Bad Rap: Common vs. the Right wing - The Last Word w/ Lawrence O'Donnell (May 11th, 2011)

President Obama invited Common, the Grammy award winning rapper, to a White House poetry event last night. Karl Rove, along with other Republicans, are angry because apparently having a black guy show up to represent hip hop culture is just too un-presidential for them. Thankfully they aren't the sole arbiters of what is good and tasteful. From the May 11th, 2011 edition of The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell.

Category:

News & Politics

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• last word
• msnbc
• lawrence o'donnell
• democrat
• republican
• karl rove
• fox news
• common
• rap
• hip hop
• poetry
• interview
• news
• politics
• white house

[Panzerfaust04]

@qw2589 I'll bet you've never even listened to Common. If you had, you'd know he's neither illiterate nor a thug. Cherry picking one line from a song he wrote years ago to call him a thug is just wrong, because you have to ignore the body of his work, which Karl Rove (and you) did. You're a closed-minded, ignorant human being and you seem to believe anyone you disagree with is worthless, so you probably won't listen to me, but maybe you should learn about stuff before you spout off about it.

[Panzerfaust04]

@pgthinker007 So did you actually watch the video and see what he performed? Or did you just see "rapper" and automatically assume he can't say anything worthwhile? Either way, you don't do much thinking for someone who has "thinker" right in their name.

[1MeanBean]

How about Fox News actually do their homework and research their sources before they start quoting talking points from right wing blowhards because obviously who knows more about hip hop than middle age conservative political hacks. :eyesroll: How easy they forget that Eazy E from NWA was invited to a Republican White House luncheon on March 18, 1991, when George H.W. Bush was president. That's a real gangsta rapper! NOT COMMON!!!

[teetyler8]

This is so COMMON that the racist GOP looks at a rapper/poet/Actor like Common who is no close to being a thug then Jennifer Aniston is to being a XXX porn star. This is once again stereotyping the black man like the New age Republicans are known for doing. Sarah Palin is no expert when it comes down to having class nor know anything about a true talent like Common. The only thing she knows is how to cover up the fact that she Fuck and Suck, NBA Star Glen Rice and love it, sorry Todd.

[ZacharyRobertson70]

It really is a shame that men like Common have terrific artistry in their music, but are wrongly criticized because of the genre it is in. I hope that all of these old Republican blow-hards come to realize that not all rappers are Tech-9, Lil' Wayne copy and paste thugs. Guys, Common is fucking intelligent. It amazes me that some people think any and all rap is just garbage...but they will agree Toby Keith is a musical genius.

[Aunauturelle09]

@qw2589 Taking one lyric from one song is not representative of his entire body of work. You are the stupid ignorant American that you are talking about. Open your eyes stop being so closed mind and dare I say racist, which is the underlying problem behind this all.

[qw2589]

The closest thing to literature O'donnell has read was the Communist Manifesto, that's why he has no problem labeling this illiterate moron rapper as a poet. I guess they forgot to mention why Rove called him a thug, maybe because he called for killing of cops? What the hell is wrong with you stupid Americans. And that so called professor from Princeton demonstrated why today's universities are garbage

[pgthinker007]

The White House is becoming a night club.