When I heard that KANYE WEST’s latest song was titled ‘Diamonds from Sierre Leone’ I was pleasantly intrigued. Way back in February, during ValenTIMES’ Day we talked about diamonds and how much bloodshed their production cost. We learned about the diamond industry’s new rating device that termed some of these gems as ‘NON-conflict diamonds’. I was happy that a rapper was taking the lead to speak to the world about the atrocity and injustice that the diamond industry has wrought on Africa.
What the fuck was I thinking???
KANYE WEST’s song doesn’t say shit about the socio-eco-political misdeeds of the DeBEERS Corp(they run over 80% of the diamond trade), the song doesn’t speak about civil wars or child mutilations and kidnappings. The song is about KANYE, JAY-Z and DAME DASH. Goddamnit this is the last time I will look to a crapper to use their platform for the power of good. I should have known better anyway. On the slee sly, DeBEERS prah’lee owns the company that distributes Def Jam anyhoo.
So where does that leave us? DALLAS PENN, BILLY SUNDAY and BLU CHEEZ are for the children so we have no choice but to keep it real. I don’t mind admitting that I was bamboozled when it came to learning about diamonds, but now that I have some more info I will ask y’all to do the knowledge with me.
‘Conflict diamonds’ are diamonds that are sold to fund the unlawful and illegal operations of rebel, military and terrorist groups. The countries most affected by conflict diamonds are Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, all places where citizens have been terrorized, mutilated and killed by groups in control of the local diamond trade. In response to a few bleeding heart Americans, the diamond industry concocted this cockamamie certifying process to establish if a diamond was from a ‘conflict’ region or a ‘NON-conflict’ area.
The big problem with this system, called the Kimberly Process is that NO diamond can be certified from a location of origin. The molecular composition of the gem does not describe where in the Earth it has been mined from. Because diamonds are small and easily portable and their lack of metal molecules also helps to avoid detection from an array of security devices it is possible to transport them over thousands miles to be sold anywhere.
Lastly, and most importantly, ALL of Africa is fucked the fuck up! I don’t care if the diamond came from a place that isn’t undergoing a civil war. Africa has the AIDS like the U.S. has soda pop(incidentally, the SPRITE Remix Aruba Jam is the best soda ever, but I digress). Africa has a kazillion dollar debt burden, which still confuses me since they have had so many mineral resources I don’t understand how they could be so broke(okay, I do understand, but let’s just pretend like the Versailles Treaty never happened).
The fetish for diamonds and other precious items here in the States has continued the instability in the African continent to this day. I certainly can’t blame crappers and Jigs for starting this situation, but they are certainly the ones that perpetuate the madness. Oh yeah, also Italian peoples with really dark tans love diamonds too. The question now is… where do we go from here? Its not like I am a big fan of the Africans anyhoo. If it wasn’t for some greedy Africans my family may never have been shipped over here, but I do recognize a need to help stabilize Africa. If at least to keep those motherfuckers from coming over here and bootlegging everyone’s CDs. Although the Africans do make great target practice for the NYPD(DIALLO stand up – if you can).
By refusing to buy diamonds you can help Africa get her shit together and stop sending us hair-braiding, bootlegg CD selling, 41 bullet holding bodies. These were always the traditional lifestyle choices for your average American Black.
