Bill Cosby to Rap?

By John

I just love how all these snarky, holier than thou writers are dishing out half-baked jabs at Bill Cosby for recording a rap album, when the man has contributed far more to society than gaudy sweaters, Jello and Pudding Pops (like that isn’t enough already).

What most pundits fail to realize is that Bill Cosby was an early champion of the DIY movement in African-American entertainment at a time when such a thing didn’t exist. Down for the cause before today’s arrogant rappers were born, he loaned $200,000 to Melvin Van Peebles, helping him release the blaxploitation classic Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song back in 1971. The smut-peddling rap videos of today could learn a thing or two from Sweetback.

And Cosby’s past track record, on record, is more akin to Digable Planets and the Native Tongues than, say, Lil’ Wayne. This rap album is a bad idea why, exactly?

With that said, State of Emergency could be an album filled to the gills with finger-wagging over sterile soul beats. And how is that different from the majority of “conscious rappers” out today?

Modern hip-hop could use some teaching. Let a T’cha teach!

Bill Cosby’s State of Emergency Teaser: