It's funny this whole "SUGE GOES TO PRISON" fiasco.

I recall how white folks were the only ones running record companies and they were pimping Black culture like money was about to dry up. You had Priority doing Gangsta to death. You had Warner Brothers dabblin' in the shit. We had Jerry Heller tearing new assholes left and right. We even saw some hippy/leftist types attempting to romanticize our shit into some extension of Marxist Proletariat rebellion and uprising...
The brothers were broke, but (as MTV showed it) everybody was happy. The white folks got to dance and eat. The Black and Brown folks provided the entertainment. It was just like the good ol' days on the plantation.

But then, at some point that no one can exactly name, some Big Black Muthafucka stepped in. He was the stereotypical "Uppity Nigger" (Stagolee in the flesh). He had the audacity to start up his own bizness without asking permission. He demanded that his associates get their justified funds. He insisted that he be the true and sole controller of his fortune. He may have used some dirty, underhanded tactics but he had the best teachers (white America).

There were some rumblings of discontent, but as long as he stayed in the background most of the white folks would continue to dance it up. Although behind closed doors, they were plotting to bring him down. Or at the very least, get some of that money. Suge became more public. Seen in the company of Mike Tyson, models and an entourage of rappers and producers. This Nigger had the audacity to show the world he was rich.

And that's when it began to crumble. America's love affair with the Gangstas was over. Suge was/is that Gangsta that they loved hearing about so. He made that shit real for those muthafuckas. And put them to the test. It was okay as long as we were killing ourselves, but when white folks are missing out on cash... well, that's just too much to put up with.

We started hearing how despicable Suge is. How dirty his bizness tactics are. About his affiliation with Bloods. But more than anything, we heard about his arrogant attitude. From the exact same individuals that tore new assholes.

No one mentioned that he orchestrated improved contracts for Mary J. Blige and Jodeci (he stands to gain little for himself from that effort). No one mentions that the same platinum artists who were poor under white owned labels, now have an appropriate income and some stock in the music company they help to build. When threats were made against his life we heard, even on the Irrelevant Superhighway, "I don't give a fuck if Suge get's killed, he deserves to die" from the same white kids that buy up that Gansta shit like it's suntan oil.

So now, we've seen Suge's Trials and Tribulations run up and down every major paper in the US. We've seen speculation of his bribery of judges (shouldn't they be investigating the judges?). His manipulation of Lawyers (shouldn't they be revoking licenses?). But mainly we hear. "6'5" Suge Knight, the African American icon of violent, misogynist Gangsta rap was in court today..."

The word is that Suge will spend about 9 years in the belly of the beast. Now they can rejoice. This one is off the streets and we can get back to making money unmolested. Or at least we can get back to boogeying without being confronted with the very same tactics that we have perfected. Yes, it's very telling this response. Very telling indeed. This Gangsta shit is alright as long as you keep it in the hood. Nigger. 8{>

(A copy of this message has also been posted to the following newsgroups: alt.rap, rec.music.hip-hop,soc.culture.african.american,rec.music.funky)