Pimpin' Ain't Easy

Yeah, so being from the south I must admit that I've been feeling 3-6 mafia since "Tear the Club Up." Remember, when Gangsta Boo and the dude with the weird nose piercing were in the group??? Those were the days. I personally think that song had some kind of mystical power b/c as soon as the D.J. played it people started going crazy, throwing chairs, breaking noses and the police abruptly shut down the party. Ahhh! Those were the days!

Last night, while watching 3-6 perform and then win an Oscar for "It's hard out here for a Pimp" (or whatever the name of the song is), I felt, as a fan of theirs a little embarassed for them and for myself. I don't know. It all seemed very tongue-in-cheek. The eery suspicousness of the smirks on the faces in the audience once the song was announced as the winner made me think, "Damn, why did the academy vote for this song?" Even though Queen Latifah was standing there looking like it was one small step for man and one giant step for mankind (surely this award being a good thing for rap music, being recognized at the academy awards and all), I felt a little reluctant in seeing this award as some great accomplishment. The situation worsened when John Stewart attempted a joke, through his laughter: "I think it just got a little easier for a pimp."

Did the academy pimp 3-6 mafia and all of hip hop last night? Is it all some kind of sick, twisted joke? Or am I just reading too much into an award, which I know means so much to the triple six - a group that has been in the rap game a minute while not getting much wide-spread airplay nor respect?