Tuesday, January 6, 2009
City / Music First Black Prez Conscious, Talking With Friends
Posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 4:28 PM
Seattle MC Avery Turner (AKA First Black Prez)—one of the men injured in the Chop Suey shooting—is apparently conscious and talking with friends at Harborview.
Turner was shot in the chest during a hiphop show Sunday morning and was rushed to the hospital with life threatening injuries. Friends say Turner had been on a respirator since Sunday.
Another man, James Jones (known as Trama) was shot in the leg and shoulder. A third victim, Joseph Ryan—who performed under the name 29-E—was killed in the shooting.
A benefit show for the victims of the shooting is tentatively scheduled for next month.
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1
"A benefit show for the victims of the shooting is tentatively scheduled for next month."
Good shit... No learning curve here is there...
Good shit... No learning curve here is there...
4
Is it possible that we could refrain from referring to a shooting victim as "First Black Prez", even if that's what he likes to be called? The juxtaposition of the two ideas - gun violence and the ACTUAL "First Black Prez" we'll be swearing in a couple weeks from now - is just plain disconcerting.
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If we call him Avery, 1st Black Prez, Prezwell Jackson or whatever he prefers to be called, then fine. Your fear of a jaded juxtaposition is kind of overshadowed by the fact that he's a human in a fragile state. I'm glad to hear he's about and talking. Anybody who's not glad to hear that, is a sick human being.
6
Thank god. This is fantastic news. My heart goes out to him and his family.
renbot and Trey. you are terrible, terrible people. This is a real human being we are talking about. If you think being "clever" or not feeling disconcerted is more important than this man's life, you are what is wrong with the world.
renbot and Trey. you are terrible, terrible people. This is a real human being we are talking about. If you think being "clever" or not feeling disconcerted is more important than this man's life, you are what is wrong with the world.
7
I'm a white partnered lesbian over 40, a mother, regular SLOG reader but rare commenter, Capitol Hill resident, and know almost nothing about hip-hop. But I've learned a lot in these past days: I've read the myspace pages of all involved, the loving and hopeful or mourning and disbelieving comments left by friends and family, as well as the surprisingly ugly racism of a community (SLOG commenters) which I had previously thought of as intelligent, progressive and inclusive, though delightfully snarky as well. In other words, I always thought of you SLOGgers as "my people." I am becoming disillusioned. The "let them all kill each other off - population control" folks are certainly not my people, nor are those who make this all about race and nothing else. But my first reaction on reading this recent post about Avery's recovery was a long exhale of relief, a victorious fist-pumping in the air, and a flood of love and strength toward Avery - a stranger I do not know and whom I will never meet. I've been pulling for you Avery, and I feel triumphmant that you are speaking and breathing on your own. Love and strength to you Avery - you have good friends who love you and a whole city pulling for you, including random white over-the-hill lesbians who don't listen to hip-hop, like me. You hang in there my friend. You're gonna make it outta this to better times ahead. Peace to you.
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@6:
Let's see, three people were shot and one killed at an entertainment venue, and I made a snarky comment on some blog.
And I am what is wrong with the world. Seriously? Get a sense of fucking perspective.
Let's see, three people were shot and one killed at an entertainment venue, and I made a snarky comment on some blog.
And I am what is wrong with the world. Seriously? Get a sense of fucking perspective.
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@8 Oh, there are plenty of worse things in this world then you.
But your belief that it is just making a "snarky comment", which isn't a big deal compared to other things in the world is in fact what is wrong here. All of this violence in the past year has come about because people do not sufficiently value human life. And your comment furthers that cultural attitude. No, not nearly as much as other things (including a lot of mainstream violence glorifying rap, which has little to do with most Seattle hip-hop), but it still does. To make it worse, your comment making light of doing a benefit show furthers an attitude of inaction and acceptance. A benefit show is exactly what people should be doing, they should be taking a stand within the community.
@7 I <3 you.
But your belief that it is just making a "snarky comment", which isn't a big deal compared to other things in the world is in fact what is wrong here. All of this violence in the past year has come about because people do not sufficiently value human life. And your comment furthers that cultural attitude. No, not nearly as much as other things (including a lot of mainstream violence glorifying rap, which has little to do with most Seattle hip-hop), but it still does. To make it worse, your comment making light of doing a benefit show furthers an attitude of inaction and acceptance. A benefit show is exactly what people should be doing, they should be taking a stand within the community.
@7 I <3 you.
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@9:
So you are going to defend hip-hop yet claim that I further a cultural attitude that does not sufficiently value human life. OK.
" All of this violence in the past year has come about because people do not sufficiently value human life. And your comment furthers that cultural attitude." You want to know what really causes violence to be an intractable problem? When polical correctness and Black Pride/White Guilt blind people to what the problems really are. Not white faggots commenting on SLOG, but a music industry and culture that is wholly based on glorifying gun violence and hatred of women. I am no more surprised by a shooting at a hip-hop show than I am about the mauling of a child by a pit bull. Are there decent hip-hoppers/pit-bulls? Of course. Can you find 5 examples of a sweet rapper/pitbull for every violent one? At least. Does the violence that accompanies hip-hop/pitbulls every where they go diminish my sympathy for the victims of their violence? Of course not. But if we cannot even see the problem we have little chance of fixing it.
So you are going to defend hip-hop yet claim that I further a cultural attitude that does not sufficiently value human life. OK.
" All of this violence in the past year has come about because people do not sufficiently value human life. And your comment furthers that cultural attitude." You want to know what really causes violence to be an intractable problem? When polical correctness and Black Pride/White Guilt blind people to what the problems really are. Not white faggots commenting on SLOG, but a music industry and culture that is wholly based on glorifying gun violence and hatred of women. I am no more surprised by a shooting at a hip-hop show than I am about the mauling of a child by a pit bull. Are there decent hip-hoppers/pit-bulls? Of course. Can you find 5 examples of a sweet rapper/pitbull for every violent one? At least. Does the violence that accompanies hip-hop/pitbulls every where they go diminish my sympathy for the victims of their violence? Of course not. But if we cannot even see the problem we have little chance of fixing it.
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ps: oh and thanks for admitting that there are worse things in the world than me. But the fact that you even think I make the list means that you don't see reality clearly. And that is the problem.
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No ONE DESERVES TO BE SHOT DOWN FOR TRYING TO FIND A WAY OUT OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, THROUGH A PASSION FOR MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT SOMEONE FELLING SORRY FOR THEMSELVES OF COURSE HAS TO PUT INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THEIR ANGER AND RAGE.
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@10
Yay strawmen!
I didn't take any of the positions you are arguing against. Damn right violent hip-hop is part of the problem, though "a music industry and culture that is wholly based on glorifying gun violence and hatred of women" is a HUGE generalization that isn't true. But the glorifying of violence in mainstream culture (via everything from hiphop to violent movies) is a large part of the problem here. I don't think its the root cause, I think that lies in more systemic issues of ghettoization, poor public education, etc. etc., but I certainly didn't take the position of it is not a problem at all.
And it's not me being politically correct to call you out for being an insensitive asshole. It is me believing in fundamental human kindness and empathy in the face of tragic loss, and has nothing to do with a socialized desire to never offend anyone.
Yay strawmen!
I didn't take any of the positions you are arguing against. Damn right violent hip-hop is part of the problem, though "a music industry and culture that is wholly based on glorifying gun violence and hatred of women" is a HUGE generalization that isn't true. But the glorifying of violence in mainstream culture (via everything from hiphop to violent movies) is a large part of the problem here. I don't think its the root cause, I think that lies in more systemic issues of ghettoization, poor public education, etc. etc., but I certainly didn't take the position of it is not a problem at all.
And it's not me being politically correct to call you out for being an insensitive asshole. It is me believing in fundamental human kindness and empathy in the face of tragic loss, and has nothing to do with a socialized desire to never offend anyone.
14
why is every one stuck on prez? I think god that he is alive and well because he is a vary good frend of mine; however, people hear seem to be forgiting that a good man was murderd. may you rest in peace joe, you will be missed. the reason for the show is not only for the victoms but to show people that we will not stop doing what we love out of fear for what might happen. God gave us this gift for a reason, so we will continue to perform and send our message to all those who are willing to listen. thank you to all who are showing love and I hope all of you can make it to the show.
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