Truth to Power

What a hustler

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – At 35, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs has already made his mark as a hip-hop musician, Broadway actor, marathon runner, fashion designer, celebrity boyfriend, gossip column favorite, voter registration booster and all-around entertainment entrepreneur.

Now, the former Puff Daddy is going into the auto parts business – and it’s all about the wheels.

….

Wheels have become a fashion statement – a badge of taste and style,” Combs said. “We see an opportunity to bring excitement to the wheel category by delivering the Sean John sophisticated design with the best quality production.”</i>

This brings up a few thoughts. None of them good.

Puff Daddy, or P. Diddley or wtf, was a marginally talented rap artist who obviously learned early on that his sizzle was better than his steak. Hence, he’s been flingin’ sizzle for years, but I guess you call it bling bling now.

But what has PD really learned how to do? His greatest accomplishment is selling the very values that is killing his community right back to them, all part of this neverland haze of thugland that wears its money around its neck, wrist, or tires. It’s the mythical allure of the brand. Steal the shirt, or the money to buy it, or at least the flea market knockoff, just make sure it says NIKE or FUBU on it. Make sure you’re noticed, not for the inner values that makes you a person, but for the cash value of your baggage.

It does no good for a some older middle class white man such as myself to say these things. I come off either ignorant or borderline racist, and its not as if anyone in that scenario would listen to a word I had to say anyway. But I would dearly love to see a person in that community, other than Bill Cosby, come out and defend the values of the person, not the bling. Shame the P Diddie pimps into silence. It can, and should, be done.


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