The Most Disgusting and Embarrassing Beef of All Time

The Most Disgusting and Embarrassing Beef of All Time
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea M. White
August 15, 2007


A few weeks ago I wrote and article expressing my admiration for rapper David Banner and the work that he has done and is currently doing for the youth in his Mississippi hometown. And although I do not wish to retract that statement, I do wish that I had known about the statements made between the rapper and political activist and pastor, Rev. Al Sharpton.

Apparently, during an interview with SOHH.com, Banner was asked to comment on the civil rights leader’s plan for protests, calling for public divestment from the music industry until rappers stop using the words “bitch,” “ho” and “nigger” in rap lyrics. This is direct backlash from what I call The Imus Effect and it seems to be turning our political activists against our rappers and entertainers.

In response to Sharpton’s plan for protest, Banner was quoted as saying, “The next time you see Al Sharpton, tell him I said f*ck him and he can suck my di*k, I might change the name of my album from ‘The Greatest Story Never Told’ to ‘F*ck Al Sharpton.” What?! Is he serious? I’m scratching my head as I read on. He continues to talk about how they’re trying to crucify rappers and how Sharpton is a ‘permed out pimp’, etc, etc. The more I read, the more my stomach curls into a knot; and just when I think I can’t take anymore, someone from Sharpton’s camp issues one of the most ignorant responses ever recorded.

Kirsten John-Foy, a self-proclaimed leader of Sharpton’s National Action Network refers to Banner by his real name, Levell Crump, in the following:

“From time to time we do encounter people that have sexual fantasies about Reverend Al Sharpton, but they are always women and Crump’s proposition is a first,” says Foy. “However, in keeping with the National Action Network’s Decency Initiative, I am sure Rev. Sharpton would not call Crump the “N” “B” or “H” word. And, despite Crump’s personal request, I am sure Reverend Sharpton would not call him a f-g--t. He would just pray for him. We at NAN are pro civil rights for everyone, even Levell Crump who has not had a banner year since his debut album in 2003.”

Did I really just read this? Is this a lame joke? This is not only an intellectually weak response, it is an embarrassment that THIS statement is coming from a Civil Rights Organization whose role should be to rise above any naysayer and not wallow with them in times of ignorance.

It’s amazing that African Americans have such a hard time combating crime, violence and poverty but we do such a great job combating ourselves. We are our own worse enemy. We are our own dirty laundry.

Music artists and civil rights leaders and politicians are some of the black community’s most influential communicators of today; and until WE all get on the same page and move in the same direction, 20 years from now they’ll be calling my daughter a ho and we will continue this road to destruction; then who will we blame?