Celebrating Black History Month: when Dr. Dre went to Burning Man

[Plotinus]

**DISCLAIMER** Please forgive the irreverence. This post is in no way meant to disparage black people or culture, or Black History Month as a celebration of said culture. But this was too good not to post.


In this month 16 years ago, Dr. Dre visited the Burning Man festival in the southwestern US. Here's what he had to say about it:

http://www.boingboing.net/images/tumblr_lgbpqddMAT1qdmojy.jpg

 

[Randd]

**DISCLAIMER** Please forgive the irreverence. This post is in no way meant to disparage black people or culture, or Black History Month as a celebration of said culture. But this was too good not to post.


In this month 16 years ago, Dr. Dre visited the Burning Man festival in the southwestern US. Here's what he had to say about it:

http://www.boingboing.net/images/tumblr_lgbpqddMAT1qdmojy.jpg

Thank You

 

[DeeGee]

Is this legit? Sources verified?

 

[Plotinus]

I've tried to find out and I've got nothing. The only reason I believe it (besides how awesome it is) is how does anyone think to fake something like it?

Dr. Dre hand writes his correspondence?

Dr. Dre writes in the same exact voice he raps in?

Dr. Dre has all these private ruminations about business and exploitation?

Etc. It's so improbable that someone could invent it. But who knows.

 

[lwien]

Ok, Plot. Clue me in. Why is this post worthy? Dre goes to Burning Man. Thinks he may be able to find a way to capitalize on it. Uh...........so?

 

[Plotinus]

I don't know, just a fascinating look into the private thoughts of a very public person. Maybe you have to be more of a Dre fan to find it humorous? Or less of one?

 

[charliedontsurf]

It's ignorant, stupid, hilarious, and atavistic. It's good for a vaped laugh real or fake.

"wish I was up in that ass."

 

[hereatlast]

I don't understand how you could put any credence into the legitimacy of this. Also, I'm not sure that the label of "Celebrating Black History Month" is appropriate here.

 

[fidget]

Just remember that Dr Drizzay's about to rizzip s hit up.

 

[lwien]

Also, I'm not sure that the label of "Celebrating Black History Month" is appropriate here.

Not quite sure I understand why this was chosen as the title also. What if that letter were written by Jon Stewart. Would the title be, "Celebrating Jewish History Month"? Why bring up the guys race?

 

[Plotinus]

Because hip hop is a huge part of black culture in America? And Dr. Dre has been at the center of hip hop for 30 years?

And no, Jon Stewart's letter would not be 'Jewish History month' because we have no Jewish history month. We do have Black History Month, and we are in it as we speak. Lighten up, guys.

 

[MG23]

Because hip hop is a huge part of black culture in America? And Dr. Dre has been at the center of hip hop for 30 years?

And no, Jon Stewart's letter would not be 'Jewish History month' because we have no Jewish history month. We do have Black History Month, and we are in it as we speak. Lighten up, guys.

+1

 

[DeeGee]

It's post-worthy because it's [del]funny[/del] motherfucking hilarious.
It points out the absurdity of mainstream rap culture being so materialistic.

Also, the title ISN'T appropriate la Dr. Dre himself, thus adding a little extra hilarity in there.

Edited for hereatlast

 

[hereatlast]

Because hip hop is a huge part of black culture in America? And Dr. Dre has been at the center of hip hop for 30 years?

And no, Jon Stewart's letter would not be 'Jewish History month' because we have no Jewish history month. We do have Black History Month, and we are in it as we speak. Lighten up, guys.

And yet the simple author of the letter (whether it's Dre or not) being part of the wider culture of hip-hop does not necessarily make this hip-hop related IMO. So, by the logic presented in the second part of your post, would a Jon Stewart letter be inherently "Jewish themed?" I'm not suggesting your post/title was malicious, just a little inappropriate and not exactly aligned with the spirit of celebrating Black history month.


And DeeGee, I think its extremely unfair blanket statement to impose materialism on the whole culture, there are great number of artists and even subcultures that don't operate within the paradigm of materialism.


And (this is a more light-hearted comment), I think its up for discussion whether Dre has been at the center of hip-hop for the past 10 years. I mean, where's Detox
Dre's been in a cave lately and I have to say I haven't been all that fond of the recent leaks of Detox track (Kush was ). Hell, even in his Grammy appearance he seemed nonpresent, Em's adlibs seemed to make up half of his verse. Aah well, I'll buy anything with some Dre production under it, hopefully Em and other artists write some nice verses for Dre beyond their own appearances.

 

[DeeGee]

I saw him the other day getting that scrilla from a Dr. Pepper commercial.

 

[Plotinus]

I agree that Dre's place in the pantheon is debatable. I do think it's hard to deny his influence as a producer, though. And he also has connected a lot of critical people together, Eminem most famously.

Here are some ways I read this letter that it seems like others in this thread might not have:

- Unlike many, it seems, I feel personally pretty sure that it's authentic. I can't prove it and I recognize that it could be fake, but when I posted this my 'gut feeling' on its authenticity was in the neighborhood of like 80%. Not saying I was/am right to be sure, just putting my motivation in context.

- I don't think this letter makes Dre look laughable at all, to the contrary I feel that I'm laughing along with Dre. I think calling hip hop "materialistic" is a cheap shot. The Rolling Stones demanding a bowl full of m & m's with one color carefully picked out at every live show wasn't materialistic? Pop music was about money long before hip hop came along, that's just life in America.

So anyway, the point is that I find this letter amusing not because it's dumb but because it's an unusual and intimate look at this person. I also find his writing style very funny and I imagine (if indeed he wrote it) that Dre was laughing pretty hard while writing it.

As for the call back to black history month, it was just a dumb joke (with no ulterior meaning whatsoever) and an excuse to post something that, as some have pointed out, is sort of frivolous. Call it fondness for our community that made me think I could get away with posting something dumb once in awhile.

Are we all satisfied that this is no longer funny now that I have had to explain it into the ground?

 

[crawdad]

Not quite sure I understand why this was chosen as the title also. What if that letter were written by Jon Stewart. Would the title be, "Celebrating Jewish History Month"? Why bring up the guys race?

[snip blah blah blah]

Are we all satisfied that this is no longer funny now that I have had to explain it into the ground?

yeah, whatever humor there was has been mostly extinguished. it was at least partially entertaining watching another thread go "this direction" but...meh. fwiw, not all questions require answering so maybe just let it be next time...yo yo dawg.



so when is green history month?