0 From Malcolm Little to Lil' Wayne

Note: This editorial was originally sent to the hip-hop website "AllHipHop.com" following the backlash of an editorial by social commentator and author, Dr. Boyce Watkins which was published on their site. In the editorial, Watkins examines the parallels of the lives of a young Malcolm X and Lil' Wayne, from a sociological perspective, discussing how they were both products of a similar social structure (Click here to read Dr. Watkins' editorial)

Yet, Watkins editorial was met with an overwhelmingly negative response from readers who found the thought of even comparing Lil' Wayne's life to Malcolm X's to be an insult.

Me, feeling as if most readers completely missed Watkins point, decided to write a response editorial to AllHipHop.com.

Yet, the editors of AllHipHop.com never published the editorial nor did they respond to my email.

Here's what I had to say:

Apparently a lot of AllHipHop.com readers were up in arms after reading Dr. Boyce Watkins’ editorial “What Lil Wayne has in common with Malcolm X”. Many people responded with a sentiment of outrage, saying things like, “How dare he compare Lil Wayne to Malcolm X!” or “This article is a disgrace!” 

Some even went as far as to diss Dr. Watkins personally, one reader called him “a f*cking idiot”.

These comments revealed to me a big problem of today which is the fact that in the era of internet journalism, many people don’t a) actually READ ARTICLES FULLY, nor do they b) think critically and analyze what they read.

Of course Lil' Wayne is no Malcolm X, that’s obvious. Malcolm X was one of the biggest champions for African American people as well as one of the greatest minds of the 20th century, hands down. But that wasn’t the point that Dr. Watkins was trying to make.

Dr. Watkins wasn’t saying that we should look up to Lil' Wayne as we do Malcolm X.

He wasn’t saying that their messages are similar.

He wasn’t saying that their early lives are completely similar.

If people actually took the time to read and understand what Dr. Watkins was saying they’d realize he was making an even deeper point. Importantly, he was stating that Lil Wayne is a product of the same system that developed a young Malcolm X.

Some might say, “How in the world is Wayne a victim of the system? He’s rich.”

Well, contrary to common belief, being rich is not the same thing as being free. As Chris Rock once said “Rich is some sh*t you can lose with a crazy summer and a drug habit.”

Lil' Wayne is a victim of the mentality which living in the poor conditions of America’s inner city creates within many Black men. He grew in one of the most impoverished areas of New Orleans, embraced gang culture, had few positive male role models as a young man and he’s become a victim of America’s drug addiction culture.

So, it shouldn’t be any surprise that a lot of his music reflects negative images, this is what he knows and was raised on.

Dr. Watkins’ point is not to say that we should feel sorry for Wayne and not hold him accountable for his message. He’s saying that there is potential to push Wayne in a positive direction. 

But of course, naysayers will say “it’s not possible” or say “he’s a lost cause”, yet ironically, at one time people probably said the same thing about another young man.

This young man, like Wayne, lost his father at a young age, abused drugs, embraced the lifestyle of the streets and even did prison time. 

However, while he was in prison, this young man had people who saw his potential and stepped in to help him change for the better.

This young man would go on to become the man we know as Malcolm X.

Malcolm Little, circa 1944

Wayne is not a Malcolm X or a Martin Luther King, but he does have the potential to be a man who has a positive effect on the world. As Dr. Watkins stated “Malcolm X is what the caterpillar becomes when he’s grown into a butterfly.”

As corny as it might sound, what WE have to be is the cocoon that helps not only Wayne, but other young men and women transition from that “Caterpillar stage”.

Our young brothers and sisters have potential to be so much more and have a positive effect on the world if only they are educated and guided in the right direction.

Too often, we become so caught up in casting judgment on people we fail to recognize our own room for growth and the fact that their struggle are largely relating to our own.

We’ll think of a million reasons to say why someone is “hopeless” or a “lost cause”, but won’t provide one method of helping people.

Yet as Benjamin Franklin once said, “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain, and most fools do.”

Therefore, our job is to not only improve upon ourselves but to put effort into loving our misguided brothers and trying to help them… by any means necessary.