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The best rapper in the Mets organization might be Lastings Milledge, but he shouldn't be expecting a call-up because of his music anytime soon. Milledge a 22 year-old outfield prospect for the Mets who was briefly in the bigs last season. While with the Mets last year, some criticized him for his showiness at times, being late, and not running hard on the basepaths. In 166 at bats, Milledge had a .241 average. Though he's currently in the minor leagues and on the DL, it doesn't mean he can't cause controversy. Besides playing baseball, Milledge dabbles in the music business as the CEO of Soul-ja Boi records, a label he co-founded in Florida. Milledge raps as L Millz (is that for millions or Milledge - the double entendre is brilliant!) in "Bend Ya Knees," a track by Manny D, the label's "premier artist". The lyrics in the song (which you can listen to at their website) have shocked some people with lyrics that the Daily News excerpts as: "rich (N word)," "wealthy (N word)," a "top-notch ho" and having "a different bitch for every night." Gothamist could swear we heard something about getting high in the song too.
The Mets have distanced themselves from the song that Milledge appears on, "We disapprove of the content, language and message of this recording, which does not represent the views of the New York Mets." According to the Soul-Ja Boi website, Manny D and L Millz are friends from junior high.
Perhaps the most outrage about the lyrics in the song is from City Councilman Leroy Comrie. Comrie, who previously introduced legislation in the council to ban the "N word", told the Daily News, "He's lost his mind. I don't understand how he could, in the spirit of Jackie Robinson, put out music that's so vile, using . . . some of the worst words in music." The spirit of Jackie Robinson? Ouch! While Milledge didn't comment on the song itself, he did tell the Daily News that he was focusing on baseball.
At the Staten Island Advance, they wonder if this is Lastings' last straw, the Post says that L Millz is still immature, and The Sun chimes in as well. In the recent past, Don Imus was fired from his radio show for using similar words and Al Sharpton campaigned for cleaner lyrics in music.
Photo of Manny D (left) and L Millz aka Lastings Milledge (right)
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The spirit of Jackie Robinson? Does everything every black person does have to be in the spirit of Jackie Robinson or MLK? Suppose Lastings were advertising a cologne? Would that have to smell like Jackie Robinson? Leroy Comrie's inference here is completely racist and demeaning. It's made that much worse because Comrie is black.
Milledge's greatest challenge is himself and may sabotage what could become a brilliant career.
New York Sun's brilliant columnist, Tim Marchman, has a great piece in today's paper: This Rapper Needs a Hit
www.nysun.com/article/54573
i meant to add that sun article too. thanks.
He is no Bernie Williams, who has actual musical talent (rap is not music) and actual baseball talent.
Still .241 is over the Mendoza Line and as for rap all you have to do is add the letter "c" on the front to tell you what it is.
Why can't you use the word nigger on this site? As George Carlin said, its the intent behind the word that matters, not its use. Same with kike, wop, wetback, chink spic, and the rest. If you're just illustrating something, I think the word should be ok. Actually I think the word is ok even if you are a racist because bad speech can always be fought against with better speech. But I definitely think there is no ill intent if you are merely using it for the article.
Well said, Andrew! I'm black and I've never had occasion to use the word "nigger" but I defend to the death my right to, should I choose to do so in the future.
On another point, I'm not a huge rap fan but it's pretty hard to imagine some music without swearing and references to "hos" and what-not. It's just what it is, you know? Like a Scorcese or a Tarantino film.
Where's Rev. Al on this one??????
Leroy Comrie is an overzealous idiot.
Just stick to hitting the ball duke and everything will be alright .