O No, The Fight's Out

When I read about Fifty Cent putting Oprah on blast because of the lack of rap acts on her show, I laughed. Surely Fiddy had more important things to do than worry about getting time on a show that caters primarily to women who, I'll take a wild guess and say, aren't buying hip hop in record numbers.

But now Ice Cube has thrown his mic in the ring.

I'm taking the issue more seriously, now.

Sorry, Fifty. You're just one of many rappers who experienced wild success with your debut - but you haven't proven your staying power enough for me. Oprah having him on her show would be nothing more than hyping up an already hyped up, yet still relatively young (in the game, at least) rapper/actor.

Cube is another story, for longevity alone. Fiddy, holler at a sister when you've had as long in the rap and/or movie biz.

Fifty and
Ludacris have gone on record to say the O ignores the success and grind of hip hop's finest, while embracing more, ahem, mainstream black entertainers.

First, mad props to them for taking on the most powerful media mogul in the world. Even if Oprah isn't paying much attention to hip hop, overall, it's a risky thing to take her on. Television and print media are her playground. Everyone else is just a kid trying to get some time on the monkey bars.

But does hip hop have a point?

First, let's get this out of the way - it's her show and she can have on who the hell she wants. I know, I know.

But, hip hop is a viable and lucrative genre of music. How can she turn a blind eye to it? Surely there are some issues within hip hop Oprah could take on and bring a little mainstream validation.

Or does hip hop want that?

See, it's confusing. Hip hop prides itself on being counter culture. At least it was one time. Why would the streets care if Oprah shouts them out?

When Cube came out with NWA, back in the day, they would have been labeled straight up sell-outs if they ended up on Oprah's coach crying about growing up in Compton. "See Oprah, there were these drive-bys and...wait, I need a second."

Cue Oprah handing Cube a tissue.

O'Shea Jackson actually isn't a product of the hood. He grew up in a middle class burb of LA. Which is actually another reason I'd think Oprah would be more interested in his story.

If she's trying to avoid the blood and guts of hip hop, there are automatically some acts she'll take a pass on (that's you, Fiddy). But spurning Ice Cube during the promotion of Barbershop? That's a head scratcher.

Another head scratcher, Oprah having Karrine Steffans, a self-proclaimed video ho - maybe she doesn't call herself that but that's her claim to fame - on one of her shows about self-esteem. See how prominently Oprah's name is on the front page of Karrine's website?

The power of O!

But, ummm...Oprah? Did you read Karrine's book? The only time her self-esteem suffered was when some dude who she...ah...served, refused to pay her rent. She wasn't one bit worried about self-esteem or pride when she was out pleasuring hip hop glitterati and getting jewels, trips and furs for it.

Karrine was repping hip hop while promoting the book, Superhead, because hip hop was what fed her, paid her rent and had her jet-setting the world.

Why that image of hip hop on Oprah and not a successful, multi-platinum rap artist/writer,actor and producer of a very successful movie series?

I don't get it either. But hey, who am I to question the O?

She doesn't book YA authors on her show or promote them in any significant way, either. Guess me and Fiddy gotta find another way to push units.