Massengill. What The Hell, Crack'll Sell In The Neighborhood

Ladies and gentlemen, Mickey Kaus:

Will Obama Kill Bling? Mary Battiata thinks maybe. Now that she mentions it, I kind of hope Obama's election will kill off much of hip-hop, at least the gangsta-inspired parts. But just killing off bling and gangsta fashion would be a start.

I...WTF? Because after he becomes president he'll automatically become chair of the crucial monthly meetings at which black people decide what they're going to wear?

Lately I've been wondering what an Obama White House might mean for the future of bling. For the fate of heavy gold, medallions, below-the-butt denim, the whole hip-hop gangsta fashion habit. What if January 20, 2009 turned out to be not just a cultural and clothing pivot point for adults -- a return to the minimalism of sleek, 60s-era sharkskin suits, the containment of golf-ball sized Barbara Bush costume pearls -- but a watershed fashion moment for teenaged boys?

Lately I've been wondering if the world might not be a better place if people would pause before hitting the "post" button and think: by writing this, will I seem like an enormous racist douche?

Comments

[The Modesto Kid]

Hm. I think your hypothetical is roughly as likely to come to pass as Kaus'.

[The Modesto Kid]

Kaus'

Uh, I mean Battiata's.

[tadhgin]

Look I laughed as much as anyone at the idea of POTUS presiding over a national sartorial convention, but... I actually can imagine it coming to pass that the required style for a self respecting afro-american will become Kanye double plus.

Thing is that's when dirty jeans and a dirty singlet will be the way that whitey indicates his inate superiority to the world (hey some kids already think Von Dutch is cool!)

[monkey.dave]

It could happen. We all remember how white kids across the country started wearing cowboy hats and clearing brush in the middle of August when W was elected.

Otoh, perhaps Kaus is grabbing the wrong end of the stick here. Maybe once Obama wins the election he'll decide to let his freak flag fly and he'll show up at the Inauguration dressed like Bootsie Collins.

[Gold Star for Robot Boy]

Just Kaus being Kaus.

[Jeff Fecke]

I have to say, Jesse Taylor has the best snark ever: "Because we all know where black teenage males in the hood get their inspiration from - famous middle-aged people. I’ll never forget when I was a kid and everyone was in those Cosby sweaters...man, that was a hot ass summer."

[softdog]

Also, who exactly is Mary Battatia to be judging other people's fashion choices?

http://www.adultswimrecords.com/images/little-pink-photo-low-res.jpg

Maybe if Obama get's elected Mary will stop dressing like some cracker who just stepped out of the mosh pit at Hee-Haw . See, anyone can do it, Mary!

[Q the Enchanter]

"by writing this, will I seem like an enormous racist douche?"

Thing is, Kaus does use this test; it's just that he only hits "post" if the answer is affirmative.