Earlier Friday, the NY Post published an article by columnist Phil Mushnick that contained some racially charged opinions about the Brooklyn Nets and partial owner Shawn Carter, more famously known as hip hop mogul Jay-Z. Here is an excerpt from the article:
“As long as the Nets are allowing Jay-Z to call their marketing shots — what a shock that he chose black and white as the new team colors to stress, as the Nets explained, their new “urban” home — why not have him apply the full Jay-Z treatment?
Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N——s? The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B—-hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way!”
It goes without saying that Muchnick missed the mark by a mile, and he compounded his ignorant “black and white” claims by a failed humorous suggestion that the Nets change their name to “N—-s”, the cheerleaders be called “Bitches and Hoes” and the logo depict a handgun and used shells, all because their partial owner makes rap songs.
It amazes me as a freelance sports writer that a publication as prominent as the NY Post would publish such filth. Then again it doesn’t, as the Post has been publishing filth such as this for years now.
What does Shawn Carter’s past lyrics have to do with the marketing of the Nets? Why should the context of his rap songs be attributed to the Nets move or their marketing campaign? Why not instead focus on majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s professional exploits instead of those of Jay-Z, who only owns 1.47% of the franchise.
It saddens me that instead of looking at the positives of the Nets franchise moving to a beautiful new arena in Brooklyn, some writers” still choose to focus on one negative aspect for the sake of generating more reads.
I don’t follow Phil Mushnick’s writing, and after reading the above article on the Nets I doubt that I ever will. There is no place in mainstream media or otherwise for hurtful remarks such as the ones written by Mushnick.
To suggest that a professional basketball team be called the same term that was used to demean the Black race for decades and women a term that is equally offensive takes a severe lack of judgment and is as irresponsible as professionally possible. The NY Post as a whole is just as irresponsible for allowing such words to be published on their medium.
One would think by 2012 that we as a people could grow away from racist and immoral ideologies as displayed by Phil Mushnick. Unfortunately articles such as Mushnick’s make it evident that we are a long way from that goal.
-ALR
Tell it like it is! You’re 100% right! Fire that racist bastard!!!!
Obviously he proposed those names out of his distaste for Jay Z and the image he has presented in his career as a rapper. He was presenting those names as an example of words Jay Z uses frequently in his music. Whether you agree with him and his dislike for Jay Z is another thing but I guarantee that this story would not have been printed is the writer simply didd’nt like black people. if that was the case, he probably wouldnt have anything to do with the NBA.
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