Cancel Culture: Remember when the Right wanted to Cancel Hip Hop and Rap Altogether

I hear a lot of whining and opining among conservatives about how they are being canceled. My first reaction is, Yeah, you started it. May be its a karma thing, you reap what you sow.

But on the substance of things,let’s just say that conservatives have framed the discussion about black culture as anti-social, ghetto-lowly, and nothing near the ‘superior’ white culture. They see black culture as the enemy of whiteness, instead of it being black people expressing themselves because they too have unique experiences that white people may have to accept in order to coexist. If black people tell you that they are being unfairly targeted by police, and you deny that, then somehow it will come out in Rap lyrics. That’s not being anti-police, that’s telling the truth.

While the world celebrated the NFL Superbowl 56 Halftime performance by the greats of Hip Hop and Rap, there was an equal meltdown by the conservative foot soldiers, not so much the conservative media because even an alien could tell that was a great show. They couldn’t bear the sight of black people take centrestage, and express themselves freely. Many who commented on social media said they didn’t even watch, but still dropped a negative comment. Lets say they can’t help themselves but put black people down. Others in far right media and Christian platforms labelled the rappers as anti-police. But there were hordes of black people or white people who know better across the world to course correct the ignorant. The haters became a minority. They weren’t allowed to take this one from black people with their negativity.

It’s alarming how much of hasn’t changed in this group of people who are determined to live in the 50/60s. An era which most white people thrived with little competition from black people who weren’t even allowed to vote. It’s sad to see a group that willingly do not want to give black people the overdue credit for their hard work, and talent that’s unmatched. Even those who supposedly supported the Rap movement were keen to separate Eminem from the rest of the pack as the best, failing to realise that within this family, one couldn’t have become without the other. May be people insist on being jerks, or we just have new music critics in that sense.

Many people like competition, it’s narcissistic to say the least. I know black people do too, but it’s when white people try to upstage black people that becomes what one of the rappers calls ‘shaddy’. When Em took the knee, it was reported as controversial, in an age where the media should have already normalised kneeling. Or may be its controversial for the people, who are keen to hear Em’s rapping, but don’t expect him to support black people quest for justice. Rightfully, he was the sole white rapper who took a knee for the brothers in the movement, the racist world gasped in disbelief-how can he come down to their level. May be even the NFL allowed it to rid off the Kappernick blemish.

The meltdown of conservatives went all the way to being racist and revealed what a sad and fearful lot the people who perpetuate the myth that black culture is evil and inferior are. If the same group shout for the freedom to be maskless, then the same freedoms apply to black people to express themselves musically. They want black people to remain voiceless and without representation, even on the music scene because they have been successful in stopping then elsewhere.

But karma got them, those who never thought black rap would see the light of day on the NFL Halftime were proved wrong. Not to forget that the same organisation is going through the birth pains of racial equality, but each gain is a step closer. May be its time to counsel black people on how important it is to take opportunities when they arrive. The rappers weren’t betrayers, they shined the spotlight on what is a successful black craft. And upon seeing how many people around the world are followers of the movement, and how nostalgic they were about it all. This Halftime show was just what we all needed. And there’s nothing haters can do about it.