MOBO's and similar things .... (non-football)

I am the least racist person you will ever meet but can somebody explain something to me that I genuinely don't understand.

Why do we have awards celebrating 'music of black origin'? Also, recently at work there has been a 'celebrate black history month'.

Now, if we are told that the colour of somebody's skin is irrelevant, why do these things still happen and are they 'racist' against non-black people?

I can't really imagine someone ever having a music award ceremony for 'white artists only', there would be hell on.

It makes no difference to me really but I'm interested to know why some people aren't up in arms about this, in this day and age, when the least little thing is normally jumped upon as being 'racist'.

 

I think it's a way to assuage feelings of guilt over slavery and other past transgressions.

I don't feel any guilt btw so these things don't interest me.

 

It just seems an odd thing to do/have in 2015, and there appears to be no reaction at all to it from either white's or non-whites.

I would have thought there would be some groups of 'non-whites' who would be against these things happening as they clearly single out 'blacks' as a seperate group to everybody else, and I thought that is exactly what all the struggles have been about over the years ... integration/equality with everyone else because we are all the same regardless of the colour or our skin.

I'm very confused!

 

The MOBO's are just for black artists I don't think.

 

Equality isn't about "treating everybody the same". That's a trite oversimplification. Equality is about making sure people have equal opportunities, it doesn't mean that we must all be alike, and it doesn't mean that people can't celebrate particular aspects of their heritage, in this case the music they have created. The reason we don't have a "music of white origin" award is because in Western societies everything is seen through the prism of white achievement. Every day celebrates music of white origin. It is not racist to acknowledge music that has originated through a different culture. Grow up.

 

Aye. It's for music of those origins isn't it? Not necessarily black artists. Eminem has won MOBOs.

 

What do you mean 'grow up'?

I'm asking because I genuinely don't understand what it's all about.

I'm sorry if you are far cleverer than me on all worldly issues

 

Seems to me that the MOBOs give me a good idea of what artists and music to avoid. Can't think of any of the 2015 winners that I'd ever want to listen to and none of them seem to have learnt how to spell!

Where is the MOBO for Best Rock artist/album? - seeing as Rock'n'Roll is acknowledged as evolving from Jass, Blues and Boogie-Woogie - all of which are MOBOs...

The slavery argument doesn't work with me - I'm fairly sure that 200+ years ago our descendants were mostly forced to work down the mines for a pittance.

 

Slavery

I saw on Coast (on Yesterday) the other night that the village of Baltimore in Ireland was raided by black African pirates (can't remember the dates, 17th century I think) and the entire population was abducted and sold into slavery in north Africa. So slavery went both ways. It was also mentioned that this was not an isolated incident but happened all round the west coast of the British Isles.

Slavery was a universal thing, not necessarily racially based. African tribes regularly fought other tribes and the victors took the enemy's women and children as slaves. It's basic human nature and took action by the British to finally end it. We have no guilt to feel as far as slavery goes, rather we should be rightly proud.

 

That was a well reasoned and articulate explanation, was there any need for the last two words though?

 

This thread would have been ace if Nightmare/Tyke had still been here.

 

Re: Slavery

Sorry mate but you're wrong, that sentence was actually said to me by an Indian man that I work with. At the time I was being apologetic for the history of slavery etc, but he insisted that the British should be proud. He's in his 50s and is a highly educated man who's opinion I respect and value. The whole of the human race has a history of slavery, it is not simply a white man's thing. I am not a racist and never have been, in fact I am a member of the Green Party which is about as anti-racists as you can get. But history is history and you have to look at the whole picture not just the bits that certain factions want you to look at.

 

All pop/soul/rock/jazz/rap and rock have their origins in black music

 

We're all black origined anyway aren't we ?

Can't we all just get along ?

Jamelia's music is ***** though tbf

 

Re: Slavery

The MOBOs exist because Britain transported Slaves from Africa 550 years ago? I suppose it's only fair really. Dizzy Rascal is their revenge. 1-1.

 

Re: Slavery

It's helps to know what it's called so you can avoid the bilge on the telly.

 

And the folk of South Yorkshire were rounded up, chained in the hull of a ship and sent to Pittsburgh, during which a large proportion died. Once they got there they received regular beatings and were forced to work darn't pit by their 'owners'.

Yup I can see completely your thought process there. Working class white in South Yorkshire and West African blacks got the same deal.

 

"And Le Jay and his mate were rounded up, chained in the hull of a ship and sent to Pittsburgh,"

We have a cunning plan Mr Plonkodon !!