SPEC-TRUM may have added Papoose to their spring concert, but another rapper has stolen the spotlight.

Yes, that’s right, move over constructive hip-hop artists, dancing correspondents have brought back all of hip-hop’s favorite stereotypes. Last Friday, SPEC-TRUM announced that Papoose will join Juelz Santana for the annual spring concert at the Theatre of Living Arts. Props to SPEC-TRUM for affirming the talents and credibility of such alternative hip-hop artists even as their craft is perverted by those taking “two steps back” (and no, Ciara wouldn’t be proud). Hip-hop has continually faced accusations of minstrelsy, but this time, the accusation could be directed towards one external to the entire rap industry.

During last week’s satire-filled Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association dinner, Karl Rove and the boys of “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” took to the stage. In a good-natured rap, “MC Rove” danced around painfully, miming the coolest rap gesture he could muster — whipping out his Blackberry. Check it out:

But through all of my cringing, I saw off the corner of the screen-a man dancing cheerfully, not a part of the Who’s Line team. He laughed and danced through the whole song, looking admirably at MC Rove like Diddy admiring his beloved Danity Kane.

So who was the lucky journalist who had a shot at dancing infamy?

None other than Kenneth Strickland, White House correspondent and producer for NBC News. Yes, a man with a proud and extensive journalistic history. Yes, a man with all of the dignity and self-respect of a White House correspondent. And yes, an African-American man who shook it with Rockin’ Rove on stage.

Hip-hop artists are making moves- rappers like Santana and Papoose are making positive changes to the image and reputation of hip-hop. I applaud SPEC-TRUM’s choice, perhaps all the more in light of Rove’s and Strickland’s regressive actions. But I guess there’s a silver lining to every painfully bad attempt to rap:, at least I’ll have some new “MC Rove” moves to show off come April 20th!

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