“A lot of yall comment on how stupid it is. It might be stupid to you, but this is what we do. We eat, we kick it, we throw money. Don’t make this one situation blow the whole thing out.”
Rappers love making it rain on these hoes! Yeaaaaaa-AHHHHHH!
Recently, Jermaine “JD” Dupri defended his right to “make it rain” on exotic dancers in urban gentlemen’s clubs. It would seem that JD, Nelly and other rich rap cats of the “make it rain” culture want the practice to be normal for everybody. At least, he wants to make it seem like there’s nothing deviant about it.
To clarify, here is what JD said to strippers that attempted to pick up money off the floor as it poured on their pretty heads…and booties.
In the club, JD said: “We gonna show y’all how to make it rain. I’m Jermaine Dupri, alright. Y’all are here to dance. Don’t bend down and try to get your money. Don’t start getting the money until I tell y’all to get off the stage. Y’all just keep f**king dancing!”
I often wonder what world these kinds of people live in that allows for the reckless disregard of other people. JD so eloquently re-stated the rules to the strippers so that they knew to stay on target as the source of exotic entertainment for men. These women are struggling strippers. Why wouldn’t they immediately start to pick up money, when thousands and thousands are being “rained” on them? If I’m in the club and they start throwing money up, I’m going to pick it up too. Some dudes might start strippin’ to get that kind of money, but that’s another story.
On the other side, Pac Man Jones said he walked into the club with $100,000, just to throw it away about $40k on some jiggling backsides. He even gave Nelly a stack. Now, I am not saying that the fine ladies at the club don’t need the cash, but wouldn’t that money be better served in other ways? I mean, that sounds Utopian but it speaks volumes as to how far stars have degraded as members of the greater community. Since, there’s thousands and thousands just laying around, here are some ways the money could be spent:
-Somebody’s college tuition (and depending on the school, that’s a full scholarship)
-A park or after school spot for kids in the city
-A business that actually offers a very good return on investment
-An ailing or struggling family members
-A child or individual that shows greatness.
-Or just spend it on something that turns into an asset. Buy a chunk of GOLD valued at $100, 000
-Invest in a writer with potential to be great!
That’s me! Oops, my bad. I need some “stacks” too!
Seriously, I wonder what kind of men these guys are, because JD makes it seem like everybody gets down like this in The A. And, this isn’t a direct slight to JD or anybody else. But, when I go to a strip club (usually a seedy hole in the wall spot), the girls actually dance on the guys. They tip girls based on some form of interaction that is based on touching or a close movement. They want that thing in their face! Put the money on that thing, pimpin! Based on my observations, these rain makers are just on some sort of sexual power trip. “Y’all just keep f**king dancing!” Like, you don’t see women in the male strip club as much, but when you do, you don’t see them throwing up $1’s to break dudes down.
I’m no “Cap’n Save ‘Em,” but the implications here are disturbing and, frankly, stupid. And, on some real spit, I hate it. I loathe, despise and reject all of these blatant ignorance that is going unchecked in Hip-Hop and the “urban” community. This really isn’t about strip clubs, because it is bigger than that. The people to resign to the face that these guys are probably living in another reality that we just watch with disdain. JD seems to agree.
JD: “I’m from a city where in Atlanta, we do this every day. You’ll hear this in Jeezy records. When Jeezy say he spends $10,000 on one song? That s**t is for real man. It aint no play.”
If it ain’t no play, then why are we playing? This “make is rain” phenomenon is not new, but it has taken on new meaning in the current economic conditions and JD’s present justification of it is baffling. Prayerfully, there are creatives like Andre 3000 emerging and re-emerging to speak their peace, not in opposition, but just speaking. Say something!
To that, I give the last word to Three Stacks, from 2007’s “The Art of Storytellin’ Part 4”
[Andre 3000:]
So I’m watchin’ her fine a**
Walked to my bedroom, and thought to myself
That’s the shape of things to come
She said, “Why you in the club, and you don’t make it precipitate?
You know, make it rain when you can make it thunderstorm”
I’m like, “Why? “
The world needs sun
The hood needs funds
There’s a war going on and half the battle is guns
How dare I throw it on the floor
When people are poor
So I write like Edgar Allen to restore, got a cord?
Umbilical attached to a place they can’t afford
What the hell, let us make it rain!
I don’t think Nelly was on the same page as Ashanti on this one. Check out her song, “Rain On Me,” but don’t expect any tip drilling!
This is what you want, some real not safe for work material…a “moshpit of booTAY,” as somebody said.
Finally, here is the footage that was recently released to ESPN that outlined the whole ordeal with Adam “Pacman” Jones at a club that resulted in three people getting shot…in the club and related to making it rain. JD was right…this ain’t for play.
