Akon's Blame Game

Every once in awhile, I pay attention to the random mainstream media radar screen just so I can know what everyone's distracted & obsessed with this week...

It might be American Idol, or someone's rehab stint, or some athelete's problem/triumph/salary dispute or pitbull fighting habit...

One of the item's that popped up earlier this summer on da ridiculous meter was Akon, and his supposed "controversy".

So I ignored it well enough, but that doeswn't mean I'm not highlighting an interesting new track from Akon today. You may remember we last saw our hero in a concert clip of him mounting, grinding and smackin' the ass of a young girl onstage in Trinidad. The resulting uproar stretched to the boardrooms of Verizon, who pulled a 2 million dollar sponsorship deal for Gwen Stefani's tour with Akon off the table in a NY minute.

Boycotts, and much bad press followed, and I'm sure Al Sharpton must've got at least a few minutes of face time on one of the networks.Akon's image took another hit after release of a video of this incident in June where he was clearly seen invitng someone up onstage & then suddenly hoisting the kid in the air and physically tossing the teen fan hard off the stage ....

Well he's back with what his label & management are hoping is some damage control...

In what may be a first in the Hip Hop world, the artist actually begs forgiveness, and apologizes for all the trouble he's caused. Of course, he's not all about eating humble pie, and attempts to explain his side of the story. This includes the somewhat schizo effect as he also simultaneously addresses his momma, perhaps a baby momma, his fans, and the nation, and while we're at it Gwen Stefani. He then puts responsibility for the nasty sex act he performed on stage at the girl's daddy for letting her out of the house. A wonderful attempt all in all to set himself up as a musical martyr. All within a tuneful 5 minutes. Think of it perhaps as an update to The Band's classic The Weight, except there's no Annie to take the load off, just some guy named Akon more than willing to take the blame load off of you...

We'll see if mainstream radio wants to get back on board the Akon train...or shoulder any of the blame for helping create any of this messy situation.

Akon - Sorry, Blame It on Me

Some lyrical excerpts, for those who can't bear to download & listen:

As life goes on I’m starting to learn more and more about responsibilityI realize everything I do is affecting the people around meSo I want to take this time out and apologize for things I have doneAnd things that have not occurred yetAnd the things they don’t want to take responsibility for

I’m sorry for the wrong things that I’ve doneI’m sorry I’m not always there for my sonI’m sorry for the fact that I am not awareThat you can’t sleep at night when I am not there(Bridge)

I’m sorry that it took so long to seeThey were dead wrong trying to put it on meI’m sorry that it took so long to speakBut I was on tour with Gwen StefaniI’m sorry for the hand that she was dealtFor the embarrassment that she feltJust a little young girl trying to have funHer daddy should never let her out that youngI’m sorry for Club Zen getting shut downI hope they manage better next time aroundHow was I to know she was underageEnter 21 you know the club they sayWhy doesn’t anybody wanna take blameFor rising back out disgracing my nameI’m just a singer trying to entertainBecause I love my fans I’ll take that blameEven though the blame’s on you (3x)I’ll take that blame from you

I've seen the Akon video that caused the uproar, as i'm sure many have, and the guy's tasteless & retarded dance moves more resembled the acts of a depraved rapist, but it wasn't as horrific as watching a news report from Iraq.

I never saw Verizon step up and complain about any of the activities of our soldiers overseas who've been involved with rapes or other even more heinous acts. Go figger...

Instead ... Like Akon, or followers of christianity, muslims in general, and the whole wide world's practitioners of patriarchal pickled penis brand misogyny, there is a solution.

Why blame your self lads, when we can blame women...

those damn wild women...

Always tempting men with their infernal ways...

Alien Sex Fiend - Wild Woman

Shane MacGowan - That Woman's Got Me Drinking

Minor Threat - Bitch

Cheap Trick - Scent Of A Woman

Iron & Wine - Woman King

Brian Hyland - Gypsy Woman

Bedouin Soundclash - Waiting for My Ruca

NWA - A Bitch is A Bitch

anyhow...

to continue on the bad women theme...check out this trailer for a 60's film I found at Easy Dreamer's site that exposes this problem in a very thorough & scientific manner. It's basically the 60's sexploitation equivalent of a "Fair & Balanced" documentary of a relevant and important gender issue confronting modern times...

that's all fer now...

just wanted to get the Monday Mix up...

I have...

and now I must move on to other tasks

hope ya enjoy da tunes...