Joe Budden vs. Method Man?

This is a couple of days after the fact however i am going to outline and dissect a one sided quarrel between Method Man and Joe Budden. I say one-sided because there is really only a problem on one end.

For those currently unaware Joe Budden has a vlog or video blog, which he calls Joe Budden TV. VIBE Magazine recently released a "Best Rapper Ever" bracket done NCAA style and Joe was unhappy with the bracket's details and many of its participants, he was pegged a #32 seed, the lowest seed in the bracket. Amidst his displeasure he happened to say this about Method Man, "Love Method Man to death, he's number NINE! You mean to tell me if Method Man was standing in front of my face right this second and we had to RAP, back and forth that Method Man would be the victor, against me!". Additionally he stated how he was better than half the list, as any rapper would. A lot of the hip hop fans were debating with Budden through Twitter and the debate grew larger.

The radio station talked to Budden about it and he clarified further Joe Budden Pt.1, Joe Budden Pt.2. No disrespectful words were said, Budden simply feels that in his craft he can rap better than Method Man.

Sand passes through the hour glass and Method Man winds up on the radio: Meth's Interview. Meth is clearly perturbed, agitated, and disgruntled. However, for what? A rapper can't feel like he raps better than you?

Here is where I come in. This matriculates and preserves the ignorant mindset that rappers have, everyone is so quick to get offended by the words of their peers. Also Meth mentions how his people were calling him in an uproar and boisterous hoopla, this is also a problem. Rappers will forever have posse's, and these are the people who pump rappers up to ignorance. Meth is dang near 40 and still letting his friends pressure him into foolishness! Meth is suppose to be a well matured man, been rapping for over 13 years, has a family and kids, well over 30 probably closer to 40, and you get your panties in a bunch because another rapper said they can rap better than you!? He was so "offended" he starts talking reckless violence, stating "I got people that live in his building...we can make it lyrical or physical or whatever!" Then he says something about don't put him in my face (as if that would undoubtedly lead to violence). His friends Redman and Busta Rhymes have chimed in, all because a dude said he was better than you and he would cut your head off in a battle? The machismo in hip hop has got to go. Get on the mic and prove it if you feel that strongly about it or sit down, shut up, and move on with your life. This is totally uncalled for. I have lost all respect for Method Man and Busta Rhymes (although this isn't about him, lol).

If Ray Allen said im a better basketball player than LeBron and i would punish him in a one on one game, LeBron would probably say i disagree but that's his opinion, i can guarantee you it wouldn't get violent. Anyone indulged in a particular craft is supposed to feel like they are the best if you don't then you shouldn't be in the arena. As you can tell i was quite cajoled by this ordeal. When can we finally mature? I need to know, not now, but right now.

Here we Go Again, Lebron edition

Im going to take a moment and get into this Lebron Gisele Vogue cover. Initially i saw it on ESPN's First Take and thought nothing of it. About a week or so later i still think nothing of it.

People have been taking the position that it looks like King Kong holding the white actress (i don't know her name and don't care what it is). After hearing this, i was able to look at the cover and say, ok, i can see where they get that from. There are rumblings that black athletes are always portrayed in an aggressive manner on magazine covers and other photo ops, but to be honest I have never payed attention to that. I know the philosopher will say that it is in my subconscious, but to be honest i think that most athletes are portrayed in an aggressive manner. Some people look at Tom Brady in GQ and say, "well he isn't viewed in an aggressive manner, he looks like the model next door". Ok I dig that, but i have had GQ magazines where they have done spreads and young black football athletes were in the spread in the latest fashions and in subtle poses and positions. I think this boils down to one of those, why are there so many jeeps on the road after you just got a jeep issue. Its because now that is what you are looking for.

Sometimes i think black folk are looking for something to get revved up over. If Lebron saw the pics and said, "yeah that's me" or " i think thats accurate", then why should I have a problem with it. He is not complaining and saying that he feels improperly depicted or misrepresented. Maybe Lebron says to himself, i am a big aggressive guy and that's how i play.

I think that maybe black people need to take some pride in who they are, and no i am not saying that Lebron should take pride in himself because he looks like king kong. However i am saying that if he is an aggressive person then maybe he should embrace that and the same goes for any other person. Don't let people tell you who you should be or who you are. Honestly, some black folk are aggressive and that's just the way they are, its not right and its not wrong. Perhaps he wanted to represent his basketball side anyway, since that is all most of us know anyway. I am saying this because i do not think that all the black athletes are depicted this way, so therefore its ok for him to look like Lebron on the cover.

Also black folks always talk about how strong they have to be or are, or how much they have endured, and i agree they have. I could not imagine going through most of things that some of the generations before me battled. But get this, when we are viewed as strong or aggressive we want to change it up and say, no im passive and mild mannered. Or do we just want a different approach for the athletes, because i can remember quite a few other black people on magazine covers and they looked extremely civil and peaceful. Look at Pharrell on the cover of Esquire and actually look at Rip Hamilton on the cover of GQ (just remembered that one). My man Kanye has been on the cover of GQ.

I say that to say this ( i love that line), I think we should chill on this one. No harm, no foul. Lebron did the shoot and said, hey this is the me im cool with and don't have a problem portraying.