Posted: Mon 15 May 2006 02:57 Post subject: Hip-hop jock's sick rap against interracial family
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New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
Hip-hop jock's sick rap
BY GREG WILSON
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Thursday, May 11th, 2006
A popular radio personality was fired yesterday after making a series of shockingly ugly, racist and violent on-air remarks - including a threat to sexually molest the young daughter of a rival deejay.
The comments by Troi Torain - better known to his listeners on top-rated hip-hop station Power 105 (WWPR-FM) as DJ Star - were so over the top that he could be in hot water with the FCC and the Manhattan district attorney's office.
Torain offered listeners $500 to tell him where the daughter of nemesis DJ Envy, of Hot 97, went to school.
"Yes, I disrespect your seed," Torain ranted. "If you didn't hear me, I said I would like to do an R. Kelly on your seed. On your little baby girl."
Torain, 42, described in graphic detail what he meant by the reference to the R&B singer Kelly, who allegedly committed an unnatural act on an underage girl, a stunt captured on a widely circulated video.
Torain, who warned in his diatribe that he carries a gun, also called the wife of DJ Envy, whose real name is Rashawn Casey, a "whore," a "lo mein eater" and far worse anti-Asian slurs.
Casey could not be reached for comment. But his wife, Gia Casey, who appeared at a news conference with several City Council members yesterday, said she's now afraid that her kids could fall prey, if not to Torain, then to a crazed listener.
"I want his job to be yanked from him, and I want Clear Channel to have to be responsible on some level for allowing this to happen," she said. "Because not only have they condoned it, but by condoning it they have promoted it."
Yesterday afternoon, the station suspended him. Hours later, they fired him.
"Power 105 finds recent remarks broadcast by Troi Torain of the Star & Buc Wild Morning Show to be wholly unacceptable," said Rob Williams, marketing manager for Clear Channel. "As of late this afternoon, he is no longer with Power 105.1 or Clear Channel Radio. We sincerely apologize to those who may have been offended by his remarks."
Queens Councilman John Liu, who at one point yesterday said Torain's words merited his being "terminated from the face of the Earth," filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.
The FCC did not return calls for comment, but Liu said he was told by FCC investigators that it appears Torain's comments could affect his station's broadcasting license.
The Manhattan district attorney's office is planning to see if Torain's rants amounted to a crime, said spokeswoman Barbara Thompson.
Casey has been accused of crossing the line himself. He was part of Hot 97's "Miss Jones in the Morning" crew that was suspended last year after they broadcast a shocking parody ridiculing the 187,000 victims of the 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean. Their producer, Rick Delgado, was fired, and the station lost millions of dollars in advertising revenue.
Rondell Conway, associate music editor for Vibe magazine, said Torain's comments are shock radio theater gone amok.
"He is trying to fill the void left by Howard Stern," Conway said. "He wants to show that he'll say anything, no matter how outrageous."
A video of the new story about this situation can be seen by clicking on the link below. It includes excerpts from a press conference with the maligned wife of the rival DJ and some politicians. She's part Asian, hence the anti-Asian remarks. It also includes bits of DJ Star's comments.
Joined: 10 Mar 2006 {Posts: 235 } Location: Atlanta
Posted: Tue 16 May 2006 21:13 Post subject:
Once again, hip-hop culture has demonstrated its complete worthlessness. If this is something in which black Americans take pride, perhaps they need to carry out a serious self-examination. Somehow, I doubt this will happen.
Joined: 28 Apr 2006 {Posts: 282 } Location: 51st State
Posted: Tue 16 May 2006 23:28 Post subject: Hip-hop culture
Fledgist wrote:
Once again, hip-hop culture has demonstrated its complete worthlessness. If this is something in which black Americans take pride, perhaps they need to carry out a serious self-examination. Somehow, I doubt this will happen.
Leaving aside the fact that this is a single "sick jock", what do you think should replace hip hop culture?
Once again, hip-hop culture has demonstrated its complete worthlessness. If this is something in which black Americans take pride, perhaps they need to carry out a serious self-examination. Somehow, I doubt this will happen.
The actions of Torain (a shock radio host) are not representative of hip hop culture, or black americans for that matter.
I suppose white Americans, and " alternative rock culture", should carry out a "serious self-examination" of themselves, because of the antics of Howard Stern.
Once again, hip-hop culture has demonstrated its complete worthlessness. If this is something in which black Americans take pride, perhaps they need to carry out a serious self-examination. Somehow, I doubt this will happen.
The actions of Torain (a shock radio host) are not representative of hip hop culture, or black americans for that matter.
That may be true as far as black Americans are concerned, but hip hop culture has promoted some of the worst images of blacks since Birth of a Nation, at least in some quarters. Even people in the hip hop community are speaking out about this.
Torain's comments, which cannot be compared to Howard Stern's antics (Stern hasn't publicly stated he would like to kill someone or have sex with their small child), are indicative of the increased coarsening of the music and the sub-culture IMO.
That may be true as far as black Americans are concerned, but hip hop culture has promoted some of the worst images of blacks since Birth of a Nation, at least in some quarters. Even people in the hip hop community are speaking out about this.
Torain's comments, which cannot be compared to Howard Stern's antics (Stern hasn't publicly stated he would like to kill someone or have sex with their small child), are indicative of the increased coarsening of the music and the sub-culture IMO.
New America Media, Mar 06, 2006
Editor's Note: The Oscar winning song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" promotes the culture of death, so writes NAM contributor David Muhammad. Muhammad is the Executive Director of The Mentoring Center in Oakland.
Oakland - I applaud Denzel Washington, Sidney Poitier, and Will Smith for encouraging Terrance Howard not to perform with the rap group who won an Oscar for their song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp." It was embarrassing enough that such a song won an Oscar and that the group performed, but at least there were some in the industry willing to take a stand against the derogatory lyrics that have become far too common place in hip-hop.
Rap was once a subculture that most adults thought would be a passing fad. Now, hip-hop has become the dominant youth culture and a multibillion-dollar industry of music, clothes, jewelry, movies, and more. But the culture has denigrated into an embarrassing bastion of filth - promoting violence, drugs, irresponsible sex, excessive materialism, and delinquent behavior.
I am the director of The Mentoring Center, an agency that works with youth coming out of the juvenile justice system. We help youth come out of a criminal mentality, then connect them with vital resources needed to remain crime free and productive. One of the biggest obstacles we face is the strong attraction to a "Culture of Death" promoted by hip hop.
Although I can still be considered a member of the hip hop generation at the age of 32, when I was a teenager, rap was much different. Gone are the days when hip hop was about "Fighting the Power," wearing African medallions and honoring Black women as queens. Now lyrics glorify "bling, bling" materialism and refer to women with expletives.
In the Bay Area, there is a deliberate attempt by rappers to promote a "hyphie movement" that includes "going dumb" and "going stupid." Going dumb or stupid, which is quite literal, is a way you dance while thizzing (using the drug ecstasy), smoking purp (marijuana), and sipping bo (Robitussin cough syrup with codeine).
While I discuss these issues often with the youth I work with, I have struggled with publishing an article criticizing hip hop. Past critics have been maligned by rappers. But the rappers themselves are also victims. The hip hop culture did not deviate into degeneracy on its own. There has been a deliberate co-opting of hip hop. The current version is much more lucrative, not for most of the rappers, but for the big corporations.
There is still a large segment of talented rap artists who promote positive images but are not given radio time and aren't signed to major labels. Even one of my favorite rappers, Jay-Z, had said on his last album, "I dumb down for my audience and double my dollars." He would rather rap with more consciousness, he said, but it wouldn't make him as much money. Jay Z is now President of one of the largest music companies in the country.
Many rappers are forced to promote a culture of death in order to make money in the industry. This is why my friend and colleague calls rappers the new age "sell outs," but somehow I might get that label for writing this article.
Viacom owns 100% of the national music video stations, videos that promote some of the most degenerate behavior I've ever seen. They own the big three: MTV, VH1, and BET. Yes, BET. One recent music video aired on BET showed rap star Nelly running around with numerous nearly naked women, as almost all videos do, and he ran a credit card down the crack of a woman's behind as if it was an ATM machine.
Then there is Clear Channel, the largest owner of urban formatted radio stations in the country, the very radio stations that constantly air the vilest lyrics while ignoring an entire group of "positive" rappers.
And it is not just large corporations making money. Liquor stores have become the depots of the culture of death. You can purchase malt liquor, like cans of 211, which just happens to be the California penal code number for armed robbery, no wonder so many of my youth clients were intoxicated when they committed their robberies. At the liquor stores you can by the cigars that are emptied of their tobacco filling and replaced with "purp" - creating the ubiquitous combination called a blunt. And now the liquor stores are beginning to sell just the cigar wrappers to make it easier. And don't forget the t-shirts with horrific messages on them that can also be purchased at the liquor stores. Not to mention that outside of the liquor stores is often where you find the illegal drugs being peddled.
New York Times columnist Bob Herbert http://www.trueblueliberal.com/?p=2224 recently wrote that the civil rights movement of the 60's focused on the inequalities in American society, which must still be addressed, but more important now is a movement that seeks to correct irreverent behavior. I agree, but the promoter of the behavior is this culture of death.
Joined: 28 Apr 2006 {Posts: 282 } Location: 51st State
Posted: Wed 17 May 2006 13:41 Post subject:
zsana wrote:
G-Man wrote:
Quote:
That may be true as far as black Americans are concerned, but hip hop culture has promoted some of the worst images of blacks since Birth of a Nation, at least in some quarters. Even people in the hip hop community are speaking out about this.
Torain's comments, which cannot be compared to Howard Stern's antics (Stern hasn't publicly stated he would like to kill someone or have sex with their small child), are indicative of the increased coarsening of the music and the sub-culture IMO.
This is an absolutely correct observation G-Man.
An article dealing with this often hateful, destructive, antisocial and disgusting "art form" below...
Pillow for that blanket, maam, while we look at the actual substance of the article.
Quote:
http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=7b287253264c2ed55715261d52672bc2
Oscar Winning Hip Hop Song Promotes 'Culture of Death'
New America Media, Mar 06, 2006
Editor's Note: The Oscar winning song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp" promotes the culture of death, so writes NAM contributor David Muhammad. Muhammad is the Executive Director of The Mentoring Center in Oakland.
Oakland - I applaud Denzel Washington, Sidney Poitier, and Will Smith for encouraging Terrance Howard not to perform with the rap group who won an Oscar for their song "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp." It was embarrassing enough that such a song won an Oscar and that the group performed, but at least there were some in the industry willing to take a stand against the derogatory lyrics that have become far too common place in hip-hop.
When people say "in the industry", they are talking about those who can make or break careers (and those who voted for this song to win the Oscar. How many of those are personally affected by the images and lyrics portrayed by hip-hop/rap?
Sing F*** Tha Police and see how swift they are on the phone to the head of the particular multi-media conglomorate to get this or that record banned.
Quote:
Rap was once a subculture that most adults thought would be a passing fad. Now, hip-hop has become the dominant youth culture and a multibillion-dollar industry of music, clothes, jewelry, movies, and more. But the culture has denigrated into an embarrassing bastion of filth - promoting violence, drugs, irresponsible sex, excessive materialism, and delinquent behavior.
Like I said in the topic Life, Death, Hip Hop!
Quote:
Although I can still be considered a member of the hip hop generation at the age of 32, when I was a teenager, rap was much different. Gone are the days when hip hop was about "Fighting the Power," wearing African medallions and honoring Black women as queens. Now lyrics glorify "bling, bling" materialism and refer to women with expletives.
Like I said...
Quote:
In the Bay Area, there is a deliberate attempt by rappers to promote a "hyphie movement" that includes "going dumb" and "going stupid." Going dumb or stupid, which is quite literal, is a way you dance while thizzing (using the drug ecstasy), smoking purp (marijuana), and sipping bo (Robitussin cough syrup with codeine).
Oh, you mean pander to stereotypical images prevalent before conscious rap and hip-hop arrived on the scene.
Torain's comments, which cannot be compared to Howard Stern's antics
I take it you are not very familiar with howard stern.
.....and I think its interesting how Howard's many over-the-top "antics", racially insencitive/pejorative comments, and vulgar humor, which has has gotten him sued, fired, and blackballed over the years, are never attributed to White Americans, or rock music.
When the subject of controversy is white, people see the logic in criticizing the individual, and lack the bigotry to make monolithic statements about whites and white cultural norms.
It takes a certain degree of internalized prejudice, to read a story about an individual (black, radio host), and immediately jump to a conclusion about an entire ethnic-group/culture such as the following comment:
Fledgist wrote:
Once again, hip-hop culture has demonstrated its complete worthlessness. If this is something in which black Americans take pride, perhaps they need to carry out a serious self-examination. Somehow, I doubt this will happen.
G-man wrote:
Torain's comments [sic] are indicative of the increased coarsening of the music and the sub-culture IMO.
No. Torain was a Radio Host at a Hip-Hop/R&B radio station....and thats as far as the correlation goes. Torain's comments are indicative of Tarain's very innapropriate and insensitive attitude; and thats it.
Hip hop music does not advocate molesting little children, or any of the things he was saying. He had a personal vendetta with someone, and went much too far with his words. Everybody thought he was out of line, and he was immediately fired; nobody thought what he said was "cool".
Last edited by Phil345 on Wed 17 May 2006 14:56; edited 4 times in total
Once again, hip-hop culture has demonstrated its complete worthlessness.
Agreed.
Quote:
If this is something in which black Americans take pride, perhaps they need to carry out a serious self-examination. Somehow, I doubt this will happen.
Thankfully there are black Americans who are exposing the dysfuntionality and self-destructiveness of large segments of hip-hop culture. I believe these voices always existed but are now being openly heard. It's about time.
Torain's comments, which cannot be compared to Howard Stern's antics
I take it you are not very familiar with howard stern.
.....and I think its interesting how Howard's many over-the-top "antics", racially insencitive/pejorative comments, and vulgar humor, which has has gotten him sued, fired, and blackballed over the years, are never attributed to White Americans, or rock music.
And I like how you quote out of context....My point was despite the ludeness and racial invective that is the heart of Stern's show, he has not called for molesting a child or causing bodily harm to some rival.
Phil345 wrote:
When the subject of controversy is white, people see the logic in criticizing the individual, and lack the bigotry to make monolithic statements about whites and white cultural norms.
Torain’s comments reflect an increasing thugishness in the hip hop community in my opinion. I made no mention of black people as a group. Indeed these same criticisms are leveled against hip hop by people who consider themselves part of that sub culture or fans of the music.
As to the the issue of the internal prejudice of a certain poster, it would seem to me that someome who has no connection to African Americans cannot be guilty of such a thing.
And I like how you quite out of context....My point was despite the ludeness and racial invective that is the heart of Stern's show, he has not called for molesting a child or causing bodily harm to some rival.
Stern very often jokes about causing bodily harm to rivals.
Phil345 wrote:
Torain’s comments reflect an increasing thugishness in the hip hop community in my opinion.
I'm still oblivious to how you all figure torains jokes threatening to molest children has something to do with hip-hop. You are acting as if people in the hip-hop community (codename for blacks) were cheering him on or something. Nobody condoned, or lauded his comments. Power 105 made public statements distancing themselves from his statements, he was immediately fired; and that was it. You all seem not to be able to see it for what it was: JUST TORAIN.
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I made no mention of black people as a group.
I was refering to Fledgist's quote commenting that blacks need to "self-examine" themselves because of Torain's outburst.
Quote:
Indeed these same criticisms are leveled against hip hop by people who consider themselves part of that sub culture or fans of the music.
The critisms you are talking about, and "Thug culture" (whatever that means), have nothing to do with Torain and his threats of molestation. "Hip-hop culture" does not promote or glorify sexual molestation of young children.
It seems people have pre-existing issues with hip-hop music, and are using this unrelated event caused by a random Radio-hosts outburst on a radio station as a medium to speak out against it.
Quote:
As to the the issue of the internal prejudice of a certain poster, it would seem to me that someome who has no connection to African Americans cannot be guilty of such a thing.
how so?
Last edited by Phil345 on Wed 17 May 2006 17:47; edited 1 time in total
How so? Because the poster in question has no roots in this country. The charge of internal prejudice makes sense if we accept the premise that criticisms of black Americans as a group, no matter how baseless, are tantamount to hatred of black people regardless of national origin.
I know many black people who are from Africa and the Caribbean who make negative statements about black Americans as a group, which are sometimes based on limited experiences (black Americans are lazy, etc.), but they do not suffer from internal prejudice. They are quite confident in their own blackness; they just don’t particularly care for black Americans as a group.
I’m neither implying that this is the case with poster Fledgist nor suggesting that contempt for African Americans is justified or a good thing. . Fledgist, naturally, can answer for himself.
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The critisms you are talking about, and "Thug culture" (whatever that means), have nothing to do with Torain and his threats of molestation. "Hip-hop culture" does not promote or glorify sexual molestation of young children.
What I did post was in my opinion his outburst is reflective of a coarsening of Hip hop culture. I did not say or imply that Hip hop culture is inherently negative and I did not say that it inherently promotes the molestation of children or murder. Furthermore, calling attention to these things is not a sign that one necessarily has a problem with black people or with hip hop as a form of musical expression.
Ooh, nice and warm under that blanket, no basis necessary for opinion.
Oh I have plenty of basis for that opinion. So does everyone here at this group who shares it. Trust me. I'm simply not going to pollute the nature of this positive and informative group by posting the filthy, hateful, misogynistic and animalistic lyrics spawned from many of today's most popular hip hop "artist".
Like it says in the Bible (and is implied in other world religions) you reap what you sow. If one sows violence, hatred, contempt for society, etc... - in this case through living out the thuggish lifestyle glamorized in much of hip hop today - one creates VERY bad Karma for oneself.
One only has to look at crime and death statistics related to young black men to see the true impact of that idiom.
Freedom of speech allows filth to be preached to the masses. So, the only thing decent people who care about the often tragic impact certain segments of hip hop "culture" is having on society - especially black society - can do is expose these "artist" and apologist for what they really are. Individuals who will say and do anything immaginable (and some things unimaginable) for a buck or ratings. Regardless of the negative impact it has. Talking about "selling out".
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Yeah right...worthlessness as water.
Can't discredit the message so attack the messenger...
G-Man wrote:
Quote:
Furthermore, calling attention to these things is not a sign that one necessarily has a problem with black people or with hip hop as a form of musical expression.
This is true. What people have a problem with (those of us who do) is the ugly side of hip hop. That's why I always try to make a point of using words like many, much, or some in regards to this musical form. I know all rappers today are not preaching hate, violence, misogyny, mindless promiscuity, etc... Those with issues regarding hip hop are only talking about the ones WHO ARE.
Being adults, we should all be able to discuss/debate this issue without it getting personal.
Last edited by zsana on Wed 17 May 2006 18:36; edited 1 time in total
I think we have to differentiate hip-hop as a genre from the sub level of hedonistic hip hop and gangsta rap. The media glorification of these two sub genres are the problem. The idolatry of its participants as well.
But underground hip hop, hip hop of revolution and even Christian Hip Hop are not a part of this mess and are actually valid expressions of protest and/or voicing the expereiences of amny without making it about getting rich, being a mysogynistic pig, glorifying criminality, and acting tough. (Nor in many cases all the cheesy fads that have accompanied hip hop at times. Some hip hop artists are tight dressers and don't go around walkig with grills ready to take a dump with their pants around their ankles.
Joined: 10 Mar 2006 {Posts: 235 } Location: Atlanta
Posted: Thu 25 May 2006 15:57 Post subject: Re: Hip-hop culture
Altertude wrote:
Fledgist wrote:
Once again, hip-hop culture has demonstrated its complete worthlessness. If this is something in which black Americans take pride, perhaps they need to carry out a serious self-examination. Somehow, I doubt this will happen.
Leaving aside the fact that this is a single "sick jock", what do you think should replace hip hop culture?
Something that focuses on dignity, discipline, hard work, honesty, and not on consuming luxuries, living hard, carrying weapons, and showing your manhood or womanhood by indiscriminate sex.
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