Guest Spot: Who does it better?

Enticed by a well-worded Gchat status yesterday, I decided to invite Jen Okwudili to write an op-ed for the blog. Enjoy:

Many in the mainstream media have begun to frantically string together the events of last week—namely, Rep. Joe Wilson's freakout during the Joint Session of Congress and Kanye West's own freakout (number 1000...) during Sunday's MTV VMA awards. Do these events, in their fantastically unbridled rejection of class, decorum, and civility, actually mark the end of civilization as some are speculating? Has our society come so far that we have begun to devolve, slowly morphing into mindless trashy apes unable to publicly hold our own (oft unbalanced) emotions in check? Or is there some other more clear and pleasant answer at hand?

Ladies and Gentlemen, that answer is simple: Hip-Hop does it better. The widely acknowledged musical underdog (what?—Ed.), credit is rarely given where credit is due regarding this genre (okay, fair – Ed.). Putting aside all un-winnable arguments concerning Who Did It First, Hip-Hop can easily walk away with the Who Did It Best award nine times out of ten. RUN-DMC's "Walk This Way," wearing Tommy Hilfiger attire with a straight face, and producing energy drinks are a few minor examples, but last week's contest to publicly 'act the fool' was won, hands down, (for better or worse) by Hip-Hop's Kanye West.

Looking at the facts: Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), did interrupt a Joint Session of Congress, which was watched at least in part by millions of Americans (let's hope). After having called President Barack Obama, leader of the free world, a "liar!" (sort of—Ed.), he even managed to survive the death-glare of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). In the following days he was nationally labeled as an idiot, forced to apologize, and censored by the House of Representatives with a "resolution of disapproval." Pretty bad.

However, Hip-Hop artist Kanye West still managed to do it better. Biding his time a full 3 days, his appearance at the VMAs could not have been more perfectly executed. Unlike Wilson, West managed to even storm the stage in question, taking the spotlight and the mic as well. After flailing about making his (valid?) point, West left in his wake not the leader of the free world, but rather a teenage/blond/doe-eyed/southern country starlet with no Nancy "the hawk" Pelosi to protect her. West had done real damage. His aftermath? Not only immediate boos from the audience for the rest of the night and instant Internet hate tirades, but perhaps the most biting punishment of them all: in a fitting full circle to the dueling stories, being called "a jackass" by President Obama himself.

Hip-Hop did it better. Now let's celebrate with a re-mix.