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New York is a city that seeps in the stench of hot urine, congestion, and inflation. I happen to love the place, but it’s not surprising to find that other folks feel quite differently.  So goes the adage “everything ain’t for everybody.” However, that sentiment doesn’t appear to resonate well with a state senator out of Queens by the name of Malcolm A. Smith (pictured), who held a news conference at Father Duffy Square in Manhattan to express his dismay and demand an apology from rapper Lil’ Wayne over comments he made about New York City.

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This bears repeating: A New York state senator held a news conference to condemn a rapper from New Orleans over remarks he made about N.Y.C.

What compelled Senator Smith to schedule a news conference to tell the world that he found himself “angry,” “taken aback,” and “shocked” after hearing what Lil’ Wayne said?

In an interview with MTV News, Lil’ Wayne said, “Flat-out: I don’t like New York.”

The horror, y’all, the horror.

A quick Google search could’ve easily explained to Malcolm A. Smith why Lil’ Wayne may not care about “world’s capital city”: There’s his 2007 gun arrest following a N.Y.C. concert that led to his 2010 incarceration. Then you have to factor in that the Young Money Records CEO recently pulled his own artist, the Queens-bred Nicki Minaj, from Hot 97’s Summerjam concert following disparaging remarks made by radio personality Peter Rosenberg about what constitutes as “real hip-hop,” which is supposedly nothing that female fans might enjoy.
But I suppose when you’re oh-so-mad, silly things like reason and research are too great of tasks to bear when engulfed in such a tormented emotional state.

The rapper publicly said he flat-out don’t [sic] like New York. New York City is the birthplace of the hip-hop music movement. Millions of New Yorkers listen to his music every day. His comments outraged his local fans and residents. The group today will be demanding an apology of the hip-hop star.

Smith’s press release added that he will be “joined by members of the hip-hop youth council and tourism officials” to address the matter. At the conference itself, Smith noted that his 19-year-old daughter was a Lil’ Wayne fan. Will her heart go on if Wayne doesn’t offer the city an apology? I would imagine so, but I’m no cardiologist.

Should Weezy not offer an apology per request,  the Queens-repping state senator issued the following warning:

If you don’t like New York. You don’t have to come to New York. You don’t have to sell your products here. And perhaps we won’t come to your concerts.

Or shorter: “Boogie, boogie, boo.”

Perhaps someone hasn’t informed the 56-year-old New York politician of this reality, but Lil’ Wayne can do just fine in the world of hip-hop without New York’s approval. In fact, he already has dominated the genre, with many of these out-of-touch “rap experts” bemoaning the South’s dominance of rap for a decade or so now.

Let it go already.

More importantly, of all the things to hold a press conference about, why is this what you choose to discuss, Mr. Smith? Could you not have simply logged on to a hip-hop-themed message board to convey your anger? Maybe even a barbershop to chat it up with like-minded souls who prefer Rakim over 2Chainz.  Or perhaps you could’ve sent a tweet to The Source or wrote an editorial letter to XXL?

While Malcolm A. Smith is currently a Democrat, he reportedly recently held meetings with local GOP leaders about a possible run for mayor in 2013 on the Republican ticket. Call it a hunch, but this attention whoring stunt of a news conference might be related. If this is his way of introducing himself to the public, he’s got way more bigger things to worry about than Lil’ Wayne.
Sound off!

Michael Arceneaux is a Houston-bred, Howard-educated writer and blogger. You can read more of his work on his site, The Cynical Ones. Follow him on Twitter: @youngsinick

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