R&B Legend Gladys Knight Tells Hip-Hop To Kick Rocks

Posted 09/18/2009 at 3:45 PM by ballerstatus  |  comment/s  |  Category: News

I believe we have lowered our self-esteem with these performances and presentations. —Gladys Knight

Gladys KnightR&B Legend Gladys Knight isn't feeling hip-hop music. According to The Boom Box, the 65-year-old singer expressed her distaste for the genre during an interview in support of her role in the new Tyler Perry film, I Can Do Bad All By Myself.

She says hip-hop has negatively impacted the black community due to its aggressive lyrics. "It's been bad, in my opinion, as far as the quality of the music and the stories that they tell. It's one thing to be raw about your history, but they took it to another level and it became vulgar," Knight said.

Despite hip-hop's heavy impact, Knight says its never "elevated our industry musically." She goes on to say that hip-hop's effect has "lowered...self-esteem" in the black community. "It definitely has not elevated us as African-Americans, because we show disrespect for our partners, men and women," Knight explained. "I believe we have lowered our self-esteem with these performances and presentations."

Ironically, Knight's music has been sampled by some of hip-hop's elite, such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, Ice Cube and Big Daddy Kane.

She is currently prepping a European tour in October.


Comments

  • DarobiLatwa
    Although I somewhat agree with Ms. Knight that certain Hip Hop acts, themes, and images may lower our self esteem as a people; I would never discount it nor its potential as a grand form of expression closests to that of Bantu expression that we African Americans experience in modern american life. Sounds like she's HATIN' and needs to get some vindictive-apparel.
  • toysrus
    I agree with Ms. Knight as young adult I was a member of the World Tiger Marching Band of Grambling State University (GSU) and I get really offended when I hear this nonsense on the air waves. 99.9 percent of the rappers cannot read, write or play an instrument. 99.9 percent of the time they are`always sampling someone else music. There music is demeaning to women and it sterotypes black men and women as gutter rats and I have problem with the sterotypes. The so-called music is an insult to true musician who work hard at their craft.
  • toysrus
    So call rap music is an insult to any musician who can read, write and play an instrument. People are paying major dollars to 2 lil wayne and Jay-z who can not sing, write, or play and instrument. Please start writing muisician like David Sanborn, George Duke, Boney James, Winton Marsalis etc, then we can have real conversation about music. In my opinion rap music is demeaning to the African American community.
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