>you're arguing against points that were never <BR>>really made<P>I wasn't trying to argue any points I was adding some more to the stew because of the comments that were made at the end of the post I directly responded too. I.E. the bandwagon effect might not neccessarily apply to the Roots but they're is a huge history of that occuring and let's not underestimate that. That's all I was saying. <P>phil originally took offense <BR>>to the wording but the point <BR>>WAS that white folks are responsible <BR>>for who the roots are right <BR>>now (as far as paying bills) <BR>>no one has a problem with <BR>>that in other words the original <BR>>question posed was asking whether white <BR>>folks are sustaining their career (the <BR>>answer is yes) <P>I beg that white folks be careful with this whole assesment of "sustaining The Roots Career" . It's unbelievably simplistic ( I know this is a discussion board, not your thesis so you didn't clarify each and everything). As everyone knows, in order for rap albums to go platinum white kidz must buy them (with the rare exception of the Lukes, Master Ps, and Too Shorts of the world, who can go gold/platinum in their own state.) That support is definitely needed. BUT when I'm at the Fever uptown, or at the now defunct Club Sensations in Newark, or at the Lyricist lounges in NYC, or at some of the shows I saw in the midwest, the kidz (white) that might be going out buying the albums weren't neccessarily the ones troopin to the shows. At every Roots show I've been to in NYC (5), white folks have always been well represented but they have been far outnumbered by black folks and NYC is arguably one of the most integrated cities in the country. <BR>White folks definitely support the Roots and Common and BlackStar, but don't get it twisted.<P>that stemmed from <BR>>a comment about white folks and <BR>>whether they're the majority rap/hip hop <BR>>consumer audience which they/you are about <BR>>70% statistically that's all... word it <BR>>differently if you want but the <BR>>whole "hip" thing is nitpicking yet... <BR>>trust me without you guys, jazz <BR>>artists would be on the corner <BR>>right now. and you didn't always <BR>>"dig" it or find it "hip" <BR>>once you did we began dealing <BR>>with the episode from the intro <BR>>to TFA. period. peace/love <P>I'm completely lost here because I have no idea who "you" and "they" are. Me, I'm black. So I don't know if that clears up any of my thoughts (probably not><P>"Okayplayer like Stress!" - Black Thought<P>"Young, gifted and black. We must begin to tell our young.<BR>There's a world waiting for you. This is a ?uest that's just begun.<BR>When you feel really low. Yeah, there's a great truth you should know.<BR>When you're young, gifted and black. Your soul's intact!" - N.Simone/W. Irvine<P>