*mimi* Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 (edited) By RYAN PEARSON, Associated Press Writer 9 minutes ago LOS ANGELES - Will Smith has one big introduction to make at Tuesday night's BET Awards: Gangster rappers, meet the rest of the world. Smith told The Associated Press he hopes to impress the global significance of U.S. black culture on the show's audience and artists. ADVERTISEMENT "The kids that are making these trends, making these songs, don't understand the level of effect that black Americans have around the world," he said in an interview. " ... Black Americans are so elevated, it's almost worship." Smith, co-host of the show (8 p.m. EDT) at Hollywood's Kodak Theater with wife Jada Pinkett-Smith, said he witnessed the phenomenon recently while in Africa. Touring a village in Mozambique, he came across a shack on which someone had scrawled the name of slain rapper Tupac Shakur. "I was asking the kids: What is it about Tupac? Why is that there? I kept asking why. They were saying we want to dress like you dress, wear all the things you wear, talk how you talk." "The impression is that black Americans are the dragon slayers. Here we are 13 percent minority in a foreign land, and yet we can make laws, change laws. If Jesse Jackson shows up at Coca-Cola, something changes." Smith, who won the first rap Grammy in 1989 for his squeaky-clean "Parents Just Don't Understand," said he wants hip-hop artists to recognize their importance and shift away from thuggish themes. "It's real important to have balance of the imagery. Yes, there are people who fire guns in the street, but there's also doctors who go to work in those areas to feed their children." The gangster lifestyle is celebrated in black communities for its strength, Smith said. "That's the image of survivors. The dude that sells the drugs or has the guns or is most willing to kill somebody is the dude that has the greatest potential for survival, or at least that's the perception. So that's what people strive for. "What I'm trying to present and what a lot of other artists are presenting is a different approach to survival and a more sound approach to survival. It's a more long-term approach based on intellect and skills that can't be taken away from you: The smartest dude survives the best." Smith picks out Common and Mos Def as other artists "that really have something to say that don't necessarily fit on the `106th & Park' top 10." Now more well-known as a movie star ("Men in Black," "Bad Boys," "Independence Day") than rapper, the 36-year-old Smith maintains on his latest album "Lost And Found" that his nice guy image has worked against him. "Black radio, they won't play me though," he raps in one song. "Guess they think that Will ain't hard enough. Maybe I should just have a shootout ... just ignorant, attacking, acting rough. I mean then, will I be black enough?" Though his current single "Switch" is a top 40 hit, the man once known as the Fresh Prince said he no longer worries about album sales. "I'm an entertainer. I make it and close my eyes," he said. "Sometimes it sells 14 million, sometimes it sells 300,000. For me it's about just doing what I do, and hoping that my artistry makes a difference." Edited June 27, 2005 by *mimi* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fresh_from_sofia Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 thanks *mimi* that was dope, all , :thumbsup2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerkot Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Wills a wise guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigted Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Thanks for posting that mimi, Will gives some great advice, I wish more peeps would pay more attention to the knowledge he gives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesSyde Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Bravo Will! Bravo Will! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Typhoon20 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Now i'm more excited for the BET show, he is going to do something special but what...:) Is it possible for will to perform (if he does) lost & found or tell me why ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny 5 Posted June 27, 2005 Report Share Posted June 27, 2005 Thanks very much for that Mimi, I think this has been coming for quite a few years now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxFly Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Very good read. Will made a few intelligent and highly eloquent statements. Thanks for posting mimi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Hero1 Posted June 28, 2005 Admin Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 great article! loves his comments about the album sales! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lerkot Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 great article! loves his comments about the album sales! ← Yeah and you saw he said some albums sell 14 millions? Big Willie Style have kept selling since 12 mils were revealed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Amor Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Thanx mimi. That was a great interview. Will made sum awsome points. And it seems like ppl are hearing his words and understanding what he is trying 2 say. :2thumbs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scyhigh99 Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 When I saw this on Yahoo news earlier in the day, I thought I'd post it here, but you had already beaten me to the punch. SOMEday I'll contribute SOMEthing to this board... but ANYways, in the meantime, thanks for the article, Mimi! :2thumbs: Some good quotes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan 4ever Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Thanx 4 posting! Tonight is the night y'all...the BET Awards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fan 4ever Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Here is more about this! Found it on HipHopDx.com ____________________________________________________ Will Smith vs Negativity Tuesday - June 28, 2005 Verbal Walker Will Smith will take his squeaky clean act to center stage with his co-host and wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Tuesday night to host the BET Awards. But according to the Associated Press, Big Willie plans to make a statement about the importance and impact of hip-hop culture on the rest of the world. "The kids that are making these trends, making these songs, don't understand the level of effect that black Americans have around the world," he said in an interview." ... Black Americans are so elevated, it's almost worship." Will says he wants hip-hop hip-hop artists to recognize their importance and shift away from thuggish themes. "It's real important to have balance of the imagery. Yes, there are people who fire guns in the street, but there's also doctors who go to work in those areas to feed their children." “The gangster lifestyle is celebrated in black communities for its strength,” Smith said. "That's the image of survivors. The dude that sells the drugs or has the guns or is most willing to kill somebody is the dude that has the greatest potential for survival, or at least that's the perception. So that's what people strive for.” "What I'm trying to present and what a lot of other artists are presenting is a different approach to survival and a more sound approach to survival. It's a more long-term approach based on intellect and skills that can't be taken away from you: The smartest dude survives the best." But will Will follow through with his plan in front of the many that adore hip-hop’s current state while hosting the awards show held by the very station that embraces it? We all hope so. SOURCE: HipHopDX.COM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Julie Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 thanx! Will talks a lot of sence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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