Why wont African-American men admit to PE?

Sex. Sex, is a word that can collect multiple responses depending on interpretation and context. It can be insidious - innocuous – or incendiary. One assertion I will dare to make, is that sex is the common denominator of the past, present and future. We all do it. It doesn’t matter where you are from, who you know, what you look like, what your hobbies are, or who your favorite baseball player is, the fact and the matter is; we all have sex. Ok, ok, unless you are that .000099 percent of the Universe’s population that defines themselves as asexual; and then, my question to you is… are you ok? And would you like therapy? Why else do you think people risk their jobs, their respectability, their marriages, their families, all for a hot little passion making session in the companies supply closet? Hey, Bill Clinton did it…frequently! He should have based his campaigning foundation on it because it can be argued, that sex is one reason why he is one of the most loved and respected Presidents to date. He appealed to the common man because he had sex; our “multi-everything” country’s common denominator. Its a major factor in why some Black people may have appreciated him. My Father’s quote “I respect Bill Clinton because he is human, he got him some [sex] every now and then, and wasn’t afraid to admit it, at least after a while.” I have heard Bill Clinton referred to as our nations first “black” president because of his proclivity for intern sex (or any sex) and penchant for the saxophone.

The African American community is presently affected by the historical implications of slavery, particularly regarding sex. In our country’s genesis, blacks were hyper-sexualized for many purposes ranging from simple breeding to propaganda purporting differences between African-Americans and other races because of their sexual virility and willingness to engage in sex on animalistic impulses. It’s an ideology that has been hammered into a society for hundreds of years. It is not an easy task to erase these assertions, which in turn have become deeply embedded in American psyche.

Fast forward a hundred or so years, and we now have an increasingly multi-cultural society that is centered around sex. Again, our country’s common denominator. However, have things really changed for African-Americans? There are still hyper-sexualized images of African-Americans on videos, in the media, and advertisements.

Repetitively, Black men have stereotypical been portrayed as sexually virile, hyper-masculine who are great in bed and have big penis’s. Now while few would argue that this is a horrible stereotype, and many would pooh-pooh it off as “work with it, you’re the sexual mac,” think of the sexual responsibility that is placed upon the Black male. If he doesn’t please you sexually, he is failing his job, his role, his race, hell his country (because again, sex is our common denominator). He will not allow for his most important attribute; his sex/penis to be derided or ridiculed.

Now what black man in his right mind, would admit to premature ejaculation (PE)? I think relatively few; and that may very well be the reason why there is a higher “rate of incidence” in the black community. All that anxiety before sex can not be beneficial for a hot romp in the bed. Food for thought?

I bet you have gentrified lately.

I am just worried about some of the existing culture, becoming diluted, if not permanently obliterated. Older residents are being forced out of a community that was once their’s, simply because they can no longer afford the now sky-rocketing rents and property values - property values of course that they are not profiting from.

Ok, you say Bedford Stuyvesant… what kind of culture exists there? I argue that every neighborhood has an existing feel, or culture. Some are more obvious or potent then others. Think Harlem, which in fact, is now in its own process of gentrification. Harlem as is the premier Black community in the United States. It is a community that has an extensive and impressive history. Harlem has been through squalor and pain, experienced an amazing renaissance, revisited the hardships again and is now becoming gentrified.

My question is…Is there a way that we can allow the benefits of gentrification: rising property values, quality of life issues, etc. without removing the residents that endured the communities struggle? If any deserves to benefit off a rising, gentrifying neighborhood, shouldn’t it be the ones that have been there all along? Food for thought.

Reggaeton Craze

Reggaeton. Does it sound familiar to you? Hmmm, if it doesn’t have you been hiding under a rock? Or maybe down the bend and around the neighborhood tree. Reggaeton is a phenomena that I have been following since I was a wee-lad. Actually, it isn’t but I have paid attention to this style of music that has been gaining popularity for the past decade. Reggaeton to me, encompasses so much. In case you didn’t know, the subculture the I am apart of is called Alexism, yes, Alexism. You may not have heard of it before – which is understandable – Alexism is my own individual subculture, that I created through my own unique experience. This creation of individual culture is not my anomaly. Our growing population is proliferating in non-traditional ways. For the first time in history the largest growing “people of color”group is not African-American, it is Hispanic. And by the year 2050, “white” will no longer be the predominating race of color. So what does that mean to us? Well, for starters, we can no longer operate within the black and white dichotomy, that is still so archaically ingrained within our American psyche. Oh my God, other races do exist. And furthermore Hispanic, does not necessarily mean Latino or Chicano, but can/does include White, Red, Yellow, Green, Black etc.
All of that ranting aside. There is a demand for culture that is individual specific. In an age where socially fabricated race can no longer be our defining factor, what are we using to differentiate ourselves, if anything? Well, how bout Reggaeton for starters. The fact and the matter is, Reggaeton is the form of music created in answer to a increasingly multi-cultural society.

Ok, for starters, Reggaeton is a combination of Rap, Hip-Hop, Salsa, Merengue, Dance-Hall reggae, Bachatera and so much more. More specifically Reggaeton encompasses the most influential genres of music that youth (global youth!) enjoy the most.

-side-bar- There is a pervasive global youth culture that has been proliferating for quite some time. A youth culture bent on exalting difference, and buttressing individuality. The question is, how do we continue to appease this fierce appetite for difference?

Reggaeton. Lets take Rip & Stitch cultural phenomena and apply it. It fits quite well. Never before has there been such a hybrid of music. A hybrid that mirrors the cultural ethos of our global society. Defining and differentiating by country of origin *yawn* been there done that. It’s a given to today’s youth to formulate affinity through difference - paradoxical much? I am different from you, and I like it. Period.

Enter: Reggaeton. The musical future-forwardness of Reggaeton is a refreshing factor, especially regarding a dated music scene that hasn’t been fresh since the early 90’s. Ashley Simpson? Been there. Lindsay Lohan. Done that (I wish). Teenage pop-tart queens are so hackneyed. Teen-Aged pop-tart queens influenced by Hip-Hop, even more blasé. Violent rappers that tell you they have been shot, and don’t mind shooting your mother either..hmmm, no thank you. Dr. Dre did that about a decade ago. Faux-Indie Rock pop creations make me gag…. Frequently.

However! Reggaeton is – musically speaking – unchartered territory. “Oye mi canto,” has been on the Billboard charts for 21 weeks, with a peak position of 12. This Reggaeton song has by far garnered the most attention and success of Reggaeton songs, ever. The song is rapped, sang in Spanglish – some Spanish some English. The song’s performers are Nore, Daddy Yankee and Nina Sky. A Latino rapper, Latino Reggaeton artist, and Latina R&B artist, respectively. Nuff said huh? They are all from different musical genres, but Latino. What does this say about the influence of Hispanics regarding global culture.

Tego Calderon, Daddy Yankee and Looney Tunes are some of the most notable Reggaeton artist. Important to note, Reggaeton does not borrow the extremely homophobic lyrics from Dancehall Reggae. But it does borrow blatant sexuality – which is typically misogynistic – and violent. However, a lot of the songs escape censoring because they are rapped in Spanish. Much like Reggae songs that escape censoring because they are rapped in Patois. Most Reggaeton songs are rapped in straight Spanish, with English hooks. More often then not though, Spanish is the language of choice. However, since almost everyone has at least rudimentary knowledge of Spanish, it is not extremely hard to get the gist of the songs.

So what does the culturally hybrid Reggaeton mean for the future? What are the implications regarding global culture. Is Reggaeton the answer to an increasingly influential Hispanic (mainly Latino) culture coupled with acceptance of other significant cultural markers? Because after all, in the year 2050, won’t most cultural potent phenomena vie for relevancy in a Hispanic hegemony? Probably just wishful thinking.