Ebro... selling drugs, being from the hood, having poor parents, etc is not a part of the universal "black" experience, and it definitely is not the only things that make you authentic as a rap artist... and if u did come from that background (white or black) ur past doesn't dictate ur future
+King Sis He's more so saying for black people that this is where the culture came from. That's where majority of hip hop culture comes from. Where hip hop was originated. Ask Ice Cube or whoever a lot of the first black hip hop artist were poor, sold drugs, etc. This is where "hip hop" came from. He's not saying that's the black universal, but that's where hip hop came from.
+Jayy Sonata no, ice cube is not one of the first, and if u knew ur history u would know that the real firsts in this hip hop culture came out of the hood but spoke NOTHING about it, bcuz that is not something to be glorified or validated and it definitely was not the only thing that defined them as artists/musicians. Check the backgrounds on people like sugar hill gang, grandmaster flash, and run DMC. The fact is that EVERY american musical art form came out of the lower income areas mostly populated by black people (blues, jazz, disco, etc) but the personal background of the artist is not the only thing that defined the art form.
Isn't that where hip hop came from? these lower income areas that did have drugs, crime etc. It's all the same. These genres came from the black struggle. The black oppression. So yeah it's a lil artificial when a white person who isn't oppressed comes out of nowhere basically mocking past black rappers who were flashy and flamboyant. This is why we see black people in the media being so flashy and materialistic because before the fame they were poor and had nothing so the over compensate. This is what Ebro is getting at. He's trying to understand Riff Raff because all in all he looks like he's mocking black culture.
+Jayy Sonata i hate to argue on youtube so im gonna leave with this comment. I didnt say anything about my opinion on riff raff and his appearance (and lack of lyrical skill). I only commented on ebro's commentary and attempt to define "acting black" and a genre of music created by black people who were struggling financially... And the way he attempted to judge riff raff as an artists by measuring his "poor parents, selling drugs, and living in the hood" is not right. I only suggest ebro think about the art form outside of the box he put black people in, and rather judge riff raff by his lack of skill. I know white people and middle eastern people with tattoos and jewelry, that is not exclusive to drug dealers from the hood.... Dont drink all of ebro's koolaid.
I think Riff Raff hides a lot of his past pain and troubles by masking them with his comedic humor. Maybe he really does have a lot of low self esteem on the inside and buys a lot of expensive things to make him feel better about himself and it's perfectly okay to do that because it helps him cope. But at least he channels everything positively and I respect him for that!
+GoldNava Let me tell you a little something about him, he grew up poor, he had nothing, no clothes, no money, barely any food. He was teased a lot in school at a young age and when he got to high school he started hiding it behind his Riff Raff persona. This is what he started to be at a young age and so this is what he became because this is who he is. The way he acts in his vines is who he really is and he's really a funny, and entertaining person.
Who the fuck is Ebro? some sort of psychologist trying to work out Riff Raff and get inside his head? Nah he's some guy on the radio, he needs to step the fuck back and maybe (this is gonna sound crazy) research his music!
Riff Raff is trying to be enigmatic...to sell records about "Drug Dealing" and "Pimping" allegedly. And all Ebro is saying is where are you from? We know where Macklemore, Eminem and Mac Miller are from but he won't answer.
People like Ebro that overthink things into a race stereotype are the people that keep racism alive. Riff Raff said he does what he does to have fun and to do his own thing and because he wants to be his self in a world full of copycats people keep hating on him.
Riff Raff is really strong minded. He comes up with some good quick responses. Mad respect to him for being himself and doing what he wants in a judgmental world.
It's funny that so many people are hating on Riff Raff. The man is an entertainer and has his own style. Personally I find him funny and unique. Congrats to him. He seems far from a vanilla ice.
So at the end of the day, Ebro didn't feel the need to EDUCATE himself to even listen to Riff Raff's music or CARED to even open his mind to the type of person he is. I can see how people can look at Riff Raff and think "JOKE!", but come on. Ebro constantly backing his claim of not knowing anything about him, yet giving him an attitude and interrogation, really shows an ignorant man trying to play bully. Grow up Ebro, it's never too late to open up that narrow mind of yours.
Snow Nerdy But again, Ebro didn't do his RESEARCH prior to meeting him, so regardless of an article, is it smart of a person to just claim to be ignorant and just judge someone right off the bat? No. Ebro if anything should have done his research and see if Riff Raf was legit or not, but to already start the interview with, "I don't know anything about you nor care", come on. No excuse.
***** It doesn't matter if he's a clown or not, the point is as an INTERVIEWER, your credibility is always on the line, and for you to start the interview with, "I didn't do any research about you, I've never heard about you..." You already are showing that you're biased and coming off with an ignorant attitude about the person already. Is that considered being a good DJ or someone that brought someone else onto a show and not research anything about them? No. It's just an excuse to act like a punk and try to make the other person stupid.
Damien James im a DJ & used to spin HipHop. hell, even digged RnB when chilling w/da ladies. these days, i don't listen to either. #nickyminaj , #iggyazalea , #kanyewest , etc. make me lose hope in humanity. FYI: probably why racism has made a comeback. music has no soul.
Ebro asking simple questions and that poser Riff Raff don't want to admit he from middle-class, Ranch in Texas. You can't rap about stuff you never experienced like Drug dealing and Gang-Banging etc.
if ebro has a problem with riff raff acting and dressing black then he has double standards ... hes got a vans cap on (skateboard company ) and i seen the guy with vans on before so whats with ebro acting white on the skater shit .ha
yea I think riff raff been like that since he was old enough to listen to a UGK album. He grew up watching mtv and bet like we all did in the 90's and early 2000's. those shows influenced a whole generation
So trippy being there the day this aired in my early 20s, to now in my 30s watching it again and fully understanding Riff after seeing what's he's made of himself. Wild. Salute.
The main thing that concerns me about Ebro, is the fact that he is on a radio station that plays and interviews musical "artists", which I'm sure at one point had to be his goal in life and had a real passion for it. Yet, he labels "artists" and judges "artists" not through their actual artistic abilities, merit and passion for their art, but from the way they present themselves, the way they dress and the colour of their skin. Anything BUT the art itself. I imagine him going to an art convention, completely skipping past every single painting on the walls and not even glancing once, then walking up to the artist and saying "...now I don't know your skill set as an artist, but the way you dress is indick... indick... indicative of a .... basically the way you dress is what you chose to represent an idea, so the idea you're representing to me is you're from the ghetto, with a background in selling crack and pimping out girls..".
Also, "hyper-sensitive to stereotypical black imagery"... Because I'm sure its all in the rage in the hood to be dressed in neon with a zig-zag chinstrap.
Ebro is clearly racist. He has an issue with the fact that Riff Raff is white, and he grew up in a diverse, low income community which molded him to be "urban." And if he thought he was committing "bafoonery" wouldn't that make him question what the people Riff Raff may have been acting like and not him specifically?
Pretty disrespectful of Ebro to not do any research for this. Perhaps he would've gained some insight if he had watched a couple music videos, then he would at least know if he liked his music.
Who is this dude acting like he's the hip hop sheriff I can do the same with him, what gives him the right to dj hip hop, he dont look black, dont talk "black", whats your story.
Ebro is saying you can't dress flashy if you didn't come from a poor backround, I mean I'm middle class, like the most of us here, but if I was rich hell yeah I dress flashy af.
He thinks that to make "trap" music, you have to be poor and actually live the lifestyle. He got mad at Riff because he believed that Riff made trap music, which is a label Riff never wanted.
No respect at all!! You can't invite an artist to your show and not even know or listen to his music and just spend the whole time complaining about his outfit. That's wrong in my opinion. Judge him by is music, man. Not his appearance.
You can't compare a one hit wonder to riff raff. He from H-town, a very mixed culture city. Everybody in Houston has that swag. No matter if you white, black, mexican, Asian or Arab. That's what we do and how we roll.
Riff Raff answered Ebros whole thing in the first question but Ebro was to ignorant to understand it, does Ebro really think Riff Raff cares so much about black people that he's based his whole life around them, I couldn't name 4 people who look/dress/act like Riff Raff, his argument if flawed
One of the problems with Hip-Hop is the obsession with how "real" someone is. Music is art. I don't care if Riff Raff's "back story" is completely made up or completely real - the only thing that matters if if he's entertaining. Are his songs any good? Is it catchy? Does it make you laugh, etc.
True HipHop is about authenticity, representing something real and questioning authority my dude. Justin Bieber, miley cyrus and mainstream rappers make your type of music.
Nassir Jama you are wack, Corey Thompson if the music good, ain't none of ur biz where the persom come from. U don't know them, don't know what they been thru
Ebro is so fucking wrong for coming at Riff Raff like this. Coming from someone from Houston, there are TONS of people around the city like this. It's just how they were raised and what they were raised around. Why call someone out when they do seem so genuine about what they're doing? It's not like Riff Raff is fucking with people like wannabe Miley Cyrus. He's fucking with people who he know had a similar upbringing (Lil Debbie, White Girl Mob, raised in Oakland).
Ebro is the biggest hater lol this cracks me up.... First of all why is he acting like he's the gatekeeper for hip hop? Secondly why is he hating on another individual making money based on his physical attributes? Riff raff never claimed to gang bang he just turns up and makes turn up music. Ebro asking him for his "street cred".. My nigga where u from tho?
This dude wants to control what an artist looks and acts like, when that is the complete opposite of what an artist is. He has an image he wants artists to protect.
RiFF RAFF has been doing this wayyyyy before the fame. I've been subbed to him ever since him, Freestyle Bully, and Str8 Barz were driving around freestyling in Wal-Mart parking lots. RiFF RAFF is more legit then people think.
Going out as riff for Halloween let me hear alot of people's opinions on his music, which meant alot of people whos hiphop opinion ive never respectedsay he sucks at rapping, now I'm not writing this to change people's opinions, but I think I know enough to be able to say what I feel is creative unique and different in a genre that the majority sounds the same, and with that I truly believe riff raff is a genius, his whole exaggerated comparisons and ridiculous vivid descriptions of material objects make him different than the average bragging rapper, I want to be entertained and blown away when I listen to lyrics and the guy does both, mix in beats that any mainstream rapper would have platinum hits, he is the future. I have alot of confidence the slow moving reverse racist and ignorant music industry will give riff raff radio play when his "banger" comes out with Justin bieber and drake, it's sad that's what it takes and I'm sure people who just don't get the concept of creativity and expression in music will hate on riff raff, I can't change people's opinions on that, I don't think riff raff is the street definition of real, and that infuriates alot of street people because they see him rapping about jewels and stuff that most gangsta rappers rap about in the same way with the same boring flows and style, but who said you have to be a gangsta to rap about flossing and wearing Jordan's? It's 2013 , do you have to be black to do so? I love hip hop and as someone at 25 Im still listening to classic stuff to catchup, I know enough to understand when someone has brought something different to the game, and its time the world gives this man his respect. Call me a Stan or a fan boy but ill tell it like it is, I feel the same way about lupe fiasco and his lack of AirPlay but he's comfortable right now at least he's made radio airwaves, I'm sick of listening to the same polo true jeans rap with no creativity in the beats or flows and these guys just leaning on street cred, I've bought three CDs this year the last one being eminems and when neon icon finally drops it'll be the 4th, this is directed at noone in particular but I'd like to share it with the world, I don't care about riff raffs fan base that thinks he's a joke, he's funny but he himself is not a joke, his lyrics and songs are some of the coolest tracks I've had the enjoyment of listening to in the rap game, this is a guy who has referenced Alfred Hitchcock, bill Cosby, Oprah, bill lambeer, Steve Atwater haha who I had to google, but he is not what all these close minded people perceive him to be. To the people who think he's some Ignorant gang banging thug and a disgrace to the white race your probably some level a racist and your opinion sucks, to the street people that say he's not a gangster, grow up and realize being yourself and standing by it is as gangsta as it gets, and lastly to the "hiphop" heads that love their gangstarr, krs 1, kool moe d, I just ask you to recognize riff raff won't be that type of lyricist, He's not trying to be, but compare him to alot of the trap rappers in today's climate and realize how much better he is than them, if you believe he isn't saying shit at the end of the day neither are 98% of these guys I hear on the radio. This open letter is what I hope is a wake up to all the people that hate the guy for whatever reason, if you still hate him I can't change that but don't be listening to cash out etc and speak to me negatively about riff raff. Gone @stclairbeachjrsmith2
Riff Raff is a GENiUS and good job on your disrespect calling anyone a joke. That's so mean spirited. Anyone who says anything negative- post your 2+ minute freestyle for all of us and show us why you can DIS the Highroller.
LOL...EBRO going too deep with it. If a man wants to cop jewels and wear bright colors, that's his choice. I like how Riff handled it. Ebro seem Jealous/ mad. Ebro don't hold the key to hip hop, but he thinks he does. I didn't know of Ebro until today watching Riff vids lol. ALL THIS IS ENTERTAINMENT, we have to remember that.
Riff Raff has literally said his influences include Macho Man Randy Savage & if you knew how he was, he was very flamboyant & unique people loved him for it, if Ebro's gonna talk shit about him wearing neon colours to fit a certain mould what about 70percent of dudes white or black wearing J's. Riff is different & personally love him for it & seems to be one of the realest genuine people in the limelight.
What the hell is the Old Man talking about? Has anybody seen the way Riff Raff dresses? He definitely has 100% his own style with the crazy designs and neon colors and hair and beard lineup. I don’t know how anybody can question him trying to pretend when he don’t look like anybody else from the hood or the suburbs or anywhere else.
This is just about one of the worst intervierws I have ever seen. Why would you get a guest in to your show and then grill them. Makes no sense at all. + That shit about not being able to wear ice because he's not black??? What sense does that make?
Ebro grew up in Sacramento going to a Hebrew school telling riff who actually was out in Houston selling drugs that his experience is not authentic lmao
