What’s Beef?

By zach • October 6, 2006 • Words is Like Ziti

I won’t lie. I was just as quick as the next 17 year old to drop my algebra book and run over to the crowded circle when I heard “Fight!” and I spent full afternoons arguing with friends over Cam dissing Jay. But when BET decided to create a series based on the collection of documentaries “Beef” 1-3 I had to at least question the morality of this decision. I am not very learned in human psychology but it seems that most people are intrigued and influenced by confrontational acts of aggression and, historically, humans on a macro scale consistently trade hierarchal positions through destructive acts of violence. Violence may be an unavoidable marketing tool, but this specific element of entertainment may stand out as questionable in instances where life, violence, art and race all play a role in the entertainment.

Battling as a founding principle in the elements of hip-hop was an expressive alternative to physical conflict. Using music or dance rather than weapons or fists allowed one to express many of the emotions of violence without any of the dangerous outcomes. Beef has conversely used music as a vehicle for real confrontation. Beef does not translate to battling nor is it strictly a product of hip-hop; it implies something more serious than just music. Beef is something that has caused a shift to violence, and lyrical content having the potential to manifest into real life repercussions.

Beef has become a part of hip-hop culture so in essence I have no problem with it being a featured subject. However, what if this featured subject is surrounded by depictions of hip-hop culture, which are not being presented purely, but instead glorifying many of the worst stereotypical images of hip-hop? BET has degenerated into a music video channel gradually cutting more and more political and socially relevant programming. An extreme example of which being the Katrina crisis when the channel did not cut away from programming but only used a news ticker across the bottom of the screen. This metamorphosis from an ideally Black cultural network that addresses black issues to mainstream music television has been steady and undeniable. With this as a context one must question the way that Beef is marketed on the BET network.

Honestly I don’t know where I stand on this issue so it is a practice of mine to investigate both sides through discourse. Does this program simply educate and entertain on a subject that has become relevant in an art form that is often driven by oppositional rivalry? Or does it prey on a human inclination towards violence and perpetuate negativity in hip-hop? Does the circumstance of the network make a difference in the decisions they make to market a program like this?

What do y’all think?

And a little something new from the man who said it best…

Mos Def – “Undeniable” (First single off Tru3 Magic)

Note: Rory with the art! if you want or need his talents roryandcraig.com

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