If there’s one thing Hip-hop should get knocked for, it’s the blind acceptance of bling into our culture. Rappers, understand this: just because you rock chains that drape from your forehead to your toe doesn’t mean I’ll be enticed to buy your record. Is it a coincidence that majority of the ignoramuses who don’t care to check which of the terrorist organizations and rebel groups they’ve been sponsoring by rocking blood diamonds only make one decent song per lifetime.
It’s a sad day in Hip-hop when so-called rappers claim they would only wear a certain diamond if someone had indeed died for it. So, that makes you gangsta if a 13-year old girl in Congo is being raped by a 42 year old militant. Is it gratifying to you that teenage boys are running around killing entire families with all kinds of AK’s and ammunition purchased with the money you doled out on bling? Is this the new black on black or what?
Don’t even get me started on Kanye’s misleading “Diamonds (From Sierra Leone) Rmx” where he barely scratched the surface. Ironically, Lupe Fiasco jacked the beat and showed West how to really shed light on the issue.
Thank God for Kareem Edouard who’s stepping up to expose this tragic trend with his film, Bling:Consequences and Repercussions.
Here’s a list of conflict-free diamond jewelers. And, nope, Jacob the Jeweler (aka Jacob Arabo) is not one of them. Go figure.
