TV Reflection: White Rapper Show
I had to do it. Twice. It was either going to be one of the greatest hip-hop moments in television history, or it was going to be an absolute train wreck. It was a little embarrassing when my wife called me out for Tivoing Ego Trip's (White) Rapper show on VH1, but I got over it.
From VH1's website...
With all of that being said,I'm now officially over the show after only two episodes.
I'll start by saying this; there were moments where I was mesmerized by the history lesson being laid out before me. The show presented a lot of aspects of classic hip-hop that has generally been overlooked in this era of Gangsta, Bling and Big Pimpin'. It introduced a new generation to a lot of the classic hip-hop icons. Honestly, if they would have spliced together all of the historic segments of the show, you would have a very appealing documentary.
The problem with the show is that the rest of it is a complete and total disaster. You would assume that if a network set out to find the next great rapper of any color, they would find people who could actually rap. VH1 decided to go with an alternate strategy and gather together a bunch of people who are mediocre rappers when they have time to sit down and write a couple of verses, but who get downgraded to just plain horrible spitters when it comes to rhymin' off the dome. It was really unbelievable how bad they are. I hope whoever wins actually invests their money and retires from the rap game, because staying in is going to be a losing proposition.
Here's what's really trippy about White Rapper...
It's racist. I say this in all seriousness. White people should be really, really offended by this show. In some ways it's poetic because the entertainment industry has been doing this to people of color forever. It should make white people mad, and they should resolve to not support entertainment that unfairly portrays people of any ethnicity in an unfair light.
Here's the deal. All of the people who were chosen for this show are caricatures. Usually any good reality show has one or two people who is off their donker, but for the most part the rest of the contestants dwell in the neighborhood of normal. Not this show. Everyone's crazy. Everyone gets drunk and tries to fight with each other. Two contestants slept together on the third day of filming. One contestant used the N-Word and then proceeded to justify it's use. She also waved a prosthetic penis in another contestant's face in order to disrespect him while assaulting him with a profanity-laced tirade.
Not all white people act like this.
I understand that people swear and sleep with each other every day. This wasn't real life, though. This was gimmicky and asinine. It was sad.
I don't think that you really want your ethnicity portrayed in this manner. Not only is it embarrassing, but it's pretty irresponsible television. I'm sure there are actual talented white rappers who act like decent human beings and have great stories. It can't be that easy to be a white rapper. If it were, Eminem wouldn't be the only one to have great commercial success in recent history. Isn't there a good story somewhere about a white rapper that is good but has experienced racism? Wouldn't that make a good story about how the tables can be turned, but how flipping the script and repaying racism with racism doesn't help anybody? Probably Somewhere far far away from this show. But as it is, a potentially good show with a potentially powerful story is instead perhaps one of the worst shows I've ever seen in my life. That's too bad. It's embarrassing for hiphop and for white people.
Fair Dinkum
From VH1's website...
Since the first rhymes flowed in the parks of the South Bronx, most of rap's major emcees have been African American. Then, in 1985, NYC's Beastie Boys crossed over rap's race divide to great acclaim. LATER, in 1999, Marshall "Eminem" Mathers did the same, becoming the undisputed KING of RAP. But Slim Shady is slowing down, and VH1 is majorly concerned about rap's future. Who will be the next great white emcee of the new millennium? That's the question that will be answered on the new VH1 series, Ego Trip's White Rapper Show.Hosted by white rap legend Michael "MC Serch" Berrin (of the group 3rd Bass - the missing link between the Beasties and Eminem) ..., Ego Trip's White Rapper Show will go where no man has gone before ... to find rap's next great white hopes. Set in the birthplace of hip hop-the South Bronx-12 contestants hailing from all over America will have to find a way to make it through challenges that will test their musical cred, knowledge of hip hop culture and their ideas about race along the way, hip hop pioneers of all hues will be brought in to school and critique our eager rappin' competitors. the winner recieves $100,000 and a whole nation of devoted fans.It won't be easy. ... Ego Trip's White Rapper Show on VH1 will leave only one man or woman, standing alone victorious in the original hood of hip hop.
With all of that being said,I'm now officially over the show after only two episodes.
I'll start by saying this; there were moments where I was mesmerized by the history lesson being laid out before me. The show presented a lot of aspects of classic hip-hop that has generally been overlooked in this era of Gangsta, Bling and Big Pimpin'. It introduced a new generation to a lot of the classic hip-hop icons. Honestly, if they would have spliced together all of the historic segments of the show, you would have a very appealing documentary.
The problem with the show is that the rest of it is a complete and total disaster. You would assume that if a network set out to find the next great rapper of any color, they would find people who could actually rap. VH1 decided to go with an alternate strategy and gather together a bunch of people who are mediocre rappers when they have time to sit down and write a couple of verses, but who get downgraded to just plain horrible spitters when it comes to rhymin' off the dome. It was really unbelievable how bad they are. I hope whoever wins actually invests their money and retires from the rap game, because staying in is going to be a losing proposition.
Here's what's really trippy about White Rapper...
It's racist. I say this in all seriousness. White people should be really, really offended by this show. In some ways it's poetic because the entertainment industry has been doing this to people of color forever. It should make white people mad, and they should resolve to not support entertainment that unfairly portrays people of any ethnicity in an unfair light.
Here's the deal. All of the people who were chosen for this show are caricatures. Usually any good reality show has one or two people who is off their donker, but for the most part the rest of the contestants dwell in the neighborhood of normal. Not this show. Everyone's crazy. Everyone gets drunk and tries to fight with each other. Two contestants slept together on the third day of filming. One contestant used the N-Word and then proceeded to justify it's use. She also waved a prosthetic penis in another contestant's face in order to disrespect him while assaulting him with a profanity-laced tirade.
Not all white people act like this.
I understand that people swear and sleep with each other every day. This wasn't real life, though. This was gimmicky and asinine. It was sad.
I don't think that you really want your ethnicity portrayed in this manner. Not only is it embarrassing, but it's pretty irresponsible television. I'm sure there are actual talented white rappers who act like decent human beings and have great stories. It can't be that easy to be a white rapper. If it were, Eminem wouldn't be the only one to have great commercial success in recent history. Isn't there a good story somewhere about a white rapper that is good but has experienced racism? Wouldn't that make a good story about how the tables can be turned, but how flipping the script and repaying racism with racism doesn't help anybody? Probably Somewhere far far away from this show. But as it is, a potentially good show with a potentially powerful story is instead perhaps one of the worst shows I've ever seen in my life. That's too bad. It's embarrassing for hiphop and for white people.
Fair Dinkum
and again, good use of donker.