DISCLAIMER: OK, I can safely say you can blame this rant on Thneya (for getting me to reminisce on my youth) and watching LL Cool J engaging in some gag inducing lip service on Jimmy Kimmel instead of speaking the truth when he was asked to comment on the Ferguson situation. Guess money changes people. RANT: As someone who grew up on Hip Hop culture and rap music in the 90s, I can honestly say that whatever theyre trying to pass for Hip Hop these days has nothing to do with the real deal. Anyone listening to Hip Hop in those days could see just how much the revolutionary potential of Hip Hop culture as an urban social movement was scaring White America to death. The strength of Hip Hop rested in its connection with previous Black revolutionary movements and their ideology of liberation and resistance. While Public Enemy and KRS One where all about educating the young masses by empowering them with knowledge and remind them of people like Malcolm X or the Black Panther Party, groups like NWA and Geto Boys verbalized a certain rebelliousness toward a society that was subjugating them and they did so by rejecting its authority. Their albums talked about police brutality, criminality and the overall hopelessness in the Ghettos, however instead of talking from the point of view of a victim these groups overtly supported the idea of confronting violence with violence. That meant fighting back against the popo when they would roll up into your neighbourhood or better yet utilizing criminal activities to uplift oneself from despair and poverty. However, when Tupac came to the scene he was able to link those two strains together and use the best of each one. This is what made him so dangerous in the eyes of White and Black establishment alike. He was raised with the revolutionary knowledge of the Black Panthers and was very much aware of the political, economic and social realities of America and the struggle of black folks. But he was also capable of preaching to the streets in a language and manner they could comprehend and pass on the wisdom he grew up with to the younger generations. Hip Hop was in fact a force to be reckoned with, a revolution in words and for the powers that be it was necessary to co-opt it first in order to destroy it later. And, Oh Lord! how far has Hip Hop fallen. You no longer hear Fight the power, instead what you have these days is Iggy Azalea. The first Rap album I bought was Tupacs Strictly 4 my N.I.G.G.A.Z. The title in itself was revolutionary enough because Tupac took a word used so often to dehumanize and humiliate black people and turn it instead into an uplifting acronym: Never Ignorant, Getting Goals Accomplished. I remember listening to it as a teenager and feeling like this brother was speaking for all of us black kids growing up here. To this day I still remember every single word and I still feel that same connection to the lyrics. My favourite song of the album was Holla if ya hear me and my favourite passage expresses exactly what I feel to this day. I guess cause Im black born, Im supposed to say peace, sing songs, and get capped on. But its time for a new plan, BAM! Ill be swingin like a one man, clan. Despite all the criticism that Rap gets these days and despite the fact that most of it has been co-opted at the detriment of the African American community that created it, I cant help but think fondly of Hip Hop and its 4 elements (MCing, DJing, Breaking and Graffiti) for giving so many young people who felt marginalized and ignored a voice to call their own. youtube/watch?v=yJGY5vEzYrY
Posted on: Sat, 18 Oct 2014 06:50:42 +0000
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