I was talking on the phone to my cousin recently and we were discussing our just-completed home renovations and a Chicago mutual friend from the mid 1980s. And we agreed that he was one of the original ballas, who also sported much bling-bling. We know what other blacks know: that the phenomenon was alive decades before either word became common currency among rappers. This associate gave away new cars to friends, long before Oprah, wore fur coats and diamonds, and made stretch limos available to regular folks. On weekends he would give elaborate parties at swank hotels and then shuttle the party around downtown Chicago in one of his many limos. He drove a white Excalibur during the week.
I am not sure how this entrepreneur, that’s what he was, made his fortune. He did do some prison time later for his activities. Not through drug dealing, but by deceptive claims on a product, i.e. white collar crime. We continued our conversation about him, and she said that he told her that she had “natural bling (read beauty).” Hmm, I like that. She said, “I was not into bling back then, but I am into bling now!” So I said “Yeah, bling it on!” and we both laughed.In case you are unfamiliar with terms like balla (as pimp), bling-bling, and Beyonce’s bootilicious (which recently made it into the dictionary), these are the ABCs of blackness. Not really, but familiarity with black lingo can give one a little insight into inner city life. It is also a lesson in what separates the men from the boys in the ‘hood — conspicuous consumption — the price of their toys.
When I checked an online urban dictionary there were 26 separate entries for balla. The number one definition however was pimp — it had the most thumbs up. That’s not how I used it though. I used the other definition: a cool brother (black man) with money, who has great skill. Or put another way, a brother who is adept at his game, and has a great deal of money. What has this conversation got to do with Barack as brother, as African American, as a self-identifier with Chicago as home town, as a presidential candidate front-runner? I don’t know. As I spoke it got me to thinking about the recent South Carolina (he has been voted the winner, by the way) Democratic candidates’ debate, and his performance (as pie graph) in it. These debates were a bit of testing the waters, eloquence-wise. He and Hillary are clearly still “first-tier” candidates. That did not change. Clinton actually gave an excellent response to the attack question, while this is the “one” that Obama bombed (no pun intended).
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Dave Nalle
A couple of points.
First, the bit about Geffen in there reminds me of the scene in Bullworth when he says:
Seems relevant to Obama's situation.
Second, I take it from the article that you don't agree with the theory that Obama is not 'black' enough. I'm afraid that may turn out to be a real problem as the election goes along. The history of the democratic party has not been to encourage black candidates to run for the black vote. The party is built on paternalism and conditioning the black population to vote for a benevolent liberal who sort of (forgive me) fills the role of a modern-day plantation owner. And I don't think the party has evolved beyond that - I think white democrats will abandon Obama in droves when it comes to the actual election, unless the GOP nominates someone horrible. He's violating one of their basic rules, that blacks are the base and thus should stay at the bottom with the unionists and other riff raff.
Finally, the Obama campaign troubles me because I think it will ultimately set blacks back politically. When Obama runs and loses there's going to be a lot of blame directed at all sorts of people and it's going to hurt future black candidates. I'm still convinced that the best and most likely way for a black American to win the presidency is to run as a Republican. The GOP doesn't have the basic racism inherent in the Demcoratic party, and the combination of enthusiastic party backing and pulling votes from the democrats would be hard to beat.
Obama gets black democrats, half the white democrats and no one else and loses to any Republican. A nice moderate black Republican like Colin Powell (not that nut Keyes) would get most of the Republicans and independents and many black democrats and win overwhelmingly.
Plus a black Republican president sends a much more positive message to the black population as a whole. Rather than endorsing the exploitation of the Democrats, a black man (or woman) winning as a Republican sends the message that blacks have arrived and that they can compete on equal footing with whites and anyone else.
Dave
2 - STM
Love it .... Bling it on, eh? Good stuff Heloise. It'd certainly liven the place up ... but would we see Barack, a giant solid gold clock with all the world's times on it hung around his neck (Baghdad smack bang in the middle), sporting a tasteful set of platinum grilles with "The Prez" spelled out in diamonds?
One thing's for sure: the decor aboard Airforce One would be a hell of a lot more interesting, and so would the haircuts around Washington.
You might actually get to see one move in the wind every so often.
3 - Lee Richards
I'm not sure what #4 in your list of requirements is supposed to mean. A president can be re-elected, so that's being elected to the presidency twice.
They can't serve more than two terms (or ten years, if serving out two years of a previous president's term before being elected themselves).
4 - Dr Dreadful
Arch Conservative posting several paragraphs of vitriol about Obama here in 5... 4... 3... 2...
5 - Mike Morrison
"The GOP doesn't have the basic racism inherent in the Demcoratic party"
So why is the GOP field for 2008 made up completely of white males?
Why did virtually every black Republican lose in 2006, while black Democrats won?
Barack Obama will win, not because of his race, but because of his character.
6 - Clavos
Barack Obama will win, not because of his race, but because of his character.
In terms of character he appears to be head and shoulders above Hillary.
I, however, think his race will defeat him, not help him win.
Many Dems in the South are redneck crackers; I doubt they will vote for a Black man.
7 - Heloise
First, the bit about Geffen in there reminds me of the scene in Bullworth when he says:
"My guys are not stupid. They always put the big Jews on my schedule. You're mostly Jews, right? Three out of four of you?"
Seems relevant to Obama's situation.
Heloise: Yeah, I saw Bullworth. But it is not JUST relevant to Obama, it is also most relevant to the CLINTON'S. That is that he is somewhat following not only in Clinton's footsteps but also in JFKs.
Second, I take it from the article that you don't agree with the theory that Obama is not 'black' enough.
Heloise: Did you read my "The Obama Drama Meter?" I believe he is not black enough, actually. Hence my tongue-in-cheek article.
I'm afraid that may turn out to be a real problem as the election goes along. The history of the democratic party has not been to encourage black candidates to run for the black vote. The party is built on paternalism and conditioning the black population to vote for a benevolent liberal who sort of (forgive me) fills the role of a modern-day plantation owner. And I don't think the party has evolved beyond that - I think white democrats will abandon Obama in droves when it comes to the actual election, unless the GOP nominates someone horrible. He's violating one of their basic rules, that blacks are the base and thus should stay at the bottom with the unionists and other riff raff.
Heloise: I predicted that Hillary C. would not be inevitable. Why? I predicted that something would knock her off the platform. I think it is Obama.
Thanks for your wonderful insight.
Heloise
8 - Heloise
STM, your comment made me laugh out loud.
Watch and see there may be spoofs on this with Barack as "Bling Brother!" That's so funny. That he is not.
I saw something when he was working with the group in Chicago. And the humility I saw on his face in that crowd was truly moving. Never seen a look like that from any white candidates. In that SENSE, he is black.
Thanks so much
Heloise
9 - Heloise
Hmm, note to editor: that change you made in #4 is wrong. It should read "cannot be elected to presidency twice." It means that Bill Clinton cannot run again and be elected. Not that one cannot hold office twice in succession. Something lost in the translation there. But the URL is there. Thanks for pointing that out Lee Richards.
Heloise
10 - Heloise
Clavos: Many Dems in the South are redneck crackers; I doubt they will vote for a Black man.
Heloise: Amen to that.
11 - Lisa McKay
Sorry Heloise, but you're wrong. From the link you provided:
No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice...
A person CAN be elected to the Presidency twice. Most presidents do this by being re-elected for a second term -- they are independent events, and constitute being elected twice. The reason Bill Clinton can't run again is because he's already been elected twice. Read your link again.
12 - Heloise
Lisa, I was thinking that it meant that one cannot come back and be relected. Okay thanks. In other words it means two terms period? Why did it not say that term-wise?
Heloise
13 - Lisa McKay
Probably because it means the same thing? A person can be elected to two terms in office, hence elected twice. The terms can be consecutive or not.
14 - Heloise
Really, not consecutive? That's where the confusion comes in my little mind.
Heloise
15 - Zedd
Heloise
I am not following your article at all.
What does urban YOUTH language have to do with a presidential election or candidate.
What defines Blackness???? I'll answer the question. NOTHING quantifiable.
Your article seems disjounted. Please help me understand what your point was.
16 - Zedd
Dave
There you go again with your cartoonish view of the world. Blacks are not told individually what to do by anyone.
There is no genetic chip which causes us to respond to any one thing. We respond to who speaks to our concerns. While no one candidate addresses or wants to address all of our concerns, there are certain people who have lent us an ear.
The same is true with EVERY interest group.
When you state things as you do, you insinuate that we are ignorant and just file in the direction of whomever decides to rustle us on, like cattle.
It would stand that it is we who actually require the towing of the line of democratic candidates, as all LARGE interest groups do.
17 - Heloise
Zedd, here is my fabulous Point: Think Barack as Brother shaking up white America.
The subtitle: How Barack Obama is Rocking the People
1) 100,000 (possibly) contributions from "the little people" in small quantities
2) blacks are starting to get behind him, hence higher polling numbers
3) he taking "the Jews" and "the blacks" from Hillary
4) He has become engaging to the Right, i.e. Heloise who has left the right for now.
5) white supremists Web sites are citing their hatred for a black person as president. I did not link to any of those sites because I don't want to give them any more grist.
6) his crowds are so large (whites mostly) and the threats so real that he is the earliest candidate to get secret service.
7) he is attracting "bling" from brothers who are rappers and in association with David Geffen (read deep pockets both black and Jewish).
8) That the bling-bling crowd is behind Barack as well as middle class blacks like my two grown children and their spouses.
9) He won the dem debate
10) he made the TIME 100 list---helloooo.
I could go on, but all these points have been made in the article, right or wrong?
Heloise
18 - Heloise
Zedd, I sense that you are a wise person, so not sure why you did not get my point.
PS: I just thought I would use black youth lingo to make my points, and gave a little Chicago history to connect the dots between what we say and what we do. That is we do it long before we coin it into being.
Heloise
19 - Heloise
Zedd I disagree with your reading of Dave's comment. I think he is saying "here we go again" and that life imitates art. Politicians follow each other to be sure. They imitate other winners. Look at the photos with Barack and others pointing. JFK did that in many photos.
Heloise
20 - Dave Nalle
There you go again with your cartoonish view of the world. Blacks are not told individually what to do by anyone.
You show that you almost get it, but still you come up short. I agree that individual blacks aren't programmed to behave in a particular way more than anyone else. But as a community they are certainly guided into certain courses of action and loyalties which are not always in their best interests.
This isn't something unique to blacks, but it does stand out because their loyalties are so dramatically contrary to their welfare.
Dave
21 - Heloise
Dave,
An astute observation. And one with which I concur.
Heloise
22 - Zedd
Dave
Would you have the courage to say "Zedd, your loyalties are contrary to your welfare", as I am a Black person. I should hope not because you don't know me.
If anything is paternalistic it is the approach that you take in conversing about Blacks.
There is diversity among us. The reasons that each of us have for voting the way that we do differ based on our personal ideology. The fact that what you support doesn't fit into what most of us consider to be OUR best interest does not mean that it is us who are being lead like children. It means your ideas are not good enough.
23 - Zedd
Dave
It can certainly be said after the reign of the other party that those who support it are not working in their own interest. The Republicans have proven themselves to be all talk (spin), perversion, hypocrisy and no action (actually screw ups) as of late. While Blacks tend to be for more conservative than most Democrats (as I am, even though I don't consider myself to be a Dem), it is the yuck factor that permeates within the Republican party that keeps us away.
Republicans are yucky to put it simply. The most intelligent of Republicans remain loyal with reservation.
Considering the mess that this party has wrought, it would be laughable to insist that a people who have been lied to and about for hundreds of years would latch on to these impotent masters of distortion. Especially when a lot of the distortion is about THEM.
That would be counter productive, wouldn't you say.
24 - Zedd
Heloise
Come on now.... I don't follow your spiritual thing but I normally get your articles and enjoy them. What in the heck are you talking about?!!! What is your point?
Are you simply saying that Obama is doing well?
Are you saying that there is a correlation with his appeal and the rise of hip hop in American society?
Are you saying that the acceptance of urban culture is making it possible for him to be a viable candidate?
Perhaps I missed the dots that connect the thoughts this time but daaaang girl! Clue some of us in.
Dave is not that deep. He meant that we are duped into voting the way we vote. He has said it on a number of occasions. You know like children.
25 - Heloise
Yes, I guess I am saying we can sit back and now say he is doing not just well but better than anyone would have predicted.
Paternalism and the white man's burden can rear its head at times. But the deal is this: blacks can little afford to make the mistakes that whites, as republicans, can. That is the point. Both groups, all groups vote their hearts and make mistakes is true.
Heloise
Sorry you did not get this one Zedd