Author Michael Dyson spoke about black culture Tuesday night

Author and Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson spoke about black identity, hip-hop, Sen. Barack Obama and Bill Cosby Tuesday night inside Alumni Hall in the Indiana Memorial Union. \nDyson started the lecture by personally greeting attendees and acknowledging faculty at IU, then talked about why it is important to talk and learn about black history. Dyson discussed important black figures throughout history, such as basketball player Michael Jordan, civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. and rapper Nas. \n“When we look at black America, we’ve got to look across the board,” Dyson said.\nDyson said that just like black history, hip-hop and the culture that goes along with it is complex because it is trying to define some sort of black identity, involving several generations and dealing with black migration. Dyson rapped verses from artists such as Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg to illustrate his points. \nDyson said the complexity involved in understanding hip-hop is why so many people misjudge it and are quick to criticize it. \nDyson also criticized actor Bill Cosby’s comments denouncing hip-hop culture. Dyson said he disagrees with Cosby’s views and thinks the comments were an attack on the lower economic class in America. \nDyson also discussed the problems following Hurricane Katrina, which he said had been building in Louisiana for awhile because there were already so many poor people there. \nOverall, Dyson said Hurricane Katrin, as well as hip-hop, have taught us to come together as a whole.\n“Let’s not be pinned against one another,” Dyson said. “Let’s not let the captains of capitalism pin us against each other.”\nThroughout his lecture, Dyson referenced Obama and said the Illinois senator is an example of how and why being black is so complex. He said people have asked him if “Obama was black enough.” Dyson said there is no such thing, as being black is much more complex than such questions would suggest. \nSophomore Michelle Craig said she found the information about the complexities of black identity informative. \nDyson ended his lecture with by saying that although hip-hop does not always embrace black women, it is only a reflection of American culture as a whole. Dyson encouraged everyone to embrace strong black women, such as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.\nAudience member and Bloomington resident Geoff Hing said he liked how Dyson linked so many aspects of culture to come up with one assessment of the world.\n“I really liked how he complicated culture understanding of race,” Hing said. “It’s rare to get someone to talk about popular culture.”\nAndrew Dahlen, a Union Board member, said he thought attendees came away from the lecture with great points.\n“I thought the event went really well, (with) a great turn out,” Dahlen said. “And the audience came away with a terrific message.”