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Forum nameOkay Artist Archives
Topic subjectfirst of all...
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=19&topic_id=5685&mesg_id=5694
5694, first of all...
Posted by rubberbaby_ed1, Wed Dec-17-03 11:26 AM
...because I think this matters here:

I'm turkish, living in switzerland, so I'm white.
I try to be black in the meaning of being able to clap on the 2 and the 4 intuitionally.

I'm impressed by black people. First group that made me listen to hip hop, Arrested Development, made me think I'm black - "Mr. Landlord step off my yard!" was the first verse I knew.

James Brown got me. Parliament kills me. Bill Withers, Prince, ... add all of them ... shit so many.

I don't know what gave me so much respect for your culture. All the Muhammad Ali bios (not only "when we were kings")?

I think what impresses me is the emotions, the soul, the *P* - the funk. I sang european church music from the age of 7 to 13 ... It impresses me so much, I'm living for it.

BUT: Speech was maybe the best introduction to your culture. Things like:"you acting as if black is a warranty for talent" made me think about black people from different point of views.

Now, ten years later i have to admit: There is no such thing as "the black human". There are so many different people, it's as useless to think of a definition for blacks as for whites.

MY black man is soulful AND intelligent. This fits as well with Bill Cosby as with Prince.

But there is also the dull one being black, the racist being black, the on the 1 and the 3 clapping being black.

It's useless to give your culture attitudes that fits with every black. But then it's also not true that all of you stop just before the finish line (as many say).

You're individuals. Each and everyone different. As white people are.

I like your song. soulful and intelligent.