“He’s climbing in your window. He’s snatchin’ your people up . hide ya kids . hide ya wife, and hide ya husband, because they’re raping everybody out here.”These colorful words literally turned Chicago born Kevin Antoine Dodson from an unknown resident of the Lincoln Park housing development into a viral video and internet sensation.
After breaking up the alleged rape of his sister by an unknown assailant, Dodson found himself on camera being interviewed by NBC affiliate station WAFF 48 News.
During the interview Dodson directed the aforementioned quote to fellow residents as well the alleged attacker in a “flamboyant” fashion. His interview was made into an auto-tuned song by music group The Gregory Brothers, and success has followed tenfold for a virtually unknown, aspiring hair stylist.
Mixed emotions were expressed in all forms of the media. Comments have been made towards his sexuality, lifestyle, etc. While I found neither the song nor interview for my taste, I didn’t make negative remarks.
I am not an advocate of homosexuality, or any poor decisions on Dodson’s behalf; but, are we so corrupt as a society that we forget heroism should not be taken for granted?
A more pertinent story regarding an African-American community could have been broadcast. Dodson’s interview furthers the notion that the media still loves a portrait of a Black man making an “ass” out of himself. As I stand firm in my perspective, anyone who puts their selfishness aside to help another human being deserves his/her moment in the sun, right?
In a world where people get more than 15 minutes of fame for doing little to nothing, let’s not get lost on the fact of a great deed receiving a great reward. What Dodson will do with newly amassed finances is another subject in time. How long his 15 minutes will last is too.
The franchise of Antoine Dodson is seemingly expanding, with over 100,000 copies of the single sold on iTunes, an application on the iPhone, and there was even a Halloween costume in his likeness for sale. Who knows when it will end?
The point I’m simply making is this, why did most people automatically let hate spew into the atmosphere out of distaste for the situation? Had we let it go past without so much as a hitch it would have been another footnote in America’s comedic history.
An old entertainment saying is that “All publicity is good publicity,” so his rise was inevitable, given this world’s obsession with parody and slapstick comedy. As some cry out “will the madness stop,” it is those people who most need to stand up and take a stand for something.
Oftentimes, people who have the power to change things do not often take a stand. I am not against Dodson for having a hit song while many talented artists haven’t seen close to 100,000 singles sold.
While performing at the BET Hip-Hop awards show this past October, eyes rolled around as disdain seemed to be on majority of the Hip-Hop congregation’s faces.
I was shocked at the hatred seeing that some of the artists in the room make music that can be seen as mindless. I stay on my grind (grizzly as I like to call it) and keep my head and heart focused on being the best I can be in whatever realm of life I am engulfed.
People have been amassing some type of status in this world for less than notable things. It didn’t start with Dodson and it won’t end with him.
Let whoever may come enjoy whatever success they have as long as it isn’t a detriment to your well-being. I choose not to tap dance for the establishment’s sake yet go against conventionalism.
All in all don’t expect anything of someone else, but the world of yourself. And with that come responsibility, humility and perseverance, because the time you spend being salty over another’s fortune or misfortune is idle time … Live and Let be to a certain degree.