News

Wynton Marsalis Takes On 50 Cent and Hip-Hop

This may be the first time in history that we've seen a beef between a rapper and a trumpeter, but there's a first time for everything. Notable jazz musician Wynton Marsalis is speaking out publicly about his controversial feelings regarding hip-hop. Marsalis claimed that rap debases African-American heritage, citing 50 Cent and Ludacris as prime examples.

"I call it ghetto minstrelsy," Marsalis said. "Old school minstrels used to say they were 'real darkies from the real plantation.' Hip-hop substitutes the plantation for the streets. Now you have to say you're from the streets, you shot some brothers, you went to jail."

Marsalis continued, "Rap has become a safari for people who get their thrills from watching African-American people debase themselves, men dressing in gold, calling themselves stupid names like Ludacris and 50 Cent, spending money on expensive fluff, using language like 'b**ch' and 'ho' and 'n**ger'."

--The ARTISTdirect Staff
03.02.07