The Billiken's Bluff

Hot 97.1 FM, and its current artist of choice 50 Cent, have been making a lot of headlines the past few weeks. First there was Miss Jones and the Morning Show embarrassing themselves and Hot 97.1 by inexplicably making fun of the Tsunami victims. Then there is Hot 97.1's DJ, Kay Slay, The Drama King, who likes to stir things up between hip hop artists, provoking them to either; battle one another by rhyming on his show, or sometimes, by having their entourages fire off a couple of rounds in the lobby at one another. This past Friday there was a rally at Union Square calling Hot 97.1 to task for its indiscretions.

Despite all this, I still had Hot 97.1 playing in my car on Thursday Night. And good thing I did, because otherwwise I would have missed this:

Hot 97.1 DJ, Funkmaster Flex, puts a caller on the air just before he gets into The Top Eight At Eight Countdown. The caller, a girl, sounds very young and Funk Flex asks:

"Sweetheart, how old are you?"

"Eleven."

"Aww, well, it’s almost your bedtime isn’t it?"

"Yes."

"Well, is there any song you want to hear before bedtime?"

"Yea, Candy Shop by 50 Cent.”



Candy Shop. An appropriate request from an 11-year old girl. I mean little girls love candy. Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, Gummy Worms, and of course Lollypops. Here are a few lyrics from this 50 Cent track off his latest album titled, The Massacre:

"I'll take you to the candy shop
I'll let you lick the lollypop
Go 'head girl, don't you stop
Keep going 'til you hit the spot

Got the magic stick, I'm the love doctor
Have your friends teasin you 'bout how sprung I gotcha
Wanna show me how you work it baby, no problem
Get on top then get to bouncing round like a low rider
I'm a seasons vet when it come to this shit
After you break up a sweat you can play with the stick
I'm tryin to explain baby the best way I can
I melt in your mouth girl, not in your hands"

To be fair, this may not be yet Another Sign That the Apocalypse is Upon Us. It may just be funny, ironic, unfortunate, or in poor taste. Maybe this isn’t the final indictment of Hot 97.1 and its version of Hip Hop culture. But come on..



Whoever is running Funkmaster Flex's show, or, whoever is working the phone lines... Either screen the calls, or run the show with a 10 second lag, but never let an 11-year old girl request any song by 50 Cent. Ever.