>>>>i think that commerical culture is huge and it didnt used to be in black culture. it has to do with some increasing affluence, but that cant be the only thing can it? what do you all think?

Mosdef. I don't want to think to simplistic but I think Harold cruse in Crisis of the Negro intellectual is becoming more and more like a prophet with his analysis. You've had more of a integrationist mentality for the past 150 years atleast. So if people want to be included and the corporate vultures are fusing hip hop into everything and controlling it the popular culture is only adding fire to the delusion of integration.

>>>plus, history is decreasingly important to black folks, they are getting the same short term memories as white where 30 minutes ago might as well be 30 years and the events of neither period are significantly valued. Commercialism as a stand in for culture has an immense deal to do with this too I think.

Man history is key, if these wanna be artist knew about Paul Robeson and what he went through, how cats couldn't even go into the Cotton Club... how the Harlem Renassiance was Uppity negroes saying "hey massa look at me" then we wouldn't keep doing the same stuff over and over again.