Atlanta- Dangerous and Getting More Dangerous Daily! (renting, condo)

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

I love these last two points. People from poverty strickened areas can blame the media and the police all they want for their woes but at the end of the day it's the people most closest to the continuous tragedy who needs to step up to the plate. That includes holding mothers and fathers accountable for bringing children into the world without a thought for how they should be provided for.

The Derrick Boazmans, Able Mables, Vincent Forts and all the other "community activists" need to find another tactic to solve these entrenching problems rather than agitating for more press time.

+1! Thank You! Glad to know I'm not the only one that feels the way I do about the aforementioned suspects.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by equinox63

Create nice, almost luxury live/work/play communities, with a deal that all of the employees, (janitors, concierge, landscapers, plumbers, electricians, maintenance people, roofers, builders, and the employees of the atached businesses etc.) must live in the community and in return, they get incredibly affordable rent/mortgage deals. It's like their jobs would be taking care of their homes and communities. In return, their children would go to the better schools, they would have a clean environment.

Like any job, there may be random drug tests, and there would be rules about leaving furniture on the street or loitering in certain areas for example. As long as there is a visible police presence... That could give some a chance to break the cycle of poverty. Perhaps the nearby schools could have afterschool mentoring programs for children of said parents...

They could even have a food bearing community garden that all the residents could participate in that would bring some dialogue between the affluent and poorer residents...

How's that sound?

Sounds pretty damn good to me!

[equinox63]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

I love these last two points. People from poverty strickened areas can blame the media and the police all they want for their woes but at the end of the day it's the people most closest to the continuous tragedy who needs to step up to the plate. That includes holding mothers and fathers accountable for bringing children into the world without a thought for how they should be provided for.

The Derrick Boazmans, Able Mables, Vincent Forts and all the other "community activists" need to find another tactic to solve these entrenching problems rather than agitating for more press time.

I think these super-rich, maybach/bentley driving preachers (cough*eddie long*cough*creflo dollar) should get like 100 men, buy several properties in these areas, move in, and literally hit the streets to clean up the communities. Why have so much influence over literally 1000's of middle class blacks and not use it? Dr. King lived in some of the worst areas of Chicago for a while to bring about change there. It may be a little dangerous initially, but i think the residents, even the thugs, will respect some real dudes hitting the streets and teaming up with the local community and like literally approaching drug dealers and users, teach/tell them about how the govt is setting them up and help them get educations, respectable employment, rehab treatment, and an overall sense of self worth and community pride... (Perhaps in one of the communities I mentioned earlier)...

[johnatl]

^Tell it!

[equinox63]

Then, perhaps with those same figureheads, organize a boycott of BET, 107.9 and V103 until they choose to play more hip-hop and R&B that emphasizes positive resistance and community uplift. I'm not saying all they can play is Kumbaya... Something in the vein of Public Enemy, or Death Certificate Ice Cube, Or Dungeon Family... Or non-super-misogynistic R&B. Make the statement that Crack/Trap/Hoe-Rap gets no airplay... That would encourage upcoming artists to diversify their subject matter and give more airplay to those that already do. The kids who want the gully stuff can still go to the internet and the mixtape guys in the streets. But no negative, self-defeating, drug-pushing messages on the radio. Then some artists will feel compelled to make songs about real life, that they really live... instead of crack-slangin', gun-clappin' fantasies...

Somehow influence the Jay-Z's, Kobe's, Lebron's, T.I.s, and Diddy's of the industry to come together and aggressively promote a "Come-Up" initiative targeted at our youth focusing on responsibility, education, and ownership. Tupac tried to do something like that just prior to his murder . Explain to them how the police let the big fish go to catch the little fish (you), and it's another young black male (potential father, leader, business owner, community-developer, or activist off the streets - in a cage - like an animal - which is what they want you to think of yourselves). They need to know that they are being brainwashed. So we have to forcefully put out the counter-message to unbrainwash them, or rebrainwash them with the mindset that will help them and their communities.

Force BET, and UPN, etc to show the positive black families. Flood the streets, radio, television and media with this and i think the fire will catch on and start to spread...

[equinox63]

By the way, I'm not saying that the radio should actually always play old stuff... I just meant that type of message should promoted more. There are groups like Little Brother, Kidz in the Hall, Immortal Technique, Jean Grae, as well as local artists that have messages similar to Goodie Mob in '95 that could give the radio a little balance...

[brownhornet]

Originally Posted by equinox63

Then, perhaps with those same figureheads, organize a boycott of BET, 107.9 and V103 until they choose to play more hip-hop and R&B that emphasizes positive resistance and community uplift. I'm not saying all they can play is Kumbaya... Something in the vein of Public Enemy, or Death Certificate Ice Cube, Or Dungeon Family... Or non-super-misogynistic R&B. Make the statement that Crack/Trap/Hoe-Rap gets no airplay... That would encourage upcoming artists to diversify their subject matter and give more airplay to those that already do. The kids who want the gully stuff can still go to the internet and the mixtape guys in the streets. But no negative, self-defeating, drug-pushing messages on the radio. Then some artists will feel compelled to make songs about real life, that they really live... instead of crack-slangin', gun-clappin' fantasies...

Somehow influence the Jay-Z's, Kobe's, Lebron's, T.I.s, and Diddy's of the industry to come together and aggressively promote a "Come-Up" initiative targeted at our youth focusing on responsibility, education, and ownership. Tupac tried to do something like that just prior to his murder . Explain to them how the police let the big fish go to catch the little fish (you), and it's another young black male (potential father, leader, business owner, community-developer, or activist off the streets - in a cage - like an animal - which is what they want you to think of yourselves). They need to know that they are being brainwashed. So we have to forcefully put out the counter-message to unbrainwash them, or rebrainwash them with the mindset that will help them and their communities.

Force BET, and UPN, etc to show the positive black families. Flood the streets, radio, television and media with this and i think the fire will catch on and start to spread...

That wouldnt accomplish anything. One thing you fail to mention in that point is that people listen to and watch what they deem to be entertaining. If the stations were to change their material the only thing that would happen is they would lose a ton of listeners and put themselves at risk of going out of business. There have been stations that have tried that before... 97.9 comes to mind... and it didnt work. People would just find a new station to go to to get what they want.

And also... 107.9 and v103 do a lot in the community. I know for a fact that they feed the hungry, provide assistance to needy families, toys for tots, provide DNA testing for those who cant afford it, and even provide child support for single mothers. I mean its like ive said on here before, the blame doesnt fall on these stations.. it falls on the parents for not teaching their kids how to look up to something other than entertainers that 9 times out of 10 never even lived the lifestyles they rap about.

People tend to gravitate towards the garbage... and thats the content they have to provide to stay open. Remember, its a business not a service. And just for the record, BET once did provide shows that would thought provoking such as Tavis Smiley and BET Summit... but when people dont watch it or listen to it... the market is too small for them to support it and when they lose money on it they send it to the can. They could put on a Black Debate show at 9:00 pm and put on some garbage like Frankie and Neffe...Housewives of Atlanta or Tiny and Toya at 10 and the ratings would probably be 100 to 1 in favor of the garbage. That's just how it is.

V-103 and 107.9 arent the only black radio stations in Atlanta, but they are the largest for the reasons I mentioned above... because they play what people want to hear. Now if tomorrow they were to switch and only play Neo Soul, Rhythm & Blues and groove music they would probably lose half if not more of their base. They're like grocery stores, they only supply the material. Even though people go in the grocery store and KNOW they dont need to be eating garbage like chitlins, neckbones, pig ears etc... because of the history of heart disease and high blood pressure in blacks... they still CHOOSE to buy it rather than going over to the health food aisle and getting turkey bacon instead.

It's all about choices and people just tend to gravitate towards the wrong ones.. but the stations definitely arent at fault for that. They simply supply the demand.

[brownhornet]

And I actually agree with you about groups like Little Brother... but just remember that you really cant compare playing them here to Goodie Mob because GM was a local group and was VERY popular here. That's the reason they got a lot of spins... the whole Dungeon Family including Outkast were favorites around here and thats what the people wanted to hear. They simply supplied the demand since that's what was hot in the streets at the time. Just so happens that what's hot right now happens to be bubble gum music and gangsta rap.

Also.. lets not forget Goodie Mo-B wasnt always about positivity either. Of course, when they actually got on in the business they changed their tune but there was a time when they, along with Outkast, Cool Breeze and Slim Calhoun often rapped about the "trap", the dope game, murders...etc.. pretty much the same thing as many rappers here do now. I respect groups like Little Brother but truth be told.. most of the groups like that are underground for a reason.. because there really isnt a large market for their music. Minstrel Show was cool..and I also listen to Raphael Saadiq, Common, Talib Kweli, Lupe, Mos Def...etc. But the truth is just the truth.. for the most part that's not the type of music the masses want to hear.

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by brownhornet

And I actually agree with you about groups like Little Brother... but just remember that you really cant compare playing them here to Goodie Mob because GM was a local group and was VERY popular here. That's the reason they got a lot of spins... the whole Dungeon Family including Outkast were favorites around here and thats what the people wanted to hear. They simply supplied the demand since that's what was hot in the streets at the time. Just so happens that what's hot right now happens to be bubble gum music and gangsta rap.

Also.. lets not forget Goodie Mo-B wasnt always about positivity either. Of course, when they actually got on in the business they changed their tune but there was a time when they, along with Outkast, Cool Breeze and Slim Calhoun often rapped about the "trap", the dope game, murders...etc.. pretty much the same thing as many rappers here do now. I respect groups like Little Brother but truth be told.. most of the groups like that are underground for a reason.. because there really isnt a large market for their music. Minstrel Show was cool..and I also listen to Raphael Saadiq, Common, Talib Kweli, Lupe, Mos Def...etc. But the truth is just the truth.. for the most part that's not the type of music the masses want to hear.

You are right of course, that music may not necessarily change anything. But I think that you are wrong that the people are demanding this stuff... at least to such level that the radio stations are playing the same songs all the time. It's all coordinated brainwashing. These Corporations do whatever they can to control the population and get them to buy into whatever drivel they think that the masses should desire. The FCC's neo-liberalization of the radio waves during the 90's is a great contributor to all of this garbage.

[Tama]

Originally Posted by equinox63

Create nice, almost luxury live/work/play communities, with a deal that all of the employees, (janitors, concierge, landscapers, plumbers, electricians, maintenance people, roofers, builders, and the employees of the atached businesses etc.) must live in the community and in return, they get incredibly affordable rent/mortgage deals. It's like their jobs would be taking care of their homes and communities. In return, their children would go to the better schools, they would have a clean environment.

Like any job, there may be random drug tests, and there would be rules about leaving furniture on the street or loitering in certain areas for example. As long as there is a visible police presence... That could give some a chance to break the cycle of poverty. Perhaps the nearby schools could have afterschool mentoring programs for children of said parents...

They could even have a food bearing community garden that all the residents could participate in that would bring some dialogue between the affluent and poorer residents...

How's that sound?

equinox63 You seem to have put some thought into this. Creative solutions and mini-projects that can be pilot programs might be a way to start. I do see some problems. One would be startup costs. However, there is so much money going down the drain that something with a chance for success might bring out private donors. Second, in order to be successsful there would have to be requirements (screening)for gaining access to these benefits and a zero tolerance policy--that may be tough to accomplish unless it is totally private. I see lawsuits and protests and loudmouths coming out of the woodwork. Finally, the people that need this the most have the least capability of keeping it going.