Is Obama Ludacris?

Is Obama being Ludacris in denouncing hip hop?

God, with friends like these – Obama must be desperate for some enemies. First embarrassed by his favourite preacher, Jeremiah Wright, now Obama’s had to publicly distance himself from his ‘favourite rapper’ Ludacris. It just goes to show, you can’t have lunch with anyone these days without getting a stomach ache.
According to the BBC and other media, A new song by rapper Ludacris (lyrics below) criticising Barack Obama's opponents has been called "outrageously offensive" by his campaign. The Obama supporting song called “Politics As Usual” refers to George Bush as mentally handicapped, Hilary Clinton as a bitch who was ‘hating on him’ and says McCain should only have a chair if he’s paralysed. It contains the refrain ‘Obama is here’.
While mild compared to other rap releases (I’m immediately thinking the newly platinum “Lollipop” by Lil Wayne), the language nevertheless has drawn condemnation from the Obama camp. Obama recently stated that he deplored the degraded state of hip hop so presumably had nowhere else to go on these lyrics. But hip hop is a music of conflict as is the rapper Ludacris, who I met in London when he came to promote his first mainstream single ‘Fantasy’. He was a gentleman who took me to lunch in Pizza Hut and then rapped acapella to me in Kensington Palace Gardens. His lyrics are anything but – ‘Fantasy’glorifies the easy lay and the man’s right to objectify - as does he’s second major hit -‘She’s a ho’.
Obama’s public statements seem insincere after apparently praising Ludacris in private. ‘Said I handled my biz and I’m one of his favourite rappers’. Has he listened to the Ludacris back catelogue? Oh and suddenly because he used the word ‘bitch’ he’s outraged? Come on, I don’t buy it.
Obama’s gotta do what he’s gotta do which, which at the moment seems to be praise in private, pillory in public. But going forward, he’s got to tackle some of the conflicts about being black and excluded and having a different perspective to other ethnicities about. He can’t just dismiss them. There are serious issues to be address, not just on misogyny – which is huge and a black male parenting ethic that is not so much laissez-faire as laissez-tomber. The black man remains very much a misunderstood myth. How amazing would it be if he were to articulate on one hand the conflicts in hip hop and the conflicts that exist for black men in particular. For example, on one hand the persecution and on the other hand the persecution complex. Bring the experiences and perspectives of Wright and others under the spotlight and lets have a proper debate. Wright a racist? That’s way too simplistic. He’s a product of his environment, in the same way a Palestinian freedom fighter or Jewish settler might be. This is something Obama once endeavoured to do when the media first questioned his relationship with this preacher, but when the heat became too much he quickly washed his hands like Pontius Pilate.
He’s attempting to do the same with Ludacris but this one’s going to run and run as more controversial figures step up to endorse Obama.


Here are the lyrics of Ludacris' Obama Song
I'm back on it like I just signed my record dealYeah the best is here, the Bentley Coup paint is dripping wet, it got sex appealNever should have hatedYou never should've doubted himWith a slot in the president's iPod Obama shattered 'em
Said I handled his biz and I'm one of his favorite rappersWell give Luda a special pardon if I'm ever in the slammerBetter yet put him in office, make me your vice presidentHillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant
Jesse talking slick and apologizing for what?If you said it then you meant it how you want it have a gut!And all you other politicians trying to hate on my man,watch us win a majority vote in every state on my man
You can't stop what's bout to happen, we bout to make historyThe first black president is destined and it's meant to beThe threats ain't fazing us, the nooses or the jokesSo get off your ass, black people, it's time to get out and vote!
Paint the White House black and I'm sure that's got 'em terrifiedMcCain don't belong in any chair unless he's paralyzedYeah I said it cause Bush is mentally handicappedBall up all of his speeches and I throw 'em like candy wrap'cause what you talking I hear nothing even relevantand you the worst of all 43 presidents
Get out and vote or the end will be nearThe world is ready for change because Obama is here!'cause Obama is hereThe world is ready for change because Obama is here!