Rember last week’s post about Bomani Armah’s “Read a Book” video? Just went to see how many hits its gotten on youtube and was greated by this:
This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Viacom International Inc.
WTF? I just emailed Bomani – I’ll let you know what’s up..
This isn’t really a story – Viacom owns the video. File under things that make you go hmmm. Now Bomani is selling the download of the song MP3 and the video can be viewed on BETs site.
Filed under: Bomani, Corporate Control, DC, DC Blogs, Hip Hop, Hip Hop Blogs, Hip Hop News | 5 Comments
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People seemed to have gotten really offended by Bomani’s video.
This post from BET’s forums sums it up. What I don’t understand is how these people never say anything about the rest of the bullshit that is on BET, but when someone does a pointed satire they get crucified…
NEVER PLAY BOMANI ARMAH’S “READ A BOOK” AGAIN!!!!….Period
Saturday, July 21, 2007 — 5 days ago
http://betboards.bet.com/forums/252682/ShowPost.aspx
THE VIDEO “READ A BOOK” BY BOMANI ARMAH REFLECTS HIS ABSOLUTE IGNORANCE OF HIS OWN CULTURE, AND THE FACT THAT HE WAS SPONSORED BY THOSE OTHER THAN AFRICAN AMERICAN FOR THE PURPOSE OF EMBARASSING AND EXPLOITING OUR CULTURE’S WEAK POINTS. TO SAY THE VIDEO WAS AN EMBARASSMENT WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. TO SAY IT WAS OFFENSIVE WOULD BE ACCURATE, YET STILL SOMEWHAT LACKING. I WANT TO GO ON A CURSING TIRADE, BUT THAT WOULD HAVE LITTLE MEANING AT THIS MOMENT. THE FACTS ARE IN: “*BET* IS NO LONGER OWNED BY AFRICAN AMERICANS, AND IT IS NO LONGER GOVERNED BY AFRICAN AMERICANS. VIACOM OWNS IT NOW, AND THAT VIDEO MAKING IT TO THE AIRWAYS WAS A DIRECT REFLECT OF WHO ACTUALLY OWNS AND MAKES DECISIONS FOR *BET* NOW.” PATHETIC IS THE ONLY THING THAT COMES TO MIND WHEN THINKING OF WHOEVER GAVE THE OK FOR THAT VIDEO TO BE AIRED. THE SAD THING IS THAT YOU KNOW THERE WAS A COUPLE OF WHITE BOYS SITTING IN A CORNER OFFICE AT VIACOM LAUGHING THEIR BUTTS OFF AT US RIGHT AT THAT VERY MOMENT. CALLING US DUMB *6*’S JUST LIKE THE VIDEO DID. …
maybe they paid for the speedstick reference too
I personall-y think that the whole dang world is entirely too touchy, feely when it comes to the racist thing. There are haves and have-nots, always were’s, and always will be’s. If we lose the ability to find humor in sadness, and try to put some touch of reality to the madness of the world…we become pathetic, miserable creatures and it don’t make no difference what our differences are…color, gender, culture or other.
spoken like a true person of privilege. I cant call it, are you white, a man, or rich? Maybe all of the above