"Very Positive": Fox News' Smear Of "Vile Rapper" Common Debunked By Own Reporting

[democracy1st]

Conservatives such as Fox News, the Daily Caller and Sarah Palin are criticizing the White House's invitation to rapper Common for a poetry event over the purported vulgarity of his lyrics. Fox Nation, for instance, called Common a "vile rapper."

But roughly half-a-year ago, Fox News had a different tone about Common. In an October 2010 report for FoxNews.com, reporter Jason Robinson interviewed the "rap legend" and told him, "your music is very positive. And you're known as the conscious rapper. How important is that to you, and how important do you think that is to our kids?"

Common replied that it's a "significant role. I just try to show who we are as well-rounded people and I'm happy to be known as the conscious artist."

Others have debunked the silly outrage over Common's invite. The Huffington Post's Jason Linkins writes that Common is "not what I consider to be a 'gangsta rapper' or particularly prone to any of hip-hop's legendary excesses. In fact, it was these excesses - 'poppin glocks servin rocks and hittin switches' -- that Common famously criticized in perhaps his most famous song, 'I Used To Love H.E.R.'" The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf, meanwhile, notes that there's a tradition of previous White Houses hosting people with purportedly controversial lyrics.

Links are here:

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201105100018

[monmouth]

1. Does anyone with half a brain think the Obama's would have a "vile"

rapper at the WH? This garbage is just getting ridiculous. Any tiny thing, anything they can find to gripe about is so ridiculous. We're talking Michelle here. If she won't let kids have candy do you think a "vile rapper" is going to perform there? What is wrong with these people???

[randr]

2. Faux throws derogatory comments at any minority that can't fight back

I hope someday they slander the wrong person and are forced to pay for it.

[Frustratedlady]

3. Hey, FOX, your bigotry is showing! The Obamas have more sense

in their little fingers than your whole NEWZ? team has in their entire staff. I get so tired of your pettiness and I would think it would be difficult for your people to continue with the daily nitpicking at the Democratic party, as well as the Obamas.

I realize the Obamas are foreign to you all, as they are hard-working, honest people and truly want what's best for all Americans, Democratic or Republican. You haven't seen that in a long time, so I guess we should give you some space until you can be deprogrammed from the Rove/Bush/Cheney propaganda, but I DO wonder how you can get up each day knowing you have to go to work, pick up your talking points and spew that crap all thru your shift.

I watched a bunch of you during the WH dinner a week or so ago and I imagine it was difficult for you to keep from sliding under the table when your hypocrisy was pointed out. Such a sad bunch you are.

Michelle does a great job as First Lady. Relax.

[Rex]

4. Typical Repuke mentality - 'we love it until we are ordered to hate it.'

Two faced, lilly livered, scum of the Earth is only kinda accurate when describing the lifeforms that work for Rupert Murdock.

[JI7]

5. black gangsters taking over the white house

that's what they are telling their audience.

[Rex]

7. Foxnews can barely keep the racism in check as a 'news organization'.

Imagine what the paymasters must think.

[Zax2me]

6. quote - The same they did to Kobe and Michael Jackson

"The same they did to Kobe and Michael Jackson, make them the main attraction
Turn around and attack them,
Black gem in the rough"

Who is the 'they' he is talking about?
White people?

"I hold up a peace sign, but I carry a gun"

Okay....
I don't know if this is any controversy, to me anyway.
It's dumb, not controversial.

[alp227]

8. Confirms the narrow-mindedness of Fox News and their followers

The right wing: Valuing hard work, but smearing and destroying hard workers who don't follow their Code of Conduct.

My fave Common songs: "I Used to Love H.E.R."; "The People"; "The Food"; "Universal Mind Control"

If you listen to him rap he actually makes sense and has a good flow unlike most mainstream rappers.

BUT

Rap isn't singing, according to conservatives, thus it's all just trash. How about some Tea Party Rap?