Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire

(OSCAR) Old Southern Californian Aryan Racketeers
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
25 Feb 2015
🖨️ Print Article

(OSCAR) Old Southern Californian Aryan Racketeers

by Raymond Nat Turner

Curtain rising, Black images

Fading, lost, stolen, strayed;

‘White’ suspense speeches

Read like corporate talking

Points, red carpet, 30 million

Viewers, Grand Jury True Bills—

Dice loaded, card’s marked,

Diversity smells like charcoal…

Well, “Hooray for Hollywood”

Never meant Black folk no good…

Get over opinions of color-

Blind ‘white’ men with

Bleached white plastic

Smiles, like you got over

Santa Claus, tooth fairies and

Taney’s Dred Scott script—

Oscar Micheaux’s the only

Oscar relevant, ignore pink-

Eyed lobbyists with detached

Retinas, jaundiced scammers

Legally blind, like monkeys on

Capitalist Hill, like sightless

Juries who saw Rodney as King-

Kong, “controlling the situation,”

Mike Brown as “Hulk Hogan

Bulking up, running through shots,”

Eric Garner as an irresponsible

Stuntman, holding his breath

After his scene was a wrap—

Well, “Hooray for Hollywood”

Never meant Black folk no good…

Quit crashing burning house

Parties, wincing at embers, and

Acrid smoke blinding teleprompter

Readers, missing the Hurricane and X

Denzel whipped up, Round Midnight

Dexter Gordon delivered, timelessly,

Soldier Story Adolph Caesar marshaled, masterfully…

…Selma?

Well, “Hooray for Hollywood”

Never meant Black folk no good…

So tap grapevines, pool pennies

Grown at grassroots; hand out

Statuettes resembling Robeson,

Josephine Baker, Ruby Dee and

Ossie Davis—call ‘em ‘Robies,’

‘Paulies,’ ‘Josies,’ ‘Rubies,’

‘Ossies—‘ just do it…

Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at Raymond (at) upsurgejazz.com
Raymond Nat Turner © 2015 All Rights Reserved

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles? Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


More Stories


  • Eric Umansky
    How the N.Y.P.D. Quietly Shuts Down Discipline Cases Against Officers
    03 Jul 2024
    Police Commissioner Edward Caban has often relied on an obscure authority to intervene when officers are accused of serious wrongdoing, often handing out little to no punishment.
  • Black Agenda Radio
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Black Agenda Radio June 28, 2024
    28 Jun 2024
    This week, we discuss the Shelby County v. Holder Supreme Court decision and the need to reinstate the gutted provisions. Also, Washington, D.C. activists mobilize against the new crime bill. But…
  • Al Sharpton press conference
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Sharpton and Black Misleaders Support the Occupation of Haiti
    28 Jun 2024
    Dahoud Andre joins us to discuss Rev. Al Sharpton and other self-titled New York City Faith Leaders who are openly supporting the latest occupation of Haiti, which has recently begun with the arrival…
  • Voting rights
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Congress Must Restore Preclearance Provision to the Voting Rights Act
    28 Jun 2024
    Kareem Crayton joins us to discuss the legacy of the Supreme Court Decision, Shelby County v. Holder, and why congressional legislation is needed to restore Voting Rights Act protections.
  • DC Crime Bill
    Black Agenda Radio with Margaret Kimberley
    Washington DC Communities Mobilize Against New Crime Bill
    28 Jun 2024
    We are joined by Pan-African Community Action member Oliver Robinson, who will explain the harm of the DC Secure Omnibus Crime Bill and discuss their upcoming town hall.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us