PAUL WALL and my favorite rapper RAEKWON travel to Africa to witness firsthand the mining process in the global diamond trade. I thought it was fitting that a Wu leader would make this trip since the Wu were the rappers that first used the word ice to represent diamonds and their lust for the semi-precious stones. PAUL WALL seems like a good choice for this journey as well since his claim to fame in most rap music circles is the fact that he used to make tooth veneers out of semi-precious metals and stones.
VH-1(the home of Hip-Hop video programming) will begin airing one of their original series rock-docs tonight called called ‘Bling’d: Blood Diamonds and Hip-Hop‘ that documents the rappers trip to Sierra Leone in Africa. I will admit to you that I am a little nervous about endorsing this show based on all of the other trash content that Viacom broadcasts when Hip-Hop is concerned, but I will give at a shot for at least tonight. I’ve seen outlets that have recently blamed Hip-Hop music for the global obsession with diamonds as if the conceit only began when kids from the Bronx dreamed of living lavishly. People are quick to forget television programs like ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ which documented all the things that the rich do with their money, but never once illustrated how the rich exploit the poor to gain their wealth.
I can’t believe that this journey won’t transform these artists as humans. Maybe they will make better music because of it. If PAUL WALL learns to rhyme from RAEKWON then this could be the best thing evar. I knew there was a reason we asked PAUL WALL to put our website name inside of his grill.
i love me some paul wall, he’s just a happy looking negroid white boy in my opinion. now what’s this about akon owning three diamonds mines? is that for real or is he just using that same old african “in my country i am a king” line?
holla!
TV Johnny went along for the ride tooo! lol LA BATATA!
I watched up to the part where Raekwon was crying then I had to bounce. Not bad….it looked like VH1 is exploiting a show about exploitation.
Musically speaking VH1 Soul knocks BETand MTV out the box.
Paul looked a little freaked out at the end of the show when that dude started going wild about how bad they have it. He gave the dude a hug and was like “peace out.” Raekwon seemed to have the most difficult time handlin the harsh reality.
^ Yeah, Raekwon looked like he thought he was going on holiday, but he switched his pitch up when he didn’t want to see all the maimed folks.
Hey Dallas:
I have not seen the show, but I’ve been reading your website daily while stationed here in Iraq. Keep up the good work. Funny thing about Paul Wall..He will be performing in Baghdad tonight for the troops…
Question: If Raekwon goes on this pilgrimage to Africa and decides to renounce wearing BLING, will other rappers/young kids follow suit? Does he have that much clout?
On a side note….did anyone catch the episode of MTV (I Think) when Jay-Z visited Africa and had to help a young girl carry a huge water jug for miles up and down hills?
All of these cRappers need a trip to reality. Who cares about what type of champagne you are boycotting when folks are just trying to get a glass of water without parasites in it?
Well, since going to Africa is fashionable.. but as a proud cnanadian I can say that hip-hop on this side got that whole process 7 years ago!
http://www.warchild.ca/music_diaries_detail.asp?ID=13
Dubble13,
Rock on for us brother. And come home safe as soon as you can.
I don’t think denouncing diamonds is the answer, but you have to put shit into perspective. VH-1 tried to tell us that it was Hip-Hop’s obsesion with diamonds that fueled the civil war in Sierra Leone. The truth is that it was greed from multi-national corps like DeBeers who set the global demand for the stones. The Africans in the mines are simply ground zero.
All over the globe we are wrapped up in bullshit because of the wicked unending greed of multi-national conglomerates and I must as I detest them I co-sign their bullshit every day when flick a light switch, put on a cotton shirt ad start my car’s ignition. Because I’m a poor person I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.
My heart and my prayers go to you for a safe return to the States so you can get back on this wheel with the rest of us.
my girlfriend was in sierra leone this past summer when they filmed this. unfortunately, my cable is off right now. i would’ve loved to see how this turned out…
and Dubble 13….THANK YOU!
Paul wall is an illiterate piece of shit. All I heard him say on the trip was “yeah, know whattim talkin bout”
I read the interview they had with Rae, dude sounded like he was about to shed tears man…Paul is back in town, here in Houston they’re planning to have him on the morning show on 97.9 to talk about his experience. I’m eager to learn what and how that influenced/affected him.