Dylan Smith/TucsonSentinel.com
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- 6:57pm — May 16, 2012
independent nonprofit online news
Latino hip-hop group Cypress Hill has canceled their May 21 concert at Tucson’s Rialto Theatre.... Read more»
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5 comments on this story
I think it’s sort of weak to bail like they did. It’s entirely weak, really, and I see no good that can come from it. And you’d think with Morello at their backs you’d figure they might actually put their money where their mouth was supposed to be. I mean, what would have been a better use of their time and energy? Actually following through on their word to do the show and possibly creating a dialogue about the whole effin’ awfulness that’s happening here? Not disrespecting their fans who stuck with them over all of these years with crossed fingers that they might be cool again one day? [In spite of them going so far off base that they ended up doing the Space jam soundtrack no less?]
Either of those would have been better than just bailing. They made a mistake in canceling the show and they took the easy way out and opted for empty grandstanding over anything close to real substance. Talk about all balls and no cock.
Can you imagine how much more effective you could be with an audience and a microphone than with some talking head reading some statement your agent wrote and sent out in a generic press release?
And Louis? Man, listen, I promise I’m not even going to make fun of you anymore over the whole Space Jam soundtrack if you promise to live up to the name you gave yourself and just B-Real. [For real.]
Cool? Cool.
Jason,
I understand the frustration, but on the other hand, the boycott is in effect. Other artists’ representatives have detailed the volume of letters they have received from fans worldwide that implore acts to honor the boycott. It’s a tricky situation, for sure, especially for Latino artists like Cypress Hill.
It would be politically smart for Councilman Steve Kozachik, the newly-elected Republican whose Ward 6 the Rialto inhabits, to applaud McCrary on this matter.
However halfheartedly, Kozachik has expressed personal opposition to SB 1070. But he’s also been vocal in his opposition to Congressman Grijalva’s call for a boycott. This is a downtown issue in which these factors align for him, and him uniquely.
Chuck D., the Godfather of Hip Hop, who is no stranger to AZ politics, has called for an industry wide boycott of the state. If you don’t like the fact that the show was canceled, do something that Cypress Hill fans are unlikely to do, VOTE. Fix the problem, and they come back. To do the show and half-heartedly prompt their pot smoking burnout fans to change the law is pointless.
To some degree the fans deserve punishment for letting the situation get to this point. AZ suffers from extraordinarily low voter turnout, which is how these idiots get elected. Rather than call the band weak, realize that without solidarity and anger, nothing will change. With all due respect to Curtis, I think the Rialto is exactly who the boycott is supposed to hurt. They are an entertainment business, and business is politics, even if it is supposed to entertain. Art without politics is dead, and I hope this makes the staff of the Rialto angry enough to get involved in turning out the idiots in Phoenix.
I want to applaud Cypress Hill for displaying their support. Unfortunately, for the mistake of one, we all pay. Here, in Phoenix, all the UGLY people have come out. Hate, anger and racism has shown it’s face. I heard that Gov Brewer came out on the radio very upset. Bottom line, she stated this is the law and so be it. Well Gov, you need to get a hold of your republican croonies who egged you on to sign this law, therefor securing your re-election. Bad move. This law DOES NOTHING for border security, the law of being here illegally is a crime and always has been. What the Gov did was just show how we are seen by her party, nothing but a bunch of Mexicans who are suspicious of being illegals.
I’m old school, and I think that by boycotting the major “Republican” companies that support the Gov, the “I do what I want” Sheriff Arpaio, and let’s not forget that compassionate Republican who said, “I can micro-chip my dog, why can’t we do the same to them”, we are sending them a message. “We are tired of this. You guys have gone to far with making a law that makes the color of my skin a crime”. God bless those who stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.
I welcome any remarks, but don’t make them UGLY. Lets not forget, God does not like ugly… and neither do I.