We all know that Bill O’Reilly is the biggest media troll of all time, often stating claims and ideas that rouse up negative emotions in people, especially people of color. Well, this past week Bill did a great job again of getting the hip-hop industry all up in arms regarding his comments about rap music being one of the reasons that Christianity is on the decline. On a recent episode of The O’Reilly Factor, he discussed how Christianity is experiencing a large shrinkage in the number of believers. A poll explained that in 2007, of a sample of 34,000 adults, 78.4 percent claimed to be Christians, in 2014, this sample decreased in to 70.6 percent. Jews and Muslims on the other hand experienced a slight increase in believers. He goes on to say how the biggest growing segment were those who reject it, atheists and agnostics grew from 16.1 percent in 2007 to 22.8 percent in 2014.
Bill was doing fine with this news story, until he started explaining his reasons why. Bill stated, “There’s no question that people of faith are being marginalized by secular media and pernicious entertainment. The RAP INDUSTRY for example often glorifies depraved behavior and that often sinks into the minds of young people.” I believe we all know that Bill O’Reilly has no love for the rap industry, no love for the R&B or soul industry either, he has attacked so many artists from Beyoncé, to Camron, Jadakiss, even Ludacris, the list goes on and on (see Complex Magazine’s “O’Reilly’s All Time Wackest Hip-Hop Rants“). But again, O’Reilly minimalizes a problem and calls out 1 segment of society as the perpetrator of that problem, which is why it becomes to difficult to take FOX News as a real news source and not as propaganda.
Killer Mike decided to respond this past week on Bill Maher, not only explaining why O’Reilly’s claims are unfounded and simply silly, but Killer Mike goes on to break down the history and the basis of how hip-hop was started, and if people are really looking for reasons for the decline in religious Christian believers, perhaps they should take a look at their own major religions and their own governments and politics. Mike went on to explain how hip-hop for people of the X, Y and Z generations is the first and greatest influencer that showed us that WE can become successful and rich entrepreneurs, and how it truly taught us about entrepreneurship.
“Hip-Hop is not rap, hip-hop is the thing that houses rap, graffiti, break-dancing, deejaying and entrepreneurship. And what it did was give poor kids an opportunity to organize as an alternative to violence. Now fast- forward forty years; it worked, a lot of money came into it. Guys bought big chains and tigers, and lions, and bears and shit, and we got off course. But at the core of hip-hop, every time you see a successful rapper, you’re seeing a job-creator in our community. Jay-Z has created hundreds of jobs and created dozens of millionaires, and it’s changed the economy in places that it wouldn’t have been changes. “
He went on to talk about the success of Outkast and how they changed the course of the economy in Atlanta. I simply am loving Killer Mike and all of this speeches and articles lately (see his latest Huffington Post Op-Ed piece). Mike is definitely a key player in the world of entertainment, especially hip-hop. During a time where it feels like black people have to continuously explain themselves, their ideas, their culture, the talents to the masses and to other blacks (especially blacks who have become so “over-educated” they look down on their own culture and elements that have helped in shaping them) – Mike eloquently is able to put our music and our culture in a simple and colorful perspective; he’s able to offer a little history and some amusing “ah-ha” moments that enable folks to understand that issues are deeper than just rap music.
Check out Killer Mike and Bill O’Reilly’s statements below.
http://youtu.be/T5N6ouz0jy0
The O’Reilly Factor
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