Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Um, I've never interpreted that line literally (I think you're referring to Nas, btw, who says this in many of his songs).
Well it was a common saying among many Afrocentric/knowledge rappers back in the early 90's. Along with the "from pyramids to projects" phrase. Our west and central African ancestors didn't build the pyramids in Egypt.
Well it was a common saying among many Afrocentric/knowledge rappers back in the early 90's. Along with the "from pyramids to projects" phrase.
A lot of that was from a Pan-African viewpoint as oppose to specific county or ethnicity. It would be like someone looking at things from a European viewpoint rather than looking at an specific country like Italy or Greece.
Well it was a common saying among many Afrocentric/knowledge rappers back in the early 90's. Along with the "from pyramids to projects" phrase. Our west and central African ancestors didn't build the pyramids in Egypt.
Who cares? They are rappers. And do you interpret every expression so literally?
"I've got a frog in my throat."
"Impossible! A frog could never fit in your throat. Unless, that is, you were eating frog legs and smaller pieces you had chewed up got stuck in your throat."
"He's pushing the envelope."
"No he's not. I don't see any envelope."
"It's raining cats and dogs out here."
"Let's be serious. Please find evidence that cats and dogs have ever rained from the sky. You will find none."
"Are you going to hit the books tonight?"
"No. Why would I hit books? Books don't hit back!"
And you catch my drift. I've never thought of these expressions as anything to be taken literally or seriously. I've always viewed it as an inspirational sort of thing similar to saying "Black Power."
Um, I've never interpreted that line literally (I think you're referring to Nas, btw, who says this in many of his songs). I've always thought of it as an upliftment kind of thing where he's saying, "Hey, we're more than drug dealers and gangbangers...our ancestors actually came from a place that had civilization and achievements). I don't think he means that he can trace his way back to King Jaffe Joffer in the Royal Kingdom of Zamunda. But that's just me.
Akosua Busia, who played "Nettie" in the Color Purple, is actually descended from Ashanti Royalty. She's a beautiful woman.
Well it was a common saying among many Afrocentric/knowledge rappers back in the early 90's. Along with the "from pyramids to projects" phrase. Our west and central African ancestors didn't build the pyramids in Egypt.
I'm surprised anyone takes Afrocentrists seriously. I hear them talk on various black talk radio with their PhDs from Wayne St and I just shake my head.
what's your beef with black pride? black people
came from the original people. if you go back
beyond 6000 years, there were only africans,
the kings and queens of the universe. we built
africa and all the monuments and civilizations
within it before any other continents were even
thought about.
Who cares? They are rappers. And do you interpret every expression so literally?
"I've got a frog in my throat."
"Impossible! A frog could never fit in your throat. Unless, that is, you were eating frog legs and smaller pieces you had chewed up got stuck in your throat."
"He's pushing the envelope."
"No he's not. I don't see any envelope."
"It's raining cats and dogs out here."
"Let's be serious. Please find evidence that cats and dogs have ever rained from the sky. You will find none."
"Are you going to hit the books tonight?"
"No. Why would I hit books? Books don't hit back!"
And you catch my drift. I've never thought of these expressions as anything to be taken literally or seriously. I've always viewed it as an inspirational sort of thing similar to saying "Black Power."
Those expressions are different from people coming with historical and racial views. Those rappers and other Afrocentric advocates are coming with that they feel is the "truth". Anyway another issue I have with those rappers and Afrocentrics in general is that they rarely deal with the real Africa. Their Africa is a "majestic motherland". Whereas too much of the real Africa has corrupt governments,warlords,mismanaged economies,unecessary poverty,outdated practices towards women(FGM,child brides,trokosi).
I've never heard those rappers and other Afrocentrics touch on those issues. Did Dr. Molefi Asante ever talk on the civil war in Liberia? Did the X-Clan ever rap about the corruption in Nigeria? No. Instead you got a lot of romanticized,idealized talk about how everything European was bad and everything African was pure,righteous and holy.
I think it's an over simplification of our African ancestory.
Yes we had empires and kingdoms ruled by kings in west and central Africa. But not every black-American is going to be able to trace their ancestory to a king. Most of our African ancestors were common people. Also every continent had kings/royalty. Europeans had kings and queens but you don't hear them saying that "we whites are descendants from the great kings and queens of Europe".
+1
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
