name a few names....
* Obviously it's stations like Hot 97 in NYC, Power 99 in Philly and their CLONES around the country.
You know, the ones who advertise themselves as "Blazin Hip Hop and R&B" or some such similar moniker.
And you know damn well that they could care less about OUR community or OUR youth.
These stations are typically white owned and generate HUGE PROFITS for the "white guys who sit in the corner offices" and the KNEE-GROES who work for them.
On a national level, BET is the "poster child" for this type of programming.
(a few of yall have wasted precious bandwidth in even talking about BET, feel free to, however the reality is that Black people quite simply owe it to themselves and their children to create an alternative that will PUT THEM OUT OF BUSINESS)
* Less obvious are the stations who advertise themselves as "Classic Soul and Today's R&B".
(such as WDAS-FM in Philly, WRKS-FM in NYC and their CLONES across the country)
These stations operate with a public posture that gives us a PRE-TENSE that they actually care about the historical legacy of Black music and culture.
However NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.
While these stations may in fact have a few individuals working there who may have a higher concept in mind, the STARK reality is that the OWNERSHIP and the INTENT of these stations isn't much different than the "Blazin Hip Hop and R&B" stations.
These are your local stations that play the same old 100 or so "old skool" cuts along side the tired so called "today's R&B" with male singers who sound like they are on the receiving end of a damn ENEMA while they were in the recording studio and female singers who quite simply CAN NOT SING AT ALL.
WORST OF ALL IS THAT THESE ARE THE STATIONS WHICH REFUSE TO PLAY NEW MUSIC FROM EITHER OUR LEGENDARY CLASSIC SOUL ARTISTS OR BY NEW ARTISTS IN THE SAME VEIN SIMPLY BECAUSE THESE ARTISTS REFUSE TO BECOME A PART OF THE "PAYOLA SCAM".
On a national level, Tom Joyner's radio show is the "poster child" for this type of radio.
(and yes I will get more specific about him later, because what he does is much more specific to Soul-Patrol)
The ONLY difference between the two is that the "target demographic" is slightly older.
The methods and techniques used to BRAINWASH (FASCISM) the audience are in fact the same!
Personally whenever I see the word URBAN, I CRINGE...
I see that word the same way I see the KKK.
Whenever I hear a Black person glorifying that term, I automatically think of that person as an Uncle Tom (Joyner?)
And I'm here to tell you RIGHT NOW
THAT IF YOU DON'T...
NP: "Check Out Your Mind"
--Curtis Mayfield
Sorry for this intrusion into your email boxes this morning.
However I just had the need to make myself ABUNDANTLY clear on this issue.
And we have NO INTENTION of changing our perspective on this issue.
We told you at the beginning of this year that we indended to be PRO ACTIVE on this front.
It is STILL our overwhelming intention to continue to do so!
Feel free to re-distribute this message to whomever you like.
I want to make certain that there is NOBODY who mistakes what the intention of Soul-Patrol is...
It's all about GRAT BLACK MUSIC FROM THE ANCIENT TO THE FUTURE
It's about
* Jazz
* Classic Soul
* Rock n' Roll
* Funk
* NEW Classic Soul
* Slow Jams
* Blues
* Doo Wop
* Black Culture
and more...
It is MANY things
However...
ONE THING IT IS NOT ABOUT...
is URBAN
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Bob Davis
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