IWA #4:

          The “Ill Doctrine” is a video blog by an artist named Jay Smooth. Jay Smooth is also the founder of New York’s longest running hip-hop radio show, the WBAI’s Underground Railroad. Jay takes what he knows about real life and hip-hop and uses it to explain specific issues in current society. The topics he discusses throughout his videos and content focus on media, politics, and race related issues. He brings out the true meaning behind the standard stereotypes we see today in society so that people could become more responsible and aware of what they say. He challenges these issues and topics by questioning them with a broader point of view in order to come up with realistic solutions that he feels are just. Jay Smooth is considered an artist through his work by the method and style he confronts society’s “norms”.

          The first work I watched on the Ill Doctrine was Jay Smooth’s video “Why I’m Afraid of Christine O’Donnell”. This video was focusing on how one should not trust a politician or anyone for that matter that says they are “you”. In this video Jay Smooth is discussing how Christine O’Donnell, a politician who ran for US senate made a television ad saying that “I do what you do and I am you”. This struck Jay Smooth to make an argument off this statement because each individual has their own qualifications based on their career. Jay further discussed how everyone does not have the qualifications to become senator concluding how this statement does not apply to everyone which makes it essentially a poor sales pitch. He thought how Christine O’Donnell was trying to get the attention of her supporters or viewers by expressing her relation with people were wrong. Jay pointed out that Christine O’Donnell should not want to relate herself to the people because she should have higher qualifications than the average Joe. People want senators and politicians in Washington that have a work ethic, discipline, and hygiene to help solve the nation’s problem.

          The second video I watched on this blog was “T-Pain and the Know Nothing Know it Alls”. Jay Smooth tries to explain that “if you do not know something, do not pretend as though you do” he was focusing on politics in this video. Jay explained in detail how arrogant T-Pain (a famous rap artist) was being about his ignorance when he said he did not care about politics but later made it seem as though he did. His statement was “I don’t give a sh*t about politics cause no matter who is in office your life is no different”. Jay was arguing if T-Pain does not care about politics he clearly does not know much about it and should not make such a statement. He was trying to make the point that people should be honest with themselves and accept when they don’t know something. Making it seem as though you know everything makes an individual look more stupid. Through this video Jay was trying to teach that regardless if you are a celebrity or an average person you should still be aware of what you say and should not contradict yourself.