# Rap wars, Sharpton, and my taxpayer money **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 7, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426 "2005-03-07T20:52:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/21 "2005-03-08T20:37:40Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Why limit this to rap stars, then? I can think of several politicians and world leaders who could benefit from the whole “die by the sword” social evolution gimmick. Sounds good to me. Keep in mind though that most of them are studio gangstas themselves. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/22 "2005-03-08T20:39:04Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > No, not more appealing, but I do find it annoying when some dude talking all this shit has never actually lived it. Well, hey, at least both of the dudes have been shot before. I read an article on this whole issue and have come to the conclusion that 50 is a complete tool. He was talking about how he’s out to ruin the careers of Ja Rule, Jada and Fat Joe by slamming them on his records. Give me a break. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/23 "2005-03-08T20:48:11Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Well, hey, at least both of the dudes have been shot before. I read an article on this whole issue and have come to the conclusion that 50 is a complete tool. He was talking about how he’s out to ruin the careers of Ja Rule, Jada and Fat Joe by slamming them on his records. Give me a break. Yeah, don’t get me wrong, I think they’re both fools. I just don’t understand why he needs police protection. Hire some more bodyguards or don’t threaten to cap people. ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/24 "2005-03-08T20:51:55Z")
As for wholesome genres like country & western, it’s good to know that the youth of America can enjoy family values oriented music, with lyrics like “Early one morning while making the rounds, I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down.” Country & Western really provides a safe haven from the violent, misogynistic and drug-soaked lyrics so prevalent in rap. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/25 "2005-03-08T21:57:04Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Why limit this to rap stars, then? I can think of several politicians and world leaders who could benefit from the whole “die by the sword” social evolution gimmick. My kids don’t listen to politicians, they know they’re full of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/26 "2005-03-08T22:17:01Z")
> [@Ilsa\_Lund](#): > > As for wholesome genres like country & western, it’s good to know that the youth of America can enjoy family values oriented music, with lyrics like “Early one morning while making the rounds, I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down.” Country & Western really provides a safe haven from the violent, misogynistic and drug-soaked lyrics so prevalent in rap. Ah well, there’s always Rock. Puts on “Hey, Joe”. No, wait. Puts on “I Shot The Sheriff” instead. Damn. Okay, Folk it is then. Puts on “Long Black Veil”. Aw, shit. {shoots stereo} ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/27 "2005-03-09T15:24:01Z")
Update: Hot97’s landlord has placed [restrictions](http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/288198p-246709c.html) on visitors on the station, including limits on posse size, etc. The landlord is the carpenter’s union. Man, when you’re too bad for those guys, who are pretty tough hombres themselves, you’re bad. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/28 "2005-03-09T17:09:37Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > I see where you’re coming from, but I see them acting more as body guards. I wouldn’t mind some free bodyguards myself, maybe I should threaten some people. Not that I have any substantive disagreement with you, but are sure the cops are providing this service as a freebie? Often public authorities will provide a service such as this at a cost to the person requesting it. And there’s always the possibility the Port Authority cops we doing this “off-duty.” Many police departments permit their officers to act as security guards for private organizations in uniform. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426/29 "2005-03-09T18:21:08Z")
> [@UncleBeer](#): > > Not that I have any substantive disagreement with you, but are sure the cops are providing this service as a freebie? Often public authorities will provide a service such as this at a cost to the person requesting it. And there’s always the possibility the Port Authority cops we doing this “off-duty.” Many police departments permit their officers to act as security guards for private organizations in uniform. You could be right, but my assumption was they wouldn’t be in uniform. Of course maybe they weren’t, I don’t have a pic of them strolling through the airport. 😛 In a surprise twist, after moving 1.1 million units in a week, they’ve called a truce. :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rap-wars-sharpton-and-my-taxpayer-money/293426.md?page=1)