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New York Post columnist Phil Mushnick triggered a pretty big backlash today with just a few sentences written about the newly-relocated NBA Team, the Brooklyn Nets and its co-owner, rapper Jay-Z.
Writing today in the Post, Mushnick states:
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!
The sentences above appear online and in the paper itself censored as you see them above. No changes have been made. And no surprise, the backlash was swift. Many commentators have called for him to be fired. The reaction on Twitter is fairly universal (read: bad). A few examples follow:
What Phil Mushnick wrote (and his editors approved) about the Nets/Jay-Z is out of line even by the Post's "standards." nypost.com/p/sports/knick…
— Michael Smith (@undecided) May 4, 2012
New York Post Columnist Goes Full-Racist on Jay-Z’s Brooklyn Nets nymag.com/daily/intel/20… via @sharethis
— Questo of The Roots (@questlove) May 4, 2012
I mean, if Phil Mushnick didn't like the @brooklynnets' new logo and colors, he could've just said so.
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) May 4, 2012
As for Mushnick, the columnist whose words started this whole backlash, he has reportedly responded. The blog Bob's Blitz posted this response it says comes from Phil Mushnick countering the outrage:
Such obvious, wishful and ignorant mischaracterizations of what I write are common. I don't call black men the N-word; I don't regard young women as bitches and whores; I don't glorify the use of assault weapons and drugs. Jay-Z, on the other hand.....Is he the only NBA owner allowed to call black men N---ers?"
Jay-Z profits from the worst and most sustaining self-enslaving stereotypes of black-American culture and I'M the racist? Some truths, I guess, are just hard to read, let alone think about.
(Same column I provide support for Amar'e Stoudemire at a time when everyone in town is ripping him to shreds. That was my LEAD, too, but what does that matter?)
So where do you come down? Is the criticism of Mushnick valid or not? Cast your vote and sound off in the comments.
Leave a Comment:
I would have to say that a congratulatory note and pat on the back to Jay-Z for investing in the Nets would have set a better tone.
LOL, Mushnick is a moron. I like how he tries to throw out false equivalences by comparing Jay-Z's use of words without any sort of context to explain them.
This guy is terminally clueless and bigoted when it comes to culture that he doesn't like, and has been for decades now.
Even a racist has a right to say what he feels, but in turn people have the right to respond negatively... when we do, they cry freedom of speech or whine about why we "allow" rappers to get away with it and how it's so unfair.."I cant say N-word but the n-words can"<lol>...what pisses me off is these guys use rappers as a scapegoat when they put thier foot in their own mouth.....douche bag...believe me Rappers own what they write...ask Nelly, he may have lost a potential bone marrow donor for his sister, (who sadly passed away from cancer) when he tried to do a benefit for her at Spellman College, an all black womens college in Atlanta...these young women boycotted and railed against him and the show was cancelled...So people who think black people don't care about misogyny and the like in rap lyrics, need to do some research.
Phil Mushnick is a 9mm caliber idiot. He hasn't got a clue as to why the beautiful/marvelous/inspiring Black and White colors were chosen for the terrific BROOKLYN NETS. When the team runs out into the court in their new stadium built for them by JAY-Z and in their unique color combination the crowd will let Mr Mushnick know that he made a terrible mistake! QUICO!
JAY-Z didn't build the stadium. Bruce Ratner and the Russian owner paid for the arena along with the taxpayers of New York and the people who were put out on the street when their houses were knocked down through eminent domain.
I took what Mushnick said as cultural criticism. We can argue about the lack of informed insight that went into that criticism, but, nevertheless, it obviously wasn't meant to be racist. Mushnick believes the organization has gone too far in its efforts to project an urban image that it risks becoming the "gangsta" team of the NBA. I, personally, disagree with Mushnick but shouting "Racist!" at any criticism of African-American culture, which is finally in the process of being institutionalized in the NBA, does not constitute a reasoned response to that criticism.
It wasn't edgy it was plain racists. Mushnick is offended because the colors of the team are black and white, what in the world is that about. He then continues on and offers a name that he obviously thinks is more appropriate. If if walk like a duck and quacks like a duck...
He needs to be fired. There should be no debate the entire passage is obviously racist.
At least Phil Mushnick is honest He hates Hip Hop and cant stand Jay-Z. LOL! Like we all say in Hip Hop Community don't The Playa Phil Mushnick! Hate The Game. Phil Mushnick stop being a playa hater! You should be thanking Jay Z. I probably would never have heard of you. At least Jay z Is helping increase your page view and your profile. Get a life Phil Mushnick and stop being a cry baby!
funny story the Biggest Gangster in Russia owns the Nets..yet he didnt mention that. He has Dead boddies in his closet and nobody even bats an eye. Too worried about Jay Z the small fry because hes black and "scary". Im way more scared of a Russian billionare who has a gun collection nicer than some navy seals and they wouldnt even let him own a team for a long time in the NBA and they had to constantly apply pressure to get in and own the team because everyone knows he used drugs, girls, guns and cocaine for half of his buisness. Wall street and Russian Gangsters have stolen more than any N**ga thats rappin...black people who make it like him are just scapegoats and distractions to the big time crooks.
Phil Mushnik said he doesn't call Black Men "N___s" or Black Women "W___s and B___s", but he did...twice. Since he is a commentator and writer I would expect that he would have a decent command of the English language and to have enough insight to write a critical opinion without the use of racist, inflammatory language. It seems that seeing an African American be part owner/investor in a team hit a subliminal nerve in Mushnick and he wasn't able to control his true feelings.