RE: Heineken Commercial Spoofing the Creation of the Scratch
Perhaps you saw the Heineken commercial, during the Grammy's, featuring a DJ rockin' the party, back in the early 80's. He accidentally spills his beer on the turntables and when he attempts to wipe it off he "invents" the scratch. The year shown on the screen is 1982...
Many of Hip Hop's legendary DJs have expressed their outrage but the most insulted
of all is the actual creator of the scratch, GrandWizzard Theodore.
In the Summer of 1975, at the age of 13, Theodore created the technique
that would eventually become one of the signature sounds of Hip Hop music today.
As you can see from the responses below- some people still possess the revolutionary
spirit that sparked Hip Hop in the first place!
Here's what Theodore and friends had to say recently about Heineken's mishandling of Hip Hop culture.
GrandWizzard Theodore (L Brothers & Fantastic 5): "It's a disgrace to the Hip Hop culture. Heineken doesn't know the culture and they don't contribute to it, then they have the audacity to give wrong information about how scratching started! They take from the culture and they don't give back. We should boycott Heineken. Scratching started in 1982? I don't think so. That commercial is a total disgrace. What they did was very very upsetting. I guess it's true that the people shouldn't be using their own product. They must have been drinking too many Heinekens when they made this commercial."
MixMaster Ice (U.T.F.0.): " I think it's an insult to people like myself and especially the pioneers who originated and laid the groundwork for where Hip Hop is today. These people (Heineken) don't know about, were not part of, and had nothing to do with where Hip Hop came from or where it's headed. They need to do more research and include more pioneers in their commercials so the culture can be preserved and taken into the next millennium where the truth lies. The truth lies with the pioneers! This Hip Hop thing is only around 25 years old. Originators and people like myself are still around. We can keep Hip Hop culture preserved and keep the truth out there. People of today may do their research but are not going to know the history like the people who were actually there to help lay the foundation. To put it another way, the people who build a house will know the house better than the people who live in it. What Heineken did, when they wrote '1982', was took out a big chunk of history. They misinformed an enormous amount of people out there. That's not history. That is 'his story'. 'His story' is not history. They need to get the facts straight and put the right information out there."
DJ Charlie Chase (Cold Crush Brothers): "OBVIOUSLY HEINEKEN DIDN'T USE A REPUTABLE CONSULTANT WHEN THEY WERE WORKING ON THIS ADVERTISEMENT AND IF THEY DID, HE/SHE NEEDS TO BE FIRED. IT'S PLAIN TO SEE THAT HEINEKEN IS NOT DOING THEIR MARKETING HOMEWORK, BECAUSE IF THEY HAD, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE INSULTED MILLIONS OF HIP HOP VIEWERS AND LISTENERS, THE SAME HIP HOP VIEWERS AND LISTENERS THAT MAKE HEINEKEN ONE OF THE LARGEST SELLING IMPORT BEERS IN THIS COUNTRY. WHAT HEINEKEN PROBABLY SAID WAS "HEY, THIS LOOKS CUTE AND MAKES US LOOK REALLY COOL SO LET'S PUT IT OUT THERE CAUSE IT WILL SELL MORE BEER" WITHOUT TAKING THE TIME TO GET THE FACTS. LIKE A LOT OF OTHER INDUSTRIES INCLUDING THE RECORDING INDUSTRY, HEINEKEN IS NOT TAKING HIP HOP SERIOUSLY ENOUGH TO GIVE IT THE PROPER REPRESENTATION IT DESERVES. YEA I AGREE, IT WAS JUST A LOUSY COMMERCIAL DONE INCORRECTLY AND, "NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON'T AND ON WITH OUR LIVES." TRUE THAT!!!! BUT THE BUCKET IS NOW OVERFLOWING WITH ALL THE LITTLE SPECKS OF BULLSHIT THAT'S BEEN DROPPED IN BY INDUSTRIES AND ARTISTS WHO WANT TO MAKE MONEY AT HIP HOP'S EXPENSE. WHAT I WANT TO DO IS CALL ON ALL THE HEAVY WEIGHTS IN HIP HOP, THE ONES WHO ARE MAKING ALL THE MEGA DOLLARS ON ENDORSEMENTS, TO SPEAK UP ON THIS MATTER. I HAVE NO ENEMIES IN THIS BUSINESS AND I GET A LOT OF RESPECT AND PRAISE FOR MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM ARTISTS WHO CLAIM TO SAY "IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY DOING WHAT I'M DOING." SO NOW I CALL ON THOSE SAME ARTISTS (AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) TO DEFEND THE REPUTATION OF PEOPLE LIKE GRAND WIZARD THEODORE AND OTHERS, LIKE MYSELF, BY SPEAKING OUT AND LETTING INDUSTRIES LIKE HEINEKEN KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T INSULT OUR INTELLIGENCE WITH MISINFORMING ADVERTISEMENTS LIKE THAT AND GET AWAY WITH IT, WITHOUT ANSWERING TO IT. IF YOU RESPECT US AND PRAISE US THEN STAND WITH US IN SPEAKING OUT FOR WHAT WE WORKED AND SLAVED SO HARD FOR........ HIP HOP AKA THE TRUTH!!!! PEACE TO ALL, CHARLIE CHASE - WORLD FAMOUS COLD CRUSH BROS."
DJ Disco Wiz: "i was totally outraged and couldn't believe my eyes. i thought it was just me, but is everyone trying to rewrite our history? its bad enough these phony award shows don't recognize the true beginnings of hip-hop and its pioneers, but they have the nerve to allow sponsors to air these bullshit commercials and keep brainwashing the generation at hand. this is the reason why the true pioneers of hip-hop must align, and make a solid coalition, to protect ourselves and our history against misrepresentations of this kind. i ask my brothers to stand up and take notice, a lawsuit should be in order. peace, dj disco wiz"
Adisa Banjoko "The Bishop of Hip Hop": "The recent "Hip Hop" Heineken ad, does Hip Hop culture a great disservice. It promotes unrealistic images of how and why the elements of our art were created. It is a slap in the face to all true architects of the culture and fans of the art. I feel it is unfair exploitation of African American people as a whole, and Hip Hop culture across the board. It is my sincere wish Heineken will pull that ad campaign immediately."
GrandMaster Caz (Cold Crush Brothers): "JUST ANOTHER PUTRID ATTEMPT AT HUMOR FROM ADVERTISING ASSHOLES WHO MOCK THE MOST COPIED, IMITATED AND EXPLOITED CULTURE SINCE AFRICAN DRUMS. THE INVENTION OF THE SCRATCH WAS AND IS A BOON TO THE HIP HOP CULTURE AS WELL AS THE ENTIRE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND SHOULD NOT BE MADE LIGHT OF BUT BROUGHT TO LIGHT. LOVE, PEACE AND HAIR GREASE TO MY BROTHER GRAND WIZARD D.J. THEODORE. GRANDMASTER CAZ"
Bobbito: "I've always boycotted all liquor companies personally cuz I don't drink at all. I get intoxicated off of my music. I'm not opposed to spoofing of our culture, but that should only be done by the insular community when it's in responsible hands. No major corporation that has no vested interest in our culture has any right to spoof. Quite honestly though, I'd be more troubled by seeing Theodore in a Heineken commercial than seeing a spoof. I don't watch TV at all, haven't in over a decade. In any event, you have my support and good luck. peace, bobbito"
DJ Lord (Public Enemy): "Funny?...yea real funny!, Yet another superpower's method to make "HEINEKEN" hip, convenient, and down with that particular area of music that has the "youth" in a frenzy right now. Culture? Theodore? History?...They could care less, not to mention the perfect multi-million dollar advertising time and spot..IN THE MIDST OF THE GRAMMYS..WHERE COMMONLY EVERYBODY AND THEIR MAMMA IS WATCHING!..... BUUURRNNN HEINY!...BURRRRRNNN!"
BAS-1 (STYLELEMENTS CRU & BASBOMB-N-SOUNZ): EXACTLY WUT AMERICA IS DEALIN WITH.....%^&* HEINEKEN I WILL NO LONGER SUPPORT ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WIT THAT COMPANY...THANX 4 THE INFO.... BAS-1 HEY GRAND WIZARD I APPRECIATE YOUR CREATION AND ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULD HAVE BUT HAVEN'T THANKED YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE."
Phase 2: "Even if Hip Hop Heads drink more Heineken than Hitler and the entire SS... YOU know the connection with hoppers and brewskis could never exist through narrow minded shit like that. Probably lots of us didn't even pick up on how thin that was. It's a matter of "people" who have nothing to do with Hip Hop or the people who live it, trying to appeal to our beer consuming masses by appealing to them as being "down" (when they are not by far) while cashing in on Hip Hop, not even realizing how totally ignorant, ridiculously dense and extra stupidly stupid they are, in their attempts to do so. I bet alot of us are too blind to even recognize it. But it just goes with all the other insidiousness that Hip Hop's existence has brought along. It isn't the first or last time Hip Hop (or black folks for that matter) will be used or exploited through and by manufacturers and products that we can do without the consumption or endorsement of....like anything with refined white sugar in it -it hardens your arteries. Alcohol, works wonders on livers and the pancreas as well as they both wreck your complexion. Cow's milk...what's with those ridiculous ads??? When are we gonna recognize that it's for their huge calves and they all get their calcium from grass?? The lactose is incompatible with our people and gives all of your sweet little babies and kids tons of mucus in their system.. All of this garbage has created a demand, thus there is the need to find and create every possible avenue for it's purchase and consumption. If it kills you in the longrun...someone is already rich and a sucker is born every minute by slick advertisement and (im)propagander... We all need boots in the ass to recognize reality and stop going with a flow designed to keep us in the dungeons of these demeaning and self destructive facades disguised as hip and or 'a way of life' when in all actuality it's more like a way of death..."
Q-Bert (ISP & Thud Rumble): "It's always been very important for me to get the word out to everyone about the beauty of our skratch music. But when things like this happen and the great forefathers, and pioneers of our art get angry and insulted, I'm always compelled to see the negatives only as a blessing in disguise. Hopefully Heineken will hear them and so will the public and in turn the music will be heard along with the truth. Have no worries because everything is in perfect order with the universe, it's just the time for it, believe it or not...and you bet I'm gonna mention this shtick! Peace and blessings yall' Qbert"
DJ Kuttin Kandi (5th Platoon): "TO ALL ARTISTS, FANS AND LOVERS OF HIP-HOP... I will not sit here and watch as we, people of Hip-Hop culture, continue to play a part in the lies that corporate America has created. For years, we have shouted out, marched, rallied and died for our own rights, freedom of speech and to own our own lives. Yet, when we gain these rights we deny those rights because we subject ourselves to little hand-me-downs that America tempts us to believe are real. They give us a little "freedom of our own", they give us a little shine, let us make our speeches through our rhymes... They let us make our own decisions, yet they influence us to be a part of this mirage that fools us to believe that we overcame oppression and enslavement. They entice us with money and fame, they make us believe that they really care about our well-being... that they really, really care about our music, our culture, our freedom. It first starts with the airplay for our songs, then works its way towards those rap star videos, then we get nominated for a grammy or two, and then we get our own superstar commericals. My people, we have been fooled. We are not our own. We have been corporized, stamped on, claimed as slaves and sadly, we are our own prisoners. They take our music, our songs, our dance, our art, our culture, our lives... They claim it as their own and then claim us as their own... Then after they're through making their millions out of us... they bring us back to the jungles, leaving us for the lions to feed on us. Then they condemn us for telling the truth in our rhymes and for writing down our history through our way of poetry. They blast our faces on television, mock our upbringings, and blame only us and our culture for the violence, materialism and sexism in our society. My fellow Hip-Hop people, sadly, we do have much to apologize for... True, I can blame the MEDIA (such as beer companies, ahem) for bringing misinformation to the masses.. Yes, I can blame radio and tv stations, record labels, movies, newspapers, commericals and large corporation companies for misleading our people to believe that Hip-Hop is just about the benjamin's and bling blingin. Yes, I can blame our schools, our teachers, our history books, the GOVERNMENT for not teaching the real history we were never taught... I can blame all of the above all I want... BUT we all know that we have as much to blame... We have allowed ourselves to become part of the lies they feed us by taking part of their commericals, by parading around in the music videos that THEY DIRECT, by writing the rhymes THEY want society to buy. How can we blame THEM for blaming us, when we're a part of those lies? My Hip-Hop people, I am not asking you to quit your careers, I am not telling you to not become that rap star or that solid gold dancer on music videos... I am not asking you not to be a part of this system... I am not even asking you to not be a part of that corporate America. I know what it's like to struggle... I know what it's like to be hungry and to want that golden dream. I too, am human.. I crave to have that light, that golden doller in my pocket... So it's fine, be a part of those commericals, go dance in your videos... BUT What I am asking you to do is to make a difference to change the way they are trying to take over OUR CULTURE. Use your rights and your freedom to make those phone calls, to write those letters, to march on those rallies to protest against the lies that these companies from labels, to beer companies, to radio stations to music tv stations creates upon Hip-Hop. We need to change the misinformation and fabricated stories they have fed to the MASSES... even if it may seem humorous with their own version of how the skratch was created... It may seem frivolous to all of you of my generation that our older pioneers of Hip-Hop are complaining... It may seem to you that they are being bitter and angry, but believe me, 20 years from now, that could be YOU. We need to preserve our culture and cherish what our older generation have handed down to us. We need to respect that and share the stage with them. I am asking all of YOU to take a stand, young and old for TOGETHER we can make a difference using America's system, using their commericals, using the media... IF WE TAKE CONTROL. We can take this system and make it our own. We can empower ourselves if we use it to our advantage - the right way, that is... After all, it is what it is and we have to make the most of it... If they're not telling the truth, we should write and document our truth... so it shall be written into history. If they take our culture and make it their own.. We should fight for it and make our own commericals, make our own grammy awards nights, build our own radio stations, make our own record labels... I know it isn't easy, but its worth the struggle.. Hip-Hop is worth the struggle, our freedom is worth the struggle.... If we continue to play along, compromising with these sugar-coated dreams that corporate America offers us... Hip-Hop will never be our own.
With much love Kuttin Kandi" A true activist, DJ Kuttin Kandi gave someone named Mercedes, at Heineken, a call on Fri. March 2 and told her what she thought about that wack commercial.
You can call Heineken USA: 914-681-4100 or e-mail at info@heinekenusa.com or info@heineken.com to tell them what you think. Thanks for your support! Peace!