CNN is reporting that the San Francisco-based Native American Cultural Center is calling for a boycott of CBS, OutKast’s label Arista Records, and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which sponsors the Grammys. CBS spokeswoman Nancy Carr told the news network: “We are very sorry if anyone was offended.” .
CNN is reporting that the San Francisco-based Native American Cultural Center is calling for a boycott of CBS, OutKast’s label Arista Records, and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which sponsors the Grammys. CBS spokeswoman Nancy Carr told the news network: “We are very sorry if anyone was offended.”
Imagine if a popular white band took the stage at the most prestigious music awards show in the world wearing black face, waving spears, munching watermelons and performed a soft-shoe in the style of the old minstrel shows or banged wildly on congos like some kind of savage African tribe. There’d be outrage. The NAACP would fire off angry letters. CBS might be threatened with a boycott by Jesse Jackson, and sponsors, especially those who specifically target the black community, might conceivably pull their ads.
Now consider what happened at last week’s Grammys. The white-hot hip-hop duo Outkast closed the show with their ubiquitous hit “Hey Ya!” The song began with Outkast’s Andre 3000 emerging out of a large teepee decked out in bright green faux Native American grab. As the group sang, a bevy of scantily-clad faux “squaws” shook their tail feathers in mock native dance moves. As the song reached a crescendo, a mostly white marching band joined them wearing faux “Indian Chief” headdresses. The performance came and went with little, if any, comment.
But the spectacle deeply offended a number of the original peoples of this land according to Tiokasin Ghosthorse, the host of “First Voices” on New York City’s Pacifica Radio outlet WBAI 99.5 FM, Thursday at 10 AM.
Reached for comment, Tiokasin told GNN, “I suppose it would take a national apology as big as the exposure they (Outkast) were privileged to, and to come and actually stay with Native people for quite a while.”
The irony is Outkast had always been known as a leader in what is commonly referred to as “conscious hip-hop.” They aren’t exactly as revolutionary as defiantly political acts like Paris or Dead Prez [Both have collaborated with GNN – ed.], but nevertheless, Outkast was always a cut above the mainstream rap mentality.
I remember when I bought Outkast’s CD “Stankonia.” The first words to blast from my stereo were: “Don’t everybody like the smell of gasoline? Well burn mutha-fucka, burn American Dream” Powerful stuff.
2003 was huge for Outkast. The catchy “Hey Ya!” is the crossover hit of the year, getting major airplay on hip hop and rock stations across the country. Their album “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” took the Grammy for best album. In many ways, it’s because of this new-found A-List status that many Native Americans feel an immediate apology for their offensive performance is especially urgent, and that the band should contact Native leaders to start a dialogue of understanding.
America’s first peoples have endured nearly five centuries of genocide and cultural ridicule. Christopher Columbus took back native slaves from Hispaniola to pique Queen Isabella’s curiosity in his adventures, and to secure more funding. Thanks to nearly five hundred years of small pox blankets, the near extinction of the buffalo, massacres of entire tribes including women and children, and the outright theft of their land, the Native American population was reduced by 95% from an estimated 12 million in 1492 to 257,000 at the end of 19th century. To add insult to death and misery, in the late-1800’s and early 1900’s desperate Natives Americans joined carnival-like “wild west” shows in which they were treated as exotic amusements not unlike the black minstrel performers.
When I had mentioned to Tiokasin Ghosthorse that Outkast actually has a history of being quite progressive and conscious with their lyrics, he responded, “Outkast has now become the outcast of the Native peoples of this land regardless of whether they have brought forward a consciousness or not … Nothing was real (in the performance), only make believe, the only surreal moment was when they began with a real Dine (Navajo) traditional song and from then on it was all fake and disrespect.”
This display may have brought a dark cloud over the prophetic interpretations of Native elders Tiokasin added, “What they have now shown the Indigenous peoples in Turtle Island (N. America) is perhaps the spiritual eyes are still not open; they may not be lacking the information about Native peoples, but they are lacking respect and common sense.”
Hopi prophecy gives us eight years to clean up the mess we’ve created before mother earth revolts. The prophecy is never definitive, it is always two sided and recognizes that it is up to the people of this earth to determine the prophecy, not the other way around. It is still possible, though many Native elders believe unlikely, for man to come together from the four corners of the earth in peace. There is only eight years left for this to happen according to the prophecy. Such a revolutionary change can only happen through knowledge, respect, and understanding based on peace.
The fact that Outkast opened their performance with a traditional indigenous song is like a slap in the face to many Natives. It is indicative that the knowledge is there, but respect and understanding are nowhere to be found. Hopefully, Outkast will do the right thing, but issuing an apology would only be the beginning. They must actively seek the respect of indigenous peoples, and work with them to obtain a greater understanding.
Michael Kane is New York-based activist and writer. This is his first contribution to GNN.tv.