“Bling: Blood, Diamonds And Hip-Hop”

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I came upon this documentary by chance, and I recommend it to anyone interested in politics, history, social justice or pop culture.

It follows three rap artists on a visit to West Africa to see for themselves how diamonds are mined, and how  the diamond industry  has affected events in the region. They are accompanied by Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier in Sierra Leone who, against all odds, escaped to the US and has written a book about his experiences.

The two things that struck me most profoundly were the terrible conditions in Sierra Leone, years after the end of its civil war….and the irredeemable stupidity of the American rappers. They can barely speak their own language, while the Africans they encounter are so eloquent in English.

Nome saine, nome saine, nome saine, nome saine?

See this film for a deeper understanding of war, greed, courage, and stupidity.

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2 Responses to “Bling: Blood, Diamonds And Hip-Hop”

  1. Mark Poirier says:

    What’s even better than rappers are the legions of teens (both black and white) who emulate them. Nome saine?

  2. Jools says:

    ugh. I read the book by Ishmael Beah. His story will take your breath away. He is brilliant and the fact that he survived his childhood is nothing short of a miracle. I’ll pass on the documentary. When did America become the home of the stupidest people on earth?

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