How is O'Reilly calling Nas "vile" the ultimate trifecta, exactly?

I'm sorry, How is failing to report gifts (probably a paperwork error) equivalent to theft? Oh, yeah, it's because it's a liberal bash on republicans

Anyone whom O'Reilly deems vile is automatically perceived by me in an *extremely* positive light.

Incidentally, Nas is a truly gifted and prolific artist. And, this is coming from someone who is not a fan of Rap in the least.

Eil- What an intelligent and reasonable stance!

...not all rap artists are burdened with charges of felony and so forth either - many speak of this lifestyle and the almost neighborhood institutionalized violence and drugs. A select (and prominent) few have been in and out of jail. The majority, however, are mouthpieces to this existence rather than primary agents...

thanks Foxie I have a sixteen year old brother who has educated me in the way of rap...I'm super girly (and kind of delicate) and so it's hilarious when he tries to play me some of his music...

Really, name 5 rappers who haven't been in jail.

Well now I feel bad. I was being sarcastic because I think it's really immature to immediately assume that the enemy of an enemy is a friend, so to speak.

"Oh, yeah, it's because it's a liberal bash on republicans"

Exactly Dave. Seems a bit one sided lately.

Foxie,

Wow. I sort of thought that when someone says something nice they mean it... and that Great Sommelier thinks it's funny too..I feel terrible now

It's beyond ridiculous that you would think there doesn't exist five individuals who produce rap music who haven't been in jail. They're not all Lil Wayne and Notorious BIG...

No, most are worse.

(Sorry, couldn't resist)

I feel really ganged up on now...UnDave ?

Hiya! Resident McCain voter here. This post being on the fun side notwithstanding, I am honestly curious — which pro-Republican stories have fallen by the wayside lately? I aim to keep it two-sided, so I'd love to know what you all think.

I'm sorry Eilonwy (interesting name). I was only kidding with my last comment. I do disagree with your assertion that rappers are generally good people. But I have a problem with the lifestyles of most big music stars, all the way back to Elvis, and before. I didn't mean to gang up on you.

thanks UnDave. And you're right, I suppose, that many rappers personify their subject matter and uncouth lifestyle.

...You seem to be one of the most balanced and friendly people here; you strike me as very considerate and intelligent. Just so you know.

Eilonwy is a derivative of the Welsh name 'Euronwy' (apparently). It was actually penned by an author of one of my father's favorite series called 'The Chronicles of Prydain.' My father used to read those fantasy books to his children every night.

Eil, I watched Naz on the Colbert Report the other night, and I think your brother did well by you.

Seriously? Name 5 rappers? Sage Francis, Buck 65, Common, Talib Kweli, Q-tip, Aesop Rock, Atmosphere....these are just names that came up in a hip hop mix on my itunes, I'm sure someone more into music (and hip hop in general) can give a real list.

well Stephley apparently I don't quite appreciate the 'musical genius' that is Naz (according to my brother ); but I must admit that some of his lyrics are quite articulate.

Those are some good rappers you named em113...they are the true New York style hip hoppers! Nas is one of my favorites.....but there is a difference between gangsta rap and hip hop.

Oh Eil, I'm not a rap fan, but I was impressed at how well he did with Colbert (whose interviews can be painful to watch when the guest can't keep up with the game) and the lyrics to the song he performed were impressive.

While I would agree that there's a difference, I would say all of the people I named are rap artists (just not gangsta rappers), which is why the comment "name 5 rappers who haven't gone to jail" seemed pretty absurd to me.

"...You seem to be one of the most balanced and friendly people here; you strike me as very considerate and intelligent. Just so you know."

Thank you.

Stephley I'm the exact same! I'm not a rap fan either...my taste in music is more dance-pop. I used to dance a lot when I was younger, and so my fave album of all time is Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake! (not *quite* Nas)

You're welcome. I call 'em like I see 'em, UnDave

Right Em113..and there's also gospel Hip Hop. I doubt any of them paid a visit to a county jail.

Many rappers just put on a tough persona. They're definitely not all drug dealers and murders. It's never good to generalize anybody, especially performers of a particular genre.

Lil John's parents were well to do engineers and teachers. He was raised in a very upper middle class neighborhood.

Rick Ross, though he won't admit, was a corrections facility officer.

Thank you Eilonwy for bringing this up. I'm black and though I'm not an avid consumer of hip hop, but I don't like to see them get stereotyped or panned.

Real Hip Hip died in the 1980s, you know when people brought up true issues in our society. Now, it is just a marketing scheme, a business. Sadly, it's a dumbing down to get rich quick ploy too.

Lots of rappers are educated and decent people. Many have just sold out to the market to sell to the kids in the suburbs. Some artists who definitely stay true to the logic are: Common, Mos Def, Tablib Kweli, A Tribe Called Quest, Q- Tip, KRS-One. . .

Talib*

Hip Hop is still alive! It never died in the 80's...thats when it was pioneered. Its transforming. KRS, Common, Mos, Nas and those guys are the ones keeping it alive. This day and age is changing..and so is hip hop.

Really good point Anni. I'm probably the opposite of a typical rap listener's demographic (I'm like this super-sweet, old fashioned goody-two shoes) but I've come to at least appreciate (some of) the art that they do, and the accompanying personas and facades that seem to come with the industry. Also, I didn't know that about Rick Ross or Lil John (!)

Very true Fo Show. They are keeping it alive. We just need more innovators like them to help it maintain and flourish.

Thanks, Eilonwy. Oh yes. These rappers are the most regular guys on earth. Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/ Sean Combs (same guy, but he just changes names so often) used to be a backup dancer and dropped out of Howard University to pursue music.

Right beatbox... There's a lot of studio gangstaz out there!

Sometimes it depends on the message they are sending. Lil John and Rick Ross mostly rap about the clubs, cars, and women. On the other hand, Tupac, Snoop Dog, and 50 cent is rapping about drugs, crime and being shot 5 times. Some of it is true...and some isnt.

I'll admit, name 5 was a bit hasty, and saying jail and not "have been in trouble" was wrong. I am not a fan enough of the music to know about many of the more obscure artists so made my observation from the main stream ones we hear about on the news. So, sorry for that guys! However, of the ones you mentioned, there are some instances of brushes with the law and questionable behavior. For example, Q-tip attacked Kenrick Miranda during a dispute at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square in March. Common and Talib Kwela organized a walk-out in support of the Jena 6. They made light of the injuries sustained by the victims of these 6 and said the attack was warranted. Common also has a longtime personal and business relationship with TI, and accepted a joint award for him after he was arrested for collecting machine guns and silencers bought for him by his bodyguard. Common even said he "saluted" him during his acceptance speech. He also was a member of Obama's church all through his youth and teen years. So, no criminal records, but not peaches either.

I'm sorry but organizing a walk out is deviant behavior? Isn't that a form of peaceful protest? Are all mambers of Obama's church automatically bad people ? Even those who just attended in their childhoods and teen years?

Uhm organizing a walk out in support of the Jena 6 only makes them better people in my book...but that's where it all gets subjective I suppose.

Em- Atmosphere is not one person. It's Slug and Ant. I don't know if either of them have been in jail, though

Organizing a walk out in support of people who beat someone in response to a non-violent (though morally reprehensible) act is not what I consider good behavior either GS.

5(or more) rappers who have not been in jail

Common
Q-Tip
Will Smith
Missy Elliot
Talib Kweli
Chuck D
Monie Love
LL Cool J
KRS-One
will.i.am
mc lyte
Lauryn Hill
Questlove
Run

Rap has many genres and artist.

And the same can be said of rock country and pop artists (actors, painters, etc) who have been jailed, arrested and have had many brushes with the law. If you don't listen to it fine but please don't dismiss an entire group artist based on false or biased information.

Amen Azulsky.

Dude, did you not read my last post?

you're right michelin I always refer to slug as atmosphere out of habit, as I thought atmosphere was one person until a few years ago.

Yeah, I just recently learned that it was two people. Slug does all the rapping, anyway. I was just giving you a hard time

BeatBoxANNI, Thanks. My first thought was Wow, really, seriously but maybe some are just unaware that rap encompasses a whole lot more then whats presented in MSM the truth never hurts.

If I could have joined Common and Talib for this walk-out, I would have. Man, me and my questionable behavior!!!

Okay, I'm sorry, but there always seems to be latent racism when people discuss rappers - an it looks like it here.

Pop starlets are in jail ALL THE TIME, whether its driving down the wrong side of the road drunk and on drugs or whether they got into a bar fight over some dude, then the is the drag racing, the petty thefts, and the constant drug rehab stunts (Paris Hilton, Misha Barton, Linsdey Lohan, Britney Spears, Shia Lebouf, Nick Hogan, the guy on Prison Break, the girl from 90210, etc....) yet no one ever dismisses these people and their entire genre as criminals, junkies, and violent people. (in fact most people are quick to point out the "pressures" and the hard life of being a millionaire - yet these people completely overlook the pressures of growing up in bad neighborhoods with difficult circumstances)

The only differences I see is one group is you black males (some female) and the other is young white females (some males) - so to me, it seems like there is some repressed racism coming out in these comments or people can't get past the outer shell and believe these poptarts are the sweethearts they portray in their videos and rappers are the criminals portrayed in the genre (even not by the artist himself) - and to be honest, the gullibility of believing that would probably require some underlying racist attitudes as well.

No one thought the game was funny? I guess not.
Eilonwy --thank you for your refreshing comment. I am always so at awe (which I shouldn't) how people perceive things by looking in but not understanding or try to understand situations or people - they just generalize.
ZeZe - I am starting to think the same thing.

No one thought the game was funny? I guess not.
Eilonwy --thank you for your refreshing comment. I am always so at awe (which I shouldn't) how people perceive things by looking in but not understanding or try to understand situations or people - they just generalize.
ZeZe - I am starting to think the same thing.

Wow, don't let Tupac hear you comparing rappers to republicans! LOL!

You know, Tupac was never in trouble w/ the law before he became super famous--sometimes the fame brings the problems to you. I mean, look at Christian Bale--he wasn't in the news at all before he became big-time Batman--but is his brush with the law his fault? Sometimes you don't know the whole story.

Hey, any Tech N9ne fans up in here? He just put out a new album!

Well said zeze. Oh, btw I'm a white girl. From Vermont no less! I LOOOOOOOOOVE rap/hip-hop!

i think this clip was a hysterical farce