An Analysis of Busta Rhymes “Arab Money”
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Despite Popular Belief, Arab is Not Pronounced Ay-rab
Some may argue that Blacks (in America) can’t be racist because we as a people lack any real power, and without power one can not oppress another sector of human beings. While there might be some validity in that belief, I feel that racism has less to do with power and more to do with disrespect, ignorance and unprovoked hate based on one’s race. Sometimes this can manifest itself through purposeful actions, but other times it can be a completely unintentional act. I’d like to believe that Busta Rhymes participated in the latter.
By now most have heard Busta’s latest single “Arab Money,” where the veteran MC delivers braggadocios lyrics about his opulence that are peppered with references to stereotypes about people of Middle Eastern descent. To top it all off, producer Ron Browz employs an AutoTuned hook that includes a mimicking of an Arabic chant and the mispronunciation of the word “Arab.” Despite popular belief, Arab is pronounced Ah-rab not Ay-rab. The latter phrasing is actually considered derogatory, similar to how many African-American’s view the N-word. So this raises the question, is the title of Busta’s latest single racist?
To someone ignorant to the negative connotation attached to the usage of Ay-rab in the song, the answer may be no. But what if Busta, or any rapper, had made a similar song using another derogatory term? Imagine a White artist releasing “Ni**er Money,” a German artist releasing “Kike Cash,” or a Russian artist releasing “Spic Paper.” All of those examples would spark immediate controversy and protest, but somehow Busta’s “Arab Money” slipped past his label’s censor board. Perhaps, America’s current “war on terror” has made Middle Easterners the new “ni**ers” and label execs didn’t bat an eye at the racist title, but I’d like to believe it was merely an oversight that could be chalked up to ignorance. Then came the remix.
Although Browz has since rerecorded the chorus for the original to properly pronounce Ah-rab, the official remix of “Arab Money,” which features Diddy, Swizz Beatz, T-Pain, Akon, Bow Wow and Lil Wayne, now includes the addition of an interpretation of an Arabic holy prayer. This is the equivalent of a rapper blending the Our Father prayer into a secular song. Not only would better judgment likely prevail, such blatant disrespect of another culture would not fly. Still, the same common courtesy was not given to our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters regarding this release. In fact, the video not only features Arabic calligraphy throughout the opening  credits, but several people sportin’ Keffiyeh scarves, which are traditionally worn in Middle Eastern countries.
This all brings us back to the initial question: Is Busta Rhymes’ song, and it’s accompanying video, racist?
Speak your piece…
“ARAB MONEY” VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYOmWQiVCFQ
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Great post. This is what I call “ignorance at it’s best”. I don’t suspect that the song is racist, ignorant: yes, it shows a lack of education. Those of us who are “9-5er’s” and have graduated from college (should) know better. We have to remember that most rappers didn’t attend college, some didn’t even finish high school therefore they really don’t know any better. Should they still be held responsible for their actions? Absolutely.
> Wes
Did I see D.J. Khalid? Most of the people who Busta caters to don’t know the difference between what Busta is saying and the true pronunciation. Does that make it ok? No. Is it done for the purpose of offending Arabs? No. It’s just another reason why we have to improve the public education system in this country. Many people on the street refer to Arabs as Ah-rabs and think that the latter is an acceptable pronunciation of the word.
> Curtis
a racist is an oppressor based on race…racism is a power thing. a bigot is like archie bunker…lol. good post. busta was being a NYer, not a racist.
> illseed
Thinks that ppl should get off Busta’s nut sack and read world news???
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=112579&d=8&m=11&y=2008
What will happen if this really happens and we do get Arab money????
> JIntrovert
Some say ignorance is kind others say ignorance is bliss. Whatever you prefer, Busta Rhymes is not only to blame here…where are the execs in this? According to a starpulse.com article dated September 20 2008 (Busta Rhymes Quits Record Label), Busta “…decided to quit Aftermath/Interscope after four years in favor of Universal Motown records because of a reportedly acrimonious relationship with Aftermath boss Jimmy Iovine.”
What does the public relations office of Universal Motown Records have to say? Was there any research completed by the public affairs office before release of the single? If there was research completed, and they found that the pronunciation of ay-rab was inappropriate, who decided to release the single anyway?
When it comes to making money, many times execs will say the reward is greater than the risk. In other words, we may upset a few people for a little while, but in the meantime the single will get airplay and sell millions.
The mindset is ‘If I can make billions whats a few million in lawsuits?’
> Brian Holmes
I don’t think you can take the derogatory term Ay-rab as an absolute racial slur like the n-word (in other words, in any context, the n-word is racist IMO). If someone were to come up to me and say, “Hey, you Ay-rab, go away” I’d take it as racist, but in this particular song, I don’t believe Busta meant it in that hateful or disrespectful way.
I think the original song is disrespectful at most. The chorus is just mumbling, I don’t know what Browns is trying to immitate, but to me (I speak Arabic), it sounds like “shamalala khakhoo ding dong” kind of Arabic (in other words, just an ignorant idiot trying to copy how he thinks Arabic sounds like).
The remix which uses a holy prayer is VERY disrespectful. When you have a song talking about gluttony, and all the other fabolous things mainstream (c)rap talks about these days, holy words are best left out (you’d think that’s common sense).
When Eric B & Rakim did the same thing on Paid in Full, I had no issues with it (despite the holy Quran text in the beginning had a backdrop of belly dancers, which by the way are very sinful in the eyes of the Quran, or the Bible/Torah for that matter). Rakim talked about positive things. He had an anti-crime and anti-violence stance in that song. Even though technically what Rakim did was sinful (using the Quran for purposes of entertainment is a sin, not to mention the belly dancing), as a moderate Muslim I didn’t take any offense to that. But when you’re talking about bullshit, it is very insulting, distasteful and disrespectful to include religious text in the lyrics. A six year old would know this. How stupid is Busta? Seriously? I can’t get over how retarded the rappers in that song are. And to think, I was a big Busta fan. I genuinely hope Muslim countries ban these pricks from ever even setting foot in our homelands.
> Ahmad Ramadan
it’s shocking and derogatory.. busta should know better… doesn’t he profess to be a muslim? can he be kicked out or excommunicated for want of a better word? he should be.. this is not clever or funny…
> marce
Busta claims to be a member of the 5% nation of gods and earths, not muslim(HUGE difference).
> Aaron
SOME OF YOU FUCKERS HAVE NO LIFE AND TOO MUCH TIME ON YOU R HANDS, YOU COLLEGE EDUCATED 9-5ers THIS IS YOUR BOSS SPEAKING…GET OFF THE INTERNET AND MAKE ME SOME MONEY…..
> Joe RADER
not racist just ignorant
> sydneyola
Busta isn’t racist, he is simply, like many other people in the black/brown community, confused on the pronunciation of the name/term Arab. I’ve been correcting people on how to pronounce Arab since I realized I was saying it incorrectly.
As far as naming a song Arab Money, I think that was in poor taste. Making a song about money period is poor taste!!!LOL
> EL Da Odd God
Busta Rhymes is no rascist. I don’t understand why everybody thinks this sonq is rascist. He is qettinq support from many Arabs just to let everybody know. And I actually think this post is rascist for even sayinq that Middle Easterners are maybe becominq the new … that’s VERY rascist. And your post is horrible buddy.. Kk.
> xxlatifahxx
Come on guys. Lighten up. We can not be so sensitive. I am an American Arab. I think the song has a catchy beat. As for the lyrics and the artist, I don’t care for rap but see this as par for the course in this genre. Enjoy the beat and deal with the fact that folks will pronounce terms in ways that are completely acceptable and not rooted in hatred…Ah versus Ar…I mean…REALLY
> Steve
[...] post on this issue; however, since this has already been done multiple times (here, here, here, here, here, and here) and since I’m more interested in how S. Solar, T-Rex, and Ziriums rewrite the [...]
> “Government Money” a remix of “Arab Money” by Supreme Solar, T-Rex, and Ziriums « A Tunanina…
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