Ignorance In Effect

posted on Sep 10, 2005

The villains of hip-hop videos have long been overlooked and marginalized. By the late 90s, simplistic superhero vs. evildoer plots and motifs had become passé, and the age of the Video Vixen and Fish-Eye Lens was soon upon us. In the spirit of shining light on the unrecognized, we caught up with Ignorance, Jeru The Damaja’s arch-nemesis and rap video legend.

OhWord: Perhaps we should begin by allowing you to introduce yourself to those of our readers who may not be familiar with Ignorance.

Ignorance: (clears throat) Oh, certainly, my name is Ignorance, and I was born on March 15th, 1968. I was raised in a lower-middle class, multi-ethnic, polyglot shithole called Ridgewood, Queens- big up entire Ridgedood Masif, bo! Ridgewood borders Bushwick, Brooklyn and is just a stone’s throw away from the most unsavory locales of East New York, Bed-Stuy, and Brownsville, places where I first began my career in socio-pathic and nihilistic wrongdoing (begins to laughs maniacally, but stop suddenly, as if self-conscious).

OhWord: Now, “Ignorance” … Is that your name … or is it a nomme d’plum?

Ignorance: It’s a nomme d’plum. (chortles).

OhWord: Would you tell us your real name if we asked?

Ignorance: No.

OhWord: (pauses reflectively) Why not?

Ignorance: (clears throat, says nothing).

OhWord: Okay then. What was your childhood like?

Ignorance: Why, blissful, of course. My father, that filthy rat bastard mick, was a union contractor and part-time gunrunner. My dirty wop of a mother was a woefully under-qualified, tenured seventh grade Social Studies teacher. In all, I had eight siblings- two sisters and six brothers; all were involved in juvenile delinquency from an early age. Despite our Papist leanings, we eschewed charitable action in favor of sadistic hooliganism. I remember the holidays as being especially joyous. (heehaws)

OhWord: What would you say was the most pivotal incident during your early development as a paragon of ignorance and bad will?

Ignorance: In 1984 I was a wisecracking, high school dropout/ mailroom clerk at the New York Post. Crack had just hit the streets of central Brooklyn hard, but community groups in Bushwick were mobilizing to counter the epidemic. I was frankly frightened by the possibility of real social improvement in our time. Lemme tell ya, it was a real eye opener, a wake up call, even! Something had to be done. I had to make the transition from uninformed apathy into a full-time advocacy of hatred and social deterioration. You know, become a man. (sniggers)

OhWord: So what came out of this moment of opacity?

Ignorance: I soon developed my famous, patented “Babies Having Babies” campaign in response. (titters)

OhWord: Now “Babies Having Babies” was a slept-on classic! A lot of people were jockin’ “Poisoning Our Babies” just because Grand Puba mentioned it in a song. Fucking sheep will jock anything if Grand Puba mentions it. Anyway, how did the success of “Babies Having Babies” change your outlook?

Ignorance: I couldn’t content myself with having only spearheaded “Babies Having Babies” … it needed a followup, something big. There had to be a way to make sure that the phenomenon of babies having babies was even more stressful and dangerous. One afternoon while watching the hilariously edited TV version of The Warriors, I had a vision of a chaotic, nearly unlivable New York. That was the beginning of my “Young Niggaz Selling Crack” campaign, my longest running and most successful campaign ever! (teehees)

OhWord: Word up, that shit was all the rage in NYC in the late 80s. I remember it well. I was shot by a crackhead for my sheepskin coat back in ’85 out on Jamaica Avenue.

Ignorance: See, the kids these days have it easy- our generation dropped the ball and failed to pass on the legacy. They don’t know how it was- addicts on every subway line, Delancey Street stick-up kids, crazy Brooklyn dreds, my nigga Bernie Goetz wilin’ out… What a time to be alive, scared out of your mind, and completely ignorant! Everywhere you went- Spanish Harlem, L.E.S., QB, The Bricks, Wyandanche, Canarsie- total chaos. Shit hasn’t been the same since about ’96. (snickers)

OhWord: Wordlife! Nowadays you got cats like Damon Dash making movies about the Golden Age, without giving props to the most important pioneers. Do you feel like your contribution has been glossed over?

Ignorance: It’s all good, playa. Ignorance begets more ignorance. The less people are informed, the better. I benefit from any ignorant act committed anywhere on this despicable globe. To quote the great Kanye West: “da man get paid off alladat!” When it comes to getting paid off of human suffering, I’m all over that shit.… (awkward pause, piercing feedback whistle is heard)… um, no homo. (convulses in laughter)

OhWord: Who would you name as your influences or inspirations?

Ignorance: First and foremost, I gotta give ‘nuff respect to the cops in the video for “The Message”- not only were they unaware of the Furious Five’s growing fame, they just casually assumed that they were a gang! Brilliant work I tells ya- did you peep how the one cop just shoves Cowboy into the back seat? I laughed my ass off. Also, the drug dealers in LL Cool J’s “I’m Bad” video. These were some superlatively ignorant mahfuckas- branching out into kidnapping and extortion just ‘cause some Troop clad brat from Hollis posted a few fliers. At the time I had not really broken into the industry, and that shit made me want to cross over into the field of full-fledged supervillainry, you know, do it professionally. (cachinnates)

OhWord: Right on. What are the origins of your beef with Jeru the Damaja?

Ignorance: Jeru was a problem for years. Even as a youth he was bright, focused, and principled. I threw every temptation, every obstacle in his way, in the desperate hope that PCP addiction or a craving for pork-based snacks might take him out for good. In retrospect, my team underestimated the extent of his super-scientifical powers as well as his unmatched skill at throwing sharp steel bookmarks. Plus, we didn’t know it at the time, but some local skeezer, possibly an embittered, unemployed Nikki D., dropped a dime on us. As you know, my crew paid dearly for their oversights. (guffaws)

OhWord: Now, concerning what Jeru did to your wife, Deceit—

Ignorance: (interrupting) It was nothing; I have others. Cowardice, for example, has been my down-ass boo for some time. Ms. Treachery holds me down when times is hard. Besides, if there’s one thing that Jeru and I can agree on, it’s that the bitches ain’t shit but the handmaidens of all things devious and morally bankrupt! Next question! (writhes in exultation)

OhWord: You seem more agitated then your cavalier statements suggest.

Ignorance: (somberly) Listen, man … I gotta keep it real with you, that shit hurt. Deceit was my first and favorite wife. We used to draw our initials in the sand at Howard Beach, nahmean? For him to kill her like that … that’s some never forgive action. Still my coterie of fiendish honeydips is a minor consolation, I can’t front. (cackles)

OhWord: What is your opinion of Jeru’s career post-Premier?

Ignorance: There’s no shame in mopping the floors of peep-show establishments, so long as you use that experience to climb up the malevolent ladder. (hardy-hars awkwardly)

OhWord: Um, are you aware that Jeru continued to record music after he parted ways with his label and stopped working with Primo?

Ignorance: I heard a delicious rumor that he was signed to Irv Gotti’s label and was poised to become the next crossover smash, performing soft duets with some bearded lady or some such nonsense. I didn’t know how seriously to take it. I mean Jeru on TRL? What’s next, MC Shan, American Idol? (sniggles)

OhWord: Whatever. How many times has Greedy Lou been killed in action?

Ignorance: About sixteen or seventeen but he hasn’t been merked since about 1997, when he joined Puff Daddy’s Hitmen production team, along with Lord Finesse, Jesse West, Tony Dofat, and Brian Austin Green. He’s living lavish these days, and rightfully so. Hard worker, and a great guy all around. (crows)

OhWord: Whatever happened to Tricknology?

Ignorance: Tricknology- that’s my boy. You can’t front on the kid. Back in 1994 he signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Bilderberg Group. He’s the one who put surveillance cameras in every project, and he has a bright future ahead of him installing microchips into hands and foreheads. Oh, he also has his own rare grooves and breakbeats show on Sirius radio. Don’t sleep! (giggles)

OhWord: You seemed to be rather low-key during the late 90s. Did you leave the music industry altogether?

Ignorance: By 1997, it was harder for me to get gigs as an artist. I did two tracks with this underground guy Aceyalone called “The Jabberwocky,” and “Grandfather Clock.” Those songs were a little too heavy for most people, especially when you consider that Lewis Carroll’s fame had been eclipsed by that of DMX. I did not leave the scene entirely, but I stayed behind the scenes, doing a little consulting and A & R work here and there. Still, it was not yet the right time for me to shine. Unconscionably violent and misogynistic ignorance had not yet taken over rap. Sure, there was a resurgence of carefree licentiousness and gaudy materialism, but full-blown idiocy coupled with casual indifference and amoral complacency was at least half a decade away. (cracks up)

Ohword: Now it’s time for a word association game. I’ll say a word, phrase, or name, and you respond with the first thing that comes to mind. Okay – Afrika Islam.

Ignorance: Who’s a what’s it now?

OhWord: N.O.R.E.

Ignorance: Fam.

OhWord: Professor X.

Ignorance: Biter.

OhWord: Fu-Shnickens

Ignorance: Parking attendants.

OhWord: thebreaks.com.

Ignorance: Violatin’!

OhWord: Hip-Hop Blogs.

Ignorance: Banal.

OhWord: Mos Def.

Ignorance: Simian.

OhWord: Busta Rhymes

Ignorance: Gentile.

OhWord: Reggaeton.

Ignorance: Reg-gay-tone.

OhWord: Rap sucks.

Ignorance: But it sounds good in da club!

OhWord: That’s all the time we have for now, any parting words?

Ignorance: Sure, first I’d like to say peace to the 85% nation of powerless know-nothings. Keep destroying and subtracting from the cipher. Shout out to Lee’s brother from Wildstyle, Rappin’ Duke, News on the DL, The Ying-Yang Twins, Dip Set, Soup from Jurassic 5, and Sacha Jenkins. Be sure to pick up my upcoming, long-awaited debut album, Aborted Downs Syndrome Babies Selling Crack To Young Niggaz WIth Babies, dropping June 14th on Koch Records. I’m outtie, ya’ll. (yucks it up)

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Comments for "Ignorance In Effect"

  1. hahah that was hillarious


    — Arjun    Jan 24, 07:42 PM   

  2. So funny it hurt. Props for killing em softly. Run to the center of the yard, ring the bell and scream WAKE UP!


    — Dreday13    Jun 15, 02:25 PM   

  3. cmon tho man why u gotta hate on the wood like that?

    besides i heard he mite not been born there but ignorance is livin over howard beach at the moment


    — chibahawk    Aug 8, 12:17 PM   

  4. Nice.


    — Amadeo    Aug 28, 08:49 PM   

  5. The most honest yet funniest shit ive ever read,EVER!


    — BERN-ONE    Jan 19, 02:54 PM   

  6. Have to concur with Bern-One


    — WuQueen/Dez    Apr 28, 02:55 AM   

  7. FUCK anybody who talk shit about howard beach


    — ozonepark/forever    May 1, 12:39 PM   

  8. best blog ever.


    — mr. e    Jun 4, 02:48 AM   

  9. brutal honesty


    — sankofa    Aug 28, 02:13 PM   

  10. Oh word props to flash


    — bAmz-illa    Sep 20, 11:34 AM   

  11. shit hasn’t changed yet, ny still full of crack, rap still sucks and ny is still the outcast of society


    — todd _l    Nov 28, 06:43 PM   

  12. Hahahahahahaha! Tricknology as the guy putting cameras on the walls and handing out the mark of the beast in the near future. Classic. I love it! I’m going home and putting every Jeru album I own in the changer.


    — the SHWAMY    Jan 10, 05:22 PM   

  13. aye, why the 3 yr hiatus, this was my 1st time readin’ & its really interesting. Would love more.

    PEACE


    — Kenya    Feb 23, 12:01 AM   

  14. Ignorance WOULD be signed to Koch records, huh? (LOL)

    Lovin’ the site. Coming back more often….

    Love Infinite….


    — Obsidia Blue    Mar 10, 04:46 PM   

  15. yeah, this post is pretty funny – should throw it up on http://www.FreestyleMadness.com


    — proliferate    Jul 9, 08:43 PM   

  16. haha, good shet.


    — No Clouds In 3 Twenty 3    Sep 18, 01:16 PM   

  17. That was pretty entertaining, first time i’ve heard of this guy, come check us out at ignorance inc


    — Ignorance Inc    Oct 4, 11:26 PM   

  18. Things ain’t been the same since I cut off my “Gumby”, Brotha. Interesting and Informative. Nice shoes too, but I wouldn’t wanna walk in ‘em. Holla


    — junn13    Dec 6, 07:35 PM   

  19. Great post. Nice pictures:))


    — Букмекерские конторы    Apr 29, 07:56 AM