Intellectual writer, Christopher Hitchens, writer of “God Is Not Great” among other notable works such as “Thomas Jefferson: Author of America”, debates the influential hip hop artist Mos Def.
The subjects include Iran, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, nuclear enrichment, alcohol, and marijuana.
Overtime
I was hoping Mos would spit some science on this but all he had to say was ‘I think for myself’ & ‘I don’t believe what I hear in the News’
OK, so what do you beleive about the Middle East? What lies have we been told about Sharia Law? Are woman really treated okay over there? Are Homosexuals and other minorities treated fairly? Is all the stuff we hear about people being stoned to death just made up by whitie to keep our eastern brothers down?
I wonder is Ashata would think all this stuff we hear about Sharia Law and women is just made up by the news to keep poor people down…
Mos Def came across as a blathering fool. He made outlandish statements of the first order. When he wasn’t cutting of the other two speakers, one of whom being a world class novelist, and the other a seasoned public intellectual, he was planting his face in his palm looking bored out of his mind.
The guy is a total flake and shouldn’t have been placed on that panel. He can’t speak in full sentences, he can’t string together a statement without sounding like a cave man, and he doesn’t show any respect to the other speakers.
See alot of people trash talking Mos..
Just wanna say got the utmost respect for standing up to T-bag…
Mos wasnt scared to ask a question where others would be.. I mean for real how many people pretend to know shit.. ‘keeping up appearances’, ’saving face’ etc..
Mos was right about holding his ground for the freedom to think, feel, speak what he does.. Every m*f has an opinion/idea and he’s aloud to have his.
The truth about what I see in that T-bag, a pretty miserable person.. A hater to be blunt.. Like Katt Williams puts it- they hate cause good shit never happened to them!!
I reckon Mos is the man cause whatever happens his willingness to learn keeps him humble…
Much Much much much much much much RESPECT!!!!!
I agree Mos Def didnt get his point across well, but if the other guys cared to listen they would have easily got what he was trying to say.
I found hitchens rather condescending, and Im glad Mos stood his ground and didnt give in to that.
Hitchens and Rushdie came across as trying to look knowledgeable (which they sure may be) rather than explain things in a straight forward way.
mos def looked pretty ignorance, but he was pretty funny with his jokes
Mos Def offered the down to earth, if you mean I’ve never read a book just thought what makes the most sense to me opinion yes. He did represent the Im a dumb ass and I just say what makes sense in my dumbass world without any attempt to validate or verify those with evidence. Mos Def is going to sit there and tell Rushdie whats what in the Middle East. That’s not only ignorance that’s arrogance. Rushdie spent years in hiding because the Ayatollahs put a hit on his head for writing a book!
Eric Dyson would have been a better choice for that week if they could get him to shut up a little more.
TwinBreed if Mos didn’t know who Ashata was then he would be a complete waste of human flesh. That’s his terrority outside of Black Radicals and Berkley Punks not many people do know who Ashata is Her and Mumia are right up Mos Def’s conspiratorial anti white ghost dance cult alley. Knowing who Ashata Shakur is not a measure of intellectual status but more of political status. And being an intellectual is not being good a trivia its being able to analyze and interpret information and formulate a unique and insightful opinion as such, Mos Def is completely opposite of that. As much as I hate Hitchens, and I do, he is an intellectual, I disagree almost completely with every word that he says but its unique and insightful and based on information whether i agree or not. Mos Def sounds like that old bum on the bus.
Kemit I don’t understand why you cant say you like someones “art” yet disagree with them politically. I like Mos Def musically but I did cringe at how he acted on this show. I do believe he was sincere to a point but then he got stubborn as he found himself in a hole that he dug himself. This is especially true on the overtime segment. He asks a question about the Taliban and gets an answer about Sharia law but then says he doesn’t believe anything he hears or reads. Why ask a question if you won’t listen to the answer? He struck me as a very intolerant person not interested in exchanging ideas but only looking for information that reinforces his beliefs even if all the evidence around him is saying otherwise. Obviously he doesn’t read at all because the internet is full of objective sites about the Taliban based Sharia law if that question was something he really was interested in.
I found it EXTREMELY ironic to watch a panel of so called world-renowned intellectuals (namely Hitches), who worked at every angle to try to emasculate Mos Def yet, MOS was the guy who knew who Joanne Chesimard (Assata Shakur) was? Amazing. There is a plethora of literature on Assata, including an autobiography. Yet, Hitches, an AUTHOR, doesn’t know who she is? Rushdie and AUTHOR doesn’t know who she is? Fascinating. Mos Def offered an alternative to a panel that absolutely refused to see past their antiquated understanding of the world. Mos offered the most honest, down to earth perspective throughout the entire show. It’s a shame that the people who replied to this video and disagree with Mos, are all painfully limited in their scope of reason and intelligence.
Why why why why why why why why why did they allow Mr. Definitely to be on the same panel as Hitchens and Rushdie? This could have been a terrific discussion, but instead they let some intellectual midget blather his ignorant opinions in front of arguably the two greatest thinkers alive. Whoever is in control of the guest line-up needs to be immediately replaced after this wasted interview.
Its funny how college white kids say they “like” these left wing rappers like Mos Def and Immortal Technique, and then don’t stand with him (Mos Def) when he argues for the support of the Third World (Iran) and the right to self-determination……white college kids make me laugh they complain about the IMF the World Bank and imperialism, but deep down inside they don’t believe it……the President of Brazil had it right most of the worlds problems, war and the environment are caused by people who do not look like Mos Def….. On another note, I also think it was unfair to have an artist like Mos Def go head to head with two intellectuals (though I think Mos spoke a basic truth and was promoting his album) but this show nor Colbert and Stewart, is the news though some of you think it is!? it is comedy don’t take Bill Maher too serious if you want real news watch Amy Goodman on Democracy Now…or read Chomsky and Zinn…..they will probably agree more with Mos Def…but will express the same ideas as intellectuals
I can’t agree more, this was very hard to watch. A. Visually that hat covering his eyes was unprofessional. B. The mumbling was hard to take. C. The I don’t believe in anything line was silly. Then don’t come on a show about opinions and ideas.
My hat is off to C. H. for not backing down and calling Mos Def’s opinions what they were uninformed. Bill should apologize to Rushdie and Hitchins for having to be insulted with this moronic “An eye for an eye” rhetoric. i for one wanted to hear their opinions and the time was sadly wasted on New Orleans rants and the such.
I couldn’t agree more with Carson. I love the fact that C.H. does not tolerate fools, which Mos Dumb most definately falls in that category. I was so frusturated that they put Rushdie and Hitchens on the same show with such a mental midget. I’m sure Mos dumbass is a nice guy but he dominated the conversation with his ignorant rants. I couldn’t even understand what this bumbling fool was saying half the time. How disappointing to have such a great panel ruined by such an ignorant moron. Great job Mos dumbass stick to something that doesn’t require the use of complete sentences like rapping.
I can see someone disliking Hitchins, as he can come off as somewhat smug and egomaniacal, but what does that have to do with the fact that mos def is an ignorant, uneducated rapper who speaks as though he has valid opinions on political issues. I would be shocked if he could pass a 5th grade civics exam, and I applaud Mr. Hitchins for being intolerant of ignorance. One should judge who is right by the content of what was said and not who said it. Mr. Hitchins spoke with command over the issues brought up, while mos def acted like a bumbling fool and said, well, pretty much nothing.
You’re suppose to be relevant to the topic. Obviously, if you have an issue with the way business is conducted on our hip hop blog then you can contact us. More personally, I spend a lot of time on this website and I’m not going to be discouraged by a guy who isn’t even willing to be positive.
You would be considered a troll, I’m not a big fan of trolls, thus your comment being discarded.
Our forum is available for you to freely express your viewpoints of the site in the proper place.
If you leave comments correcting gross grammar errors, it turns out they delete them. Free speech indeed.
Hitchens is an egotistical douche who initially supported the Iraq war. Does he make valid points? yes, but in many instances I found throughout this episode he was so wrapped up in making the religious conspiracy theorist sound stupid he actually missed areas where he could have stressed valid perspectives. They both annoyed me. I preferred to hear more from Rushdie.
and another thing…even I could see that what Mos mentioned earlier was that he was being PRESENTED (osama) as some mythical evil doer who could not be found or stopped…do I agree…not really, but I comprehended his perspective. Hitchens makes my flesh crawl. I can’t stand the guy. There is a way to disagree and verbally “kick butt” with someone without being disrespectful and then this douche has the balls to tell Maher he shouldn’t say something to his guest..F off Hitchens!
Mos Def was way over his head. I hate to say it.
For the person who was complaining about a few grammar mistakes in this article. Thanks for the information.
Unfortunately, you missed the point of this entire site. The purpose is simple, we provide entertainment, not for the articles to be republished into magazines.
We were probably the first website that posted this video after youtube.
I didn’t give any sort of “political” opinion at all. So, if you want to disparage me, then do so with a valid point in mind or your comment will be deleted.
The article was posted in about 3 minutes, I wanted to summarize what happened on the show. After that, I move on, because there is still 200 more articles to do in the week.
Despite your criticism being rude and unjustified. I corrected the mistakes that you pointed out. Hopefully, we can call it truths, I’d be glad to lose your traffic to CNN.com if political incite is what you’re seeking. If you have further issues with the site, please message us @ “hate illest” on aim. I’d love to discuss the perfectionism needed and the professionalism required of multimedia blogs in 2009.
I’m a big fan of Mos Def. “UMI Says” is a badass song. But Mos Def sounds like he’s on herion. Seriously.
Chris Rock: [on the government] They keep trying to scare us. They keep telling us to be on the lookout for Al-Qaeda. I ain’t scared of Al-Qaeda! I’m from Brooklyn… I don’t give a fuck about Al-Qaeda! Mother fuck Al-Qaeda. Did Al-Qaeda blow up the building in Oklahoma? NO! Did Al-Qaeda put anthrax in your mail? NO! Did Al-Qaeda drag James Byrd onto the street till his eyes popped out of his fuckin’ head? NO! I ain’t scared of Al-Qaeda! I’m scared of Al-Cracka!
Eugh, this was painful to watch. Why the hell was Def on a panel with two very learned and experienced intellectuals? It just made him look painfully ignorant. Hitchens and Rushdie don’t know crap about music, would you have either of them on a panel to argue against Def on his own area of expertise? No. And they wouldn’t come anyway, they’d just shrug and say ” I don’t know crap about hip hop.”
Too bad Def can’t exhibit the same common sense and shut up about things that are far outside his experience.
This just made him look dumb, and worse, proud of being dumb.
I thought he made some funny and relevant remarks during the early part of the show, but he just got all crazy at the end and on “overtime”. He’s clearly a smart guy… I didn’t like mixing him with Rushdie and Hitchens to be honest… the producers screwed up here.
I liked what Mos Def says earlier in the show about not giving a crap about Bin Laden and how Bin Laden is a mythical figure… but later on and mostly in Over Time, he started to drift into conspiracy land talking about how he doesn’t believe ANYTHING he hears on the subject including what the people in front of him tell him. That was kind of dumb and childish.
He’s basically denying all evidence that there are terrorist organizations inflicting harm on people. C’mon Mos Def. It’s one thing to be anti-war, but it’s another thing to cover your ears and yell LALALALA.
He started off strong and funny, became annoying and ranty, then ended really dumb. :(
Sorry, I forgot to mention that this was on the internet-overtime part of the show.
I missed this part of the show. Mos Def sounded pretty dumb in the other parts. But, good god, he really sounds dumb here.
He tells them he’s not going to believe them just because they say something. But then he rambles on about how he know nothing.???