SoundNexx

BET WANTS US TO READ A BOOK!
Over the weekend I turned to the Black Entertainment Television (BET) station because I was actually trying to catch a viewing of the Lil' Webbie & Lil' Boosie "Wipe Me Down" music video. I hadn’t seen it yet, but I knew it was definitely on one of their video countdown shows for some reason? As we all know, BET is known for consistently playing the highest quality of ghetto music videos from the urban radio’s Top 20 most requested. After suffering through two episodes of BET’s new hit dating show “Hell Date,” which was HELL to watch actually! It's nothing more than a bad rendition of Blind Date meets MTV’s Punk’d! Luckily, I noticed that BET's greatest show ever 106 & Park was coming on next! This particular episode of 106 was a replay of Friday’s show, which doesn’t really matter because they show the same videos for weeks at a time in most cases. So, as I was getting my urban video overdose on, I heard the hosts of the show say that BET has worked directly with some cartoonist dude to create a new music video entitled “Read a Book.” Just hearing the title alone shocked me? I was actually felt a sense of pride toward BET at that moment. I initially thought that BET had turned over a new leaf by incorporating some positive imagery for our youth to indulge in, over the typical glorification of sex, violence and money in most videos today? Turn off the TV youngsters and pickup a book because BET said so is the message I was hoping to get from this video? Before I say anything more, I would like you to watch the video for yourself. Well, here is the uncut version of that special video that BET aired for the world to see. Brace yourselves if you haven’t seen it already…

Read a Book (Uncut Video Version)


Now, after watching this video in its entirety, how do you feel about it? Personally, I felt like I had been bamboozled once again by BET! I was actually a little offended as well. I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed. It begged me to ask the question, have the folks over at BET finally lost their minds? Even the hosts of show seemed a little taken back and uncomfortable about the whole video experience. As I replayed this baffling video in my mind, I was trying to look past the simplistic ignorance and suggestive imagery that plagued the video tremendously to hopefully find a positive message. Is it possible that this video was saturated with such negative imagery to make a powerful point? The point being that there are so many music videos that use these types of negative images and language to promote negative stereotypes, why not use the same trickery to sell a positive message? Read a book, brush your teeth, wear deodorant and stop wasting money are all positive messages, but would a child actually digest these messages in a more positive demographic? Is this video a new type of tool for communicating positive messages to the youth today? Is putting the word BOOK on big bouncing cartoon booties more effective than an educated person saying the same thing in a lecture? Hmmm, I would hope that even in these dire times that our youth have not been brainwashed to the point where these types of videos are the only means of effective communication in 2007. Personally, I think whatever underlying message that was supposed to be understood from this video was lost, leaving black folks with another embarrassing BET moment for the records. Dammit, I hate when that happens, but on a more positive note...I have posted the infamous "Wipe Me Down" video for all to enjoy. I know after watching that previous video your forehead is probably full of sweat because of your frustration, so let Webbie and Boosie WIPE YA DOWN! Now, you can turn those frowns upside down and enjoy...

Boosie, Webbie & Foxx - Wipe Me Down (Hotta Uncut Remix)


Now, that's quality television at its finest ladies and gentlemen!!