Already getting search engine requests for pictures of Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes' dead body. For the record, CyberTLC seems to be the most exhaustive resource available for updates on the tragic accident, and indeed has pictures of her coffin and dead body. I admit that I looked, and it's not pretty. Much like you'd expect someone who's died of a head injury to look like, I guess.
Not everybody it seems has been as upset over La Lopes' untimely demise as your humble correspondent. Comments left over at Fark and even at metafilter have been roughly 80% insensitive, disrespectful and wholly negative about the self-styled supernova singer/rapper.
It's not the obligatory jokes that I object to, this happens when anyone of note kicks the bucket, from Princess Di to Freddie Mercury, and in a sense can even be seen as an (albeit sick) tribute. Some of them were even moderately amusing, like the story of her being treatable when she arrived at hospital but lost her life when she stubbornly insisted on having 'no scrubs' to clean her up. Even I smiled at the report that went '...and in other news, Andre Rison got his first good night's sleep in years'.
No, I don't have any problem with the jokes, although it does help if they're funny. What I do have a problem with is the subtext behind much of the dismissive nature of the comments/remarks. Variously, she is described as a 'coon'; 'biatch'; 'ugly'; a 'talentless hack' and 'a washed-up bankrupt alcoholic arsonist'.
I know people are going to accuse me of being hypocritical, posting this as I do in the very week I was a little flippant about the passing of Linda Lovelace in slightly similar circumstances. I have no problem though with people having the freedom to express their opinions, however much I disagree with them. Just as I reserve the right to express an opposing view if I feel that what they have to say is sexist; racist and just plain fucking wrong.
Nobody's pretending Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes was an angel, but it seems to me that much of this farking snarking is down to some sad inadequates looking for excuses to vent their spleen about black women and hip-hop culture in general. I don't remember anything like this sort of tone being adopted towards white rock star Layne Staley for example. I don't remember any bloggers referring to him witheringly as a 'washed-up junkie'. And let's be honest, the upcoming TLC album was much more keenly anticipated than any new Alice In Chains product.
Ignorance about hip-hop/R'n'B is no excuse for slamming Lopes as 'talentless'. 'Crazysexycool' and 'Fanmail' are both landmark albums and paved the way for many other acts to crossover into the mainstream pop market. Lisa also contributed rapping cameos that electrified what would otherwise have been so-so songs such as Donell Jones' 'Girl You Know What's Up' and Melanie C's 'Never Been The Same Again'.
So to the guy who couldn't wait to make the first Fark comment on Lisa's death ('about time too') I bet you have a great social life. And to the no-mark who commented that he was glad Ms. Lopes died because the line in 'No Scrubs' about men who didn't drive made him 'feel bad' about himself, I really hope you were kidding.
Normal service to resume shortly.
Not everybody it seems has been as upset over La Lopes' untimely demise as your humble correspondent. Comments left over at Fark and even at metafilter have been roughly 80% insensitive, disrespectful and wholly negative about the self-styled supernova singer/rapper.
It's not the obligatory jokes that I object to, this happens when anyone of note kicks the bucket, from Princess Di to Freddie Mercury, and in a sense can even be seen as an (albeit sick) tribute. Some of them were even moderately amusing, like the story of her being treatable when she arrived at hospital but lost her life when she stubbornly insisted on having 'no scrubs' to clean her up. Even I smiled at the report that went '...and in other news, Andre Rison got his first good night's sleep in years'.
No, I don't have any problem with the jokes, although it does help if they're funny. What I do have a problem with is the subtext behind much of the dismissive nature of the comments/remarks. Variously, she is described as a 'coon'; 'biatch'; 'ugly'; a 'talentless hack' and 'a washed-up bankrupt alcoholic arsonist'.
I know people are going to accuse me of being hypocritical, posting this as I do in the very week I was a little flippant about the passing of Linda Lovelace in slightly similar circumstances. I have no problem though with people having the freedom to express their opinions, however much I disagree with them. Just as I reserve the right to express an opposing view if I feel that what they have to say is sexist; racist and just plain fucking wrong.
Nobody's pretending Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes was an angel, but it seems to me that much of this farking snarking is down to some sad inadequates looking for excuses to vent their spleen about black women and hip-hop culture in general. I don't remember anything like this sort of tone being adopted towards white rock star Layne Staley for example. I don't remember any bloggers referring to him witheringly as a 'washed-up junkie'. And let's be honest, the upcoming TLC album was much more keenly anticipated than any new Alice In Chains product.
Ignorance about hip-hop/R'n'B is no excuse for slamming Lopes as 'talentless'. 'Crazysexycool' and 'Fanmail' are both landmark albums and paved the way for many other acts to crossover into the mainstream pop market. Lisa also contributed rapping cameos that electrified what would otherwise have been so-so songs such as Donell Jones' 'Girl You Know What's Up' and Melanie C's 'Never Been The Same Again'.
So to the guy who couldn't wait to make the first Fark comment on Lisa's death ('about time too') I bet you have a great social life. And to the no-mark who commented that he was glad Ms. Lopes died because the line in 'No Scrubs' about men who didn't drive made him 'feel bad' about himself, I really hope you were kidding.
Normal service to resume shortly.
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