My School Bus Is My Freak'in Limo?!

Has anyone else seen this disturbing, cringe-worthy Kmart commercial in which a bunch of pre-teen African-American kids, and one little token white girl to throw us off the scent, dance in over sized clothes and baseball caps on a cheese bus (yellow school bus), as they rap, "my school bus is my limo".

It has been said many times that rap is out of control. Mainly because, it is. Rap has gone from a cherished urban underground phenomenon to a shameless mass marketing machine vastly over-used by corporate America. Marketing firms, or at least the marketing firm responsible for this particular commercial spot, have the impression that adding one barely noticeable, (unless you 're looking), little Caucasian girl to the mix is not at all racist or stereotypical. But, indeed it is. Most African-American children do not look for an opportunity to rock the mic or spit a "hot 16" at every turn. To depict them as gregarious, musically inclined entertainers, is akin to a modern day minstrel show, and the fact that they added an "Al Jolsen" makes it even more offensive because it shows that someone was cognoscente of the fact that having a group of Black kids rapping in an ad campaign for a low budget store with sub par merchandise just might be a tad bit offensive. But they decided to take a shot in hopes that no one would notice. But I do, and I know I'm not the only one. This commercial is like nails on a chalk board to me, and I just saw a new "black kid rapping" Kmart  commercial last night.

Cut & paste the following link, and tell me if this commercial is offensive of if its just me.

http://youtu.be/l6BvAWlVLwc

PR