this video is offensive to white people that's for sure. its funny that a black man can release a video like this and get nothing but praise. let me release a video like this, only switch the script where its white dudes burning up a black man. lets see how much praise i get, none, id just be an evil bigget. I believe in freedom of speech and being able to express yourself, but i'm sorry, this is not the way to express yourself.

I hear you but we live in very prejudice world and every so often music mimics the racial divide and anger between cultures. I remember the big stink the media made when Madonna had a video that portrayed Jesus as a black man. Also remember how Michael Jackson had to change his lyrics to a video because he said the word Jew.

Im with you Educated.. i love The Roots.. but im personally not down with this imagery..I listened to the lyrics..and this video doesnt make sense except that Black Thought is just very pissed off.. for more seemingly black on black crime.. does the white guy represent industry execs?.. i dont get it..Game Theory was a very angry/aggressive downtrodden record, looks like nothing changed...im still gunna support the group, i know theyre not racists...but this video isnt one of my favorites, to say the least

if it was another Black Man, Chinese, or Latino would you have thought twice about it?

There is a documented and known history of white on black lynching so yea, there would be some fall out from that imagery. I havent seen any pics of white guys hanging from trees while black guys smiled and posed for the camera.

to radamez -- i recognize that we live in a very prejudice society but things like this only add fuel to the fire...granted the way blacks have been treated in the past was dispicable and there is still plenty of racism in the world, but this won't make things any better, it will just lead to more hate...and i think i'm too young to be familiar with the madonna and michael references, but they aren't on the same level as somehting like this...madonna portraying jesus as a black man and michael saying jew in a song aren't racist actions, this video was

to day1 -- no if this was a some minority i wouldn't have thought twice, but thats the point. Do you think the roots didn't think about who they were using in the video? they were making a statement and a racist one at that. And whats's your point with the slavery and lynching comment...would you like to see some white people hung by black people? would that make things better? no it would add to the problem that still exists in this country which is fostered by dudes like this, imus, etc...

the truth is that this video doesn't bother me because of its message as it much as it does that these guys get away with something like this... like i said in my original comment, if some white guys did something like this, al sharpton and jesse jackson would be all over the media saying this is racist and demanding the video be censored and group be banished from society, just like when imus called the Rutger's women "a bunch of nappy headed hoes" look what happened to him...what's worse, his words or the racsim and violence in this video?

my point was that you asked if there would be a fall out if there was a a video of a white group tying up a black guy. What Im saying is that you should not act as if both scenario are equal. There is a history of white on black lynching, kidnapping, torture etc. soooo....thats why there would be a problem with a white group using that imagery.

Educated Ear.....your reference to Imus is pretty invalid because he's not a musical artist...he clearly was stating his opinion on his radio show...I personally thought his comments were funny (that's another story)...Imus is back on the air and probably worth more money now than before the incident...I believe he benefited more than anyone else involved.

What I got from the Roots video was the guy symbolized Corporate America that profit the most off of Rap Music. I really don't see any racial overtones in the video. Also you don't see Blacks upset when Quentin Tarantino uses the word nigga in his movies or any other White actor for that matter.

I used Madonna and Michael Jackson to show how the masses can mis-interpret a musicians message. Calling a Jewish person a Jew can be considered a racial slur. Portraying Jesus as a black man will cause a stir in any Catholic or Christian organization.

Anyways I respect your opinion on the video.

The problem is all of you motherfuckers speaking of the racial divide in the first place. You're only promoting more of that sort of thinking through speech. Just let go of this race shit and take it as music. Okay Black Thought is black and the tied up guy is White. They can't make a video together just because they're friends. Yall are the real racists. The closet racists that use every chance you get to bring race into the equation. I cant stand you white, black, yellow, brown and red NIGGERS.
NIGGER - a derogatory term meaning "no gooder", or one that is unable to do good. Non specific to race, gender, or age.
So bascially you niggers need to stop fucking up the world or everyone else. Bitch ass Niggers

much respect to dwnfrmday1 and radamez...there's nothin like a good debate on a worthwhile topic...both of you guys made some valid points

one last comment to day1-- "...you should not act as if both scenario are equal." if we want equality in this country we have to treat both scenarios as equal

and to true shaman--- how are we clost racists if we are discussing issues like these in a public forum...your opinions come of as overly extreme, maybe people like you who ignore the problems are the problem

Much respect to Educated Ear and Dwnfrmday1......good conversation is always a good thing regardless if we see eye to eye or not. Obviously TrueShaman doesn't know how to recognized one.

Ignoring a problem just makes it worse.

Im with the both of you (Mez & Educated), lets not ignore the 700 pound gorilla in the room.
One day we'll figure it all out. Stay up. Much Love.

I think black thought is a very talented and impressively self-educated MC.
Yes, you are right. If it was Axle Rose tying up a black man in the back of a van and preparing to burn him alive, it would spark much controversy.
America has too much dark history to avoid that ripple.

However, if it was Eminem with an actor as ja-rule tied up and it was summer 2003, people wouldnt care.

God Bless hip-hop music and the boundary smashing effects that it has. Hip-hop music will be the main reason our childrens children will get along better.

Much props to educated ear and radamez for keeping it civil during a dispute.

LOL!~

Kanye probably does borrow a little from black thought but I wouldnt call it biting at all. Kanye style was birthed from the back packing MCs of the mid 90s. Who were also some of the illest niggas at the time.

dis man luvs to say nigga nigga alot

Clearly you masturbate frequently and are a white teen.

haha..exactly.. get back to tossing off.. never visit this site again, please

So since of what my ancestors did hundreds of years ago, I'm supposed to apologize to you. Fuck That. when slavery happened. black people sold other black people to white slave owners. so i guess u should blame yourselves as well.