Soulja Boy's Take on Slavery?

What can you say when a young black and top-of-his-game famous rap star says something controversial? You can say something like "That'll send his sales up!" Yes, rappers thrive on controversy. But what about something totally not on the mainline rappers cue card? Something that some would say borders on racism? And no, I don't mean some anti-anglo remark.

I can almost hear it now: "What'd he say?" and "Did he say what I thought he said?" Yes, Soulja Boy, at a recent BET award show, said something that sounded like he was glad about slavery. BET correspondent Touré was asking the stars about the world's most hated personalities. Running down a list of suggestions, he mentioned "slave masters" to which Soulja Boy blurted out "Oh wait! Hold up! Shout out to the slave masters! Without them we'd still be in Africa. We wouldn't be here to get this ice and tattoos." [Guardian.co.uk 11/13/08]

Soulja Boy later complained that Touré was a nuisance and that he simply gave him an answer to some "dumb ass" questions because he "didn't really take him serious." [hiphopdx.com 11/13/08] Touré's response was that during the interview he was looking directly into Soulja Boy's eyes when he made the statement and maintains "He wasn't joking." [hiphopdx.com 11/13/08]

Maybe it was the youth and inexperience under the pressure of the moment that made him say it. But I know some eighteen year olds who would disagree with him, and could probably think of a few things to say to him themselves.