Todd Boyd

Todd Boyd
Todd Boyd
Born Detroit, Michigan
Occupation Professor, Author, Media Commentator, Producer
Influenced by Malcolm X, Miles Davis, Gordon Parks, Quincy Jones, Howard Cosell, Richard Pryor

Dr. Todd Boyd, American academic, is the Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race and Popular Culture and Professor of Critical Studies in the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Boyd is an author, media commentator, producer and consultant. He is a highly regarded[citation needed] expert on contemporary popular culture and is noted[citation needed] for his pioneering work on race, media, hip hop culture, and sports.

Contents

Biography

Boyd, who earned his Ph.D. in Communications Studies from the University of Iowa in 1991, was first "intellectually awoken" when his father gave him a copy of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.[1] Boyd, commonly known as “The Notorious Ph.D.” due to his often controversial viewpoints, went on to teach at the University of Utah from 1991–1992, and then moved on to the Cinematic Arts department of the University of Southern California, where he has taught since 1992.[2]

Boyd and his ground-breaking research on hip-hop culture and controversial opinions about the black community at large have led him to become an internationally known and sought after voice on race matters.[3] Bob Baker of the Los Angeles Times has cited Boyd as a figure that is "perpetually in demand by reporters to pass judgment on everything about race from pimp fashion to radio programming to the historical validity of a mysterious black caddy in The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)."[1] Dr. Boyd has penned six books, written numerous articles and essays for The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune (among other publications), and is a columnist on ESPN.com’s Page 2.[3] He produced and co-wrote the Paramount Picture film The Wood (1999),[4] and has made numerous media appearances on both leading networks and cable television programs from the Today Show (NBC) and Good Morning America (ABC) to Biography (A&E).[5]

Controversy and criticism

Todd Boyd has earned his most commonly known nickname, “The Notorious PH.D” due to the controversial stances he takes on many topics. Bob Baker claims that the professor often crosses “into Todd Boyd territory, where most academics fear to tread.”[1] Boyd’s non-traditional views of the African American community have been both lauded and arraigned. His progressive perspective on the social significance of hip-hop in American culture at large has stimulated an on-going debate.[6]

"The Civil Rights Movement is Dead"

Boyd’s bold statements such as "the civil rights movement is dead"[7] have ruffled the feathers of more traditional black theorists and critics. Boyd believes that hip-hop plays a significant role in shaping today’s black society; in fact he believes that "hip-hop has emerged as a social and cultural movement displacing the ideas of the Civil Rights era".[8] More conventional Black theorists believe that Boyd’s theory is a "slap in the face of the heroism of our ancestor's struggle"[9] and that hip-hop culture is instead a “poorly articulated social revolution.”[6] Armond White of The Nation struggles to see hip-hop as a “movement” in today’s Black culture because he believes the "emphasis [is] on individual wealth rather than community benefits".[6] Feminist scholar bell hooks believes that hip-hop is a culture that thrives on "fantasy", and that despite its intention to stay true to its community, it is instead "packaged for mainstream consumption". In fact, she believes that hip-hop as a whole strongly reflects "imperialist white-supremacist capitalist patriarchy."[10] On the other hand, Boyd believes that there is a strong link between the Black Power Movement and hip-hop culture; he clarifies this point by saying, "In the same way that civil rights spoke to the conditions back in the day, hip hop artists now speak to a populace often disillusioned by those considered overtly political in a traditional sense."[11]

...and in the case of Don Imus...

However, Boyd also recognizes that the infiltration of hip- hop into the mainstream has “taken a private conversation and made it public”.[12] As the black street culture of hip-hop has gone into widespread circulation, the culture as a whole has become the scapegoat for all sorts of racial and cultural dissatisfaction. This debate was only exacerbated by radio personality, Don Imus’ racially charged comments about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team in 2007. Imus’ comments sparked a nationwide debate about verbal ownership, and many groups, including the NAACP believe that the word, “nigger/nigga” should be banned from the English language. In fact, on July 9, 2007, the NAACP held a funeral in which the word was symbolically buried. Boyd feels that this mock funeral was an “incredible waste of time" and felt that the energy should instead be “directed toward more pressing social and economic issues within the black community.”[13] Boyd further dismisses these claims by saying, “It is particularly ironic that an institution that is regressive and out of touch as the NAACP would bury the n-word while they continue to use 'colored' as a form of identification. That seems like a bit of a contradiction”.[13] Dr. Boyd asserts that blaming hip-hop for public and personal indiscretions is wrong, and that in the case of Imus and the 2007 Rutgers women’s basketball team, “we should hold Imus accountable for Imus”.[12]

Barry Bonds: Guilty when Proven Innocent

As Barry Bonds closed in on becoming baseball’s historic all-time home run leader, the fans of the sport were very polarized on issue of the record being broken. While some waited with anxious anticipation as he made progress at surpassing the old record set by Hank Aaron, others felt that Bonds’ “scandalous” journey should be thrown out all together due to his alleged use of performance enhancing drugs. Boyd believes that race was a major “issue in Bond’s quest” [14] and an ESPN/ ABC poll supported Boyd’s opinion by suggesting that a “race plays a unique role”[15] in fans support (or lack thereof) of Bonds goal to break the record. Boyd contests that this state of unrest was more directly linked to the usurping of Babe Ruth—the white baseball pioneer who held the number two position on the list in a sport that Boyd claims is very “republican”.[16] Boyd stated that “though Aaron [held] the record, Babe Ruth still [represented] the heart and soul of baseball…it is Ruth who continues to personify the identity of the sport”.[17] Yet Boyd’s contrary opinions do not stop there: in a satirical open letter to Hank Aaron penned under Boyd’s writing alter ego, “The Notorious Ph.D.” on ESPN.com’s Page 2, he called Aaron a “full-fledged, bona fide, 100 percent playa hater of the highest order”,[18] and pled with him show support for Bonds surpassing his impressive record rather than being influenced by the scandal. Interestingly enough, the record-setting home run ball was purchased by designer Mark Ecko, who set up an on-line forum for “the public” to vote and decide the fate of the disputed ball. Those who voted supported sending the ball to the Hall of Fame with an asterisk, signifying the questionable legitimacy of the record.[19] Boyd, suggests that Babe Ruth and other white players who played in Major League Baseball before 1947—the year the league was racially integrated—should also have an asterisk by their accomplishments as well due to the unfair “benefits of playing in a competitive league that did not allow for fair and equal competition based solely on the issue of race.”[17]

Who’s the Big “O”? : Our Obsession with Obama and Oprah

As the first African-American candidate to have a realistic competitive run for the United States presidency, Barack Obama has stirred the nation,[citation needed] causing citizens to reevaluate their ethics and truly question their willingness to evolve.[citation needed] Due to the controversy caused by Obama’s ethnicity and sudden celebrity, Dr. Boyd became a highly sought after opinion, weighing in at sources such as the Associated Press, Time, The NBC Nightly News, in addition to a Newsweek cover story. Beyond the potential for creating history by becoming the first African-American President, Obama’s run has also been widely discussed due to his tendentious campaign tactics. His popularity, largely fueled by the heightened public support of many of today’s celebrities has caused many citizens to speculate the power of celebrity endorsement. Time magazine claims that in this “Democratic presidential nomination race that has defied convention at every turn, celebrities are playing a much bigger role than usual.” [20]

However, no celebrity brought more weight with her support than Oprah Winfrey.[citation needed] In an Associated Press article, Boyd comments, “Oprah is in a category all her own. She’s not a movie star. She’s not a rock star. She’s a brand. She’s one of the few people in the world who can be identified only by one name.” He continued, “Oprah is very powerful. Like most people, she wants to demonstrate her power. She wants to be a kingmaker. If she can get a president elected, that’s a big line on an already long resume.” [21]

Oprah’s support has not been met with positivity by all of her fans and viewers. Some fans claim that her public role of a “uniter”, “who transcend[s] “race, class and political divides” runs the risk of “splinter[ing] her viewership along partisan lines”.[22] Dr. Boyd keeps a more positive outlook on Oprah’s future, suggesting that “whether or not Oprah ends up helping Obama, she has little to lose with her fan base. But if Obama were to get elected, Winfrey has a lot to gain. ”[23]

Yet it is not only the support of celebrities that has caused some citizens to be wary, but the celebritization of Obama himself. According to a USA Today article from 2005, although Obama is a “deliberately low-key newcomer to Capitol Hill...he’s also an A-list celebrity, courted by everyone from Oprah to Gorbachev”.[24] His celebrity was further solidified back in 2005 by events such as his Newsweek cover, his picture being taken by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz, and his casual mention on TV’s Will and Grace. Boyd weighs in on the issue saying, “Obama has the potential to be a star like nobody else does. He was that ‘It’ factor—that star appeal. And it’s Hollywood that created that system.”[25]

Needless to say, although Obama’s potential election will have a tremendous symbolic impact on American culture,[citation needed] Dr. Boyd believes that the “symbolic” aspect of electing the first black man into office only goes so far. He says, “At some point, symbols need to be grounded in reality, and that’s when we really start to see and understand the impact of how something like this might in turn effect people’s perception of American Culture.” [26]

Publications

  • The Notorious Ph.D.’s Guide to the Super Fly 70s: ISBN 0-7679-2187-9 (Harlem Moon/Broadway/Random House, 2007)
  • Young Black Rich and Famous: The Rise of the NBA, the Hip Hop Invasion, and the Transformation of American Culture: ISBN 0-7679-1277-2 (Doubleday/Random House, 2003)
  • The New H.N.I.C: The Death of Civil Rights and the Reign of Hip Hop: ISBN 0-8147-9896-9 (NYU Press, 2002)
  • Am I Black Enough For You? : Popular Culture from the 'Hood and Beyond: ISBN 0-253-21105-0 (Indiana University Press, 1997)
  • Out of Bounds: Sports, Media and the Politics of Identity: ISBN 0-253-21095-X (Indiana University Press, 1997)
  • Basketball Jones: America Above the Rim: ISBN 0-8147-1316-5 (NYU Press, 2000)

Selected media appearances

Selected Television Commentary:

Selected Newspaper/Magazine Commentary:

  • The New York Times
  • Time
  • Newsweek
  • U.S. News and World Report
  • Vibe
  • USA Today
  • Los Angeles Times
  • Washington Post
  • GQ
  • Variety
  • Chicago Tribune
  • Boston Globe

Covers:

  • The Village Voice, January 8, 2003

DVD Voice-over Commentary

  • Super Fly (1972)
  • Uptown Saturday Night (1974)
  • Cabin in the Sky (1943)
  • Stormy Weather (1943)

This is a sampling of Dr. Boyd's numerous Media Appearances

References

  1. ^ a b c Baker, Bob (2003-03-10). "Notorious PhD". Los Angeles Times. 
  2. ^ Boyd, Todd (2003). Young Black Rich and Famous. [[Doubleday (publisher)|]]. p. 185. ISBN 0-7679-1277-2. 
  3. ^ a b "USC Cinema - Faculty/Staff » Todd Boyd". http://cinema.usc.edu/faculty/boyd-todd.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-10. 
  4. ^ Todd Boyd at the Internet Movie Database
  5. ^ Boyd, Todd (2007). The Notorious Ph.D.'S Guide to The Super Fly '70's. Harlem Moon. p. 206. ISBN 978-0-7679-2187-9. 
  6. ^ a b c White, Armond (2003-03-17). "Slumming Toward Academia". The Nation. 
  7. ^ Covington, Artelia C.. [BlackPressUSA.com "Has Hip Hop Replaced the Civil Rights Movement?"]. BlackPressUSA.com. Retrieved 2007-09-10. 
  8. ^ Boyd, Todd (2002). The New H.N.I.C.:The Death of Civil Rights and the Reign of Hip Hop. New York University Press. jacket. ISBN 0-8147-9896-9. 
  9. ^ Kilson, Dr. Martin. "The Pretense of Hip-hop Black Leadership". The Black Commentator (50). http://www.blackcommentator.com. 
  10. ^ hooks, bell (2004). We Real Cool: Black Men and Masculinity. New York University Press. p. 151. ISBN 0-415-96926-3. 
  11. ^ Boyd, Todd (2002). The New H.N.I.C.:The Death of Civil Rights and the Reign of HIp Hop. New York University Press. p. 10. ISBN 0-8147-9896-9. 
  12. ^ a b Boyd, Todd. "Imus Shouldn't Give Hip-Hop a Bad Rap". http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=boyd/070416. Retrieved 2007-09-10. 
  13. ^ a b Glanton, Dahleen; Ataiyero, Kayce T. (2007-07-09). "NAACP Buries the Hated N-word". The Chicago Tribune. 
  14. ^ Boyd, Todd. "You Can't Discuss Bonds without Race". http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=boyd/070508&sportCat=mlb. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  15. ^ ESPN.com news services. "Americans Conflicted about Bonds' Home Run Chase". http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id2861930. Retrieved 2007-05-16. 
  16. ^ Davis, David. "SL Interview with Todd Boyd". The Amateur Athletic Foundation's Sports Letter 14 (2). http://www.aafla.org/10ap/SportsLetter-14-2/SLinterview1.html. 
  17. ^ a b Boyd, Todd. "You Can't Discuss Bonds without Race". http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=boyd/070802. Retrieved 2007-05-09. 
  18. ^ Boyd, Todd. "Stop the Hatin' Hank". http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=boyd/070508&sportCat=mlb. Retrieved 2007-08-03. 
  19. ^ Associated Press. "Bonds' 756th Hr Ball to be Branded: Fans Vote for Ball to get Asterisk Before sent to HOF". http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-bonds-756ball&prov=ap&type=lgns. Retrieved 2007-09-26. 
  20. ^ Derer, Mike (2008-02-04). "Obama's Celebrity Army". Time. http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1709745,00.html. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  21. ^ Noveck, Jocelyn. "Can Oprah's Blessing Boost Obama?". The San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/11/27/politics/p135908S26.DTL&feed=rss.news. Retrieved 2008-02-04. [dead link]
  22. ^ Mastony, Colleen. "Oprah's Gamble: Where Will She Stand After the Election?". http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/12/17/news/doc47638806acb31644746879.txt. Retrieved 2008-02-04. 
  23. ^ Noveck, Jocelyn. "Can Oprah Help Obama? Celeb Endorsements are Courted and Coveted But Often Ineffective". http://blacknews.com/pr/can_oprah_help_obama101.html. Retrieved 2008-02-11. 
  24. ^ Huh, Nam (2005-07-24). "Obama a Celebrity Despite Low-Key Approach". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-07-24-obama_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-14. 
  25. ^ Mariant, Michael. "Obama Excites Entertainment Community". http://www.msnbc.com.msn.com/id/16823994. Retrieved 2008-02-13. 
  26. ^ "Has Hollywood Helped Pave the Way for Obama?". All Things Considered. 2008-01-31.

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