Basis

D.L. Chandler's frequent thoughts on the world of hip hop and beyond

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Don't Call It A Comeback, We've Been Here For Years

Greetings all,

It is indeed a blessing to be connected with the good people of Black Policy.org, the entire Ascent Blog team and, most of all, the Center for African American Policy. I've been off the scene trying to gather new ways to approach the real-time reporting blogging affords us; I've also been hard at work on completing my books in time for their impending releases and creating Hip Hop music as a fun but important hobby.

With this blog, I intend to act as both a voice and a beacon of information regarding Hip Hop's social and cultural effects on the environment - especially the world of politics. With mid-term elections and the '08 Presidential Elections bearing down upon us, we must start to illuminate the issues of this current, so-called Hip Hop generation of young voters and share the lessons that the older generations learned. Mistakes have been made along with much progress. With the political blogosphere being as vast as it is, we need to insure that voices like ours enjoy the same level of respect and accountability. To bring it all to a head, we need to use our collective energies we typically reserve for being the first one on the block to have the new Jordans or 50 Cent CD (or, for us older people, the first one with a stand-alone home or SUV) and start to think about how we can use that same tenacity and focus to change a world.

I am first and foremost a black man. An American of African, Native American and Caribbean Descent. With the pride of those bloodlines, I am naturally charged to be at the ready for my people. It is the true nature of my being; I want to be known as an asset to my fellow man. I want this space to help encourage action and deep thought. I want this space to inspire spirited, if not heated, dialogue. I see this as a starting point for the future. We must give ourselves to the idea that changing the way black people have been thinking along certain lines is not an easy thing. Do I realize that some of the things I will say will invoke a sense of controversy? Yes, I am quite aware of that. I'm also just as aware of the fact that much of my work in the field will come with the requisite heartbreak and letdown of all difficult struggles to improve. This does not deter me one bit.

As I go about in the world searching for the answers for not only myself but for the readers as well, I hope to uncover movements that otherwise would remain without deserved attention. I hope that my colleagues will assist me in this path as I am going to rely heavily on their experiences and gifts as well. This collective effort is born of a strong need for social clarity and perhaps justice in a mild sense.

With Peace,

D.L. Chandler