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Editorial/Column
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Doing The Monkey For The Super Bowl
TRAVIS SCOTT
hirsty. That is the first
word that popped into my mind when I heard that rappers Travis Scott and Big Boi, along with leg- endary singer Gladys Knight, agreed to perform in the Super Bowl next Sun- day.
After all of the contro- versy over the last two years that centered around the NFL black-balling Colin Kaepernick for his decision to take a knee during the Na- tional Anthem while protest- ing the killing of unarmed Black men by law enforce- ment, I thought there was a clear understanding amongst most Black entertainers to shun the NFL until they made amends with the pop- ular, pro bowl caliber quar- terback? Apparently, neither of these individuals got the memo.
Then again, maybe Scott, Big Boi and Knight were aware of the movement and were so overjoyed about being given an opportunity to tap-dance and sing for the NFL that nothing else mat- tered.... Seven-figure checks tend to have that kind of ef- fect on people.
The really sad part about this entire development is that it also doesn't seem to bother any of these acts that they were selected in a des- perate effort to save the NFL's flagship event from becoming an embarrass- ment.
I don't believe it's a secret that last year, when the half- time show was being shaped, there was no mention of Scott or Big Boi as poten- tial performers.
In fact, I recall hearing a lot of noise coming out of At- lanta about how none of the local talent had been asked about participating in the program. It was only when A-listers like Rihanna and Jay-Z turned down the gig in support of Kaepernick that the NFL felt forced to reach out to whomever was available. And, as is usually the case in these instances, they were able to find a cou- ple of Blacks who were more than willing to "coon-it-up" for the moment.
To be honest, I wasn't too surprised to hear about Scott taking the stage. Any- one who has ever listened to any of his music knows he's not the most politically con- scious brother in the world. And, since he already made a choice to emasculate his image by aligning himself with the Kardashians, dropping to his knees to service the NFL doesn't come off as much of a stretch to his character..
Big Boi, on the other hand, is a different story. As one half of the iconic hip-hop group, Outkast, I expected a lot more from a person who made a career out of thinking outside of the box and giving the masses game on the
messy nature of corporate greed, government manipu- lation and how it all relates to the streets.
I know Big Boi is from the ATL, and wants to show out for his hometown, but is taking advantage of the op- portunity really worth him sacrificing a well-established reputation in the process?
And what about Auntie Gladys? You want to give her a pass because she's been out of the loop for a minute, and could be in need of the financial boost that would surely come with her rendi- tion of the Anthem. But the fact that she comes from the Civil Rights Era, and knows the importance of standing up for a good cause, makes her presence the most disap- pointing simply because it's hard to picture her as a sell- out.
At the end of the day though, as much as we may not like what these artists are doing, every individual has the right to engage in what- ever activity they believe is in their own best interests. I just hope, for the sake of these three, that the 5 min- utes they spend in the bright- est of spotlights will be worth all the integrity and respect they lost to get there.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. You can contact Mr. Barr at: cbar- ronice@gmail.com.
BIG BOI
GLADYS KNIGHT
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The Centipede’s Shoes
nd how many shoes does a centipede wear . . . 50
. . . 100? So, when a centipede’s shoes start to fall, especially when the insect is under suspicion, does it mean they may drop, forever?
Those are questions conjured up by the current Rus- sia-probe on Capitol Hill, the one which some folks say threatens to bring back the antics and gestures of the late Richard Nixon. However, the late John McCain was one of the first to compare what currently is a foot with the antics of 100-legged wall-crawler.
And he made that comparison due to the FBI’s slow- but-sure investigation of possible criminal behavior wherein accusations are being “dropped,” one shoe at a time. But what might such shoe-drop regularity mean to the average Americans who are called upon to mem- orize a telephone book number of names and complic- ities?
Consequently, during a time of month-long federal government shutdowns and other shenanigans, the question which presents itself is how long does one think American minds will remain interested in the outcome?
Furthermore, given the history of our national con- centration (except in times of war) should we be ex- pected to follow behind the daily comings and goings of the current Russia probe whose boots drop like a centipede with bad bunions?
Believe it or not, the spaghetti-like saga may actually play into the hands of Donald Trump supporters who rely on double-talk and double-speak to stay in power, twisting the definitions of such words as “accurate,” “true,” or “factual...”
So, what do the dropping of centipede’s shoes mean for America? Perhaps, we should get used to the sound of falling “Stacy Adams.”
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TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5