coon (koon): Offensive Slang (1.) Used as a disparaging term for a so-called Black person popularized by ignorant, so-called Whites in colonial America. (2.) An actor who portrays offensive stereotypical roles for entertainment.
If it was meant as a joke it would be funny. After all, hardcore Hiphoppas can have a sense of humor too. Everything ain’t always serious. Still, a joke is a joke and cooning for the camera ain’t always comedy. Take Trinidad James for example. In listening to him speak, you get the same feeling so appropriately acknowledged by Common, when he said in the song Hungry, “some whack niggas be cool, so I’m cordial.” It’s true. A lot of no skill having rappers can be cool people of course. Just because they’re less skilled lyrically doesn’t automatically make them a piece of shit as a person. From their lyrical handicap, it would seem that something may be wrong with them mentally, to even think the shit they spit was appropriate to let people hear. Then to flaunt the whack shit as if it was dope, makes you think the person may be off or fucked up in some way…mentally.
Then you meet that person and they seem like an an alright dude. The reason they put out that whack shit thinking it was cool becomes a mystery. Then you see the reaction of their people, around them. That usually explains it. At that point you will realize that there are thousands of ignorant people who would like nothing more than to see more ignorance in the World. The desire often comes from a feeling of personal despair. It comes from the same feeling that says ‘misery loves company’. It also comes from the humor one gets when laughing at something ignorant. Sometimes ignorance can be funny.
Trinidad James, on the other hand, seems serious when he talks about his rap career and his music. He doesn’t seem to be in on the joke. If the dominant style is the absence of skill, then he’s killin it. If dressing like Jerome from Martin is today’s swag, then againn Trinidad James got it on lock. Still, how many people really think his style is fresh? How many people are actually laughing at his ignorant behavior?
It’s not him who is to blame for being whack. That is his right as a human being. He may even have a lane to create a legitimate entertainment career. At the end of the day, he is not to blame for being classified as a legitimate rapper. It’s those who pretend his music is substantial, that deserve the disdain. Anyone who thinks his song All Gold Everything, is classified as hip-hop music is pitifully mistaken. That person would have to discover within himself what causes that urge. It could be the desire to encourage coons or a simple case of comic relief.
Kurt Nice
Kurt Nice aka Kurtiss Jackson is a behind the scenes pioneer in the Hip Hop Kulture, creating the first nationally distributed video mix tape series, Shades of Hip Hop, in the late 1990s. Since touring the country with the Stop the Violence Movement and the Temple of Hip Hop as KRS-ONE’s National Marketing Director, Kurt Nice has been a constant commentator on conscious Hip Hop and its relevance to the new rap music of today, through radio and cable appearances. contact Kurt at info@hiphoplives.net
Follow Me:
Kurt Nice aka Kurtiss Jackson is a behind the scenes pioneer in the Hip Hop Kulture, creating the first nationally distributed video mix tape series, Shades of Hip Hop, in the late 1990s. Since touring the country with the Stop the Violence Movement and the Temple of Hip Hop as KRS-ONE's National Marketing Director, Kurt Nice has been a constant commentator on conscious Hip Hop and its relevance to the new rap music of today, through radio and cable appearances. contact Kurt at info@hiphoplives.net
A lot of the youths love the ignorance. “Popped a Molly I’ Sweatin” is the hottest lie in the streets right now. I live in a place where ecstasy is cool and young men and women pop pills often. I can explain it but this is the truth.
As far as “cooning” to sell records. Yes, people make that decision. I know many friends trying to make it in the “game” that say that they are willing to “act a fool” to get money. This is what the record companies want and for some odd reason, so many people want it also.