Interesting Experience i had as a pre teen

When I was about 10 years old I really discovered music. Now at age 21, I like a bit of just about everything. But mostly I am, Alternative-Metal, Nu-Metal, Gothic-Metal, Post-Grunge guy. But when I was younger I was a HUGE rap fan. My favorite rapper was DMX. My mom had just bought me his newest CD. I was in the car jamming to "Where Da Hood At" while she was picking up a few groceries. I was rapping along with the song. Saying the N-Word every time he said it.

Well, I stopped for a second and there was this very old but healthy looking black man parked beside me and he was kind of staring at me with a half smile. I was like, "Oh Crap". He motioned for me to roll down my window. I was really expecting him to rip me a new one over my use of the n word, but.

He asked me "How do you listen to that crap?" I just told him I love rap and DMX. He began to state how he believes rap, more particularly "Gangsta" rap negatively affects black youth and the rising crime rates. I was like 11 years old. I didn't know that black people committed so much crime but. He was a sweet man and he told me he had no hard feelings toward me for using the n word, but that I should be careful, just in case.

It was just an interesting encounter on how so many older black men, like my friend Carl who was 57 when he died of stomach cancer months ago. He had VERY harsh words for young black people. Its just amazing that we can reach common ground and critique each other without being mean or racist. Maybe Jesse Williams could learn from that.