what does it take to get people to listen?

[@FDSignifire]

Im tje middle of writing a script about this and yep, we too focused on difdy and not thinking about the totality of the system that allowed him to exist

[@zzzzz333-z5x]

They wanna make this about being gay. It's actually disgusting and disturbing to see the trend. But I hope you can also talk about how Kendrick is complicit in that: i.e. talking about spiritual degeneracy and the family linking it to Drake's gender violence. This shit is going a really conservative direction and no victims are seeing justice.

[@CharlesChristinaWH]

​@@zzzzz333-z5x How anyone can believe a man being bisexual or homosexual is worse or making mockery of it than this same man SA'ing men , women and children is extremely disturbing

[@adonis8293]

how high are you lmfao

[@Jane-oz7pp]

Ayyy it's the Unc himself, that explains why this was top of the algo for me today

[@Jane-oz7pp]

​@@zzzzz333-z5x I don't think Kendrick means homosexuality when he talks about the spiritual degeneration of the family, I think he means people not holding their families sacred. After The Auntie Diaries I just can't read homophobia into his words, he's made his position as clear as possible.

[@dh15079]

we're so invested in crime and punitive action against the abuser that we almost never address the needs of victims like nobody is checking for them.

[@ma-ri-ko]

we don’t talk about victims because we’d have to admit some fundamental truths about how America works. if you can follow the train of thought to see how and why vulnerabilities are created and then exploited in order to ensure a steady supply of lives for the taking, the logical conclusion also pushes people to the limits of their imagination. it’s intertwined with abolition, with workers rights and reproductive rights, with indigenous sovereignty, with food security and housing rights… none of which are easy concepts to discuss when you’re in survival mode. i do think that art can be part of that switch to get folks away from numbing out and keeping their heads down. there is something that speaks directly to people’s hearts when a message is communicated thru art. it’s hard to say what will hit and when, though

[@RedArrow808]

Based

[@silasfreeze5655]

Beautiful comment

[@cl8804]

jew love to see it

[@joetypes]

Excellently well said.

[@erinboom]

​@@cl8804end it all yourself: find god

[@zephaniahcollins8627]

Everyone’s going to give the wrong answer. So I’ll give y’all the truth: All they did was make the suffering of others entertaining enough for the average person to care Forget all the rape & abuse, look at this baby oil & gay jokes! Your viewers, the commenters, the everyday human on planet Earth is completely apathetic towards the pain & suffering inflicted by powerful people in this world They need to be giving talking points (baby oil), idols to worship (50 Cent), & victims with pain to co-opt (Cassie) A decades long sex trafficking organization has been reduced to jokes & memes within a matter of months. Piles of victims who’s path to justice will be lost in a sea of regurgitated memes & bot comments And the cycle will continue. Right now one of y’all faves is actively harming others in their empires & there will be no public discourse about it until the media learns how to mutually benefit from the conflict

[@xsublymex8720]

Honestly who cares

[@Kabullo76]

im here just for the baby oil and gay jokes 😂

[@littlefoxglove276]

not these replies proving your point 😂👆

[@burrybondz225]

​​@@littlefoxglove276 the replies are right. There are waay more sick ppl under your nose and around you right now, but ppl around the world are expected to give more than a glance to sick entertainers and their escapades?? We don't really care and we should not care. The only ppl that should care are the victims, their families and the court of law. Everyone else is watching a public execution and that is where it should stop.

[@diamond2979]

@@Kabullo76 you just proved his point. you don’t care about anyone, you probably don’t even care about yourself

[@Diggy22]

Before Cassie, everyone who tried to tell the truth about Diddy was labeled “crazy”. And it goes even deeper than that. Sean Combs had a long history of doing his artists dirty in the long run. Ma$e, Black Rob (R.I.P.), Shyne, The LOX, Craig Mack (R.I.P.), and others. Diddy didn’t do anything for Black Rob when he was hospitalized for kidney failure, and he only paid for his funeral due to public outcry. Shyne did 10 years to cover Diddy’s crime (the shooting), and he got tossed aside like he was old news; he had to take his rebirth into his own hands and do positive work in Belize to get past all that. The LOX dodged a huge bullet leaving Bad Boy for Ruff Ryders; they made their own name and got the Key To The City in Yonkers for all their hard work. And Craig Mack? Dude was able to put his struggle and revival in his own words before his passing. Look up Craig Mack’s interviews on KZbin. Any mogul who does his artists dirty like that is capable of a LOT more.

[@TallicaMan1986]

It goes Deeper. Blu Cantrell? She was a Diddy back up singer. She like many other RnB singers had their careers ruined. Diddy is most likely tied Alliyahs death. Jay Z and Diddy were in lock step around this time as well.

[@musaka2022]

Who tried to tell the truth about diddy?

[@RapsandRiffs]

I remember seeing footage of company flow where el-p was dissing diddy on stage live in 97!! it took too long!!

[@ImpendingRiot83]

How does EL-P hold all his Ws nowadays? There’s so many of them at this point.

[@RapsandRiffs]

@@ImpendingRiot83 he was willing to say it when it was like a 💀 sentence

[@fullmetal929]

El-P's a real one. Most impactful (positively, at least) white rapper of all time.

[@geekylove3603]

​@@RapsandRiffs Everyone dissed these guys. "Shiny suit wearing mutha......"

[@liuchaquan]

lol I've been spreading the word of El-P since the 90s too. And I was creeped out by the Diddler for just as long. Just the easy he like at the camera in his videos like he's about to slip something into the viewer's drink 👀 Like, c'mon people, stop being entertained by these predators.

[@shenanitims4006]

Your words about the meritocracy of hip-hop and how empowering it was reminded me of Steinski’s words about the birth of hip-hop back in the day. About how, back then, you’d see punks at the rap shows. As both were born from people wanting to take a little bit of control of their life, of the arts, etc. T La Rock was right, it really is yours (for the taking).

[@lampsew5047]

We need to listen to women more. I’ve seen so many opinion pieces on the Drake vs Kendrick beef from men but it’s mainly the ladies and other folks that provide hours of evidence of his creepiness.

[@Talentedtadpole]

Can't tell you how much it sucks to be a straight woman and how men are almost without exception failing us at best. Y'all have refused to hear us or care. Listen to women. Especially disabled women.

[@taycassomadethat]

yes. thank you.

[@Naistov]

I literally recall a man stating, "what do you know, you're a woman", when it came to that beef and rap in general. Had to educate his ass on all the rap think pieces that's BEEN littered on KZbin.

[@powderedtoastfacekillah734]

True…however with Combs it’s not really a “woman thing” since he is accused of victimizing both men and women

[@Talentedtadpole]

@@powderedtoastfacekillah734 he's unusual in the that. I expect things will be taken more seriously as a result

[@elketerbentzadik]

This man, Sean Combs, built his empire on the back of another man, Christopher Wallace, who rapped about raping women, men, and children, and committing acts of violence against women. Now one of them, Combs, is accused of committing similar acts. We all just danced to the other guy, Wallace, when he was saying that foul shit. It was "okay" because that's some "street dude" shit. I've sat around with "street dudes" who joked and laughed about sticking guns up dudes asses. Not as a concept. But as something they had done the night before. We let too much slide. We let it slide in the music. We let it slide in the neighborhood. Yes, the De La's and the Jeru's "warned us." But as a community we let it slide. I dig that you're bringing it back to 'The Chronic'. I wrote an article for Okayplayer a decade or more ago about how 'The Chronic' and Bad Boy were the one-two punch that made "street dude" shit Pop music. The Diddy case is the culmination of that shit. But it's long past time we have a reckoning with the lyrical content and the images and personas that are presented in our art.

[@CharlesChristinaWH]

Well said , all that rap was bragging about sex trafficking including grooming minors but they were "hits" and everyone let it slide And because Biggie was killed we gave him sympathy So people like Sean Combs got away with a lot of this and it's not like he was hiding it as you said he bragged about it in his songs and in interviews His Conan O'Brien interview especially where he attempted to assault Conan who rightfully called him out , took his mic to the point Conan said he was scared and the whole audience laughed throughout What does it say about us when we have men who abused women, men and kids in our top ten best rappers lists ??

[@_abracadabra]

​@@CharlesChristinaWH Let the record show that "everyone" did NOT let it slide. C. Delores Tucker spoke out. Tipper Gore spoke out. Ashley Judd spoke out. They were ignored, mocked, ridiculed. But they spoke out anyway.

[@hhhy9160]

Well we'd have to look at the entertainment industry as a whole. Do people really have a conscious understanding of these things they are consuming and the impact it has on us. People barley understand how it works and is structured.

[@bennyhall6348]

Really bro?​@@_abracadabra C. Delores Tucker and fuckin Tipper Gore. These are not people acting in good faith w regard to hip hop

[@mgd9151]

Not true. Whenever ppl speak out, group think bashes em. New york and california rap has been trash since forever but the "fans" and those that make money off of it push the music. It is not everyone.

[@DWhoasMon]

The reality is the industry adapted to what you and many others felt about this type of art and they put people like Diddy in place to gatekeep people from platforms that are profitable, often trapping those within into said industry as forever pawns. You were THE rapper that made me realize there's a group of people that aren't attached and I will always appreciate you and the people that do this but because of you it's made it incredibly easy to discern.

[@DWhoasMon]

This happens in pretty much any art form that gets popular, especially if it's hitting the youth.

[@cullenn2100]

13:56 yeah that's describing ideological hegemony pretty well (the universalization of "the way things are" to "the way things must be / have always been")

[@keithkrepcho4773]

It feels encouraging to see people like FD Signifier and a lot of the channels he helps platform and collaborates with gain a larger cultural foothold. They seem to present a good forum and format for these conversations and there may be opportunity for more collaboration with artists to platform and encourage these difficult conversations.

[@goob8945]

FD Signifier has introduced me to a lot of new quality channels that I doubt I would've ever found otherwise. He's really good

[@vopcracker3193]

It’s also not a coincidence that black and brown people are taking charge of this type of content either. Whites on the internet are too content brained because nothing affects them to the level that it does us.

[@Ason19]

FD thinks Attack on Titan is a pro fascist show. I can't stop thinking about how awful a take that is, be wary of ANYthing dude says or recommends

[@keithkrepcho4773]

@@Ason19 if we divided everyone based on their personal take on Attack on Titan I wonder if we’d have as clear a line on “smart/stupid” as you think. Also, I think Cowboy Bebop would give you a cleaner result. Lastly, disregarding someone entirely based on one factor is quite fascist.

[@Kabullo76]

@@keithkrepcho4773 and calling attack on titan a pro fascist show is quite stupid, he's right, be wary of ANYthing dude says or recommends

[@JasoonPorter]

I think issues need to come into peoples' immediate circle for them to listen. If it doesn't affect them or the ones around them, they don't care. But even if they do listen, they could be listening to the wrong people with the wrong solutions.

[@ImpendingRiot83]

Well it comes back to the fact that we’re literally not allowed to try to do anything about anything in groups or, as history has taught us for generations, we’ll be gulaged, beaten or shot to death by the police, and nobody can do anything about anything major like that as just a single individual unless they turn into a mad gunman. So it’s kind of understandable why people treat things this way.

[@JasoonPorter]

@@ImpendingRiot83 100%

[@TallicaMan1986]

This is true for so many things. Literally Hitler and our greatest Humanitarian could agree on something, but if Hitler said it first it's wrong. Je can mever be right about literally anything because he's Hitler. That's the emotional state people are on. They're dogmatic about their feelings and blind to rationale. Not even talking about his Policies. If he had come out and said Palm oil is terrible for the world. People would disagree.

[@Jayvo_Of_Jamrock]

When you erode empathy toward the most vulnerable classes of society it doesn’t take long before empathy toward everyone erodes.

[@999a0s]

the internet is a machine for creating sociopaths.

[@ordinaryhand]

capitalism holds humanity in a trance and it's a fatal condition. the only thing that keeps me sane is living on my own terms as much as i can. opting out. anti-materialism. living within my means. this means i don't enjoy all the spoils of capitalism but, it also means i don't have to die pursuing them. i just try to step on as few others as possible on my way thru this life. anyway i don't fit into that version of the world, i don't have the inner drive to chase money and stuff. i'm incapable of faking it, though life would surely be easier if i could. as a woman the thing that upsets me the most wrt people like diddy and every other vile rapist is how many other men know, witness things and let it happen.

[@Talentedtadpole]

Preach Sister. ❤

[@captainprivate3768]

Very relatable. People have a way of trying to make you feel like it's a character flaw to not be desperate for status and possessions too.

[@cannibalisticrequiem]

Agree with everything you're saying! Also, capitalism is a wholly individualistic pursuit! It promotes the idea of "You vs The World" and encourages society to step on each other to get that momentum towards the upper echelons of wealth. It actively encourages competitiveness in people where we're rewarded for stepping on each other and selling out/backstabbing each other for our own personal gain, then justifies it by reasoning that "you're just taking what's rightfully yours" and "you're being pro-active instead of sitting around waiting for a hand out", and capitalists repeat this rhetoric and it seeps into all aspects of our life that we isolate ourselves from our communities so when something like this happens, we're more likely to say, "Well so what? What does that have to do with me?" and they're not interested in listening to let alone helping their community.

[@RedArrow808]

You are right every man or woman who knew and said or did nothing should be on trial with them. Lot of cowards.

[@mrD66M]

The unfortunate truth is that the "bystanders" fancy themselves being the next Diddy when they achieve a position of power.

[@BackstageFlyer]

Damn, very thoughtful video Love to hear from someone who grew up in the 90s that’s “alt” for lack of better word. It’s definitely incredibly frustrating that Americans still are struggling to organize for their rights and of those most at risk of violence while those in power are very well organized; there have been a lot of victories whether it’s teamsters on the workers’ rights front or even the Me Too movement but I feel you on how it still feels like the real conversations on how society needs to be managed is non existent. I can imagine seeing hiphop devolve so to speak was hard while also being an artist within it yourself; peace and love, continue to do what you can

[@Zaza_Grady]

I don’t know why I’m just now finding you, but you are an exceptional social analyst. Immediately subscribed.

[@always_serpico]

It really does upset me how comfortable people are with clowning Meek Mill’s perceived sexuality. And no one with a major voice is saying anything about it.

[@TiffanyRayneOfficial]

I agree, and what's baffling to me when it comes to Diddy is, people are more concerned about the baby oil (which more than likely drugs were concealed in), his sexuality, and the freak-offs rather than the fact that he was a predator, abuser, trafficker (among other things). That should be the concern. The fact that he was taking advantage of people.

[@micol7490]

Wait, what's happend with Meek Mill? I think I haven't kept up with this part of the story... Why are people bullying him?

[@winnd44]

@@micol7490they think he’s gay because he acts a bit zesty. As if people should think, move, talk, and act binary like a robot. Been a rumor for a while

[@CharlesChristinaWH]

​@@micol7490 This is a serious issue when it comes to black men Look at Terry Crews he was mocked for being SA'd , as was Usher, Meek Mill and Sean Combs' other victim Howard Stern and Robin was laughing at usher literally speaking on being groomed by Sean Combs and SA'd by Robin being a black woman should been ashamed of herself

[@micol7490]

@@winnd44 thanks, so sad... It's crazy people are mobbing him...

[@stephss]

Folks be distracted. Open secrets from wealthy folks, is a distraction... There's lots of people who speak up about injustices, then what? Ya'll folks need to step up and show up, and support the whistleblowers. People are delusional and distracted, and not focused on real folks being harmed. Step up. ✌🏽

[@atribecalledpete]

Mike, you are a real thoughtful dude. There aren't many out there like you.

[@neonbuildings]

The clarity you speak with continues to inspire me, Mike. I've reflected on your lyrics and used them in papers in grad school, I try my best to collaborate and uplift fellow minority voices in school and work. The post-covid world has been scary and it really does seem like people care even less than they did before, to an almost unbelievable degree, but there are people who are actively working to stop the bleeding and trying to heal gross systemic injustices we see in the world. Just gotta continue hoping we can turn the tide I guess.

[@lykaios313]

Just wanna say De La Soul called this culture failing in "Stakes is high", they were so accurate in their predictions.

[@liuchaquan]

I had that tape on steady rotation for years! Probably why I didn't fall for all this BS

[@Ason19]

IMO the fact their album before that Buhloone Mindstate an arty, creative genre bending experimental album was what hip-hop sort of rejected and moved away from was for me when the art side of rap began to fall away.

[@reedtheroom9580]

Stakes is high was the original "not like us" except it was about the whole mainstream hip hop industry instead of a specific person

[@northernstepperz]

"man, every word i say should be a hip hop quotable" seems like a self-centered line at first, then you break it apart more, and it's more about a line that the driving force of hip hop culture shouldn't be chasing capitalism and consciousness should be promoted more.

[@JamsandTea]

People just don’t wanna care about other people and it fucking sucks. How long are we gonna have to keep insisting that people should give a shit before it’s too goddamn late??

[@CharlesChristinaWH]

We will call them "Crazy" or "Clout chasers" to profit off these victim's pain Then once they're seen as telling the truth, we all of sudden "Always knew" while STILL profiting off their pain Repeat it all over again

[@burrybondz225]

Ppl die everyday under way worse circumstances. Why the #### would I care about an entertainer more than a plumber's daughter? Go walk around your neigborhood, creeps are abound and plenty.

[@MichaelEllegard-dz1yd]

Why don't you do this caring that you expect others to do. You don't need to tell people to care you can be that person that cares.

[@bigoudi07]

Yes that's actually the problem with suffering in this world. Nobody wants to care but don't you dare calling out people on that as they feel justified to never take responsability because you've hurt theirs views of theirs romantised perfects selves like the comment above me.

[@Mocityspirit]

@@MichaelEllegard-dz1ydbecause everyone needs to care. That's what the persons post says if you'd actually understood it

[@liamab182]

expressions of life is such a beautiful way of putting the different ways we can be, definitely using that and attributing you

[@AllisonIsLivid]

It's the Cassandra Complex. Warning anyone who will listen about an apparent danger, and never being taken seriously until the problem explodes, and everyone you tried to warn looks around like they had no idea. Nothing makes me feel worse than knowing that most folk prefer to be ignorant.

[@shettywap]

It's interesting how these kinds of things happen when people attain an exorbitant amount of power. Questioning that power is a monumental task, as there are a lot of people involved in keeping that power in place. You have diddy, then you have all of the men and women who continued to keep that power in its place. They are also a part of that power, so they also dont want theirs diminished. This can be extended to politics, irrespective of a specific party, where you see people bending, abusing, and wrestling to keep their power or acquire power. A friend of mine worked for Tom Cotton in the mid 10s and she said "the common thing that i saw among politicians, democrat, republican, libertarian, etc. Are the lengths they're willing to go to attain power and influence. To piggy back on the points about anti establishment music, that barely exists anymore. Even the people who were once anti-establishment (rage against the machine, for example) eventually became a supporter of that establishment. And i guess, thats the end road of fishing for particular ideals. If you achieve what you want, you eventually become the establishment. Only to now have something formed thats anti you. Lol

[@noThankyou-g5c]

Sorry really off topic but seeing your name in my recommended really brought me back! I recognized it from some Milo tracks i used to love back in highschool a decade ago. cool to see ur still going

[@bonanza27]

speak on it comrade eagle 🙌❤️‍🔥🦅

[@Old_Crookedhats]

Caught the second half on twitch, glad to catch the first half here. Was reflecting on your words all day. Thanks Mike

[@SatanSupimpa]

Nobody around this man has the benefit to act surprised now that it got too mainstream to pretend it isn't happening.

[@brvalentine1]

The only thing about Kendrick Lamar is he’s also included in this capitalist hip hop system. Also, you got the Super Bowl commercials and now Super Bowl performance, pending. Also people kind of completely overlook the fact that a battle between two so-called MC‘s is being celebrated with a victory concert sponsored by Amazon. It’s just so wild to me.

[@Bob-fj7lr]

Kendrick Lamar is a gift to white people because his music will hype people up but it won't make people get up and do the extreme actions necessary to change things. Someone like Pac or Malcolm X or MLK was a threat, Kendrick speaks on this stuff but says he isnt conscious and takes the money. And it's like just Dot. He mentions The Chronic here and there's just so much capitalistic fuel from there.

[@biosfearmag]

Glad you posted this to KZbin so quickly. I had to take my dogs out during the Twitch stream. Well put Mike.

[@achronos178]

What Diddy is doing is not part of his "Sexuality" abuse is not a sexuality. It's a behavior.

[@palooski227]

it’s bc it was gay and and men were violated that the general public began to care. women and fems alike are violated and silenced sooooo often so once it happens to men who are particularly masculine, who normally dictate how these conversations go, that’s what garners the attention.

[@onemorescout]

??? Why do you think the Drake beef got as big as it did? A big part of that beef before Kendrick dropped Meet The Grahams was Drake's treatment of women, both adults and underage.

[@CharlieTooHuman]

@@onemorescoutonly was taken more seriously until another powerful man called it out. Women are often silenced or not taken seriously when it comes to calling out these kind of behaviors.

[@StudioScarecrow]

male victims of sexual assault are a punchline to a lot of people, i think the fact that the gayness got people’s attention is true but it’s not because they care about male victims, it’s because they don’t like gay people. The gayness offends them more than the rape.

[@silentghost112]

This… just doesn’t seem true to me. You don’t think it was Cassie that opened the floodgates? Look at how people tend to respond to men who are victims. NO ONE takes men who are victims of sexual violence seriously. I know because I am a victim of sexual violence.

[@silentghost112]

@@CharlieTooHumando you not see how folks treat victims who are men? Look at how 50 and many others responded to Michael Rainey Jr. What are you talking about?

[@FlameForgedSoul]

Power doesn't change people, it _reveals_ them. NWA was a Boy Band. "People have been trying to have these conversations" "Shame about sexuality." Shame? or Fear? Because to Our knowledge the rampant homophobia (and misogyny) in Hip Hop/Rap (and Black Culture in general) is rarely, if ever addressed. Not even during the Halcyon days of Socially Conscious Rap.

[@Mr_DPZ]

"Georgie Porgie"

[@grizzfan018]

Nothing will make people listen man, the last few years cemented that for me.

[@Talentedtadpole]

@@grizzfan018 We cannot give in or stop hoping.

[@reedtheroom9580]

@@Talentedtadpoleamen. Its always gonna be a uphill battle but it's still worth fighting

[@Talentedtadpole]

@@reedtheroom9580 Aye 🌞

[@grizzfan018]

@@Talentedtadpole who said anything about that?

[@ghostof1898]

This is a much larger world issue than you might realize man. Whooe heartedly agree with everything you saying tho. In sooooooooo many ways.

[@witchersmojo229]

Eminem: "the day you put out a hit's the day Diddy admits That he put the hit out that got Pac killed"

[@jomo3255]

on point 👌🏼

[@brekkoh]

eminem also on epsteins flight logs, so

[@witchersmojo229]

@@brekkoh this line is not about epstein.

[@Naistov]

And that was recent. I think back to Wendy Williams😬

[@jomo3255]

@@brekkoh what does this mean in your opinion? i'm curious.

[@artosbear]

It takes fighting and endless people being driven into the margins by people refusing to listen, screaming over and over and over and over by countless people, and thousands of hours, tens of thousands, years and years and years of long hours of thankless hard work to get people to listen

[@limitisillusion7]

"Thankless hard work" is the most important takeaway. People who expect immediate rewards or even immediate punishments don't understand how karma works. There's kind of a collective accounting of good and bad will throughout humanity -- a collective accounting of karma. When you spread good or bad will, there's no guarantee it will come back on you specifically, but it will come back on collective humanity in the long-term. This makes it easy to justify greed, because one might never experience the fruits of their own generosity.

[@Guch_Mane]

Im longing for the day louis v, gucci, etc. all fall apart because somebody makes it lame and unoriginal. I don’t believe that where we’re at is the new permanent vision of hip hop.

[@Barry_Tone]

fr these are the hair metal days of hip hop

[@lilygirllisa]

The only reason why the black (male) community "canceled" him is bc he also SA'd men as well.

[@lebrun9383]

Really resonated with me here, especially protecting the vulnerable from ppl in power. Thank you Mike Eagle

[@nezball]

been a while, good to see youre doing well. just subbed and enjoying the content

[@HussleAndAgitate]

We need a stop diddy act. We need to comdify this attention to further regulate this industry

[@wasnyder716]

Man. This is a really good analysis. I've always felt that rap/hip-hop had two factions as well. There was always a punk rock vibe with the anti-establishment messaging (public enemy, etc.), and an arena rock vibe which upheld the idea of a capitalistic excessiveness. Rock had their dialectic in the 80's and Rap had its time in the 90's. When it comes to music generally, I like music with balance. I tend to favor artists and bands with mixed elements. For some reason, it feels cutting edge to me. It usually boils down to having and arena sound with punk lyricism. A good rock example of this is the band IDLES. Their "post-punk" sound steals the heavy arena rock noise and gives it lyrics that undermines the extravagance of capitalistic institutions that make it sound awesome in the first place. It's pretty wild. When it comes to the examples you've used in Kendrick and J. Cole, I think they've sort of done something similar. It feels wrong to call their music "post-rap" or whatever, but I also feel like they've created a sub-genre within hip-hop that uses mass appeal sound to deliver a more or less conscious message to their audience. Sorry for the ramble, but I think you're 100% right and just wanted to share my own thoughts a little bit. Great stuff and thank you.

[@MariW736]

Beginning to end: 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@paulbrown3rd531]

Excellent conversation. Salute, Open Mike Eagle.

[@orion718]

Open Mike Eagle, you're one of my heroes. Very well put.

[@onetrueceyton]

What an incredible breakdown and analysis without resorting to tired tropes. You got it, Right on!

[@malaikajules]

This is the conversation i've been looking for. Thank you.

[@isweatfitness]

This point of view was new and so intuitive. Thank you for this perspective

[@Don.M.]

You know what it takes. THEY have to approve it first.

[@open_mike_eagle]

I don't believe that

[@nolongerinvolved]

I was just venting to my friend about all of this. Cool to see many people feeling these perspectives

[@tjkrueger2655]

You're right about Public Enemy, etc. Looking back on it, record companies didn't know what to do with Jeru, KRS, PE, Black Sheep, even Tribe and De La. So they pulled the rug out and backed the artists that were the exact opposite. Hip hop never recovered, people forget there are powerful people with their thumbs on the scales

[@nucents]

I immediately think of 'What They Do' by The Roots

[@DiaryofaDitchWitch]

Soooo many good points in this video, thank you.

[@RedlinePostal]

I had no idea you had a KZbin channel - Brick Body Kids Still Daydream is one of the greatest albums of all time you’re so amazing

[@shmackydoo]

Probably the most important video I've seen on this topic. Well said

[@chrisbarnes1]

It’s a cold evil world. Morality, discipline, social accountability, social responsibility, sticking up for your beliefs, and justice are all important. But neglected. Entertainment is going from bad to worse, and people cannot think for themselves.

[@EricKoonitsky-s1d]

I think some of the critiques you applied to the pro-gatekeeping position apply here, particularly the one about power dynamics. The powerless have a hard road trying to convince the powerful to protect the powerless from the powerful. But, yes, we should build power for the currently powerless to wield.

[@Altemore]

damn man, well said. thanks for this one in particular, Mike

[@finallyanime]

Proof. That’s what it takes.

[@Bartholomule01]

The economy is so dire and the powers that be preach such divisivness that it results in a lack of empathy. People aren't nessesarily money hungry and willing to stomp anyone in their way to make more, but they are poor and see very few ways to just struggle a little less and turn on their neighbors to make the smallest buck more than they were before. Props to F.D. Signfier for directing to this video, loved your music a long time but haven't sewn vids like this!

[@obrey__]

Honestly why is j cole mentioned as a cultural or capitalistic critic at all? I feel like he usually dodges taking a stance on many issues. In fact, his song “snow on the bluff” made it pretty clear that he didn’t want to comment on systemic issues and he was mad at noname for even asking him to talk about it

[@BurbCurb]

You’re so important, man. Thank you for this.

[@BurbCurb]

Thank you for helping break down a lot of this as well

[@BlakaveliX]

Yoo Open Mike I used to bump yo music in high school I didn't know you doing commentary. Subscribed!

[@brvalentine1]

I’m only halfway done, but I just had to comment. This is the type of conversation that needs to be had even though it’s almost too late. If we use the metaphor of the Titanic, we are already hit the iceberg and we’re already sinking. Also birthed out of all of this is People like Chuck D who’s not as radical as he used to be. Most people chalk that up to age, but once the establishment started letting hip-hop be a part of things it was hard to be radical after that.

[@sarahmcdonald6980]

Art that asks you to look or think isn’t profitable, entertainment that numbs you is 😭 thanks for such a great video, this is where my brain wants to live

[@BmoreAkuma]

11:27 - 12:18 Speaking on "stock broker". For some of my fellow 40 somethings, do yall remember Boiler Room? A film about 20 somethings working in a pump and dump brokerage firm. Throughout the film, you would hear Hip Hop lyrics from the likes of Biggie, Beanie, Slick Rick etc.

[@slipknot95maggot]

"Keep rap homely" - Aesop Rock

[@nickl6373]

im scared to even write im scared lol

[@ChristopherLecky-e5x]

As soon as it got commercialized it was over.

[@NineDeadlyVenoms]

since 1979? So forever then

[@chrxstt]

why did i not know open mike eagle had a youtube channel until rn

[@jamesross2279]

Algorithm started working correctly

[@GoldenPickaxe]

I really thought everyone knew about Diddy

[@TexasIsACountry]

Hey OME, been on you and DFD since I was a teenager. I don’t think people give a fuck about the punk nature of hip-hop. The I-got-something-to-say rap isn’t needed because nobody got time to think about nuances. The mental work and attention span needed to have a nuanced conversation about society is in short supply. Consuming (Greed, Power, Status, Consumption) sells and is tangible, I’m not saying reject the world and be a monk, but I’m surprised we’re doing this well at getting along. We have a culture war. I see people who look like me picking our food for low pay and half of our politicians are running on a program of hatred towards Latinos. Zero room for nuance, cater to the lowest. Now we enter danger territory. Stay blessed and keep thinking Unc.

[@Nthn2leeMvc]

If there's anyone that can talk about (without the hysterics) is mike. Cos while all this is fine and dandy. This is why even us Californians is scared of L.A and big wig culture. Cos this stuff has been around since i was a baby.

[@ainmeile]

"Do you know why Dre's record was so successful? He's rapping about big screen TVs, blunts, 40s and bitches."

[@bumcho8059]

as dark as these times are, I am hopeful the culture can change bringing new voices beyond the constraints of our system and those powers that prefer us to be divided and powerless in the face greed

[@swingAE86]

Not a global pandemic it turns out 😔

[@emotionhealing6110]

Mockery > acknowledgment > acceptance > change I learned about this step by step concept of change from a retired vegan activist, Gary Yourofsky ✨(check em out) I feel that we are between the stages of mockery and acknowledgment and some of us accept the reality we live in but very few have the intent and awareness needed to help change our reality to something better. I strongly agree that we as a society need to have a serious and honest conversation about our consideration and care towards empathizing with one another

[@thedraw9681]

If you aren't willing to talk about bambatta, then Diddy Drake et al. don't matter.

[@liuchaquan]

Yuuup! And unfortunately​, my (former) G.O.A.T, KRS-ONE just kept doubling down on defending him, saying he was above scrutiny 🤦🏻 fuuuck no! Not when it comes to children! That's when I was done with looking up to any artist or personality.

[@ogbmt]

​​@@liuchaquan I remember his comments being so crazy at the time. He was in an interview making the point that Trump and Hillary were both accused of terrible things but were both still respected leaders who were both running for president at the time, and so hip hop's leaders should still be respected as such regardless of any terrible things they might have done. Aside from the validity of the accusations against either of them, his point was that hip hop should ignore the terrible things that it's leaders have done...on the basis that other societies also let their leaders get away with terrible things. I couldn't understand why anyone in his position would say such a thing - he literally had the power to say whether or not hip hop would hold itself to a higher standard or not, and he just said "no let's do what they do".

[@thedraw9681]

@ogbmt Are we all getting tired of the lesser of two evils concept. Just maybe people can take "Culture" back from being a commodity.

[@andrewyaspan9934]

Not a rant, a lecture

[@GrayCatbird1]

Theres so much truth and insight in what you’re saying here. Its crazy to realize we acting as though power abuse is an exception when it’s systemic

[@vibesandstuff76]

I have a question, as both a life long hip hop head and as a therapist: Is there a platform or a way, we can start to work together as a community to provide safe places to have these conversations?

[@deedeethedog05]

It shouldn't be surprising. Everyone forgot Kobe is a rapist and now he's back to being everyone's hero like nothing happened. Hero worship is a funny thing.

[@Talentedtadpole]

Forgot. Hmmm. Accepted is the word. Didn't care. Became complicit in doing so.

[@ogbmt]

I don't see really any people just not caring about the Kobe situation among people who talk hoops. A lot of people straight up don't believe it, but I don't think I've ever come across anyone who believes the allegations were true but doesn't care. A little bit of that does seem to happen with Karl Malone though.

[@deedeethedog05]

@ogbmt it don't even come up in conversation though. Take Ray Lewis or Aaron Hernandez for example. If you mention either of them, one of the first things someone is going to say is "oh yeah, didn't he kill a guy?" You don't separate those two from the terrible things they did. That isn't the case with kobe. When he gets mentioned, you never hear someone say "oh yeah, didn't he rape that girl and then leak her name to the press so she got death threats and had to refuse to testify?" It don't come up. Because hero worship sucks.

[@Talentedtadpole]

@@ogbmt Men don't believe women and rape is prevalent. The reality is grim. The math doesn't math. I do not believe that these ppl care, they are deluding themselves. It is very rare for a man not to be complicit. These are the hard facts. Men must sort themselves and each other out, it is nobody elses responsibility. Period.

[@Talentedtadpole]

@@deedeethedog05 Truth.

[@Itsadoubleentendre]

“I know some shit about your heroes that you wouldn’t believe”

[@Ryan-ly3ix]

I've been having these same thoughts about hip hop since the 90s. It's a relief to hear someone with a platform talking about it. Hip hop is a very complicated culture, and honestly the culture is ideologically inconsistent. Obviously there is still rap music that is anti establishment, you just have to find the right artists. But it would be incredible if that ethos was the driving force of the culture.

[@freshporkbun]

its crazy to me that anyone can think hip hop is anywhere close to being over. hip hop is so much bigger than these abusive garbage people. hip hop is so much more than any group of people.

[@bennyhall6348]

Damn bro, protect OME at all costs. I saw you at Livewire in Portland 2018/2019 and you were so dope, but you really a voice the culture needs right now. Didn't think you'd bring me to tears this morning homie but you did. That rage is so real, and most of the time it just simmers, sitting precariously under the surface... "Why did one straw break the camels back? Here's the secret, the million other straws underneath it."- Mighty Mos Def/Yasiin Bey

[@Inrxz]

getting people to listen requires appealing to their sensibilities

[@nichm7318]

Not much to say while the conversation ain't happening. But this was a great segment, Mike. Hoping that people stop drowning themselves in the rest so this can be voiced and heard.

[@Talentedtadpole]

Yeah. Watched the rise of neoliberalism destroy creative sectors and social structures starting up in the 80s, kicking up a gear in the 90s.

[@JoeFrankFilms]

Good stuff on the definition of rap music and how that’s worked out vs hip hop in its entirety and its balance that’s been skewed.

[@zacdarvish1]

This is excellent, thank you

[@CyrusIsnt]

The shit was in music video 😂 it was rapped about in movies. Its literally apart of culture. Idk why people were shocked this happen. The only crazy part 1k baby oil 0 condoms 😂

[@crnkmnky]

@@CyrusIsnt Petroleum-based products are not compatible with latex rubbers. _If_ that oil was indeed used for the… _primary freaking,_ then it was likely used without protection.

[@shox1010]

We have NO EMPATHY in our society.

[@witchersmojo229]

that's sad.

[@ImpendingRiot83]

It’s been trained out of us through a constant psychological bombardment of endless horrors from horrific events like school shootings and all sorts of other terrible tragedies that we’ve basically been prevented entirely from doing anything about in any meaningful way, since any legitimate popular representation or any sort of benevolent political will has been completely eradicated from our society by the people who benefit from everything being this way long ago.

[@jomo3255]

@@ImpendingRiot83 don't be a victim of your environment - just meditate.

[@ImpendingRiot83]

@@jomo3255 Airhead thought right there, anybody who liked it is a clown. 😂 Yeah dude, it’ll save everyone, just get LITERALLY EVERY PERSON in the country to meditate and we’ll fix everything. Good job.

[@ImpendingRiot83]

@@jomo3255 Like I bet all those kids wouldn’t have gotten shot, all those people wouldn’t have died of covid, all those wars would never have started even though Buddhist states have literally used the “just war” argument exactly like the Christians who started the illegal “War on Terror”, etc. New age bullshit is so tiresome. Talk about useless.

[@Steinkonig-yz6xc]

Quick note I dont think power changes people as much as those who seek it usually have underhanded motives and aren't straightforward during their persuit of power, good video, crazy whats going on

[@IMNAMLSS]

I didn't know u make videos, i watch ur kinda neat performances on repeat

[@chasewolf]

104%

[@ruairi_]

man, you hit the nail on the head