Shaq Fu: Why Does Law Enforcement Despise Hip Hop?

The man has been a major proponent of support for law enforcement agencies for several years. He has championed issues which affect law enforcement, and has brought attention to the needs of law enforcement.

The man has been active in supporting youth causes. He even provided a reality show to help motivate inactive and over weight children to become active and healthy.

He has put together a movement to help property owners salvage their homes during this most ravenous economic cycle in memory (for most).

He is also a multi platinum selling hip hop artist.

Seems that all the good natured interviews, necessary public service and support of important causes is cancelled out because the man is an artist. An artist who constructs and creates his passion through the medium of hip hop.

Law enforcement has been at odds with hip hop and the artists who etch their portraits using complicated beats as a charcoal pencil to construct the forms, and colorful rhyming patterns and word play to fill in the details, for as long as the Negro community has used hip hop as a means of unparallelled expression of hope, despair and unity.

And, now, when one of the most popular rappers of all time engages a friendly crowd in a round of artistic expression to convey the emotions he is feeling that are affecting his most recent reflections on hope, despair and unity; law enforcement desires to strip him of his honorary badge.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said the Phoenix Suns center's use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice.

"I want his two badges back," Arpaio told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "Because if any one of my deputies did something like this, they're fired. I don't condone this type of racial conduct."

This is a most troubling stance. If you have viewed the video, or if you have any common sense, you know the word in question is the 'n-word'.

But what does Arpaio mean by 'racial conduct'?

Is the insinuation that using hip hop as a means of expression, which is primarily a Negro activity, is the 'racial conduct'? Is being a Negro artist the type of thing that will get you fired by a law enforcement agency? Is the message here that one can't simultaneously represent the values of law enforcement and good order AND be a multi platinum selling wordsmith and artistic expressionist devoted to continuing the tradition of freestyle rapping?

Certainly, there is merit in each of those thoughtful rhetoricals. And there is probably a deniable truth in each, as well.

Many will make the claim that it was the foul language which repulsed the sheriff. They will say that it was inappropriate to verbally defecate on a microphone the way Shaq did in public. Some will even go so far as to suggest that the NBA should take action against Shaq, floating the racist notion that O'Neill should be fined for his medium of choice. Suggesting that his choice of words is so offensive that it damages the NBA's image.

We suggest that the man had no choice but to use the extreme language and colorful expression to convey his message. To emote his innerself. And to artistically further the message of hope, despair and unity that is a commonality in hip hop.

Indeed, it isn't the message of Shaq's art that offends; it is the medium he uses. It is hip hop. And law enforcement in this instance is a microcosmic delineate of white America. Law enforcement acts as white America's Gestapo in the never waning effort to control the Negro's thoughts and acts.

Who doubts that Shaq could have got on stage, had the DJ kick a funky beat and gone ahead and recited the rhymes of Dr. Seuss; and STILL have been demonized for rapping? No one with a clear conscience or sound logic doubts this!

This isn't about language. It isn't about word choice. It isn't about offending anyone. It is about white America's hatred of Negro art!

And, for proof, we direct you back to the conveyance of hope, despair and unity.

Anyone willing to decipher the MESSAGE of Shaq's freestyle, and not dwell on the language, would clearly see what we mean. Forget the words as individual entities. Find the message.

Check it, you know how I be/Last week Kobe couldn't do it without me

A reminder of the success the two had when they were together. A clear message of unity. A yearning for the carefree days of yester year when the two running mates ruled the NBA as one.

Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes.

A graphic reminder (an indicator of the importance of this particular emotion) of the fecal palate of despair. A cleverly guised assertion that despair within the Negro community can not be overcome unless unity is achieved. A wish of comfort for Kobe as he deals with the despair of the Lakers defeat.

And, of course the message of hope.

That's like a white boy trying to be more nigger than me.

A reflection on those that attempt to achieve the impossible. To dream the impossible dream. To allow for the hope of all hopes.

A tip of his hat to the great white hope.

And, an artistic expression of understanding of where the seeds of racism truly are planted.