New Article: Tryon P. Woods in Social Text on postracialism and punishment

Tryon P. Woods has published "'Beat It like a Cop': The Erotic Cultural Politics of Punishment in the Era of Postracialism" in Social Text (Volume 31, Issue 1, Spring 2013, pp.21-41).  From the beginning of the article:

My concern in this essay is with how those of us involved with problems of black revolution—that is, with the crux of what it means to liberate humanity—can further develop a critical stance that deals honestly with the ethicopolitical context in which black art, black performance, black social movements, and black popular culture find expression.  I am, in  other words, interested in configuring the critical study of hip hop within an accounting of the materiality of antiblack sexual violence in which the  modern world is grounded, especially as hip hop emerges through the transmutation of the state’s terroristic repression of black revolution in the 1960s and 1970s into the sexualized violence of the present prison industrial complex.  My focus, then, is on how the context of a world in which, since the dawn of the African slave trade, black people are structurally positioned outside the human family, and its claims to integrity, honor, and visibility can inform how we read black expressive cultures.  I suggest that rigorous adherence to this context is rare in cultural critique. 

-- Nick J. Sciullo

Lauricella and Alexander on Lil Wayne's Prison Blog

Sharon Lauricella (Faculty of Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies - University of Ontario Institute of Technology) and Matthew Alexander (University of Ontario Institute of Technology) have published Voice from Rikers: Spirituality in Hip Hop Artist Lil' Wayne's Prison Blog (Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, Vol. 24, No. 1, 2012, pp. 15-28).  Here is the abstract:


While incarcerated on Rikers Island, Grammy award-winning rapper Lil’ Wayne posted letters to a blog to maintain contact with fans.  The blog entries and comments from fans express gratitude, positivity, encouragement, and a pervasive sense of spirituality and religiousness.  This paper considers the content of Lil’ Wayne’s letters from Rikers, together with posted comments to the blog, in the context of spiritual communication and participatory media.


-- Nick J. Sciullo

The Bar Exam

Artist: Lil' Wayne
Track: No Love
Album: Eminem's Recovery


Throw dirt on me and grow a wildflower
But it’s “fuck the world”, get a child out her
Yeah, my life a b-tch, but you know nothing bout her
Been to hell and back, I can show you vouchers
I’m rolling Sweets, I’m smoking sour
Married to the game but she broke her vows
That’s why my bars are full of broken bottles
And my night stands are full of open Bibles
I think about more than I forget
But I don’t go around fire expecting not to sweat
And these niggas know I lay them down, make their bed
Bitches try to kick me while I’m down: I’ll break your leg
Money outweighing problems on the triple beam
I’m sticking to the script, you niggas skipping scenes
Be good or be good at it
Fucking right I’ve got my gun, semi-Cartermatic

Sippin' on Some Syrup: Hip Hop's New Drug of Choice

Perhaps this is an old discussion, but I happened to watch Lil' Wayne's VH1 Behind the Music episode and I could not help but think: Are that many people really using cough syrup to get high? And, if so, why? The "sizzurp" discussion really began with Three 6 Mafia's song Sippin' on Some Syrup (video above), which achieved some success although the video was short-lived on BET and MTV. Hip-hop has often and unfortunately been tied with recreational drug culture, as many music genres have over the years. I don't know if hip-hop artists exhibit higher levels of use than non-hip-hop community members. I would be willing to hypothesize that the constant association of hip-hop with drugs is part of a desire for mainstream media to malign hip-hop. That, however, is a whole different discussion.

With people now drinking combinations of cough syrup and soda (and a Jolly Rancher depending on your recipe), how does this change law enforcement's policing of recreational drug use? The "syrup" involved is prescription strength and contains codeine, a Schedule II drug. There are serious addictive consequences to "sippin'." My guess is that because codeine-containing drugs are not sold over the counter in the United States, many syrup concoctions use over-the-counter versions with no codeine, but a healthy amount of alcohol. Cough syrups range from 2.5 to 25 percent alcohol. And you thought that fuzzy navel you were drinking was addictive?

MSNBC reports that one in every 14 high school seniors has used cold medicine to get high. That seems high, not because I think high school students are not involved in all sorts of risky behavior, but because... well... it's cough medicine. I guess stealing your dad's bottle of whiskey isn't cool anymore. It has been well-reported that alcoholics will use cough syrup and mouthwash to satisfy their desire for drink, so perhaps it really isn't shocking that we see individuals engaged in this behavior. It's really not a new trend. What is law enforcement to do? Check everyone's cup like the breakup of a bad college party? Ignore the precocious syrup drinkers? Take cough syrup in any form off the shelf?

Most of us remember when Sudafed was pulled off the shelves because it contained psuedoephedrine, which could be converted into methamphetamine. Although the makers of Sudafed, Pfizer/Warner-Lambert, were able to find a drug to replace psuedoephedrine, apparently the original version can still be found (I don't read labels that closely to say more.). Is that what will become of cough syrup? Will this spur innovation in drug making or be ignored because it only effects "those hip-hop artists?"

So where do we see this syrup trend going? What might law enforcement do if anything? What is the government's role in regulating these types of practices?


-- Nick J. Sciullo


(Video contains content from Sony Music Entertainment)

President Obama, the NAACP and Flow

President Barack Obama spoke at the NAACP convention during the celebration of its 100th year last month. President Obama, in a wide ranging speech, touched on a number of issues confronting the African American community. Specifically, his message included an admonition to parents of young African American children. President Obama stated in referring to young black youth:

"They might think they've got a pretty good jump shot or a pretty good flow, but our kids can't all aspire to be the next LeBron or Lil Wayne. I want them aspiring to be scientists and engineers, doctors and teachers, not just ballers and rappers. I want them aspiring to be a Supreme Court justice. I want them aspiring to be president of the United States."













President Obama identifies a curious diffusion created in some ways by the media. Often, inner city communities are inundated with the notion that the career path that offers the most promise includes basketball or rhyming. Often, superstar black athletes and artists are overrepresented in the media while high acheivement in non-sports or non-entertainment careers are less highlighted. The truth is that many African Americans have acheived in spectacular ways including doctors, lawyers, engineers, Supreme Court Justices and Presidents of the United States. President Obama would like to see this focus become clearer.

"The Carter"

Lil’ Wayne’s attempt to block Quincy Jones and Jones’ production company from releasing the 2009 documentary “The Carter” has been rejected. Lil Wayne sued Quincy Jones and QD3 Entertainment seeking an injunction from the Los Angeles Superior Court on March 23, 2009 asking the Court to enjoin the release of The Carter by alleging Breach of Contract, Fraud by Intentional Misrepresentation, Constructive Fraud and Invasion of Privacy.

Lil Wayne’s lawsuit arises from presentation of “The Carter” at this year’s Sundance Film Festival in January 2009, with plans for nationwide theatrical release of the documentary to follow this year. The documentary was shot over several months in 2008 and brings the audience into the controversial rappers life through concert and studio footage, interviews and behind-the-scenes access originally granted by Lil Wayne.

The complaint states that in 2007, Lil Wayne was approached about the documentary, which QD3 claimed would offer an “in-depth look at the artist Dwayne ‘Lil Wayne’ Carter, Jr., proclaimed by many as the ‘greatest rapper.’” In December 2007, Lil Wayne signed an agreement which provided that Lil Wayne would make himself broadly available for the ninety-minute documentary and make photos and videos from his personal archives available to the producers. The agreement also specified, according to the complaint, that Lil Wayne would be given the “sole right of final approval” of any scenes that portrayed his actions or activities as criminal in nature.

Prior to its debut at the Sundance Film Festival, in December 2008 and early January 2009, copies of the nearly complete documentary were submitted to Lil Wayne’s manager, who rejected portions of the footage, asking that certain questionable content, which management felt painted Lil Wayne in a negative light, be removed from the film. Lil Wayne’s manager also went on to demand, in writing, that the film not be showcased at Sundance, unless the scenes in question were removed.

Despite this request, the film debuted at the 2009 Sundance Festival with the questionable scenes intact. The Carter screened January 17, 19, 21 and 23, despite requests submitted by Lil Wayne’s management that the film be pulled. Lil Wayne’s management, in seeking the injunction against nationwide release, believes that The Carter would cause irreparable damage to Lil Wayne’s reputation and career.

On Wednesday April 22, 2009, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Mink refused to grant an injunction blocking the upcoming release of The Carter. Quincy Jones stated in Variety Magazine that “We’re very pleased with the court’s decision. . . . We made a great film, which was incredibly well received at Sundance, and showcases Lil Wayne's extraordinary talent.” The Carter, which was directed by Adam Bhala Lough, has no scheduled theatrical release date as of this time.

Litigation Update: Weezy’s Copyright Conundrum, Queen Latifah’s Legal Woes, & Prodigy’s Prison ’Suit

On March 18, U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel E. Knowles III ordered Dwayne A. Carter, a.k.a. Lil Wayne, to turn over all documents listing any income, advances and royalties the artist has received from sales of his latest album, Tha Carter III. The order was the latest development in Urband & Lazar Music Publishing, Inc. v. Dwayne A. Carter, a copyright infringement suit alleging that Carter sampled “Once”, a song written and performed by Karma Ann Swanepoel and published by Urband & Lazar, without obtaining a licensing agreement from the plaintiff.

The song at the center of the dispute, Carter’s “I Feel Like Dying”, prominently features Swanepoel’s voice, lyrics and musical composition. Although the song ultimately did not make the final cut of Tha Carter III, the plaintiffs are seeking damages and an injunction prohibiting Carter from continued use of the song. The suit alleges that Carter posted “I Feel Like Dying” on his MySpace page, allowing over 16 million people to download the song without acknowledging the expropriation of the plaintiff’s work. The suit further alleges that Carter has won critical acclaim and boosted concert ticket sales through his use of the song.

(Compare “Once” and “I Feel Like Dying”)

In his response to the Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel the documents, Carter claimed that because the song was not included on the album or otherwise sold for a profit, the plaintiff could not show the requisite “reasonable relationship” between the allegedly infringing use and the profits from Tha Carter III, and therefore was not entitled to discovery of records relating to the sale of his album. However, in his order, Judge Knowles noted that the plaintiffs are claiming that Carter received indirect profits from his use of the song; thus, they do not have to establish such a “reasonable relationship.”

While a settlement may ultimately prove to be in Carter’s best interest, don’t expect him to be cowed by the specter of IP litigation. The Urband & Lazar case is the third copyright infringement claim filed against Carter in the past 18 months.

* * * * * * * * * *

Dana Owens, a.k.a. Queen Latifah, is also experiencing her share of March legal madness. A pair of women claiming to be former employees of Owens filed separate breach of contract suits against the hip hop mogul in Manhattan Federal Court on Monday.

Cosmetologist Roxanna Floyd and stylist Susan Moses claim they are owed $700,000 and $300,000, respectively, for work performed on Queen Latifah’s CoverGirl ad campaign and “Curvations” line of intimate apparel.

Just nine months ago, Owens was involved in a breach of contract suit against Perfect Christmas Productions, which she said failed to pay her $275,000 for her role in the movie The Perfect Holiday.

* * * * * * * * * *

Finally, Albert Johnson, a.k.a. Prodigy (of Mobb Deep fame), has managed to remain in the news despite serving a 3 ½ year jail sentence as a result of charges brought under New York City’s strict handgun laws.

On March 23, Johnson filed documents in Manhattan Supreme Court alleging that Vox Music Group has failed to pay him over $30,000 in royalties related to an agreement in which Vox was to translate Johnson’s H.N.I.C. 2 album into over 1,400 languages. Vox uses 10-minute voice samples from artists to create completely translated songs.

No word on whether “Shook Ones Pt. II” sounds as ominous in German as it does in English.