University, city of Kent need to show support for hip-hop culture

Dear Editor:

I am writing to you to let you and everyone know that a disgusting thing is present at Kent State and in the city of Kent — a prejudice against hip-hop music. I must say I feel ashamed to be a graduate of this university. There is a hatred of hip-hop. Sure, you hear people bumping hip-hop in their cars or hear some hip-hop at a few local bars, but where are the live rap shows in Kent?

I also am horribly disgusted to let everyone know that there will be NO hip-hop genre in the Battle of the Bands show held in the Rathskeller this year. To me, that is very racist because a hip-hop group won the whole event last year! I was there when the equipment messed up, causing them to have a second hip-hop night. Could that have something to do with this year? Are some ACPB members fearful of all of the African Americans in one place at one time that another hip-hop night may bring? Every time I pick up a Stater I see many, many shows at the Outpost, Europe Gyro, Mugs, Robin Hood and the Kent Stage, but none of the shows are ever hip-hop shows.

It seems as though the ACPB did many things this year to keep local hip-hop out of Kent State. I am a graduate of Kent, I still live in Kent and I own my own hip-hop label — Blowin Up Entertainment — but when I called the ACPB to get details on how to sign up, they told me that I could not sign up because I am not enrolled — even though I am a graduate and live right next to the university. Any graduate who lives in Kent should be allowed to compete in the Battle of the Bands, but I guess the people who answered the office phone for the ACPB were too busy talking to people in the background to pay attention to me!

I had a bar owner in Kent tell me that the city of Kent would shut down his bar if he had a hip-hop show. Do we have a hatred of hip-hop, or is this just racism?

I believe all genres of music should be loved, not just certain types of music. Please help me get hip-hop into the city of Kent.

Marcus Woods

Spring 2003 Alumnus

Chief Wahoo mascot offensive, mocks sacred Native American culture

 Dear Editor:

I would like to respond to Tony Cox’s letter about Chief Wahoo being offensive. Firstly, Tony Cox immediately proclaims that the uproar over Chief Wahoo is the “extreme left,” out to destroy America even more. Never once in Mr. Cox’s column does he ever take into consideration that there are Native Americans genuinely offended by Chief Wahoo. Furthermore, since Mr. Cox seems to assume that it’s not offensive to take something sacred to someone and make a mockery out of it, I would like to ask him this question: How would he feel if the Indians suddenly changed their name to the Cleveland Christs and used an over-exaggerated caricature of Jesus as their logo and mascot? Suddenly not so funny, eh, Mr. Cox?

Matthew Finamore

Freshman political science major