Here's a quote from another "Korner" where he is arguing for free speech in one sentence and then arguing against 50 cent saying what he says in the next.
"First of all, there were some people who objected to my use of profanity. Maybe I shouldn't have used it in the title. I'm sorry, but almost all of my favorite comedians use a ton of profanity and nobody seems to care when they do it! Perhaps if my job description were "jazz/classical pianist/comedian" no one would have even noticed. I really do not feel a need to censor my speech. This is still America, isn't it? (Oops! I forgot! Dubya- or should I say Dumbya - is still in power! This isn't America anymore!) Anyway, even though I really don't want to, I will yield to the Almighty God of Political Correctness and keep it clean. Why can Chris Rock use all the foul language he wants to when he rants about something, yet some people tell me that I should tone it down? I guess when you're rich and famous you can say whatever the **** you want and nobody gives a ****!
There were also a few people who were bugged because they thought that I was advocating shooting 50Cent and Eminem and wishing for their death. There's a little thing called satire. Some of you may have heard of it. I was only making a joke. I repeat: I WAS ONLY MAKING A JOKE!!!!! I happen to have a really sick sense of humor and I feel no need to apologize for it. So just shoot me! Hey! I just advocated shooting me! I really need to respond to myself for saying that!(If you thought that what I said was sick or over the top,maybe you should watch South Park sometime. Nuff said!)
Lastly, there was one comment that suggested that I was only mad at 50Cent because I was jealous and envious of his money. Whoever said this is a pinhead! Come on,be honest! Who wouldn't want to have that kind of money? Why do people spend so much money on lottery tickets? I'm mad as hell at 50Cent because of his negative influence on our society and our youth. I couldn't care less about having his houses, his cars , or his groupies. (Wait a minute! Okay! He can send some of the groupies over!)"
First, I think it's clear that he IS bitter about being a struggling musician when people who he thinks are talent-less are rich and famous.
Second, if his defense for his own words is free speech, that defense should also apply to 50 cent and to anyone else. I'm not using the free speech argument as a default here. People who censor themselves and don't mind being censored can advocate censorship all they want for all I care. As long as they don't legislate it.
I don't like 50 cent, but he can say what he wants. My favorite genre of music is jazz by far. By a long, long margin. But one of my favorite things about music is that it allows for constant interaction between genres. For example. The idea that Charlie Christian is a musical hero for just about any guitarist who has ever heard him is a great thing to me. When I imagine a guitarist for a white-supremacist band saying to one of his bandmates in confidence: "boy, that Charlie Christian could really burn on the guitar!" it makes me think there is good in the world and that good can come from music. I KNOW there must be at least one bigot in the world who has had his/her prejudice softened or eliminated because of a great musician (whatever race or creed). It isn't a white-black issue (I am referring to Drew's article here). It is a musical open-ness issue. When people don't give music (any kind of music) a chance, it kills it.
I'm not saying that people are not entitled to their opinions. That's not what I am saying at all. For example, I think Kenny G is a disgrace, and Rod Steward singing jazz standards makes me want to puke. I also really dislike Wynton Marsalis because I think he is a pedantic ass.
I'm saying that good music is good music and I'm not sure how or why someone would completely write off an entire GENRE of music.
This argument is getting a little tiresome. I want to be clear for my own peace of mind. I don't assume people who hate rap/hip hop are racist. I don't assume it is a cultural aversion or has anything to do with the content. To be honest, hatred and negativity is not the first thing I expect from people. Especially when it comes to music. So I am kind of caught off guard by the vocal dislike of rap music demonstrated here.
I wonder if it isn't a different issue that is being discussed. It seems like "Pop" music is the big culprit, rather than an entire genre. I don't have much of an answer for that. The lowest common denominator is generally lacking in artistic merit. But sometimes the good stuff is good to a lot of people.
I don't know. Who cares? I'm going to go listen to New Order, followed by Tony Rice, followed by John Coltrane, followed by Bjork, followed by Wagner, followed by The Gza.