The legendary Pete Rock recently caught with The Tanning of America to discuss Hip Hop’s effect on race relations in America. During the interview, the Chocolate Boy Wonder responded to Jay-Z’s claim that, “Hip Hop has done more than any leader, politician, or anyone to improve race relations.” Although Pete doesn’t discount Hip Hop’s beneficial impact on race relations, he says that Hip Hop wouldn’t even exist without the work of political leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X.
“I don’t believe that. We have so many black leaders who died for us to live. Without that, we wouldn’t be doing Hip Hop,” he said. “From the airport to the supermarket to the DMV, even in the way deals are made for me. Race has always played a factor for me….[w]e still have a long way to go.”
Pete also related one of his personal instances where he faced overt racial discrimination. He said that on a recent trip to Europe, a white stewardess denied him in-flight service despite attending to all other passengers. At the end of the flight, he said he confronted her about the issue and she promptly called security on him.
“On a recent trip to Europe I was the only person of color in first class on this particular flight,” he said. “The stewardess, who happened to be a white woman, ignored me the entire flight while she attended to all the other passengers. I had to constantly ask her to provide me with the same service that she was giving to the other passengers. When I exited the plane I was so upset I flipped her the bird…and she called security.”
The full interview can be found over at The Tanning of America.
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Peace & respect to Pete Rock. Hip-Hop has played a role in race relations but we cannot forget about the major contributions of people such as James Meredith, Rap Brown, Robert Williams, Eleanore Roosevelt, and more who fought for freedom.
Thats real, I need to look these people up. Shout out to Pete Rock for calling out the stewardess!
someone should find out her name and put her on blast on all the news sites for being a racist
Excellent. Im happy he swore at her. It would have also been nice to know where in europe, my bets are on British Airways.
where does it say he swore at her?
he gave her the finger
Sorry where Im from giving someone the finger is a form swearing. I apologise for the confusion.
racism is still alive
All you have to do is read the HHDX comments to realize racism is still alive and well! Do you really think a Black person would use the name KNICKER as a screen name? Slap yourself if you think it means knickerbocker!
Stupid whore on a plane did WHAT??
Bitch should be thrown out the fuckin’ window of that plane, god damnit!
Yeah, and I’m white, but that retarded 19th century behaviour is just beyond ridiculous.
you cant throw anything out the window of a plane… they dont open
but you should try it sometime
STFU!!! You want to be black.
How is this news? This ain’t new to anybody. Anybody from urban america (I’m Detroit by the way: East 6 mile) knows racism is live and well.
These comments trip me out like people upset or something…lol…it sound cool behind computer
Great that this honorable woman hold up the flag for us.
It is true words what he speaks…and the joke of it is racism will only still exist simply because of the ignorance of people on the internet despite having access to study and gain a wealth of knowledge they choose to remain ignorant and say racist ish behind the computer screen…but I agree with Hov in the past 20-25 years Hip Hop culture has played a role. But even at the top you can still be bitten by great white sharks that is a line taken from Watch The Throne so it goes to show that yes there is a long way to go
All rappers do is bitch about how racist people are..last i checked whining dont solve shit
^^^^
kill ya self crakkka!
Hip Hop is no cure for racism, in the 80s and the 90s it played a part in the upliftment of black people.
As far as what Jay is saying is completly false, seems he does’nt remmember the 60s and 70s cruitial erre where we fought back with our parents blood sweat and tears.
He only speaks from a self point of view, not in this society, which for the most part, black people are still slaves so when you look at the things that matter, the figures, we are worse off now than when Dr King was here fighting and suffering all the consequences.
good for you pete rock, keep doing your thing nigga