| Last issue I told you about how Hip Hop journalist Adissa 'The Bishop' Banjoko had a rude encounter with U-God of the Wu-Tang Clan. As most folks know there have been strained relations between Hip Hop journalists and many artists. This past year have seen a number of altercations with artists upset about bad reviews or unflattering articles running up into offices and handing out beat downs. The sad part is this happens with mainly Black writers within Hip Hop camp. Very few artists have run up on a Howard Stern, a New York Times editor or a Newsweek reporter when they've dissed Hip Hop or that artist, but that's a whole other story. Far too often the writers have been on the short end of the stick with some highly publicized assaults. Adissa is one of those brothers who simply ain't having the disrespect and he let his feelings be known in a widely distributed letter challenging U-God to a boxing match-for charity of course if U-God didn't apologize for his off color behavior.. Needless to say this set off a firestorm with literally hundreds of emails coming through. The opinions on this matter have been varied with many claiming Adissa over reacted while the dominant sentiment was 'enough is enough'. People have grown quite weary of the antics pulled off by many artists who are quick to beat down a journalist but not the police officers they are constantly running from in their videos. Far too many artists have been acting 'out of pocket' for too long to the point that the majority of emails I got had people rooting Adissa on. People have come forth to do everything from set up the event to filming it. Charity organizations have step forth asking how they can get proceeds.. Many of us who are active within Hip Hop have also stepped up and suggested that there are more effective ways to handle such beefs. Last night I got the following letter from Adissa.
"First of all I want to apologize to U God and anyone else I might have offended by putting out a challenge like that in such a vulgar tone and language. It was not characteristic of my normal demeanor and it should NEVER have happened. I should have reached out to U God personally. But that did not happen and it turned into a gigantic chaotic mess. The other mistake I made was assuming that he thought like me. Thinking that he would honor a one on one man to man fight. But, regardless of what I "heard", I never heard from him. People say that we should still do it for charity. I ain't against that. But, whatever. |