Did Fat Joe show his Whole Hand?
Safe to say that Jose Cartagena has been an outspoken HipHop Revisionist. In recent Years, Joe along w/ John Leguizamo & Crazy Legs have been offering their narrative on who created HipHop Music & Culture. The Pioneers have stepped to the Mic & set The Record straight on WHAT happened, WHEN it happened, & WHO was there. Fat Joe, like KRS One is caught in a contradiction. Kris is actually 'Of The Culture', so he has a Lane available to say: mea culpa & come back into the Fold. Joe on the other hand, didn't respect his place as a Guest in the House of HipHop- as a result, he's getting his privileges revoked. I appreciate the degree that Joe chose to Stand on his Square, because it reminded many of Us of previous Bad Behavior.
In his Barbershop interview w/ Math Hoffa, Fat Joe had a few cringe moments. He disrespected Lord Jamar by saying that he was a 'Looney Tune looking to go viral', & called him the 'wackest member of Brand Nubian'. That said, his most cringe worthy statement had to be referring to FBA as a 'Radical Black Hate Group' that only wants to associate w/ their Own. He defined FBA as: 'Foundational Black Authority', & called Our Lineage 'a bunch of broke N-s'... Black Alpha, Lord Jamar, Phil Scott, & Jason Black were among the first to respond; All pointed out his White Supremacist Talking Points. If we're being honest, Joe sounded like a straight up Conquistador.
As We come to the End of Our 'Year Of Affirmation', We find Ourselves Standing firmly on Our Convictions & calling out ANYONE that questions them. Fat Joe, like many others who were allowed access into Our Culture are discovering an unexpected Reality- Houseguests don't get House keys. These Folks have been given so many passes over so many Years, that they actually believe that they KNOW Us. This is the same Story, from Michael Rappaport to Drake & Cardi B. Fat Joe's tantrum was ill timed; Our Collective Antennas were up, & Everyone heard the same language. Black Alpha in particular, pointed out how Joe wasn't even talking about HipHop anymore... This thing has many layers.
We all see that this attitude towards Indigenous Black Americans is nothing new. We know the History of the Immigrant Experience in America; the Ethnicity changes, but their actions are too similar to just be a coincidence. We saw it w/ the Irish, Italian, & Eastern European (Slav & Askenazi); now We see it w/ 'Black & Brown' Immigrants. The Black- Latino Dynamic is complicated, because Hispanic/ Latino Culture is rooted in Colorism (Blanqueamiento). Their Society is divided by how close one is to their 'Castilian Roots'. How does someone aspire to Whiteness in an Area where folks are 'Black & Proud'? When We look at Latin American Leaders like Fidel Castro & Hugo Chavez, who touted their Afrikan Roots & included Afro- Latinos in the Body Politic, We see how they were demonized as Bad Men.
ALL of their predecessors kept the Afro- Cuban & Afro- Venezuelan Population in a State of Poverty & Oppression. It's clear that the 'Blanco' contingent preferred the leadership of Fulgencio Batista (Zaldivar), Ramon Jose Velasquez, & Rafael Caldera Rodriguez. We need to look no further than Miami, where folks like Gloria Estefan are STILL lamenting the Cuban Revolution. Fat Joe glossed over 'Radical Puerto Rican Extremists' as he focused on FBA, but can We call it 'Extremist Behavior' when The Majority of The Population practices it at Home, & bring it w/ them when they Immigrate Here? Black People aren't respected in Hispanic/ Latino Culture, they're victimized. Latino Police Officers can be more Anti- Black than Irish & Italian Officers; certainly more aggressive towards Blackfolk. Again, Joe is silent on this Note.
As I said, this thing has layers. In the same way that Great Britain left the door open for America to step in & assume the role of Dominant World Power; AmeriKKKa is leaving the door open for Hispanics/ Latinos to hold the reins of Power over Black America- as long as they acknowledge their Position in White Supremacy. In the same manner that Whitefolk & Azkenazis assumed Ownership of Jazz, Big Band, Country, & Rock N Roll; Latinos think that they can assume Ownership of HipHop. They were successful in taking 'Tango' from the Afro- Argentinians that created 'The Forbidden Dance', but We're a Lineage of Fighters! If we're being honest, We have to acknowledge how the Latino influence on HipHop has done more harm than good. Stand Outs, like Mantronix & Immortal Technique are revered as Legends in The Game. Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud also deserve an honorable mention. Now I could be wrong, but I haven't heard ANY of them side w/ Fat Joe.
Joe has been on many Platforms trying to push his narrative. He has emboldened other Puerto Ricans (Nuyoricans) to chime in on 'Out Of State' Cats speaking on something that started in NYC. Content Creators point out how HipHop may have been BORN in NYC, but was CONCEIVED in The South. Jason Black & Black Alpha point out the cultural differences between Us & Non ADOS/ FBA Communities, & how little they know about Our Lineage. First off, the Slave Experience in AmeriKKKa affected Us differently than it did those in Latin America & the Caribbean. While they exhibit Tribalism & Colorism, We exhibit Unity. From the East Coast to the West Coast, & from the Great Lakes to the Gulf- Blackfolk are an Extended Family. Those of Us in the Northeast & Out West tout Our Southern Roots like a Badge of Honor. We are the Descendants of those who survived AmeriKKKa's Killing Fields. Immigrants don't have that experience, & therefore can't truly understand what motivates Us Culturally.
Another clear cultural difference between Us & Non ADOS/ FBA Ethnicities, is how We deal w/ White Supremacy. We have a Global Reputation of fighting White Supremacy, no matter where it exists. As a Collective, Immigrant Groups tend to be Anglophiles; They aspire to Whiteness. They 'Get In where they Fit In', & that classically means harboring Anti- Black Sentiment. Fat Joe & Busta Rhymes aren't exceptions, but typical examples of how these people move. They Rock w/ Us- copying Our 'cultural mannerisms', until they get a 'Come Up'; then they shift to White Supremacist Talking Points & Anti-Black Sentiment. Busta thought he 'Made It', & began an onslaught of disrespectful opinions regarding Black America. He began w/ disenfranchising Blackfolk from HipHop, & went on to say that 'American Culture' comes from Latin America & The Caribbean. The Man had a much anticipated World Tour scheduled, but the backlash from ADOS/ FBA has led to Investors pulling out & the Tour being Canceled. This Tour was supposed to solidify Busta's Legacy, but he's been reduced to doing a wacky Walmart Commercial... Safe to say that he made a misstep.
As bad as Busta has been, Fat Joe has been worse. He admits that he's "the product of The Product", but somehow believes that he knows about Events that happened before he was born. His arrogance has revealed an Anti- Black Racist sentiment that is pretty common among his people. Content Creators have pointed out Joe's excessive use of The N- Word, & how he ignored pleas from his Fans to stop using it. As a Native New Yorker who spent his Formidable Years in Spanish Harlem, then lived in Bushwick for 4Yrs & Inwood for 5Yrs- I can say w/ certainty that NO ONE uses the N- Word more than Hispanics/ Latinos. Dominicans top The List, but Puerto Ricans & Cubans aren't far behind them. Caribbean Folk are also pretty frequent w/ their use of the N- Word; is it a coincidence that many of the Rappers spewing this word aren't from 'The Soil''? Regardless, what We are witnessing, is a clear effect of Delineation. As We Circle Our Wagons, the Opportunists (i.e. Tethers) are getting nervous. They depend on Us believing in 'Coalitions' that benefit them to Our detriment. Times have Changed! These folks no longer have Us to lean on for Financial, Social, or Political Support. Since these people believe they're Superior to Us, they should have No Problem w/ Going it Alone in the 'Wilderness of North America'.
-As I said before, They better get used to The New Normal.
