Has anyone here ever heard of Elvis Pressly called a "racist?"

[JanMichael]

I have never heard that one; but today in Buddhism class (of all places) the woman who sits behind me practically spit on me when I mentioned Elvis.

What's the deal?

[Metta]

1. Did she say? Did you ask her?

Maybe she's holding a grudge that Chuck Berry is the father of rock and roll. Just a thought.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

2. If he was a racist,

he certainly wasn't unusually so for the time and place he lived in.

[Twillig]

3. Fight the Power--Public Enemy

Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant shit to me you see
Straight up racist that sucker was
Simple and plain
Mother fuck him and john wayne


I dunno.

[Deja Q]

4. Maybe not a racist, but he rather did take rock'n'roll from the pioneers..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_roll

Chuck Berry being one of the more famous pioneers...

[Beware the Beast Man]

5. Urban Legend.

http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/presley1.asp

Truth is, Elvis probably had his finger on the pulse of black culture more than any other white entertainer even dared to at the time.

[Aimah]

6. Part of it is based off of myth.

Some people get the idea from a Public Enemy rap "Fight the Power" : "Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant sh*t to me you see, straight up racist the sucker was simple and plain, motherf**k him and John Wayne"

I don't know if Chuck and Flava have explained what they meant but there aren't any factual examples of Elvis making a racist statement. Some have said that they were speaking of Elvis as a movement from a period in time where white acts gained popularity performing in a black inspired style.

This link is too a myth buster site about Elvis supposedly saying that he only wanted black people to shine his shoes.

http://www.snopes.com/music/artists/presley1.asp

[mtowngman]

7. once heard a story long ago

sorry I don't remember when or where, Elvis made a racial remark about his black female background singers during a show and they walked off of the stage. Anyone ever hear that one?

[Aimah]

8. Supposedly he said that their breath smelled like catfish.

[donheld]

9. Who is Elvis Pressly?

:shrug: I hope you are not refering to the king with that awful spelling job.