Ifè Oshun: Assorted Rants

It seems that MTV has really lost touch with the youthful audience it panders to.

According to Zomba, the “Vans” video from Bay Area hyphy-hype group The Pack has been banned by MTV.

David Bell, Director of Digital Marketing for Zomba Label Group, told me the video channel didn’t approve of the message.

“[They] said the video was basically an ad for Vans,” said Bell.

When the decades old “video” channel asked the teens to cut a new clip and change the name of their song in return for airplay, they refused and basically told the network to step off.

“There are so many more outlets for video exposure right now,” Bell added. “so we are exploring on a much deeper and grassroots level than normal.”

The song, an almost whispered ode to the punk rock footwear, has been blowing up West coast radio. The video shows Nike shoes being thrown away by dreadlocked Black boys on skateboards.

Scandal. Anarchy.

I also posted this on my news blog. Still haven’t gotten a comment from MTV… screw ‘em.

VIDEO:

“Vans”

Photo courtesy Zomba