This article is going to get uncomfortable. Are you ok with that? If the answer is no…get off my page and kill my analytics. Still here? Let’s get into this Raz vs Bingx (Neema) situation.
Let’s leave the TMZ/Kardashian style of gossip news, and formulate an opinion today. It hurts me to really even write about a beef and become a chatty patty, but the underlying concept to me with this issue is what is juicy.
Raz released some very heavy shots early this week in ‘Green Light’ to light a fuel to the Raz vs Bingx feud
A few months ago Raz Simone released the record Same Problems where he, alongside Gifted Gab and Fatal Lucciauno, opened up the discussion about white privilege within the Seattle hip-hop community.
The Seattle area is rich with Caucasian hip-hop artists and our scene has seen a great success within this market because of it’s size and spending behavior. Raz, and company, simply state this demographic does not share their set of problems due to the lack of a shared ethnic backgrounds. Local artists Bingx took offense to the issue and very recently released his Traffic record alongside Neema.
Bingx sent some emails that were revealed by Simone that stated he felt bullied by the situation and was releasing a response but wanted to partake in a social media alliance (fake beef?). I am honestly a little unsure of the reasoning but this was the record at hand.
This is supposedly why the ‘Raz vs Bingx’ beef started…
I originally thought Raz’s verse on Same Problems was one of his best to date. The message behind this song was so incredibly dope to me that it even warranted the extra adjective. I respect that Bingx is entitled to his opinion, but I really miss how someone could be offended by what Raz said.
First off, we are entitled to opinions correct? Did Raz say anything false? Or, wait…is it that one would think black and white people have the same problems? We are all from different backgrounds and proud owners of our own set of problems but there is a true difference between minority and majority problems.
We are all products of our environment correct? For the sake of the argument, you could even go as far as saying that our past doesn’t control our future but it definitely shapes the path ahead of us right? I don’t mean to inhibit any sarcasm, nor beat a dead bush of blatant obviousness, but the reason this issue exists is a misunderstanding of the situation at hand.
Black and white are different. We could talk about history, slavery, and oppression all day. I am talking of how you or me are perceived in America.
I’m a white guy who enjoys and creates hip-hop music. I was raised with a privilege I noticed at an early age. Although I would go as far to say I didn’t understand this privilege until much later, I don’t know if I will ever fully understand what it means. I have been stopped and frisked with all white friends and I have been stopped and frisked with a gun in my face the entire time with all black friends.
In these two situations there are always two differences. My white friends and myself would verbally express our displeasure to the police and be let go. My black friends would remain dead silent and be thankful no one went to jail afterwards.
One thing all humans have in common at our core is pain and love. No matter your age, color, height, size, physical features, we all know pain sucks and love feels great. We are not different from one another in our core yet in society we are all very different from one another.
The hip-hop fan in me hopes this beef translates into a lyrical war between two of the region’s top talents, but the underlying issue is not something I wish to see a beef over. I don’t want to seem like I’m riding Raz’s jock, but I got his point when Same Problems originally dropped.
It’s very hard for me to see why someone would take offense to the point of throwing shots. I love Bingx’s passion and talent but I think his response was a little too emotional and not overly thought out (similar to Drake vs Meek…naw not really). When the smoke clears I hope all will be made solid and this city is more united then ever.
What are your thoughts on this Raz vs Bingx issue? Is this hip-hop beef or is this opposing views of race in America?
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