Rance Rob Your Fav CEO: Thanks For Nothin’ Lupe Fiasco

Spread it!

Share

Email This

Actually it’s thanks for something very important Lupe. A revelation of sorts see, I love my people. I’m actually doing better at loving everybody. 2008 changed the landscape. Barack Obama brought the drama and as a black man his success kind of polished a chink or two out of my armor. You know that armor we wear that helps us not feel the sting of everyday life. That armor that gears us up for possibly being called a racial slur, or being followed around the grocery store, or Lord O’ Lord that traffic stop from that police officer that is ready to go ham on a nig because his daughter brought Rasheed home for dinner last night; yeah that armor. But it seems like the direction of the country over the last 10 months has changed me.

You start to feel like everybody loves everybody. Seriously, non-blacks don’t seem as afraid of us as they used to be. Non-sistas have started embracing the idea of Buffie the Body like posteriors and being “thick.” It’s amazing. I’m sure Sir Mix-A-Lot had a lot to do with it (non-black people love that song!) but it’s enough to make the air smell different. It’s enough to make you take a little bit of the armor off. Be a little more relaxed.

Shoot man, I was going that way too. President Obama has a pretty good approval rating, Seal still has Heidi Klum and he hasn’t been assassinated. Glen “Big Baby” Davis bumped a teenage boy from Orlando after hitting a game winner in the playoffs and said boy’s dad called him an “animal” (read: big black gorilla n*****) that was out of control and Al Sharpton didn’t say anything. See I am a guy that loves truth. Truth is good. I turned on BET and truth hit me and I think I blame Lupe Fiasco for endowing me with some logical truth. Lupe it’s your fault. I’m looking at the landscape of Network Television and I realize that some American Terrorism is happening and they are pushing all Blacks on Television to BET and VH1.

They’re Terrorizing ME!

See, I don’t listen to a lot of music, I do Gospel mainly, but I stumbled on Lupe Fiasco’s old song American Terrorist for some odd reason back in May (2009.) Do you know what he said in this song? Man it jacked me up. Changed my world. Made me realize what’s really going on. Guess what Lupe said? GUESS…WHAT…LUPE…SAID??? (sounding like Randy Watson from Sexual Chocolate in Coming To America). In his song American Terrorist Lupe has the nerve to spit on the songs bridge:

“It’s like don’t give the black man food/ give red man liquor/ red man fool/ black man n****/ give yellow man tool make him railroad builder/ also give him pan make him pull gold from river/ give black man crack, glocks and things/ give red man craps, slot machines…”

I’m late, I’m sure. I may be the kid with the new Ed Hardy t-shirt thinking I’m fly when everybody else has been there, rocked that fad, and buried it but it’s fresh to me. This whole notion of that bridge has caused me to take a good look at the American Terrorism that is happening on what may still be deemed the most popular form of entertainment…THE T.V.! I’m not gonna front to you folks, I was an avid fan of what I thought were good shows that depict a good vision of who we are. Well at least better than what has been shown in the past.

Get Them Off The Air NOW!!!

We all know how good the Cosby Show and A Different World were. When those shows were on, enrollment in college was up and there was a general appreciation for HBCU’s and a pride that came along with it. Who didn’t think that Dwayne Wayne was the man? Every Monday and Thursday night I would set my parents VCR for the barrage of good black television in the early 90’s. We had The Cosby Show, A Different World, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Family Matters (what up Urkel?), and even Martin was picking up steam all at the same time and it was good. America enjoyed these shows.

Then like a character from Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6 equipped with a high caliber sniper rifle our shows kept getting picked off from a distance. One by one I watched these great shows lose rating value according to Neilson statistics and it seems that the popularity we were gaining just evaporated into thin air and it hasn’t been the same for us since. Remember how Martin, Living Single, and In Living Color changed the game? It was amazing!

The 90’s were a bit different anyway I guess. It was the equivalent to sheltered children who leave the nest for college. You know what I mean, a lot of experimentation. A few regrets. After the experience you either come out better or worse. But all in all after the experience you are never the same. I guess that is why I cringe when I think about the children that sit at home all day long and all they do is watch television. That’s a bad practicum in and of itself but nonetheless it is what’s happening everyday as parents across America work the second shift as Real and Chance become role models to our sons; more on that later.

UPN/The CW Broke Up Me and my Girlfriend(s)

Girlfriends on UPN/The CW had a long run. From September 2000 until February 2008 the saga of Joan “Can’t Keep a Man” Clayton, Maya “The Ghetto” Wilkes of CPT, Lynn Searcy the nomadic super-freak, Toni “It’s All About Me” Childs, and who can forget William Dent invaded our space. That dude was hilarious. A lot of brothas watched that show. Many men I know watched just to see Tracee Ellis Ross’ video chick worthy bootay and Toni’s über-cleavage but we watched, along with millions of other people. The show was good, somewhat realistic, not degrading to black women, and the women on the show were underpaid. That’s why Jill Marie Jones (Toni) left. The show ran for eight years and it didn’t get a farewell episode. They just got sniped. Bang, you’re off the air and that’s that. No respect. You think that if a show with an eight year run with a cast of non-blacks (Friends) was getting cancelled that they wouldn’t send them out with a last episode you’re nuts. All I hear as I ponder is Lupe rapping “Don’t give the black man food…”

So I wasn’t surprised when I learned that The CW was canceling “Everybody Hates Chris” and “The Game.” Say what you want but I like EHC and so did my children. It was comical but also pointed out the social ills that still exist today along the lines of human interaction amongst groups, class, and races. Think about how hard it has to be to be a black nerdy kid from Bed-Stuy; the hood of the Notorious B.I.G. It was a nice change for me to sit back and enjoy that break with my family. But that’s over now. The same way that enjoying My Wife and Kids and the Bernie Mac Show was sniped.

The Bernie Mac Show and My Wife and Kids were two great shows that reached beyond the black demographic only to be pitted against each other and shown at the same time slot. They could have staggered the days and times but nooooooo! Fox and CBS decided to do what happens to a lot of shows with predominately Black casts and that is the same thing Willie Lynch did to slaves…pit us against each other and watch both fail. Wow, even with TV we’re still getting lynched. What’s worse than the canceling of our shows is that we as the consumers don’t seem to demand more respect from the networks as they lay our shows to rest. Think about how important The Arsenio Hall show was. It was literally MURDERING late night television ratings for the other guys. Mr. Hall decided to have Louis Farrakhan on and they threatened him not to or they’d pull the plug. He did, and they kept their word. Where were Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson at? I ponder…I hear…”Give red man liquor, red man fool, black man n****…”

Not MY Reality TV

You’re right Lupe and speaking of ni***rdom (one of my favorite words from Chappelle’s Show) I am getting sick to my stomach with VH1 and BET who are both owned by Viacom. It is so funny to me that no one else sees that non-blacks are only interested in seeing BET ni***s. (Forgive my use of the N word. I really don’t use it very much anymore but I must make exception.) You know, the Frankie and Neffie’s of the world, those that just don’t care. Now I do blame the networks and their editing too but still, come on man. I look at Tiffany “New York” Pollard and the parody of her foolishness and think about the fact that THIS is what sees the sun longer than network television shows that show us as intellectual functioning regular people. In supporting roles we may hang around but the reality is that only few of us have a big circle and network of non-black friends.

What about Buffoonery Entertainment Television? I just get ticked when I see College Hill. When do these ninjas go to COLLEGE? I didn’t stay on a college campus but after this last season it looked no different than my stint as a thug on the streets. It’s this stuff that the other man likes to see. This is what we allow to get burn on our own network? I don’t have TV One but I’m sure it has got to be better than this. And this side point that irks me is that BET’s production quality always looks 4 years behind everyone else. Why is that?

Then I really feel the most let down with The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Why does it seem like whenever we are depicted on television it has to be 200% more extra than how non-black people in the same show format act? Check the difference between the women on the New Jersey, New York, and Orange County shows and how they act? Case in point, on TRH of New Jersey, there is some drama but there also seems to be more focus on the success of the children and even the failures but it shows that these housewives are on their grind. When I watch TRH of ATL it seems that all the show is about is the drama between NeNe, Kim, and Sheree. KIM AIN’T EVEN A HOUSEWIFE!!! SHE’S A MISTRESS FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!!! I know that Atlanta has plenty of wealthy and successful black people and you throw a white girl with a Big Poppa on there? She’s a concubine…my Lord, help me! See what I’m talking about? I thank Jesus for Run’s House and Daddy’s Girls because Diddy is the Executive Producer and it sure helps to see a family working together to build a successful legacy. Take note!

You’ve got the Nerve to be mad at Tyler Perry?

I have to chuckle at all of this intellectual outcry at Mr. Tyler Perry and the “intellectual” black people that have the nerve to be pissed at him when you know good and well that we all know characters like the ones in his movies, plays, and TV shows. But the difference with Tyler Perry and his media is that it appears that there is not a malicious intent to display us as idiots, but rather to say, no matter how quirky we are we are still over-comers as a people and also that we know how to make life work. We are strong and although we mess up, we can turn it around. This man grinds from sleeping on a backseat of a car to owning a Studio and you’re tripping saying he’s made a fortune at the expense of black people??? Shoot, AMERICA HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS IN EVERY INDUSTRY!!!! But you have the nerve to want to lash out at TPS? Are you slow? Why aren’t you lashing out at MTV, VH1, ABC, CBS, The Government, and The Public School System?

And I know what you’re saying “But Rance Rob my Favorite CEO, he has the power to make more serious shows and movies!” I like his shows and movies and they are entertaining and real and give good messages (See the episode of Meet the Browns where the adopted boy is getting molested by his baseball coach, then let’s talk) and I’m sure that you don’t get to where he’s gotten without being insightful and intelligent. You want to get mad at somebody then get mad at the Wayans family and their tired act. Mr. Perry will make it hot.

The Liquor Store of Television

I hear you Lupe… “give yellow man tool, make him railroad boulder also give him pan, make him pull gold from river give black man crack, glocks and things, give red man craps, slot machines…” It seems that no matter what we do they try to hand us crack, glocks, and things and it’s time to be tired. How we are depicted on the small screen is the “liquor store” of television. We need to be DVRing Hawthorne even if we aren’t going to watch it just because Jada Smith is trying to bring something to television… and she needs our numbers. We need to support Omar Epps and I do, even though I loathe House.

Like I said in the beginning, I took some armor off because I got a tad comfortable. Maybe I need to gear back up because shots are being taken. The bullets are hollow-points that spread a message that racism is dead…yeah right, tell that to Sean Bell and Oscar Grant. I don’t need another Real Chance at Love and neither does America. It’s time to get bulletproof. There is a real American Terrorist that comes in 13” to 60” screens in homes all over the U.S. and the higher ups keep pulling the trigger on our positive images. What kind of armor are your kids wearing? Sing to ‘em Lu!

Rance Rob Your Favorite CEO is happy to serve you with his writing skills. I put my heart and soul into this. I don’t just write to write, I have to say something important. Everybody has been asking me what I’m the CEO of and it’s a company called Ultimate Money Fight. If you win our competition, we will pay you 6 months of your income. Connect to the blog by clicking here. You will know when we launch! If you really want to see what makes me click then get with be on Facebook and Twitter: @theUMF . So come on, let’s connect! I’ll be changing the world shortly!

Tagged as: A Different World, ABC, Al Sharpton, Arsenio Hall, BET, CBS, Cosby Show, CW, Dwayne Wayne, Ed Hardy, Everybody Hates Chris, Fox, Fresh Prince, Girlfriends, Glen Big Baby Davis, Hawthorne, Heidi Klum, House, In Living Color, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Jesse Jackson, Living Single, Lupe Fiasco, Martin, Meet the Browns, My Wife and Kids, NBC, Omar Epps, President Obama, Real Chance, Real Housewives of Atlanta, Reality TV, Seal, Television, The Bernie Mac Show, Tyler Perry, UPN, Urkel, VH1

Article by Rance Rob

I am the CEO of a Social Interest company called Ultimate Money Fight where "Savings Accounts Come to Battle!" My company gets people excited and going crazy about saving money because it's a competitive setup. Every month my Inc. gives away $250 to the Top Saver so that they can build on their Emergency Savings Fund.I learned the hard way that Finance is HARD. Even though the concept of money is really simple to be in a good financial position, most people SUCK at it. So I am developing a WORLD full of Money Fighters. People that take what they make now and turn it into wealth. Everyday at UMF someone is Kickin' Cash and Takin' names!!!Check out the website www.ultimatemoneyfight.com for more blog posts and information about getting your money right.

Rance has written 11 article(s) for us.