Hip-Hop Summit Wrap-Up

Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget

"Now go and get your money little Duffle Bag Boy ... cos I ain't ever ran from a nigga and I damn sho ain't bout to pick today to start runnin ..."

Now where was Lil' Wayne when you need him?

This past Saturday's Hip Hop Summit "Get Your Money Right" Conference was an eye sore. There were more would-be rappers trying to shell their demo tapes to Russell Simmon's entourage than there were actual FMU students with real-life questions on debt, school loans and the dreaded credit system.

Held at FMU's A. Chester Robinson Athletic Center, the attendance was lackluster. The panelists, all 12 of them, stood their ground as they spoke about "saving money" and "spending wisely." In it's 3rd year, "Get Your Money Right" was started by Simmons and Dr. Ben Chavis (co-founder of Hip Hop Summit Action Network) that would address the
growing concerns of financial debt accumulated by the "hip-hop generation". The conference is set to provide information (and tools) on gaining financial empowerment and responsibility. You know --- stuff like ... uh, pay your bills on time. Oh and my favorite, don't buy something that you can't afford. Yeah, stuff that a common-sense
3rd grader should know.

The panelists, comprised of financial experts, hip-hop celebrities and of course, Russell Simmons, all had their fair share of insights to unload. However, my favorite comment of the day came from R&B popstar, Ne-Yo, when asked about hip-hop's glorification of wealth, luxury and bling. "If I wear a phat chain or whatever, that's my business. No one should tell me how to spend my money because that's my money," applause and cheers (mostly of women) comes thundering through the crowd. He continues, "It's one thing to buy a chain when you got no money but if you earned that cash and wanna spend it on something nice, then that's your business!"

And that concludes why the hip-hop generation will be BROKE and in debt forever.

As if MTV Cribs and "My Sweet 16" isn't bad enough, you got celebretards condoning that it's A-O-K to shamelessly waste your first pay-check on some fake diamonds. Financial responsibility is one thing but let's talk about financial rationality! If your goal is to be rich so you can pay Chris Brown $100,000 so he can come sing "Happy
Birthday" to your daughter??? Damn sho', ain't bout to pick today to start savin'! -- Esther Park