So the league's running away from Hip hop culture.....Um, ok

It's just humorous how the NBA jumped on Hiphop hard when it needed to boost it's sales. They used it to help market the league and make $$$ off of it. But it seems like David Stern and his cronies are running as far away as possible from hiphop. Is that right?

 

Yeah, as I can see. If you're a thug, you just have to change yourself. :S

 

<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">It's just humorous how the NBA jumped on Hiphop hard when it needed to boost it's sales. They used it to help market the league and make $$$ off of it. But it seems like David Stern and his cronies are running as far away as possible from hiphop. Is that right?</div>

Why is it unfathomable to you that these men who makes millions of dollars playing a game can't come in and dress nice, even casually, for an hour or two, before a game that will make them thousands in a few hours? Everybody else with a job has to dress a certain way.

Of course they're trying to get away from that "thug" culture, with Allen Iverson and his guns, Ron Artest and his everything, Carmelo Anthony and his endorsement of murdering police cooperators. Why don't you stop looking for persecution where it doesn't exist, and contemplate the practicality of these things?

Don't you understand that behavior like Stephen Jackson's, Ron Artest's, Carmelo Anthony's, reinforces stereotypes? It's detrimental to way more than the league.

Basketball has always been a place for people to rise up and overcome their environment, not a place for them to continue it and endorse it. Especially after Carmelo Anthony's disgraceful act the other night, you should be able to understand this.

 

People who listen to hip hop and appreciate the culture dont have to be thugs. If theres any genre thats associated with basketball its most definitely hip hop. This whole idea of playing nickleback or some b.s. like that during highlights or pregame/postgame just so some traditional american valued family in the midwest will feel more comfortable watching it is watering down the experience for the sports biggest market. Basketball can never be anything but hip hop, doing anything to try and change the culture that its associated with just goes to show how out of touch david stern and his buddies are with the sport.

 

<div class="quote_poster">GiantMidget Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">People who listen to hip hop and appreciate the culture dont have to be thugs. If theres any genre thats associated with basketball its most definitely hip hop. This whole idea of playing nickleback or some b.s. like that during highlights or pregame/postgame just so some traditional american valued family in the midwest will feel more comfortable watching it is watering down the experience for the sports biggest market. Basketball can never be anything but hip hop, doing anything to try and change the culture that its associated with just goes to show how out of touch david stern and his buddies are with the sport.</div>Oh yes. Without hip-hop, we will soon see only guys like Dirk making highligths and playing in the league. ;D

 

<div class="quote_poster">GiantMidget Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">People who listen to hip hop and appreciate the culture dont have to be thugs. If theres any genre thats associated with basketball its most definitely hip hop. This whole idea of playing nickleback or some b.s. like that during highlights or pregame/postgame just so some traditional american valued family in the midwest will feel more comfortable watching it is watering down the experience for the sports biggest market. Basketball can never be anything but hip hop, doing anything to try and change the culture that its associated with just goes to show how out of touch david stern and his buddies are with the sport.</div>
You've failed to mention how the NBA is trying to weed out hip-hop.

Did you feel persecuted when they had Christina Aguilera doing the theme music a few years back?

Stop looking for **** that ain't there.

 

<div class="quote_poster">GiantMidget Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">This whole idea of playing nickleback or some b.s. like that during highlights or pregame/postgame just so some traditional american valued family in the midwest will feel more comfortable watching it is watering down the experience for the sports biggest market. </div>

What's wrong with Stern trying to expand the market? Dressing up nicely for a game isn't UN hip hop. BTW, basketball has NEVER been JUST hip hop. Failed statements ftw.

 

I think stern is just trying to clean up the look of the NBA. I dont think theres any way he can take hip hop out of the NBA. Hip hop and the NBA almost go hand in hand. Theres nothing wrong with making the players dress nice for games. However, i think stern needs to do a better job at listening to what the players want and the general audience who watch basketball. I think stern is trying to enforce his own view on what he thinks basketball should be. He just needs to realize that the people who play the sport and have played the sport, and watch, define what basketball is.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Chuck Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why is it unfathomable to you that these men who makes millions of dollars playing a game can't come in and dress nice, even casually, for an hour or two, before a game that will make them thousands in a few hours? Everybody else with a job has to dress a certain way. </div>
I never mentioned anything about the dress code....

<div class="quote_poster">Chuck Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Of course they're trying to get away from that "thug" culture, with Allen Iverson and his guns, Ron Artest and his everything, Carmelo Anthony and his endorsement of murdering police cooperators. Why don't you stop looking for persecution where it doesn't exist, and contemplate the practicality of these things?</div>
"Thug" culture? You obviously know nothin about hiphop. For the record, there are ppl in coroporate america with suits on who steal, kill, do drugs etc...so why do u label hiphop "thug" culture? maybe cuz you don't understand it It's a huge double standard, but i'll choose that for another discussion

<div class="quote_poster">Chuck Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Don't you understand that behavior like Stephen Jackson's, Ron Artest's, Carmelo Anthony's, reinforces stereotypes? It's detrimental to way more than the league.</div>
Ur extremley confused my friend. What the HELL does ppl like Carmello's behavior have to with hiphop culture? I've seen WORSE things happen in Hockey games (Brawls, excessive blood, players beating each other with sticks). Is that part of "Hiphop thug culture" too? What culture does players beating each other with sticks belong too? Exactly, the fact is things like that happen in ALL SPORTS. But it seems basketball players are called "thugs" while other athletes are givin passes. Hmm, I wonder why

<div class="quote_poster">Chuck Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Basketball has always been a place for people to rise up and overcome their environment, not a place for them to continue it and endorse it. Especially after Carmelo Anthony's disgraceful act the other night, you should be able to understand this.</div>
Again...what does that have to do with Hiphop? The guy threw a punch, that's it. Is that the worse thing we've seen in sports history? HELL NO. I guess ur silly stereotypes only apply to certain players & sports.

AGAIN, my question is why is the league running away from hiphop culture? Hiphop culture has made the league more $$$ than anything. Without hiphop, where would the league be? Nobody wants to see "Big N Rich" during halftimes shows. Hiphop culture has carried the league, it deserves better

 

beautifully said Giant Midget, you aren't a thug just because you listen to hip hop

 

<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I never mentioned anything about the dress code....


"Thug" culture? You obviously know nothin about hiphop. For the record, there are ppl in coroporate america with suits on who steal, kill, do drugs etc...so why do u label hiphop "thug" culture? maybe cuz you don't understand it It's a huge double standard, but i'll choose that for another discussion


Ur extremley confused my friend. What the HELL does ppl like Carmello's behavior have to with hiphop culture? I've seen WORSE things happen in Hockey games (Brawls, excessive blood, players beating each other with sticks). Is that part of "Hiphop thug culture" too? What culture does players beating each other with sticks belong too? Exactly, the fact is things like that happen in ALL SPORTS. But it seems basketball players are called "thugs" while other athletes are givin passes. Hmm, I wonder why


Again...what does that have to do with Hiphop? The guy threw a punch, that's it. Is that the worse thing we've seen in sports history? HELL NO. I guess ur silly stereotypes only apply to certain players & sports.

AGAIN, my question is why is the league running away from hiphop culture? Hiphop culture has made the league more $$$ than anything. Without hiphop, where would the league be? Nobody wants to see "Big N Rich" during halftimes shows. Hiphop culture has carried the league, it deserves better</div>

amen. couldn't have said this better myself on all points.

violence has a place in hip-hop culture as it does in every culture. Even mellowed out hippies get mad and throw a punch sometimes. Equating violence and people acting psycho with hip-hop culture as if they're the same thing smacks of racism.

David Stern is trying to distance the league from hip-hop because of the racist individuals who have that exact feeling. the middle-aged white audience that used to like hoops but has found it increasingly hard to relate to players in the league as the years have gone on because they represent a different culture than the one they identify themselves with.

 

Hip-Hop is strongly connected to basketball in all parts of the world, its just how it is, and with that connection comes both the good and bad sides of Hip-Hop culture, there isnt anything anyone can do about that as its the case with any culture, trying to change it or hide it away wont make a difference. Without Hip-Hop basketball would be completely different. For whatever reason David Stern thinks its his duty to remove the culture because of the brawling, violence and "thug" image that he beleives constitutes all that Hip-Hop culture stands for, but while he begins his quest to slay the beast that is Hip-Hop, he inturn removes all the great things that Hip-Hop has bestowed upon basketball. Hip-Hop is more than just a bunch of rappers like 50-cent with "gats" and bulletproof vests and all that nonsence, it is medium in which people can express themselves socially and politically, where people can speak out to the rest of the world and protest against things like corrupt governments, violence, black on black crime, racism, war and all the other bad things that happen in the world. David Stern doesnt understand what real Hip-Hop is, and until he does i beleive he will continue his war on its "violent thug culture". Or he could be a complete nazi rascist who wants to make money for "white america" while destroying black culture.

 

<div class="quote_poster">olskoolFunktitude Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">violence has a place in hip-hop culture as it does in every culture. Even mellowed out hippies get mad and throw a punch sometimes. </div>

-not to be taken in context of the NBA, or its players-
Have you seen or heard a popular rap song lately? Unfortunately violence is glorized in SOME of hip hop (and really, to me that crap isn't real hip hop anyway, but that's a whole 'nother paragraph.)
-end such-

Rock, what were you referring to exactly as Stern trying to remove hip hop? If you mean by implementing a dress code, to this I have no problem. Or maybe the strict punishment/reaction to the brawl? Perhaps other, more radical examples that I'm missing, thanks.

 

I don't think the NBA is running away from hip-hop culture. I think they're running away from criminal activity, sloppy dress and fighting. Those are not necessarily hiphop things. You don't see Common or Pharrell or Chuck D doing that yet they are hiphop. Jay-Z is a part owner of the Nets yet I bet David STern is glad about that.

 

I agree with phunDamentalz.

Also, for the record... 50 cent is not hip hop. Nor is Chingy. Or Nelly.

And the reason basketball is so interconnected with rap/hiphop is because the majority of the NBA is black. And the majority of black people listen to rap/hiphop above other genres. But like said above, I think Stern is trying to move away from the criminal activities, thuggish behavior/dressing, fighting, etc. Not the music and culture in itself. I dunno where all this "running away from hip hop culture" came from.

Rock4LIfe, you stated that you werent talking about the dress code so.... what exactly were you talking about? Like Chuck said, you've failed to mention it. The theme music? Is that it? Wasn't it Fort Minor last season for the playoffs? They are hiphop incase you didn't realize.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Marbire Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Also, for the record... 50 cent is not hip hop. Nor is Chingy. Or Nelly.</div>

Nobody's saying that, we're saying that Stern beleives that people like 50-cent represent what Hip-Hop is, next time actually read what people say

 

<div class="quote_poster">AKIRA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Nobody's saying that, we're saying that Stern beleives that people like 50-cent represent what Hip-Hop is, next time actually read what people say</div>

I know that. I was actually agreeing with you and proving that point. But it was really unrelated to my post so thanks for ignoring the essence and concentrating on something that doesn't even really matter. Next time how bout you read? Thanks.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Marbire Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">And the reason basketball is so interconnected with rap/hiphop is because the majority of the NBA is black. And the majority of black people listen to rap/hiphop above other genres. But like said above, I think Stern is trying to move away from the criminal activities, thuggish behavior/dressing, fighting, etc. Not the music and culture in itself. I dunno where all this "running away from hip hop culture" came from.</div>
First off, some black don't even like hiphop. Also, you could almost make the argument that other forms of ppl love hiphop just as much (their the ones buying the albums). Hiphop isn't just about bein "from the hood" and "bustin ur guns". But David Stern seems like he's bought into that notion, so he's bein a prick about it.


<div class="quote_poster">Marbire Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Rock4LIfe, you stated that you werent talking about the dress code so.... what exactly were you talking about? Like Chuck said, you've failed to mention it. The theme music? Is that it? Wasn't it Fort Minor last season for the playoffs? They are hiphop incase you didn't realize.</div>
I'm talkin about the whole picture. Look at the last year halftime performance at the allstar game. BIG N RICH? C'mon guys. Nobody wants to see dem guys (or their 6'5 rappin cowboy ). I found it offensive and disrectful, being that you gotta put on a cowboy hat and tight ass jeans to be accepted by the NBA in hiphop these days.

The league has made millions of hiphop culture, but seems hesitant to let too many REAL hiphop artist perform at their events. It's huge contradiction by David Stern.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Rock4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">
I'm talkin about the whole picture. Look at the last year halftime performance at the allstar game. BIG N RICH? C'mon guys. Nobody wants to see dem guys (or their 6'5 rappin cowboy ). I found it offensive and disrectful, being that you gotta put on a cowboy hat and tight ass jeans to be accepted by the NBA in hiphop these days.

The league has made millions of hiphop culture, but seems hesitant to let too many REAL hiphop artist perform at their events. It's huge contradiction by David Stern.</div>

I think the cowboy thing had to do with the Allstar game being in Texas.

Who are some real hiphop artists that should perform? Can you name some artists/songs you think would be more appropriate?

Also, what are some examples of how the NBA jumped on hip-hop to improve its sales?

 

I guess I missed last years all star game.... but like that guy said, it was in Texas, so maybe that's why they chose that. I remember Outkast playing in last years or 2 years ago along with John Legend. A variety of people watch the NBA and I think we need a variety of music. I think you are looking deeply for something that isn't there.

And and I said the majority of people who listen and live the hip hop culture are black. Although some people confuse that with the rich white young suburban kids buying 50 cent albums.

I'd also like to know what durvasa said.... what are some examples of how the NBA made BIG money off of hip hop since you mentioned it so many times.