Riley
“Lil Wayne, Emmett Till Backlash: Rapper Faces Scrutiny Over Rap Lyric”
Emmitt Till was a fourteen year old African American boy who was visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi in 1955. While at a grocery store, he whistled at a white woman. A week later, that women’s husband and brother in law kidnapped Till from his uncle’s house. They beat him to death and mutilated his body before dumping it in a river. The body was found a few days later and could only be identified through an initialed ring. When it came time to bury his body, Till’s mother decided to have an open casket wake to show the world what racism had done to her son. It worked and the image of his corpse received national outrage. Even worse, his killers were proved not guilty by an all white jury, who claimed there was not enough evidence. The court also failed to charge the murders with kidnap.
The murder of Emmitt Till revealed the brutality of racism and was one of many key sparks in the Civil Rights Movement. Now, over fifty years later, Emmitt Till has been mentioned in a controversial lyric in rapper Lil Wayne’s new leaked song. It compares his brutal murder to a sexual action, and many, including Till’s family, are very offended by it. They say the lyric is offensive, disrespectful, disturbing, and showing no pride. Lil Wayne’s record company claims the leaked song had not gone through their authorization and the official song would not have that lyric in it.
I believe this incident should be a reminder of how the heroes and victims of the Civil Rights Movement should be respected. Till’s murder is a perfect example of the cruelty African Americans faced during that time period. Emmitt Till was a significant event in African American’s journey toward freedom, and he should be honored for that. Till, along with many other African Americans such as Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks, are responsible for the way America is today. Through their courage and suffering, they brought America out of a dark period of segregation, racism, and violence. While Emmitt Till did not ask for the fate he received, he did not die and vain and his death should always be honored as a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.
1. What affect did Emmitt Till’s murder have on the Civil Rights Movement?
His murder made the public more aware of the brutality African Americans faced. When his assailants were decided to be “not guilty” it enraged many people throughout the nation.
2. Why was Till murdered? Do you think this was necessary?
Till was murdered because he whistled to a white women and he was African American. No doubt viciously murdering him was not necessary. Till was a barely a teenager. Although racism was strong, to murder a fourteen year old for whistling at someone is ridiculous.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/13/lil-wayne-emmett-till-backlash-rap-lyric_n_2680007.html
Emmitt Till was a fourteen year old African American boy who was visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi in 1955. While at a grocery store, he whistled at a white woman. A week later, that women’s husband and brother in law kidnapped Till from his uncle’s house. They beat him to death and mutilated his body before dumping it in a river. The body was found a few days later and could only be identified through an initialed ring. When it came time to bury his body, Till’s mother decided to have an open casket wake to show the world what racism had done to her son. It worked and the image of his corpse received national outrage. Even worse, his killers were proved not guilty by an all white jury, who claimed there was not enough evidence. The court also failed to charge the murders with kidnap.
The murder of Emmitt Till revealed the brutality of racism and was one of many key sparks in the Civil Rights Movement. Now, over fifty years later, Emmitt Till has been mentioned in a controversial lyric in rapper Lil Wayne’s new leaked song. It compares his brutal murder to a sexual action, and many, including Till’s family, are very offended by it. They say the lyric is offensive, disrespectful, disturbing, and showing no pride. Lil Wayne’s record company claims the leaked song had not gone through their authorization and the official song would not have that lyric in it.
I believe this incident should be a reminder of how the heroes and victims of the Civil Rights Movement should be respected. Till’s murder is a perfect example of the cruelty African Americans faced during that time period. Emmitt Till was a significant event in African American’s journey toward freedom, and he should be honored for that. Till, along with many other African Americans such as Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks, are responsible for the way America is today. Through their courage and suffering, they brought America out of a dark period of segregation, racism, and violence. While Emmitt Till did not ask for the fate he received, he did not die and vain and his death should always be honored as a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.
1. What affect did Emmitt Till’s murder have on the Civil Rights Movement?
His murder made the public more aware of the brutality African Americans faced. When his assailants were decided to be “not guilty” it enraged many people throughout the nation.
2. Why was Till murdered? Do you think this was necessary?
Till was murdered because he whistled to a white women and he was African American. No doubt viciously murdering him was not necessary. Till was a barely a teenager. Although racism was strong, to murder a fourteen year old for whistling at someone is ridiculous.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/13/lil-wayne-emmett-till-backlash-rap-lyric_n_2680007.html