We call for this boycott due to their disrespect and slander to Jam Master Jay and our community by printing the following trash in the Tuesday, November 5th, 2002 edition:

Rappers often killed by their own lifestyle
Lloyd Williams
FREELANCE WRITER
E-MAIL: COMMENTS@METRO-PHILLY.COM

"Another MC lose his life tonight, Lord I beg that you pray to
Jesus Christ, why O Lord, father don't let him bury me, whoa."
- Sample from Zealots by The Fugees

According to the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, the essence of the Tao is that "The violent man shall die a violent death." So I wasn't exactly surprised when I heard that yet another rapper had gone out in a blaze of glory. For the "essence " of that brash brand of music has always been to boast about being a gangsta and to holler about how tough you are and how high a body count you've compiled. And apparently it is particularly important to "keep it real " by maintaining a street credibility, which ostensibly means acting out whatever you do in your videos. Hence, all the rappers with the long rap sheets, inking so much space on crime blotters across the country. The tragedy is that a lot of kids actually look up to these rebels without a clue as role models. The truth be told, any of this lost generation of boys caught up in the cultural vacuum of emulating outlaw antics aren't going to get very far in life.

I can 't honestly say that I was a fan of Jam Master Jay (aka Jason Mizell),or of his group, Run-DMC, so I will leave it to others to eulogize the dearly departed brother. Yet I wonder who would even want to wax romantic about the hard knock life of a guy who half expected to go out in a blaze of glory anyway. Yes, I know that he was a pioneer who helped create that cacaphonic genre. And that he was a good rapper, whatever that means. To most law-abiding citizens, talking about a good or bad rapper is like talking about good and bad rapists. The rep on rap is so bad that people are afraid to let their children go to concerts or movies featuring hip-hoppers for fear of murder and mayhem.

Why just last month, a hard-core rap film called "Gang Wars " bypassed a theatrical release and went straight to video out of concern for the violence that would break out if it were shown in theaters. Ain't that something to be proud of? Already, there is serious speculation as to whether Master Jay 's gangland-style execution was retribution for unpaid debts having to do with the much ballyhooed East Coast-West Coast rivalry which blew out Biggie 's and Tupac 's brains. Some say that it couldn't be, because Run DMC had renounced illegal activity. Do you know that the Mafia never admits to any illegal activity either. Whatever necessitated his early demise, I know that Jam was from Queens and died there, too, not far from the neighborhood where I was raised, and where my parents, married over 50 years, still live.

So, I know that he's not from any 'hood in the MTV fabricated, ghetto fabulous sense. Unfortunately, I 'm sure most of his fans will be led to think otherwise, even in death.

Why not fashion a less glamorous obituary which focuses on the fact that he was also a married man who now leaves behind a widow and three hopelessly scarred orphans? Why not ask how a man who must have made millions in the business didn't retire or move on to a less risky line of work after starting a family?

***********

Lloyd Williams must be held accountable for his actions, lies, lack of research and poorly veiled attempt at racial hysteria to The Metro's suburban train riding readership. While no one is mandated to like, appreciate or understand Hip Hop culture, Mr. Williams's comments are outrageous and journalistically irresponsible. His sweeping generalizations and stereotypical depiction of African American males involved in legitimate business ventures is alarming and must not be tolerated! The Metro must be held just as accountable for knowingly publishing this trash.

"I wasn't exactly surprised when I heard that yet another rapper had gone out in a blaze of glory. For the "essence " of that brash brand of music has always been to boast about being a gangsta and to holler about how tough you are and how high a body count you've compiled. "

Lloyd Williams should be ashamed to show his face in public after making this comment. He didn't even take the time to do enough research to find out that Jam Master Jay isn't even a rapper. Additionally, he must be condemned for his false charges that the very essence of our culture has been about gangsterisms?!? Newsflash to the ignorant: Afrika Bambaataa founded the Universal Zulu Nation to combat gang violence by funneling the energy of youth into the competitive and non violent elements of Hip Hop culture. To allow these comments to pass is to allow someone to spit in our faces without retaliation and I for one am not willing to turn the other cheek. Lloyd Williams will apologize to us. I'm going to make it my mission in life to see that it happens.

"The truth be told, any of this lost generation of boys caught up in the cultural vacuum of emulating outlaw antics aren't going to get very far in life."

Let me break that down into plain English for you. What the line really means is that in America, young Black males are doomed and disposable because Black men are negative role models. Lloyd could have at least had the courage in his convictions not to hide it in journalistic hocus pocus.

"I wonder who would even want to wax romantic about the hard knock life of a guy who half expected to go out in a blaze of glory anyway."

I would want to and have waxed poetic about Jam Master Jay, part of the first Hip Hop group to sell 100,000 copies of an album, first Hip Hop group on American Bandstand, first Hip Hop group on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and on and on and on. Tell me where the hard knock part comes into play between Jay's middle class upbringing in Queens to international superstardom? Jay never expected to go out in a so called blaze of glory. I pray that Jay's family sues The Metro and Lloyd Williams.

"To most law-abiding citizens, talking about a good or bad rapper is like talking about good and bad rapists."

Am I the only one who notices Mr. Williams's connections between the stereotypes of Black males as gangsta rappers and sexual predators? We can not support as racist such as Lloyd Williams. The Metro is supporting this racist and in turn must be looked upon in the same unfavorable light. This is probably the most offensive, mean spirited and ignorant comment that has ever been lobbed at our Hip Hop community. There will be consequences.

"Why just last month, a hard-core rap film called "Gang Wars " bypassed a theatrical release and went straight to video out of concern for the violence that would break out if it were shown in theaters."

Gang Wars is a film about gangs. Making the connection to smear the reputation of Jam Master Jay is like me claiming that John Lennon was murdered because of The Godfather. Lloyd Williams is a fraud.

"Already, there is serious speculation as to whether Master Jay 's gangland-style execution was retribution for unpaid debts having to do with the much ballyhooed East Coast-West Coast rivalry which blew out Biggie 's and Tupac 's brains."

Notice how the murder is referred to as gangland style execution. Another chance to throw the word gang into the mix. As for the much ballyhooed East Coast/ West Coast rivalry, exactly what ballyhoo is being referenced? The media created rift of a few years ago.

"Why not ask how a man who must have made millions in the business didn't retire or move on to a less risky line of work after starting a family?"

Why should a man have to retire at 37 from a job that he loves? And can someone please explain to me what is so risky about operating a recording studio?

Ultimately, I'm calling on the Hip Hop community to boycott The Metro and all of its advertisers. Mr. Williams is entitled to his opinion. This is not about opinion. This is about attack and with his words, Mr. Williams and The Metro have attacked us. This isn't even about Black and white. Lloyd Williams is Black. I am white. This is about justice. Consider this a declaration of war.

Please call me at 215-552-8812 or e-mail me at snow@phillyhiphop.com for more information on the boycott.

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