Before I continue with substantive posts about hip-hop, social issues, dope tracks, fire mixtapes, and entertaining rap beef, please allow me to spit a few clarifying words about my own position in the socio-political blogosphere.<\/p>\n
*Let me clear my throat*<\/p>\n
On Tuesday of this week I received a text from a friend of mine asking if we could talk about one of my posts. The post, dealing with homophobia in hip-hop, had been extremely well received. Yet this friend wanted to discuss, among other things, word choice. I have yet to talk to him (it’s midterms week here at Dickinson College) but I feel that his concerns about my word choice, whatever they may be, warrant a quick post about how I write and what I write.<\/p>\n
I’ll be the first to admit it, I am a pretty basic individual. I am white, straight, I come from Maine, I wear Bean boots, Clarks, college hats with slightly curved brims, and puffy vests. I have two dogs and three cats. I wear a couple leather bracelets to make myself seem more interesting. I study political science. And I write a blog. What I mean to emphasize with all this is that nearly everything I do is fairly mainstream. I have almost never been the subject of any sort of marginalization. I used to be somewhat chubby. And now I’m not. So where does that leave me?<\/p>\n
Being so mainstream, so free from any sore of persecution, it is hard for me to write about socio-political issue such as homophobia, misogyny, or racism with any sort of substantial context. While these are issues that I am passionate about exploring, my inherent alien status within the issues means that I am considerably less versed in the appropriate language and processes used in discussions regarding them.<\/p>\n
I am constantly attempting to educate myself, and to engage in conversations that will give me context, but I know that there will times at which I slip up. Things such as my word choice may upset some. I may at times appear insensitive, arrogant, ignorant, etc. These are not intended results. Yet it does not mean that it is permissible to slip up. So I need you, the reader, to help me help myself.<\/p>\n
I will do my part. I will educate myself about socio-political issues as best I can so that I am evolving along with them. But when I do slip up, I need readers to call me out. I need people like my friend to shoot me a text, and email, or a comment (or just yell “hey, Nick! You fucked up!” across campus). That way we will be able to engage in a productive dialogue about what I can do to better my own scholarship and subsequently the discussions on my blog. I would greatly appreciate your help.<\/p>\n
If you’re wondering where the title of this blog comes from, please check out DJ Kool’s behemoth of a live performance of\u00a0Let Me Clear My Throat<\/a>. <\/em>It has little to do with my post, other than that I needed to “clear my throat” before the above words of clarification.\u00a0Plus, it features Biz Markie.\u00a0<\/i>Chances are, if you know one rap song, it’s Biz’\u00a0Just A Friend.\u00a0<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Before I continue with substantive posts about hip-hop, social issues, dope tracks, fire mixtapes, and entertaining rap beef, please allow… Read more “Let Me Clear My Throat” A Few Clarifying Words Before I Continue<\/span><\/a>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/feeds.wordpress.com\/1.0\/comments\/raplens.wordpress.com\/39\/\")
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