Online Fame | A 'blog written by Chris Rhee

I dread having to write about things that are asian related. I always feel the need to drop my “I’m not the type of asian you may have seen in the movies or on television” disclaimer along with my “I’ve never even cooked rice” clause. But sometimes it’s worth doing it.

Any news I have to report is well summed up here:

New York hip-hop radio station Hot 97 is in hot water after broadcasting a parody song that mocked Asian tsunami victims, calling them “screaming chinks,” “drowning Africans,” and “bitches,” among other things.

To the tune of “We are the world,” the song contains crude and heartless lyrics such as, “All at once, you could hear the screaming chinks, and no one was safe from the wave/there were Africans drowning, little Chinamen swept away/you could hear God laugh, ‘Swim you bitches swim’”.

After being bombarded with phone calls and e-mails by enraged listeners, the station issued an official statement apologizing to “anyone who was offended,” adding that “Miss Jones In the Morning”—the show on which the song was aired—would contribute a mere one weeks pay to Tsunami Relief efforts.

MVRemix supports a full Hot 97 boycott, as racism is intolerable at any level, not to mention airing a racist parody song that ridicules the deaths of over 150,000 people in what is one of the greatest natural disasters we will see in our lifetimes.

In addition to being played on the radio, the song was also available for download on their web site under the heading “FUNNY SH*T” until irate listeners called and wrote in to complain.

Hot 97 Program Director may be reached through e-mail at jdimick@hot97.emmis.com or by phone at (212) 229-9797. Ask for Programming.

– Phayde

Some relevant links:

• A song in response: Jin - Tsunami Response
• Petition #1
• Petition #2

I have a pretty pessimistic outlook on what sort of things these online petitions can accomplish, but I don’t think it hurts to add your name to the cause. And it’s not a bad way to be a part of the cause without stooping to their level. Of course, for those that do want to stoop to their level (I try to cater to all audiences), a short song about Miss Jones’ beloved mother dying of cancer would pluck at the right emotional strings.

Update (Jan 26th, 3:44AM): Not a lot of details, yet, but as of this morning Miss Jones’ show is “suspended indefinitely”. I don’t know whether it’s temporary or permanent– I don’t listen to the station, so all I have is what people are talking about online. They might also be playing Jin’s response on the air– that should be interesting.

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