Hip Hop versus America was one of the most appalling displays of black minds that I have seen in quiet some time. Hosted by Cousin Jeff, one of the most innovative minds in media today, BET premiered a special panel discussion entitled, “Hip Hop versus America,” yesterday, September 30, 2007.

On this panel discussion rappers Nelly and T.I., writers Michael Eric Dyson, Nelson George, Stanley Crouch, and Kim Osorio, and one former video vixen discussed Hip Hop and the effects it has had on the community of America.

I for one was disappointed. Not with one particular issue discussed, but with the entire show. Firstly, why would the panel consist of such a limited knowledge base? Hip Hop is a result of artist making the various “arts,” corporate America manufacturing and selling these “arts”, and society buying them.

There should have been someone representing each sector of the Hip Hop ladder. Better yet, any intelligent opinion, other than Michael Eric Dyson’s who tends to speak over the average persons head, would have been appreciated. I feel that the writers were in many ways intimidated by Nelly and T.I.’s vigor, vigor that was very ignorant and misguided.

“Crime is as American as apple pie,” one of the panelist argued. He could not understand why Hip Hop’s negativity is not expected since America’s is. I would have loved to clear up his confusion with a simple saying I was taught at a very young age, “just because someone else does something, doesn’t make it right.”

Why did that man think that because “crime is American,” that makes it o.k. to rap about. Racism is American, drug addiction is American, slavery was American (and still is in an institutionalized way) and so I suppose all of those things are validated by the fact that they are “American.”

But none of the happenings I just discussed even touched one “ign’ant-behinded” comment that Nelly made. When asked about the degradation of women in the media Nelly stated that there is nothing wrong with being a video vixen or using your body, as long as the opportunity is used to better yourself. Geesh, why didn’t I think of that. I have a corporation I just started and I wasn’t sure how I was going to get the money.

Now I think I’ll just start stripping at Sugar Bears, yeah, that ought to get the ball rolling. Who cares about self respect? Who cares about self worth? Who cares that video vixens, and XXX models, and strippers, and prostitutes are constantly reduced to whatever someone is willing to pay for their services? Who cares that these women are not regarded as anything more than… a service? It doesn’t matter, as long as she uses the opportunity to better herself.

Hey girls, shake a breast or two, do a split on stage for a dollar, drop it down low and let them see you get loose, that’s what your body was made for anyways right? God, made your body so that you could “better yourself” by servicing others with it. I don’t know if my sarcasm is saturating this page or not, but I’ll leave everyone with this one thought.

Karrine Steffans the “video vixen” talked explicitly in her book about all the ways that she tried to “better herself.” She, just as Nelly talked about, only wanted a life that she didn’t know how to reach, without being a service. She struggled, cried, was beaten, and somehow got up and bettered herself over and over again.

She is so much “better” that for the rest of her life, she’ll be regarded as the SUPER-HEAD! I for one will settle for TaNisha Shavonne Fordham, without any bettering… Thank you. What you’d like to be known as, you have to decide.

• T. Shavonne Fordham