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February 11, 2004
Was it Native American or Nuwaubian?
Outkast's Andre3000 "Hey Ya!" Grammy performance criticized by Native American activists.
Perhaps the Grammy Award producers were too busy covering up people's breasts to pay attention to the potential of Andre3000 offending Native Americans with his performance of "Hey Ya!" Some in the Native American community are calling the costume, set design teepee, and even the reinterpretation of "Hey Ya" in to "heya heya heya" as a mockery and offense.
Funny thing is that the first thing that came to my mind weren't the Native American references, but the Nuwaubian ones. And I mentioned as much in my Grammy review post.
The Nuwaubians are an African American religious community based in Eatonton, Georgia, that combines philosophies and imagery from a wide range of sources--Islam, Judaism, Moorish Science Temple, Nation of Islam, Nation of Gods and Earths (Five Percenters), Sufism, Egyptology, Native Americans, Raelians, etc. Their most recent incarnation is as the "Yamassee Native American Moors of the Creek Nation" and its leader refers to himself as "Chief Black Thunderbird Dr. Malachi Z. York-El." The Nuwaubians embrace the idea of a Black origin of these multiple identities, so they would place as much a claim on Native American heritage as they would Islamic or Nubian heritage.
Chief Black Thunderbird Dr. Malachi Z. York-El in Indian headdress--an inspiration for Andre3000?
The Nuwaubian's "Kaaba" Holy House in Eatonton... similar to Andre's teepee?
I have always wondered about the connections between the Nuwaubians and Outkast, ever since the days of ATLiens, when Dre started wearing turbans and the group took their esoteric lyrics to another level. Dr. York had re-settled the community in Georgia only a few years before, and folks I know in Georgia would tell me about the Nuwaubians showing up everywhere on the hip hop circuit in Atlanta. That's not so surprising considering that the Nuwaubians--when they were the Nubian Islamic Hebrews based in Brooklyn--had a notable following in the hip hop community that frequently drew on their ideas and imagery.
Whether or not Dre embraced their ideas, I suspect he was at least exposed to them; and I do believe that they are the missing link in understanding his Grammy night performance, and understanding why it was not intended as an insult or offense to the Native American community.
I was offended, however, by Dre's performance from a musical perspective. I have loved Outkast ever since their Southernplayalistic days; Dre's flow as a lyricist is incredible; and The Love Below is an amazing studio album. But that's just it, it seems to have been made possible only through the use of studio magic. In general Dre's vocals are not that great. Sunday night, they were even worse. And I was sure hoping that he would strap on a guitar and strum out some licks for us... he had a few months to practice. A live band performing The Love Below's tracks is the only thing that will impress me in concert.
February 11, 2004 at 01:30 AM | Permalink
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Comments
I was not expecting the whole Native American approach. I figured it would offend some Native Americans, though it was creative. I expected the Beatles look as he did in "Hey Ya" video.
Posted by: Sharda at February 11, 2004 07:40 AM
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