World renown poet and author, Virginia Tech professor Nikki Giovanni delivers the words that we all feel.
58 thoughts on “Nikki Giovanni: “We are Virginia Tech””
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World renown poet and author, Virginia Tech professor Nikki Giovanni delivers the words that we all feel.
Comments are closed.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Steve,
You should take back your Ivy League degree. Obviously, you didn’t get your money’s worth. All the book sense in the world cannot replace common sense.
What makes rap music not real music? Jazz, blues, rock, rhythm and blues and rap were born from slavery rhythms. Classical music had come from Old European history. I listen to Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin and Tchkavoisky. Your views are plain idiotic, especially with your expanded, “intellectual” background. By the way, the “bad university poet” has earned several honorary doctorates, including a couple from Ivy League schools. And, you have a bachelor’s, hmm… If you’ve only listened to a few, rap songs than comment on that. Don’t generalize a music culture altogether by only a few samplings. Have you ever heard of “Dear Momma”, “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and “Keep Your Head Up”? Nope. You were only focused on the negative songs he made. Understand this about the hip-hop industry, white moguls run it and tell the artists what to create. If you call the rappers “violent”, “degrading to women” and negative, refer their handlers with those same adjectives.
To destroy another point you’ve failed to make:
An adversial society can create angry, Tupac Shakurs. What should the answer be? In too many, tragic cases, young black males committ suicide to keep from dealing with the constant hardships. I guess that is one way to remove the “black male problem”, huh! You cannot pick and choose over a person’s life. That is what you’re doing. Mr. Shakur had no father to raise him. His mother, Afeni, was a civil rights activist, but she was also a crack addict. The fact that Tupac, later on, got his education and had the influences from the Black Panthers, Black Muslims and poets, like Nikki Giovanni, we should celebrate him for being a decent, human being. Unfortunately, he was murdered. He didn’t go out to be murdered. He went to a Tyson fight in Las Vegas. Why are you condemning him for that? You should be condemning his killer!
Once again, your opinions prove America will never get over the race issue. People, like you, in positions of authority are spreading nonsense like it’s manure fertilizer. As I said before, study your history before commenting. Thank you.
anonymous,
I had read your earlier comment. It sounded like you were insulting, Ms. Giovanni. I’m sorry for commenting the way I did.
Marcus,
I have actually heard at least two of the Tupac song you mentioned, and yes, I have read poems by Nikki Giovanni that are also not so terrible as the ones I am referring to (the one I most detest is the one with “nigger can you kill, can you kill a honkie,” etc.). Not all their work is necessarily bad, but you can’t escape the fact that Tupac was actually a criminal – he actually has a criminal record. He may have reformed somewhat, but he was still defiantly defensive of the “thug life” and I fault Nikki Giovanni for jumping on that bandwagon as well. Why is that good? Even Al Sharpton is going after rap singers now. And yes, I agree with you, the amoral music industry is certainly equally, if not more, to blame for the crap that is being produced. Going through the hardships, the racist outrages that blacks have had to endure in this country, and then coming out perfect in the end is not realistic. Indeed there’s plenty of evil to go around. But the point is, once there is success in sight (as Tupac and Giovanni had both achieved), there should be some sense of the high responsibility they have as role models. Down with violence, misogyny, racism, period. Claude Browne’s Manchild in the Promised Land chronicles of one who triumphed and succeeded under far worse conditions than either Tupac or Nikki, and then presented a much better, more helpful attitude and temperament. He, like Tupac, had a criminal past, as a youth, but he overcame that and was transformed. Isn’t it time to move beyond the anger and get to some more constructive work? Sure, there’s plenty to be angry about, but much of Tupac’s work (indeed that which he is most famous for) is destructive.
Peace,
Steve
Steve,
Let me make three harsh points to you. They are going to sound harsh because you fail to understand the overall, social picture. Nikki Giovanni has not apologized for who she is; a mother, a black woman, a writer and a revolutionary. She is who she is. I attended a library, book signing and she drew over 400 people, which exceeded room capacity. People understand the culture of the 60s and they understand the culture now. What is troublesome with your comments is you come across that Ms. Giovanni wrote “nigger you can kill” just for the hell of it! A generation of black leaders were murdered during the 60s, and no one was being held accountable for their crimes. Oh, we had the occasional patsies America tried to sell us. Her reponse was more than necessary considering the violence black people were being subjected to. The only difference with the racist police back then and today, nowadays the excuse “well I thought he had a gun” is being swallowed up like Jim Jones’s kool-aid punch. Why do you think the riots in LA (1992) and Cincinnati (2003) occurred? Black citizens, guilty of minor traffic offenses, were being treated like animals.
Don’t make light of what my ancestors endured. I wouldn’t make light of what the Jews had endured and are still enduring. I wouldn’t make light of what the Cambodians endured in the late 1970s. I wouldn’t make light of what the Bosnian Muslims endured in the mid 1990s. All these people suffered mass genocides and complete destruction of their culture and way of life. I won’t even comment on what happened with the Native Americans.
I have heard of Claude Browne’s Manchild in the Promised Land. Why would you care to measure someone’s suffering? Which is worse? Growing up without a father, witnessing crack take over your mom, watching friends and extended family die violently and live amongst poverty and racism for most of your life? Or, living Mr. Browne’s tragic existence? I won’t compare. My life has been tough, but it doesn’t measure to both men’s nightmares. Tupac’s words have called for violence. But, his words have inspired hope. He is looked upon by a generation as Elvis is. And, that is good. A young, black male will think twice about putting a gun in his mouth because of Tupac Shakur. You can also put the late Biggie Smalls in that category. Hip-hop music has saved what white racism could not kill. Yea, I said it! Until, white racism dies the painful death it deserves America will always wallow in her pool of bigotry and discrimination. Peace, Marcus
I simply disagree that hip-hop music “has saved what white racism could not kill.” I think hip-hop music is rationalizing bad choices that are holding our kids back. I taught in a public elementary school in Harlem in the late 80s when rap was just getting started. It is my sincere belief that this music, while understandable, is glamorizing criminal conduct. The Negro Spirituals, the blues, gospel, almost all the wonderful African-American music that makes up a hugely disproportionate share of the great music of this country (given that it was produced by a minority) was music that helped slaves and their descendents to cope with racism. It was uplifting, or soothing, but it was not an incitement to violence, in most cases. Even when it was quietly or surreptitiously radical, it was in a helpful way, such as the Freedom Songs. I saw and taught hundreds of smart elementary children in Central Harlem who saw the most successful teens to be in drug gangs and they believed they had no chance to go to college. Rap music, and hiphop, I believe, helped them to rationalize making the wrong choices, and I fear many of my former students are in jail rather than in positions of authority in society, as they should be. That’s all.
Steve
or
Steve, I wish I could say that your obliviousness was shocking, but it’s all too common. You may well have admirable motives, but until you can improve your understanding, you’re not helping anything by continuing to hold forth on a matter you clearly have no clue about.
Agh. Sorry for the formatting mess, all.
I fixed it. You were using tags for forums. Use the “less than” and “more than” symbols (aka angle brackets) instead of [] and the command is blockquote instead of quote.
Carry on 😉
Muchas gracias.
That’s what I get for trying to be all newfangled. Back in my day, we had HMTL, and that was it! Had to write it in Notepad. Both ways!
Whoa, Steve. I guess your misguided views are offensive to more than just me! Quit blaming the hip-hop culture on young, black males making bad decisions. Blame the institutional racism this country is embedded in. Blame the corporate media, print and television of portrayed shows like “COPS” and “Real Life of the California Highway Patrol” for displaying minorities in a negative light. Blame the political system (we call democracy) for constantly electing old, white conservatives like Reagan, Dubya, George Sr., Richard (no-Dick) Nixon and Lady Bird Johnson who only care about black people when their integrity is backed against the wall.
You are a dupe, sir. I am sorry if this offends you. If you are making these comments with a rational mind, therapy is the least you need. If you want to talk about hip-hop violence, blame the media for hyping up the explosive climate during 1996-1997. Because of the East Coast vs. West Coast crap, two rap icons(who inspired black kids to try and make it from the ghetto) are dead. Not too mention, dozens more associates, friends and fellow rappers were killed amidst the violence. It was an issue with two men. But Rolling Stone, USA Today, Billboard, Time, Newsweek and other publications inflated it to a so-called “hip-hop war”. People, like you, bought the garbage and believed it because you wanted to. If you don’t think the media is anti-minority, please check the headlines during Katrina 2005.
You would rather have a people who have been beaten, shot, stabbed, strung up and bombed to be willing “to cope with racism”. Tell that to a Palestinian Arab who gets shot by Israeli troops for “illegally” entering Jerusalem without a pass to go to work. If someone tries to committ violence upon me, I won’t run. I will defend myself and committ said violence on them. If that makes me wrong, I’ll be wrong and secure.
If you want to prevent promising kids from becoming “fast-lane soldiers” (my original quote), provide better earning jobs in the American ghettos. You cannot pay $600 rent on a job making $6.75 an hour, and live comfortably. We are an affluent nation, but 35-40% of the population make middle-class wages or below. Institutional racism affects political, cultural, economic and demographic arenas across the board. Don’t be a dupe and be blind to it. Quit blaming black people for problems white conservatives created! Peace, Marcus
When I say “cope with racism” I mean it in the sense of “We Shall Overcome” as the civil rights freedom song goes. In India (today I believe) they are celebrating the first very violent uprising against the British, in 1857, as the first war for independence. But it was not until Gandhi came along, with his nonviolent struggle, that independence was actually achieved. Martin Luther King and his followers, who may well have been justified to use violence, chose a more pragmatic, nonviolent approach to deal with the problems facing the nation in the 60s. And they overcame a hell of a lot of problems and helped the country to make progress towards real justice and equality. That point is related to all of your issues about ongoing racism. But the Tupac question is different and it is related to the following fact: Black on black crime is an even bigger reality than white cops abusing blacks (something I know about as well, through my present work as a criminal defense attorney). It is the senseless gang violence that I am talking about. The injustices of which you speak, and which you assume I don’t understand, are injustices of which I am aware and are ones I have long been focussed on. But you don’t get rid of institutional racism by celebrating violent thugs and apologizing for their actions, when most of the victims of their violent rage is other blacks.
One of Tupac’s crimes (one he didn’t even get convicted for):
KILLED: Qa’id Walker-Teal, six year old victim of gunfire between Tupac’s gang and rival thugs. Tupac and others in his group could have been charged with some homicidal crime, perhaps felony murder. Tupac, however, got off easy by paying off the family to the tune of $300-500K. A lot cheaper than the civil money judgment issued against OJ. That’s got to be partly because the victim was black in this case, and that low value for his life may well be because of the legacy of racism, caused by conservative racist whites. However, even if white racism explains the relatively low value put on this child’s life, and even though I don’t like conservatives, it would certainly be a stretch to say whites (conservative, liberal or otherwise) caused this boy to be killed. Did the white music moguls tell these black guys to shoot at each other and kill the child? Is white racism responsible for all problems faced by blacks?
RIP, Qa’id Walker-Teal. May his name be remembered when the last of Tupac’s ashes are spread in Soweto, South Africa soon by his mother on June 16, 2007, the tenth anniversary of Tupac’s death.
Peace,
Steve
Actually, I made a mistake: June 16, 2007, is apparently what would have been Tupac’s 36th birthday and the anniversary of the Soweto uprising. The tenth anniversary of Tupac’s death was last September, and this final ceremony has been postponed, but is supposed to occur on June 16. Be sure to remember Qa’id on that day.
Actually, I made a mistake: June 16, 2007, is apparently what would have been Tupac’s 36th birthday and also the anniversary of the Soweto uprising. Tupac’s mother has rescheduled this final ceremony June 16. Be sure to remember Qa’id on that day.
ALI G’S ENTIRE INTERVIEW WITH NIKKI G (this interview, like both Nikki G, wannabe poet, and Tupac, rap star, small-time criminal, and wannabe gansta, is a big pretense, although this particular pretense poses no danger)
ALI G -Booyakasha, chek i’ out. I is here wif my main man, Nikki G, my bro from Staines. How is you become poet? NIKKI G- We’re communicators, it’s in our blood. ALI G: Blood, West Side. Now sis, you, I mean, sorry you is my bro now, you is get some edumacation. You went to America, right? NIKKI G: I went to Fisk. ALI G: Tell me about how you is expelled for crack… NIKKI G: It wasn’t for smoking crack. I started at Fisk in 1960, was soon expelled, and later returned and graduated in 1968. I did enroll and quickly drop out of two graduate schools after that but I did complete that one degree, my bachelor’s degree. ALI G: Wha’eve. You is still my main man. Now you has Tupac Shukar tattoo, right? Can I see that? NIKKI G: Yes, I have said I would rather be with the street thugs than with the ones who complain about them. ALI G: Now is you believe Tupac’s criminal record make him a better rap artist? NIKKI G: Well, I don’t know about that, but… ALI G: I like that poem you wrote about nigger can you kill, can you stab a jew, can you draw blood, can you kill a honkie. Ain’t that a rap! NIKKI G: You’re talking about my poem “The True Import Of Present Dialogue, Black vs. Negro.” I wrote that a long time ago. ALI G: But can’t you make a rap out of that? You is get the whole crowd to stand up at Virginia Tech with that one. NIKKI G: No, that was my new poem We Are Virginia Tech. ALI G: Wha’eve. That was my one an’ only main man, Nikki G, my big bro and big time poet, big shout out for Nikki G from VT.