Jul
2
2007
Read a Book Music Video
BET’s new show The 5ive, a show similar to Yahoo’s The 9, premiered last month counting up “the most talked about and desired people, places, events, gadgets, and websites.” One of the first episodes featured a new, animated music video for Bomani “D’mite” Armah’s song Read a Book. Animation provided by Six Point Harness Studios. Definitely NSFW.
Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.
July 2nd, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Well done. That should keep Bill Cosby happy for a few more weeks.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:32 pm
So damn good…go 6point!!
July 3rd, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Sheer genius!
July 4th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
I can’t stop watching this. Six point rules, such great posing and the track is amazing.:D
July 7th, 2007 at 6:44 am
eh…it’s ok.
any idea who directed it?
July 9th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Na-anyone know?
August 3rd, 2007 at 2:47 am
YOU NEED YOUR ASS WHOOPED MAKING A SONG LIKE THAT FOR KIDS TO LISTEN TO HOW DO YOU EXPECT THESE KIDS TO WANT TO READ AND YOU CURSING IN YOUR MUSIC I THINK THAT YOU ARE SICK AND I HOPE NO ONE BUY YOUR ALBUM
August 3rd, 2007 at 2:49 am
YALL NEED TO STOP MAKING HIM SEEM AS IF HE DID SOMETHING GREAT BECAUSE HE DIDN’T THAT SONG IS WHACK AND SO IS THE PERSON THAT WROTE IT
August 3rd, 2007 at 4:46 am
i love this song. Just b/c the title of the song is read a book doesnt mean its for kids. Grown ass people need to read a book and educate themselves besides the garbage that our society puts out today. So read a book mf read a book!
August 3rd, 2007 at 9:59 pm
dudes, chill. its just a song meant to be funny with the cursing. its not supposed to send a message it is supposed to entertain. its not a kid’s song. i think its hilarious. but the best message in this is to brush yo goddamn teeth. haaa.
August 3rd, 2007 at 11:21 pm
That is a great message for the guys out there who think they are hard and always trying to rap to us women out here and yet don’t have a pot to piss in. Six point rules miss one part that was take a bath nigga!
August 7th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
Um…some of us are missing the point here. Not all of us…just a few… The point is, that people do what songs say. No matter how you try to ignore that, or sidestep it or down play that fact, IT IS TRUE. All these kids out here, shooting, talking about who they are going to stab, and having sex at an early age are partly (and I do say partly because there are LOTS of other influences) influenced by THE MUSIC THEY LISTEN TO. They think it IS great because it SOUNDS great. Kids, teenagers, and lots of adults are LURED by the way that music sounds and the glamorization of sex, drugs, and other illicits concepts in the music videos. I am NOT for cursing at all, but Armah’s point is well commumicated and well taken. This is what society has come to. I have to curse at you to get you to READ and do good things to better yourself. So… FIVE THOUSAND STARS for READ A M***** F****** BOOK! We have songs that are talking about cranking roosevelts and supermanning hoes, and effing LOTS of other things but we don’t get all excited about THAT now do we… This man is smart! He is using the popular mode of our period in time to communicate age old concepts: education, social responsibility, and self preservation. So, cursing and all, play this song LOUD for all the people who need to hear it: READ A MF BOOK, BRUSH YOUR GD TEETH, DRINK WATER, DRINK THAT S—, BUY LAND F— RIMS (for crying out loud), WEAR DEODORANT B—- ITS NOT EXPENSIVE, and RAISE YOUR MF, GD KIDS (and stop leaving that job to the streets…)! All important concepts that they ain’t learning from the music they listenin’ to now…so READ A MF BOOK!
August 9th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
Well, the truth is the artistic creativity in this piece speaks for it. Though this work may not have the desired effect, it speaks truth. The key point is invest in that which profits. My only criticism is the “N” word. Time to trash it.
August 10th, 2007 at 2:36 am
I am confused! So, do we use ignorance to combat ignorance? Interesting…
August 15th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Ignorance?
I’d call it tough love. Sometimes you have to drop all the fancy language, sympathy and high ideals and simply tell people how it is.
Sometimes you have to be crude so that people hear you, specially when your message is “Take some responsibility for you life.”
I don’t see this as all that different from the line.
“Quit stealing, quit doing drugs, get off your ass, go to school, get a job, pay your taxes.”
-August Wilson Radio Golf
August 16th, 2007 at 11:50 pm
every body stop acti like u dont use the N word., and for the females u guys call each other the B and the H word all ay long. Yall actin like monique on charm school, she do all that stuff then tell them diff. throw ur tv out if its botherin u that much or get some money and get out the getto. if u better ur self and the people around u and everybody did that guess wut know one would have to do the things they do to get by. If u dont got money u do somethin to get, mite not b the best choice but thats survival……..watch animal planet.
August 16th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
i like wut the last person said
August 24th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
If I had kids they would not be allowed to see this disrespectful video at all. You need to try again at something better.
August 27th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
I agree with the statement about using ignorance to combat ignorance that someone stated earlier. I don’t care if it’s for adults or children- it’s a disgrace. The profanity and booty shaking just makes hip hop look ridiculous and plays into the hands of exactly why people are against this genre of music. How can we really expect this song to help anyone? Is this the tool we honestly want to you? Are we saying that our people are so stupid that this is the only way we can get them to read a book? What does that say about our culture?
September 4th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Unfortunately Anonymous, that is exactly what the song is saying about hip hop. If you don’t think Do Your Chain Hang Low is ignorant then you are more lost than even Bomani can see. The video is a commentary on the current climate of hip hop. It is a sad reality that this video is the one the Black community is up in arms about. Not the entire line up of awful images our kids watch everyday. Bt the guy who teaches young people about the power of words and lyrics is catching flack cause he has shined a flashlight in our pitiful little faces and shown us what we don’t want to see. We are hypocrites! We let our kids shake their “Laffy Taffy” and Ay Bay Bay each other all day long but when someone tells all of us young and old to read a mf’ing book, we’re all mad. It might be because we feel indicted for our negligence and apathy regarding what the world feeds our community not just kids. Hooray Bomani for making us see how foolish we have been!
September 4th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
I am assuming that the video is to compel people, especially our youth, to become educated. Yet, if this is what an educated person comes up with, why read a book? I can do this without a 6th grade education. Who would need to become literate to produce this? What makes this video motivation to read and do better? If anything, it is encouragement to drop out of school because you can make money broadcasting your ignorance.
You can not fight ignorance with stupidity. It only makes things worse. The best we can give our children would be a good example and our time.
September 4th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
Some of you are taking this way too seriously. He does not expect anyone to actually read a book, or actually attempt to better themselves because they saw his video. It’s just commentary.
September 4th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Bruce,
Are you saying that Don Imus’ staments were just commentary. Why do we insist on demeaning ourselves and then trying to demand respect from others? Is it possible that people treat you the way they see you treat yourself?
Those of us who have a platform to speak to the world should use it in a positive way. Commentary or not, it should not belittle or disrespect.
September 4th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Excuse me for my grammatical errors in my previous comment. My first question should have read ‘Are you saying that Don Imus’ statements were just commentary?’
September 5th, 2007 at 10:13 am
Ok, here is the truth. The video was made mock what the garbage that is and has been presented to “Black America” through the mainstream media. I personally know the brotha that made the song. He did it to get us to talk about it. If he did it in any so called “Classy Clean” way we would not be discussing it, case in point look at all the song by “Conscious” Music artist (Mos Def, KRS-ONE, Talib Kweli, etc) who have put out new music in the past year or less. They are not getting recognized by the people that need to see them the most, Young and Old. BET, MTV, VH1 and any other mainstream media giant TV or Radio has been giving our people so much poison. We have not had uproars about it until we get this. We should be ashamed at how we let the media show the world the insulting, degrading, money/material worshiping, violence glorification, misogynistic Movies, Videos, and programs that represent us!
We don’t complain when music comes on saying “All Skeet, Skeet, Skeet” or “My Neck, My Back, My Pussy, My Crack!” or even the video they played right before his video. We don’t get mad enough at showing that a car with rims or a “Crib” with 10 garages is what gets you respect.
No, we complain about “READ A BOOK”, a cartoon ass, “not a real Ass shaking, like in the other videos on right now as we speak), a CARTOON ASS shaking.
The whole ignorance doesn’t cure ignorance philosophy doesn’t apply because guess what? The ignorant, “IGNOR” intelligence. They don’t even try to understand the positive knowledge you try to give them. They look at you as some punk, geek, weak or soft. That is the truth about it. It doesn’t represent their lives, their hoods. And to a certain extent that is true.
We need to quit being “Cowards” about what is going on in these black communities! If you haven’t dealt with the “Youth” or the “Adults” that he is referring to then either shut you mouths or go out and see what they are doing. Hang out in the streets, visit a prison, talk to these people and see how far you get across. Those “Pleasantville” remedies some of you are suggesting are a joke. We are talking about “Niggas”(who really believe that what they are) that laugh at people who “Read!” and then they pressure our youth as well as adults to not focus on being intelligent. As one my students told me, “Man I could get my Ass kicked if I come of as a smart in school”
And guess what they are winning. It is not “Cool” to be “Smart”
The inner cities streets all over America don’t give a damn about your goody two shoes, Jack & Jill solutions because the are being hit hard everyday all day by much more powerful information (negative as it may be). So for those of you giving your little “Mayberry clean way to do it” solutions need to get out of your protective bubbles and see what is really going on out here.
IT IS WAR! And in war sometimes you have to get violent, nasty or even crazier than your enemy to win!!!
And if you don’t like what I have just written, I don’t really care because the truth hurts very often and it also heals often.
Get at me if you want to respond: itsoneluv@gmail.com
September 5th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
The video meaning is very important, but how they are having to get it across to young adults is embarrasing and ignorant. It is sad that they have to stoop so low to get the attention of our younger generation. Where will we be in another 10 years if this is what is happening now. IM AFRAID!
Raise your children without the ignorance people. You cant turn on the TV or RADIO any more with out being afraid of what our children might see or here. This is rediculous. Grow Up.
September 5th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
That is exactly the point. Some people have been trying to say we have a very serious problem for the past 20 years and we have ignored it. They have said it in the formal conferences on Hip-Hop music or inner city violence prevention, they have organized protest/marches, written “Books” about it (such as Claude Anderson-’PowerNomics’ and Dr. Amos Wilson-’Black-on-Black Violence’) and even been on tv to discuss it.
The problem is we as whole race have primarly brushed it off, just like we have brushed off AIDs and the Prison Industrial Complex. The truth is we don’t want to hear it, we would rather shake our asses and profile what cars or clothes we have, all of us, rich or poor. The well off blacks think it doesn’t relate to them. The poor blacks just don’t give a damn(to put it kindly).
Young adults are not the only ignoring it. Older adults are as well and have been for some time.
It’s like a person who is delarious with a sickness and you have to do something like trick them or knock them out to force the medicine into their body to heal them.
It is sad and has been very sad for a very long time, but it hasn’t been sad enough because even a Hurricane in New Orleans hasn’t got us to realize how bad it is across Black America and America as a whole!
September 6th, 2007 at 3:36 am
I love the way people are two sided on the same issue. If the song would have been any other way… we wouldn’t even be talking about it. People spend wayyyyy too much time focusing on small things when the message is clear: educate yourself!!! It really doesn’t get much easier than that. Promoting sex, violence and wasting money on worthless things are all welcomed in music but when we’re told to read a mother fucking book.. we want to get all mad. Come on people , stop acting like they want us to act and lets stand together on the real issues of our time.
September 6th, 2007 at 7:23 am
People have tried to claim the cartoon is a tool targeted toward children. This is not so. The video was created for people 18 and older.
They have claimed it is a promotion for reading that has been “modernized” so as to appeal to people. Partially true, as it takes a popular medium and art form that many recognize and relate to. However, it is not a public service announcement.
It is not trying to degrade any race or genre of music. It is merely trying to point out how our society is taking a turn for the worse.
It is not mocking reading or other important things, nor is it merely for “shock value”
Yes, the cursing is necessary. Don’t look at the lyrics by themselves. You are getting the WRONG MESSAGE! It’s isn’t JUST promoting reading, hygeine, health, and the like; it is mocking the disgraceful turn that the once respectable music culture of Hip Hop has taken.
“It’s making us look bad” That’s the POINT. Satire isn’t supposed to be nice and glossy, it is supposed to convey the truth. It is not saying everyone in Hip Hop is like that, nor is it saying all black people are illiterate and unhealthy. It is saying that music today is beginning to glorify being stupid and trashy.
“It’s sick” Yeah, that’s what people thought about A Modest Proposal WHEN THEY TOOK IT LITERALLY. How is it sick? It says “Read a Book” nobody is dying, nobody is having sex. Plus, it is a cartoon.
“It’s not funny” This is a matter of opinion, however satire doesn’t have to be funny. A Modest Proposal isn’t very funny if you don’t understand the message behind it.
September 6th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
I totally agree with “One”. I was the only Black kid growing up in all White towns so I didn’t relate to the video. BUT at family reunions I have younger cousins who live in the ghetto who think I’m a total NERD and GEEKWAD because I’m an artist. I’m seen as “less than”.
Also walking around LA in certain areas I get comments like “n-gga f-ggot” and “sellout” just because I have cartoon character on my shirt and am carrying art supplies.
So as One commented before, the job will NOT get done with Pollyanna hopeful Spoon Full of Sugar remedies. Through observation and experience I believe you need to sometimes be the devil to beat the devil. It’s clearly a war and we’re getting destroyed.
This video, while offensive, is at least a springboard for opening up discussions nationwide about change.
September 7th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
I have to say that this video is pure genius. I think the point is to satirize what is often shown on BET, MTV, etc. I think there is a fine tradition in the US and specifically in the black community to highlight the silliness that goes on in the US. Richard Pryor got it right and damn if he didn’t do it well. I personally have no love for krunk music or the jive ass crap that is on the air today. And I think this is an ideal way to do it. As for the “kids” I think you have to give “kids” a little credit, and remember what you were exposed to at 12-16 years old. Most people think kids don’t understand satire which is BS. Kids have very developed senses of humor and can see this for what it is. Plus the way entertainment is going everyone is turning into cartoon characters anyways. Just some thoughts. Also there is an interview with the creators on CNN.com good people lousy interview.
September 7th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
You might want to take a look at this column. It’s deep.
MICHAEL DAVIS Straight No Chaser: Reading is Fundamental: http://www.comicmix.com/news/2007/09/07/michael-davis-reading-is-fundamental
September 8th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Read A Book Ringtones!
http://jivjiv.com/classichiphop
September 11th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
GET A LIFE, GET A LIFE, GET A GODDAMN LIFE
GET A LIFE, GET A LIFE, GET A GODDAMN LIFE
GET A LIFE, GET A LIFE, GET A GODDAMN LIFE
GET A LIFE, GET A LIFE, GET A GODDAMN LIFE
September 12th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
The truth hurts, don’t it? And monique if you talk like you write, your ass needs to read a muthafuckin book.
September 25th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
read a muther fucking book some of these hoes need deodarant and that’s what’s up!!!!!!!!!!
October 3rd, 2007 at 11:27 pm
the bible said:” teach the boy in his ways” that ment talk the way a boy understand you, so this is the true teaching.
all those who don’t believe me
Book of Proverbs chapter 22:6
read the original (first i wanted to post the original, then i understood its a religion problem, then i went for a translation, which was WRONG so here is the link to the original phrasing)
http://www.mechon-mamre.org/i/t/k/k2822.htm
read a book.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
WHat does it say in the last verse:
“It’s called P Stick” ????
October 10th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
I believe that this music video was meant to be a sarcastic way of sending a message to people about what has become of rap music in todays culture. Today rap is very influential in society especially with todays youth and many of those youths take what is said very literally and believe that what the rappers are talking about is “cool”, so I feel that the author of this song and the creater of this music video is critizing the way young people today recieve messages. I seems to me that the author feels that kids will listen and absorb the information that is send out by a rap song as long as it has a clever refrain that is easily remembered, has a beat that is very pleasing to listen to, and makes use of profanities. Because most rap songs send out a negative message, whether it is the degrigation of women or voilence, the author of this, I feel, was trying to use their tactics to send a good message to kids.
October 11th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
“It’s called speed stick, it’s not expensive.”
(LOL)
October 12th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
this is the only way this guy could get any attention, he taught the boy in his own ways,for years and years and years videos with this same exact visual concept have been okay to come on TV, but as soon as someone tries to get someone to do better its a problem, i think this guy needs an award, all the rest of these ignorant chain swinging and bottlle poppin mutha fuggas can get awards for just showin somebody how to snap they fingaz,seems like we(afro-americans) have came a long and are going no where,very very fast,let the guy do a “remix” with p diddy and bow-wow, i bet he will have to change the whole song around because lets face america is just stuck on stupid,this nation is becoming frail, and falling apart right b4 our eyes, and no one wants to do anything neither do they want anyone to TELL the what to do about the problem.I am a hip-hop artist also and i feel like they only way to get famous,get rich is to make music that i dont really like.
October 12th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
HE HAD TO FIT IN TO WIN-
Everythings happens for a reason-if there was nothing to consider ‘bad’ there would not be anything ‘good’
the daytime would not be daytime if it werent for nightime
you get me……or do you need me to put in curse or cuss words.
The thing i hate the most about this situation is that this got reamed for making a video just the same as videos that heve been airing for years..
wow..he’s cursing?oh my god….who hasnt done that…and got a grammy, bet award, mtv award…
…this guy needs to have an radio edit of that song….AND THAT NEEDS TO GET PLAYED ALL DAY along with all this other ignorant crap.
teaching people how to dance…..WTF??!! Thats not gonna get me anywhere!!
He can do his next single with me, we’ll call it get a muthafuggin job.stop tryin to muthafuggin rob.
October 14th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
wow, you people really need relax! this is meant purely for entertainment. it’s a cartoon for goodness sakes! it’s just a light parody on society and i don’t believe it was meant to provoke such serious thoughts. people who are taking this so seriousely really need to “read a book”.
October 19th, 2007 at 5:59 am
All the people that are bitching about kids seeing it are absolutely ridiculous. If you don’t want your kids seeing a POSITIVE message on BET for a change, then yeah, don’t let them watch it. The language is pretty harsh, and I’d NEVER let my five-year-old even hear BET from the next room, but I’ll be damned if I had a teenager and I let them hear 50 Cent rapping about how fucking cool it is to get shot or Eminem talk about smacking bitches, but not a song about reading a book. Before you even begin to criticize this song for its imagery or language, you should think about what they’re listening to and seeing on a daily basis. Compared to all of the negative messages sent out from rap superstars about what black culture is supposed to be like, this is a fucking Godsend.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:54 pm
The point is that this is for the kids. Who are they going to listen to Snoop dog, fity cent or Ralph Martin and Jesse Jackson. Read a Book
March 28th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
[...] BET’s Flash-animated music video Read a Book. If you want to see what the fuss is about, watch the video and then check out the comments on an earlier post here on [...]
May 16th, 2008 at 9:25 am
[...] Watch the Read a Book music video [...]
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:19 pm
This the most genuinely funny clip I have seen in a long time. And I don’t think that it speaks only to rap culture. It’s speaks to our entire culture. People are too concern with stupid, menial things and not concerned enough about what’s really important. Also the animation really kicks ass.
September 10th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
THIS IS TERRIBLE!!!! I teach at an inner city midle school in PA and over 80% of my students are of a minority. It would sicken me to think that I would have to tell them to “open their f_ _ king math books” to get them to listen to me. I would lose my job!!! I am horrified that this is even getting positive attention. And we wonder why our kids are out killing each other. Why say read a book and show guns in their hands the very next second. These people should be locked up for this video. I sure hope parents are watching what their kids are listening to and keeping a close eye on what media outlets they are allowing them to view. I would have to say that my students would think this is terrible also. What in the world in society coming down to? Next thing you know, these idiots will want to run our country… what a joke!
October 8th, 2008 at 10:11 am
!. This is a humor piece, so, irony is why the ignorance is used to combat ignorance.
2. This is not for children.
3. This is speaking about a segment of us – not all of us.
4. Quit taking everything literally and personally and universally.
October 10th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I agree With The doctor and Monique You Take Things Wayy too Serious This Wasnt Ment For children Its for the Guys And Rap Artists That Arent Doin anything And If Listen To The Lyrics They Use Explicit Language Too SOO WTF?!! I think That He Is actually Making A Point You wanna So Oh This Is Lame This Is stupid Its Actually A Godd Song It Actually Has Meaning Other then This Garbage ((SOULJA BOY)) Its Rediculous
May 29th, 2009 at 12:37 am
wish the politicians would think like this… lol…
November 19th, 2010 at 9:04 am
[...] Six Point Harness Studios’ controversial music video for Read a Book? This new one for CollegeHumor won’t induce as much web anger or laughter, but it’s a [...]
February 21st, 2012 at 10:42 am
i love this video, its funny