“They are perceived as lazy. Everybody wants to be a rap star or an athlete. No responsibility, illegitimate babies. This is the way that a lot of society sees our young black men.” (Candace Brown, Commander, Junior Marines) Like every stereotype, the one of young black men is biased, discriminatory, unfair, and untrue. But like every stereotype, it affects our thoughts, our relationships, and our feelings about young African American men. This stereotype, although it has undoubtedly existed for generations, is unfairly supported and encouraged by today’s pop culture. Rapper MC Ant was shot to death in 1999 at age 35. Matthew Roberts of Blaggers I.T.A. died in 2000 of a drug overdose. Rapper Cameron Giles was quoted just last year leaving the Howard University Hospital, “I got shot three times and my album comes out November 22.” From the window of my white, suburban atmosphere, these are the only young black men I see. The self degrading, sexist, racist lyrics are all that I know of African American youth. I know it’s not true, and it doesn’t represent a culture or a race. I know it’s just a stereotype. And I’m looking for a counter example, for a more realistic perception. But in today’s pop culture, I simply can’t find one.
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“They are perceived as lazy. Everybody wants to be a rap star or an athlete. No responsibility, illegitimate babies. This is the way that a lot of society sees our young black men.” (Candace Brown, Commander, Junior Marines)
Like every stereotype, the one of young black men is biased, discriminatory, unfair, and untrue. But like every stereotype, it affects our thoughts, our relationships, and our feelings about young African American men. This stereotype, although it has undoubtedly existed for generations, is unfairly supported and encouraged by today’s pop culture.
Rapper MC Ant was shot to death in 1999 at age 35. Matthew Roberts of Blaggers I.T.A. died in 2000 of a drug overdose. Rapper Cameron Giles was quoted just last year leaving the Howard University Hospital, “I got shot three times and my album comes out November 22.”
From the window of my white, suburban atmosphere, these are the only young black men I see. The self degrading, sexist, racist lyrics are all that I know of African American youth. I know it’s not true, and it doesn’t represent a culture or a race. I know it’s just a stereotype. And I’m looking for a counter example, for a more realistic perception. But in today’s pop culture, I simply can’t find one.
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