Basis

Pat Boone, Hip Hop Critic

2006-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

The popularity of today’s hottest Hip Hop stars is neither a measure of the level of talent nor highlights the worth of the music. Some could argue that because of that popularity, critics have a much easier time dissecting the current tunes and trends that dominate the airwaves today. With a noted amount of reluctance, I admit that much of what passes for Hip Hop these days is embarrassing, rote and devoid of any cultural significance. As I’ve said before in other blogs and journals, I can appreciate some of those songs in small doses and maybe enjoy them in larger parts. However, my stance changes once those songs become part of the dreaded “rotation”. This is where we are, sadly enough. There is no avoiding the "Laffy Taffys", "Grills", "Window Shoppers" and such of the world. These songs reflect the pulse of current generation: Give it to us cheap, easy, homogenized, warmed over and simple. Oh please god, do not challenge us to think. Give us the “hot 16 and hook” formula until our brains bleed from redundancy. Of course we don’t want to hear about socially relevant issues in our music. Hell, who wants to be preached to in song?

Forgive my introductory rambling as I do have a point to this blog entry. In my usual quest to find a subject that invokes my interest (or most often, my rage), I will come across some of the most asinine commentary on Hip Hop from people who wouldn’t know the music to save their lives. In fact, read this excerpt from a Wes Vernon interview found on the Renew America website (I know, I know) with singer Pat Boone:

BOONE: Oh, man, the whole music industry has been [dragged] into the ghetto. In fact, I see it as a ghettoization ... a coarsening of the culture, led by the entertainment industry. [This applies to] music in particular, because once ... hip-hop [and rap] music came in--because it was an outgrowth of ... a street or urban culture.

That is not to be derogatory. It was kids ... doing hip-hop stuff and rap and you know, throwing themselves under the pavement and doing all kinds of crazy gyrations, and really dramatic athletic things....

It captured the attention of not only the kids, but the record executives who saw a new thing that they could make a lot of money with, so they promoted it like crazy. And they discovered that if a hip-hop or rap artist had a criminal record, and if he was part of a gang ... out of it came an overnight hugely popular NWA [which stood for] "N**gers-With-Attitude."

Then there was Two-Live Crew, with them advocating that you should get a gun and shoot a cop.

All of this gangster mentality, and the danger and the guns, "Pimps and Whores and Bitches"--and all of this stuff was actively promoted by the hierarchy of the record business. They saw they could make millions promoting performers [who] made sure you knew they had been to prison, they'd been shot up.

The guy that was on with Dave Letterman last night calls himself Fifty-Cent. The first question was, "You'd been shot nine times?" [His answer was] "Yeah." And then he talks about being in prison and being in gang wars and selling drugs. So that [supposedly] makes him a very hip artist.

So all these artists--I say artists, [I should say] these performers--are making millions, driving Rolls-Royces, and buying [fancy homes], and dragging urban and suburban kids into a ghetto culture. It's one of the most ironic, crazy things that I have ever seen in my life.

WV: About as idiotic as you could imagine. Pointless.

BOONE: Yes, I mean they wear big diamond rings, put diamonds in their teeth.... [They get] all kinds of endorsements and people around them just making them into glamorous figures. They put out a record [and for] most of it, you can't understand a single word even if they perform it [live]. You're distracted by them grabbing their crotches. They've got--they say--"skanky-looking" women behind them, chanting and making all kinds of suggestive moves. All of it [is] designed to make this rap performer--and occasionally a white performer just trying to get in on it--making him look like [someone] who is able to serve as many women that they all desire. He takes his pick of all the women, and gives them ... champagne. I mean, these are all in the lyrics of their songs.

One that I saw on "Saturday Night Live" recently ... was doing a song called "You Can Lick my Lollypop." He makes it very clear what he's referring to. This is about a four-minute number as he struts around the stage, and the background singers act [as if] they just can't wait to get to him.

The kids see this, and they play the music and they emulate it. Then they find out on Oprah and other shows that pre-teen girls are engaging in oral intercourse [in] the hall closets at school.

All of this is sort of accepted [as] exciting.

Pat Boone – sage, social critic, philosopher, uninformed jerk. His side of the argument is quite evident yet lacks a certain finesse. It almost reeks of a latent cruelty or vehemence toward black music and culture. Was he really incorrect in his assessment? It's not as simple as yes or no. I'd argue that the images and songs we’re made to suffer in Hip Hop’s current state do not make things easy for those like myself who advocate heavily for the promotion of Hip Hop as not only a tool for change, but also high art. But that shouldn't be enough to have this sort of one-sided berating that always comes from those self-righteous "icons". Reading this passage from Mr. Boone filled me with obvious reactionary rage, so much that I wanted to light into his Reagan-loving behind (Is that “ghetto” of me, Pat?). I’m going to take the high road on this one but I’m looking at him and his right-wing ilk closer than ever when it comes to their criticisms of the music I defend – perhaps foolishly. I hope that when critics come forward against this important and viable culture in the future that they finally research every angle and not just the obvious, popular slants. Again, I’m not going to hold my breath on that ever happening in my lifetime.

Strength To You All

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

2005-11-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

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

The Choices We Make & The Things We Do

2005-07-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

With Hip Hop, you have to realize that the music no longer bears the distinction (or stigma) of belonging to poor people or, as the cliché goes, being the music of the streets. This music is being done by DIY suburbanites, downloading hackers using “borrowed” programs on their PCs and anybody with access to a microphone, a mixer and some tables. Then you have to factor how powerfully influential the culture is to the rest of the world – there are few corners of the globe that haven’t experienced the art form in some fashion. The problem with that, however, is that you have a lot of images and ideals that are modified and become such a bastardization of what true Hip Hop music and culture is.

One could argue for the side of Hip Hop by stating that at least it’s apparently more visible than before, regardless of the buffoonery or lack of quality present in the popular offerings of the day. On the countering end, one could definitely say that because of its large influence and over saturation, Hip Hop is reaching a creative and commercial zenith and that its time to knock it down of the pedestal. When you have African and Jewish rap groups who’ve never stepped foot on America soil, yet embrace a very wholly Western thing, you hope the influences go beyond the vapid or the obvious. How could one not question that point, given the wild popularity of every current hot Hip Hop single and not one offers a nugget of anything beyond gaining sex, money and empty and tired boasts?

These are worthy discussions and debates but I tend to think these talks lack depth because we’re too busy being split down the middle on what each side thinks is right or wrong. We (the so-called Hip Hop Nation) do not take the criticisms of our detractors well and become defensive. Our detractors are usually closed minded and closed off to the world we’re both immersed in and represent. The grand divide starts there and usually kills any hope of progression into a discussion that can and should provide ultimate change. Should more message-driven Hip Hop enjoy the same airplay that the dance and radio-friendly singles of today receive? It’s debatable because I’m finding that a lot of that music with a message doesn’t have the key component that many fans search for endlessly these days: The Dope Beat.
It is said that the underground set and sound is stuck in this elitist, lyrics-first ideal that in turn, the track suffers from the lack of the same sort of attention. I won’t validate that but I can attest to the fact that much of underground music has become a caricature of itself in a mere few years. We applauded (and I still do) label CEO and rapper El-P of Definitive Jux fame when his former group, Company Flow, introduced the term “Independent as F*ck”. Now there are many imitators of that ideal and they’ve forgotten how to make good, compelling music that you could still bump in the whip – or least play loudly with pride.

Message music is necessary and in the rock and punk worlds, it enjoys a lustful fan base and plenty of groups willing to go against all grains to make music they feel is important – regardless of fame. Hip Hop artists and hobbyists need to follow the example of gaining a foothold on both the creativity aspect but also be entertaining on top of that. If we intend to infiltrate the airwaves (again, as we did in the late 80s and 90s) then we have to follow the steps of our predecessors and stop letting our pulse get dictated to us.

Or we could just let the entire country nod like zombies to the same old thing. The choice is all yours.

On: Getting Off One's Own Ass & Getting Involved

2005-06-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Politics and Hip Hop: Mix them together and you get “hippie stuff” – well at least according to battle rapper, Immaculate out of Portland, Oregon. Ah yes, that’s just the kind of respect I’ve been fighting in doing this blog column for as long as I have. I guess I can’t blame a lot of young hip-hoppers for their view of what organizations and others try to attempt in making the ideal of politics and the arts a true union. Sometimes it works, such as our efforts showed in the polls that more youth votes than ever were recorded. Sometimes, it doesn’t as the originally clever yet, with time, increasingly vapid slogan, Vote or Die, became the “flavour de now” (I made that up all on my own) for all non-voters trying to get their democracy on.

Wearing slogans, a still unproven (at least in our arena) tool of propaganda but yet it isn’t going anywhere – much like R. Kelly – and why should it? I haven’t a true reason for wanting it gone, save for the fact I’m currently looking for the young men and women who, like me, are afraid of an increasingly conservative moral code that’s being forced and injected into our lives. And instead of getting slick with the slogans, rallies and all that fly stuff I’m all for trying to get ourselves into the lobbyist positions and really get into the faces of the lawmakers instead of in their inboxes and voicemails. Pipe dreams, D.L. – this is the common refrain of my like-minded yet sour peers. I can’t deny the weariness I feel in trying to convey to my fellow MCs and Hip Hop practitioners how relevant we can make my generation (X) and the ones behind us. The power that entertainers hold and how they truly set the pulse of the trends of the world – that is such unbridled energy.

Yet, like many a battle rapper, some often rely on cheap jokes about progressives who can’t seem to rock hard enough to even tip an easily winnable victory for the Democratic side of the fence. We’re a point of conservative sarcastic jabs of humor and we haven’t much of a counter – a shame since we have some loud mouth people on the left that could do some real solid work. They could take lessons from Poor Righteous Teacher frontman Wise Intelligent in another very insightful interview, from Soundslam.com writer, Alex Fruchter. It may be some of the most poignant and painful interviews I’ve ever read. Wise Intelligent lives up to his weighty namesake and delivers what I feel needs to be the manifesto for all poor and oppressed people catching hell from all angles. I challenge to read that piece and not feel a lump rise in your throat – especially if you consider yourself a cog in the great machine of Hip Hop music and culture.

I hate to close this piece out on some old race type discussion but this is real – Hip Hop is and will always be a music and started by people of color and smothering pride. Yet those artists who push the more positive of messages tailored to reflect the black inner city experience and struggle usually are entertaining, a gang of white and suburban kids of all hues who will never factor in that demographic of the desolate. We are not suffering the last days of Hip Hop but there is an apocalypse of sorts afoot. There is just a bevy of garbage on the radio but let’s face it, the beat’s hot as John Madden’s back fat, jack. We’re grooving and shaking our holy good damn sense away yet here’s a man in Wise Intelligent who can’t say he owes us (the fans) a hit because he’s not getting the support from the audience he’s trying to reach and, nobly so, save. But have we in recent times really placed a premium on genuine kindheartedness and earnest hope for change? We’re slowly devolving, people, and the evidence is as clear as turning on one of your favorite music entertainment cauldrons with the witches of programming twirl themselves yet another boiling pot of sewage for the airwaves.

Change, damn it, change.

All That Glitters Isn't Gold: Kanye West Speaks Out Against Diamond Industry

2005-06-24T10:23:00.000-07:00

Kanye West strikes many as an arrogant and conceited individual who clearly hasn’t learned the fine art of humility and presentation. That could be true but after hearing his story at the end of his 1994 Grammy Award-winning College Dropout LP, you respect that he’s overcome a heaping mound of resistance and struggles. In his new song, “Diamonds”, West re-worked the original version of the song to highlight the ills of the diamond trade in Sierra Leone. According to this report, the diamond industry has taken an offensive stance against the track, of course employing damage control tactics and such. Good for Kanye because this is precisely what his detractors need to witness – a man admitting he needs to learn more about a terrible tragedy and is willing to help educate others. Now will it slow down the diamond industry and the lust that many have for the coveted jewels? There isn’t any way to tell so far but this issue of conflict diamonds is one that could use the celebrity status and attention that Mr. West surely commands.

The oddest thing about Hip Hop is the many glaring contradictions and surprises from some of the music’s more colorful personalities. Are we as a people so caught up in the façade of fame that we can’t allow a person to change and actually have stronger convictions that go beyond owning “ice” and “bling”? There are so many good stories like this that seemingly get overlooked in favor of buffoonery and scandal. The reports of Philly rapper Cassidy and his murder case have received light years more media attention that what Kanye is attempting with his song. Even if the sincerity of the song is false somewhere down the line, that song now belongs to the universe, to paraphrase R&B singer Roberta Flack. There’s no taking away from Kanye’s good intent and what the message the song and video conveys. Perhaps we need to take into account the flaws of man and not use them to paint false pictures of people. Everyone in this world is a walking and living dichotomy of ideals, failures, hopes and dreams. It’s fitting that the much-maligned genre of Hip Hop music and all of it’s glorification of the material has one of its brightest stars voicing concerns over something that the rap world hinges its visual reminder of success on.

It never lasts long however, this reverence and acknowledgement of a man’s good deed. In Hip Hop, many of those in the media tend to only remember the last bad thing you did versus the first bit of good that’s done. In a quickly changing-to-conservative world, the fight to be outspoken against capital gain at the expense of human life is a daunting one. We should all applaud one man’s effort – no matter how meager – and follow suit. Be bold, be brash, be outspoken.

Is There A False Marriage Between Music & Political Activism?

2005-06-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

When I speak to people about music, political activism, civil participation and Hip Hop, there is always this dull pause from the person I’m conversing with – it’s become a bit of an inside joke for me and my friends who engage in that type of deal. Sort of like that “pregnant pause” newly re-hired L.A. Laker Coach Phil Jackson spoke of before deciding to helm the famed NBA team again. I’m sure folks think that because of my involvement in this realm of writing and participation for the past few years that I’m a de facto expert on the subject of all things political and Hip Hop related. I don’t have a host of ideas to correct the state of things; I’m stuck waiting until 2007 because then the campaigns begin to actually heat up. On a national level, my so-called “expertise”, as it were, comes into play heavily because of the campaign and outreach tactics used by both sides. What the kids are listening to, wearing on their backs and so forth is always an important gauge as how to promote candidates and ideas.

A controversial point often comes about when I’m bouncing of my ideas in the realm of debate and discussion (my friends and associates call this bouncing I do “starting arguments so that I can run my big mouth”): I do not enjoy this forcing of civic participation onto young people by luring them with music and making it all look “cool” and I especially (and perhaps harshly so) do not like this false marriage of politics and Hip Hop. When I was the senior editor for a now defunct website dealing with minority politics, I struggled with it every day I went to work as my bosses expected me to entice Gen-Xers with Hip Hop themes and articles with a political slant. For the most part, “political Hip Hop” is such an oxymoron. Socially conscious Hip Hop would be a better term – not a term I’m in favor of, however. The truth is this: the politically charged Hip Hop of the 80s and early 90s dealt with inherently black and minority issues – just like Chuck D coined the overused phrase of rap music being the “CNN of the streets”. Those streets housed the tales of the working poor, the disenfranchised, the uncounted and, more importantly, people of color. Even they no longer have a relevant voice in regards to popular entertainers championing their plight. So with this broader focus I try to take here, I'm usually stuck wondering if I'm reaching people beyond my race.

I’m sure readers of my blog column could color me a hypocrite given my usual fare in this space – go right ahead if you please. But understand this: like many of you, I am struggling to find out how to meld all I know in order to help the fabric of the country I’m quite proud to live in – but not always proud of. I want to find that credible balance of how music can be a message deliverer and not a marketing tool. I want to find the path to gaining knowledge in song and verse but not sacrificing quality or talent. I want all of this to work because I simply do not know how to do anything else with the talent I’ve been blessed to showcase and hone in the bits of HTML code and graphics you see before you. I will continue to press on with my mission: to educate, enlighten and promote all the good that Hip Hop is and making sure that it isn’t whored by those who don’t treasure it – only using it to gain young eyes and ears for commercial consumption. In the meantime, I’m learning the same hard lessons. Let’s continue to walk together.

Is Hip Hop Activism A Reality Or A Passing Trend?

2005-06-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

There exists this undercurrent of political Hip Hop activism yet the racial and gender lines still matter much in determining the relevance and potential of Hip Hop in popular American culture. A critical point emerges in these talks of music and politics, however: When do we find that point when gender issues, racial matters and talks of economic empowerment sound good to the beat again? This line of thinking (of which I do not feel I’m alone in sharing) is a strong question that many writers and authors need to take inventory for. Popular Hip Hop tunes of today celebrate excess wealth, sexual promiscuity, objectification and other themes that do not and will not advance the music to higher heights. With that said, when do we find ourselves prepared to move for the demand of music that promotes a countering view to what is heard now? It’s possible; the consumer has more power than he or she knows yet nobody is championing loudly enough for the surge of counterpoints and varying themes to appear.

Author Bakari Kitwana seems to think that closing the generation gap and perhaps updating the politics to a current Hip Hop generation-specific theme is what will bring about the changes needed that will hopefully improve the fabric of not only Hip Hop music, but youth activism and politics as well. This piece from freelance writer Jeff Hagan for the Plain Dealer features an interview with the author and Kitwana expresses a view that is clear to any current Hip Hop fan: Although Hip Hop is deeply influenced by African, Caribbean and Latino rhythms and culture, the music has been embraced by whites and, for the most part, seemingly with a purist’s angle. Just this past Thursday, I was at a party hosted by Scion which featured DJ Premier of Gangstarr fame. Every “b-boy” (breakdancer) was white; there was one b-girl and she was the lone black face in the circle. Oddly enough, Pete Rock’s younger brother, Grap Luva (Of I-N-I fame) was angered by the lack of participation and rushed the floor – nearly resulting in a fight. There was a tension of epic proportions in the room that night. (Check out this interesting piece on Scion's marketing angle here: http://www.alternet.org/wiretap/22201/)
Speaking of tense, this opinion column from Pop Matters writer Ben Rubenstein is one of the most pointed detractions to the nearly messianic (to some) messages of Public Enemy and, for the later generation, Immortal Technique. I find it odd that Mr. Rubenstein takes umbrage with those artists (what with his prefacing everything with so-called and “conscious”) and that he thought himself “part of the problem” as he explained his disdain for Public Enemy. I don’t think Chuck D’s vehemence was born of a hate of affluence but certainly race matters were definitely strained then; it seems as if nobody remembers that Public Enemy’s first release was in 1987 – nearly 20 years ago. Sure, the messages resonated with a great many people then and still do but there are so many other angles and approaches now. What I don’t find odd is how kindly his pen treated the Anticon and Def Jux collectives (Mr. Rubenstein, I’m quite black and I’m a fan of both collectives with many white members). There’s this sneering Right-leaning tone to his words and if I never read another line of his, I don’t think I’d be heartbroken. However, I’d be willing to debate to the wee hours with this man should he want to partake in that.

While I’ve never been the largest fan of west-coast MC, Paris, I’ve always respected that he was educated and uncompromising in his views. This interview conducted by LA City Beat reveals that the former MC turned producer is working with the aforementioned Public Enemy on their new LP, "Re-Birth of A Nation". The impressive tone in Paris' words have always been the one hallmark of his that is not only captivating, but assures his place as a relevant, if gruff, voice in the critique of today's Hip Hop scene. His words ring true: large corporations are throwing acts large sums of money and in turn the artists do nothing to add value to a steadily declining artform. Will our criticism reverse the trend? We cannot answer that but we should remain relentless in our disdain in the failure of improvement. No, we shouldn't eliminate these acts from the public eye - fans have right to buy and listen to whatever and whomever they want. But is it too much to ask for an upswing in quality and themes? Not at all.

Hip Hop Activism Is In Need Of A Swift Kick In The Rear

2005-06-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

In last week’s blog column, I mentioned author Norman Kelly and quoted a line of his from a piece he wrote that highlighted the important works of Harold Cruse and the significance of his passing. He mentioned a few words about Hip Hop’s political relevance and how he saw that the music that has and continues to change the world has become nothing more than a means to promote more consumption and not social change. In a recent private exchange I had with Mr. Kelley, these words regarding the efforts of the HSAN came about and they highlight a lot of what I’ve been struggling with and writing about in this space for almost a year:

"And HSAN is very problematic. Sneakers and reparation? The idea of using rappers to lure young blacks to civic responsibility has more to do with marketing than political and civic education. Under HSAN, young people are just another consumption demographic, not a real political constituency that has to be courted, educated, and respected."

Mr. Kelly hammers a point home that I hope the readers of this blog and others can apply to the efforts of civic participation: This isn’t a fashion we’re trying to promote here. We don’t just need the numbers at the polls; we also need those people to fully realize what they’re undertaking on all levels. The right to vote should be empowering and engrossing to all that decide to do so. We need to take better care of our efforts to encourage the youth voters to participate and not let it become some trendy movement that fades into the sunset. My wariness of the efforts of HSAN and other organizations isn’t a thing of hate – if anything, I want these efforts to be successful and furthermore, sincere.

In other news, the glorification of criminal activity in Hip Hop captivates America again with the release of XXL magazine’s “Jail Issue” where on the cover, 50 Cent and Tony Yayo are proudly announced as “convicted felons”. I’m not sure if I have a right to gripe about it but why must a Hip Hop magazine devote an entire issue to incarcerated rappers and such? This isn’t something that should impress their fans any more or less and I simply don’t see the benefit to highlighting their checkered pasts. I’m convinced that Hip Hop’s controlling hands care nothing about the advancement of the fans that will have to endure environments and situations that could land them in jail – their only concern is how does my artist look and how many of those gullible and easy to impress suburbanites are going to pick up a copy of the magazine and CD. There possibly won’t be another “conscious” rap renaissance as we witnessed in the late 80s and early 90s and I’ve decided not to hold out for it. But I can’t imagine anything going right for the genre as far as quality improvement if we don’t start using the vehicle of music as more than a means to make some CEO filthy rich.

If You Don't Know, Now You Know (c) Christopher Wallace

2005-05-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

It shouldn’t be a shock to the many fans of Hip Hop music that critics and columnists take often ill-researched potshots at the genre. It reeks of a sneering elitism that does not lend itself open to true discourse and discussion. Case in point, New York Times sports columnist Selena Roberts' recent piece on David Stern and the NBA’s current state – especially focusing on her asinine comment on comparing the Hip Hop world to the brawl that happened in Detroit with Ben Wallace and Ron Artest. This foolish attempt at cleverness is lost in her sophomoric use of analogies that don’t have a thing to do with each other. I’m sure Ms. Roberts is respected in her field; I’m new to her work. However, it may be a cold day in hell before I read any of her content again. Now, for those of you who don’t wish to register to read her comments, I’ll offer some quotes of note below:

"An industry that used to be about Michael Jordan and Nike is now about 50 Cent and Reebok as it grows tentacles to reach young consumers entranced by what violent rap artists choose for shoes. Amid this transition, with marketers zealously blurring boundaries between stage and court, it seems as if the league is hip-hop, and hip-hop is the league - especially on the night of Nov. 19, 2004. That was when certain Pistons and Pacers came uncorked in a fan-induced brawl that left the players cast as lawless thugs of the gangsta rap variety. But Thursday night, many of those same players - both Pistons blue and Pacers gold - stood in sync with a mostly white Midwestern audience in a moving ovation to Miller."

While I agree that the marketing of products in the NBA is overzealous at times, the comparisons made here do not support anything but an apparent, lily-white (yes, I said it) ignorance to something that doesn’t have to be divided into a war of races, musical genres and assumptions. What goes on in the NBA boardroom has no true bearing on what Hip Hop ultimately should be about. True, SOME "violent rappers" have had a stranglehold on the commercial side of the music for varying periods of time, but that is not indicative of the diversity of Hip Hop – using the word Ms. Roberts chose to highlight about our current NBA and its many international and multi-cultural players. If she’s to declare the whole of Hip Hop violent, then she too has lost out on an opportunity to really see beyond what the media has deemed important and relevant. Should she be left off the hook for this because she’s a sports columnist? I think not.

That lack of respect for Hip Hop by Ms. Roberts is countered by the honest assessment of the genre and culture by Mr. Norman Kelly, author of the book, "The Head Negro In Charge Syndrome: The Dead End of Black Politics", which really peers into the problems left behind by what he calls "market intellectuals". If you’ve read my column in recent months, you know how critical I am of these public intellectuals who seemingly haven’t met a camera or press opportunity they don’t like (and use Hip Hop as a point of study and lecture). Should they be penalized for maximizing their potential to earn and educate? Perhaps not but we need these same people to guide the current downswing in culture towards relevance in not only black, but youth politics as well. Mr. Kelly isn’t necessarily kind to Hip Hop in his piece where he speaks of the "emptiness" of Hip Hop but he does speak truth. I dare you to find fault with what he’s saying and I’m far from playing fan boy to this man’s words.

I really need to get on some of these mailing lists for conferences and such. Earlier this month in St. Louis, the Media Reform Conference , put together by the Free Press, was held featuring the likes of Al Franken, Davey D and others. I would’ve loved to have been a part of that. If any readers were there and can chime in about it, I’d love to discuss what was said. It seemed to be a pretty charged event although it seemed youth participation was low. If I knew this was going on, I would’ve definitely made inroads to get there. We have to unify these fronts, people. The efforts to change policy and mindsets cannot be done in vacuums. True democracy ultimately leads to true solidarity.

Captivate The Youth With Truth...or else.

2005-05-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

The youth vote – in particular the black youth vote – has been and will continue to be the area where civic participation could acquire the most in regards to a spike in numbers each election and voting cycle. The Black Youth Vote organization held an event last month – an annual event in its fifth year. I’ve worked with the BYV in 2000 when I was an editor for another politically themed web portal and the experience was quite rich. The dynamics of the time when I was working with this website were such that I had a definite focus on politics that touched on issues affecting the black community. I partnered with a lot of similar groups and we tried in earnest to tip the scales of what would be the most controversial election in my generation’s time. The wind was really knocked out of our sails just like what happened in 2004’s election and the question still remains. Is reaching out to popular entertainers and music artists the proper approach in strengthening voter blocs in the youth demographic?

Numbers indicate that the youth vote numbers were at record highs so we can definitely record the victory in that arena. However, there still exists a lack of true voter education – something I continually stress in any conversation about this matter. The next wave of celebrity participation has to employ a cadre of entertainers and icons that are actual voters, do know what the issues are and can effectively speak on those issues without sounding like cue card readers. Possible? Sure it is but the difficulty of that reality is the stars are being used for one thing: Their fame and notoriety gains them attention for the most minute of things. As I’ve said before about popular rappers and their ability to captivate the minds of the people, if these entertainers were savvy as, say, Jeanne Garofalo, the world would stop as a result of all the information they’d be able to convey with ease to their many fans – and not with a sales pitch in tow.

To sort of mark a side conversation into the world of race and voting, there is an interesting and heated primary senatorial race happening in Maryland. Former head of NAACP Kwesi Mfume is in an opposing stance with Jewish congressman Ben Cardin. There are many subplots revolving around the intense racial tension surrounding this race. Even Hip Hop mogul Russell Simmons (who’s learned to be come less of a peddler and more of a preacher) is in the mix with this one. Political races are usually filled with unkind words and allegations when there is a party opposition but all of this is coming from a Democratic primary standpoint and the barbs are really flying. If Mr. Mfume does secure the primary for himself, what other words will he have to endure? The man’s accomplishments should overshadow his faults but when you’re in public service, the public’s memory of your dalliances do not fade easily or are forgotten by your opponent. Stay tuned for this one as it proves to be explosive by the end.

I Know Rap, My Man..I mean HIP HOP! (c) Madlib

2005-05-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Whenever I’m around a group of people and the unusually hot topic of today’s Hip Hop scene comes about in discussion, the gathering suddenly becomes the “D.L. Chandler must explain and account for Hip Hop’s follies” show. It’s not a position I covet because I find that no matter how many detailed facts I give, it’s nearly never enough to satisfy the rabid nature of disdain from the Hip Hop detractor. I don’t even enjoy the many moments I prove a person wrong about their narrow perception of Hip Hop – they still harbor that “its not even real music” mentality. What Hip Hop has suffered from most (in my view) is its increasing notoriety and seemingly infinite controversies – and by controversies I do mean the murders of 2Pac and Biggie, the free speech war withstood by the 2 Live Crew, protests from the law enforcement agencies and even a federally sanctioned “Hip Hop Police” detective squad. Many could argue Hip Hop shot itself in its own foot with these happenings so why should it be considered high art with such an infamous track record?

I never play the race card in this column; I recognize that many with an ability to discount an entire group of Hip Hop detractors (especially dealing with a genre and culture so reflective of Black and Latino influences) would and could do so. Not a soul in America or abroad can deny what Hip Hop’s roots are as far as the many influences from the dances, the beats, the rhythmic rhymes and styles of fashion. Isn’t it fair time to say that Hip Hop culture has paid its penance to society and should enjoy its many fruits of labor? Is it truly Hip Hop’s fault that vapid lyrics, easily remembered hooks and canned keyboard beats are the flavor of the year for the last few summers? Is it true, like many rappers feel, that because a bunch of young black people make a ton of money at this that it threatens the fabric of this country’s elite? (On a sort of matter of fact side note, Lyor Cohen is about as black as the snowcaps in Aspen. Does he count?)
The fans have as just much stake in the elevation and failure of the music and culture. The lyrics we repeat over and again are just as much our fault as it is corporate pressure to make hits. The hit songs of the 80s and early to mid 90s were dictated by the consumer. Now, the consumer is given a limited amount of choices and has to pick the lesser of two evils – or whichever track has the hot hook and expensive video. The underground scene is thriving and rich with so many innovative producers and MC’s but what happened there is that the complexion of that scene is so wholly different than the Hip Hop scene of the 80s and 90s. It’s nearly segregated in some ways whereas Hip Hop shows of past were more mixed in hue. At a recent MF Doom concert (a well-received MC and black man well into his 30s), I was one of 8 black people (not including the acts performing). I note this because young black people today have a far easier time with this microwave culture of getting it cheap, easy and free from the endless barrage of video shows on cable and music file sharing programs. They aren’t going to the shows for some reason unless its one of the larger acts that the world has deemed popular and necessary.

I don’t spend my days exhausting my mental resources on trying to change minds; I simply offer what I know to be a still good music and culture and I latch on to what makes it so for me. I will continue to share that with people but it comes replete with limits: I will not debate into the wee hours of the night with anyone about the value of Hip Hop – especially when I can detect that no matter what, they’re going to believe what they do. If I can’t expect compromise in the face of unyielding criticism over something I cherish, I don’t think I should have to endure sneering ridicule and such to prove how much I’m in support of Hip Hop.

Hip Hop Culture From The (Under)Ground Up

2005-05-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

In the start of my first forays into melding activism and Hip Hop in the Washington Metropolitan area, I met one of the most interesting persons in William "Upski" Wimsatt. Billy, as I’ve grown to call him, was a dynamic speaker, energetic activist and, at that time, a brand new author. Some of you may recall his books "Bombing the Suburbs" and "No More Prisons". Between 1999 and 2000, I had a chance to pick this man’s brain and he always encouraged me to keep up with the writing thing. He probably doesn’t know how much his encouragement has sustained me. We had this now defunct organization known as the D.C. Hip Hop Federation and while that movement has died, there is a rather large Yahoo e-group (SpreadLove) that was born of our earlier efforts. We would meet at an area non-profit that Billy worked and concocted all these grand schemes that sadly never got off the ground. Still, those times are some of my fondest memories. I hope some of our Canadian readers had a chance to check out Upski at this recent talk of his.

Wimsatt’s example of direct exposure to an element that he could’ve possibly been denied access to because of his skin and background shows that we must, at the very least, be willing to risk ridicule and criticism from people we wish to be our peers. I’m fond of saying that brotherhood, like trust, is something one must earn. In the realm of Hip Hop culture, there is a wariness of the "new kid" as you’re not sure if you’re going to relate to them or not. I remember when I did my brief stint in a small graffiti writer crew how I had to essentially "earn my stripes" with these men. It’s funny to think how protective we were of the culture and now, anybody with a cracked Fruity Loops program and cheap microphone can claim Hip Hop as ardently as anyone – and even feel justified in doing so. Hip Hop in my time was definitely more about waiting on the elders and masters to deliver the goods but everybody and their mother wants to be a hack MC or producer. I don't want to even start on the "toy" (read: novice) graf writers of today. The DIY movement in music period is to blame although some of those efforts are worthy of respect.

A recent conference featuring Public Enemy’s Chuck D and west coast former MC Yo-Yo showcased just how repetitive we must be. Hammering home the point of being politically active and taking charge of the polls is a message that will never get old; Chuck D speaks to this toward the end of Mr. Chery’s piece. Broken records, some would say but you cannot underscore the importance of what he’s saying. You cannot underscore enough the words of Yo-Yo regarding what sounds and images commercial radio and television choose to promote in Hip Hop. The times are critical and message music is soon to become a dinosaur if this trend continues. As I’ve grown up in this culture expecting it to teach and guide me, I’ve had to learn the hard lesson that I also have to be just as active in gaining my worth and knowledge in other arenas as well. The passion and expectations we heap upon Hip Hop and the personal responsibility that every non-fan, Hip Hop detractor or fire breathing politician demands needs to come from the pulsating core within those tightly wound Hip Hop circles.

Generation to Generation: You Did Your Thing, Let Us Do Ours

2005-04-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Luckily I’m not the only person who finds Jeff Chang’s book “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation” such an important and pivotal book. Writer Kevin Y Kim seems to note in greater detail than I ever could in how important this book truly is to our culture. I assume that one day, I’ll read this book in my old age and embrace the culture of Hip Hop that much more – this book truly proves that while black and brown people are widely recognized as the creators of the culture, it has crossed so many color lines long ago. I usually like to think of Hip Hop music and culture as the “great unifier”. Without it, I wouldn’t have had as nearly as much exposure to the world as I do now. I am eternally grateful for Hip Hop’s many influences.
But see, there’s this negative connotation that goes along with being a part of Hip Hop: thuggish posturing, violent lyrics, degrading women, disrespect to the gay and lesbian community, promoting of drug selling and culture – the list goes on. In fact, you have some ham-heads in the NBA and sports media referring to a style of dress of some of their popular athletes as the “Hip Hop image”. NBA legend Rick Barry recently told an ESPN reporter via a television interview that Miami Heat all-star center Shaquille O’Neal needs to lose “the Hip Hop image” and “work on his game”. Now, Mr. Barry was a fantastic ballplayer and there’s no disputing that but he comes across as a bitter man who feels as though his game and accomplishments mean more than a man being himself. Rick Barry is one of those old-school blue-collar players, but to have vehemence toward a thing you obviously don’t get is just a little asinine. There again, we’re dealing with this “us vs. them” mentality and it’s ruining the fabric of true and honest discourse. The so-called Hip Hop generation can and will not prosper without the wisdom of the previous generations; we need to study not only the mistakes but the heights of achievement of those earlier times.

Hip Hop culture suffers from bad press and individuals who claim to be part of it that aren’t good people and a general feeling of misunderstanding. These aren’t new problems or issues – if you’ve been reading this space in past weeks and months, you know how much of a broken record that is. But we need the older cats to look at us (and hell, I’m headed to old cat territory as a so-called Gen-Xer) in the X and Hip Hop generations and not shut us out. We appreciate the reasoning behind the advice and even the disdain; we don’t appreciate feeling as though we’re offending sensibilities for simply embracing what’s natural for us. Change, to borrow a cliché, is one of life’s many inevitable progressions – but just as that is a sure fact, you also need to hold fast to your beliefs and ideals. We’re still forming our history in those generations I’ve mentioned. All that we ask is that our elders grant us the patience to improve just as ardently as they expect us to listen.

Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Write Us Off

2005-04-21T10:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve certainly lamented in recent days of the quiet that seemed to overtake the once robust Hip Hop and politics frenzy. As recent as last week, some exciting and enriching things have been happening on that front – some in my own back yard and I’m hearing little about it. The cameras aren’t as invasive as they were when this sort of thing was a sexier news item – i.e., pre-election hype. The Hip Hop voting and activism sector will not be overlooked after the next two years and we can expect more of the same old thing: a so-called unified collaboration to get folks in line with being participants in democracy. 2000, 2004, 2008; get used to the cycle of media attention, folks.

It is a shame I missed the 2005 TransAfrica Annual Foreign Policy conference held at the University of Maryland this past Saturday. I wish I knew this was happening as it is the sort of activity I need to be around in order to make sense and order of what’s happening within the confines of political activism and Hip Hop. If they’re to be conjoined, I want to know every how and why as to how it’s faring. I do recognize that those of us who have the ability to reach wide audiences are usually celebrated for our prowess – many seem to think we’re pontificating braggarts defending a non-culture and farce of a musical genre. Even as influential as Hip Hop is and how attractive that is to those who want to promote sincere grassroots messages through the culture and music, there are many critics who live to depict Hip Hop as a vehicle for societal demise.

This is why the story of Lavie Raven’s University of Hip Hop in Chicago is precisely the kind of story those critics need to witness. Mr. Raven, the minister of Hip Hop, teaches inner city Chicago youth the beauty and creativity of Graffiti art – and Chicago has many famous Graf writers who have crafted amazing pieces on some of the abandoned (and sometimes active) trains on their local transit system. Sure, it’s not high-brow stuff to some but these kids are learning about an important start to the culture that currently dictates what’s fresh and hip to nations abroad.

And then there are the efforts of the L.I.F.E. group at the University of California in San Diego which students can come together and learn about Hip Hop culture and all the many facets that exist within it. There are so many of these small collectives and units across the country – each with their own unique spin but common goal of using Hip Hop for more than a way to brag about their gains to a beat. There are educational merits and positive social mobilization present in these groups. There’s always this doom and doldrums discussion about what Hip Hop has become but I truly believe that these groups showcase successfully what Hip Hop should and will ultimately be. No, this change will be far from sudden but everything indicates that we’re moving in the right direction.

Fame Gets You Attention. Use It Wisely.

2005-04-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hip Hop requires serious study and discussion amongst people who can effectively speak on not only the deeper impact of the culture and lyrics on today’s society, but also the technical skills of the artists that practice it daily. I still believe that academics can hurt these discussions by over-thinking and over-analyzing the music and culture; some of the analyzing comes from a root of indifference and disdain. Am I saying that I don’t enjoy that Hip Hop enjoys a platform in many a college and university classroom? Of course I’m excited at that prospect but I fear something will get lost in the meantime.

What gets lost? I think what gets lost primarily is the many nuances of the lyrical content, the importance of the societal impact of the culture, the many styles of Hip Hop within itself and just how innovative the music continues to be. I do not enjoy how much Hip Hop is both used to attract the youth and is dissected by the generations before us as some rouge sub-culture that should’ve have ever had the success its had. I don’t enjoy that a lot of current Hip Hop isn’t help my case by having artists behave like common street thugs who are using street cred (imagined or real) to sell records. It’s just as offensive as trying to attract young people with these artists by having them endorse the “coolness” of voting when half of them care not about the power of democracy.

Politics and Hip Hop will remain cock-eyed cousins as I don’t think the two entities will be focused on the same goals and ideals. I have my doubts of trying to force the two together because by and large, fans of popular Hip Hop don’t care if the Yin Yang Twins telling them to write their senator and vote. Now, if a sector of those fans of that group or other groups of that ilk, I apologize if I assume the worst of you. Hell, if those cats are civic-minded and take their fame to the streets to promote a positive thing then I’m all for it. The reality is I don’t see that happening. What is happening is that they have a hot song that has the banal refrain of “Wait Til You See My D*ck” – and the song has no signs of playing out soon. How soon before pop radio is forced to play it due to demand thus having a boom of suburban kids shouting the chorus in glee?

I’ve said it in this column and I’ll say it again: Popular rappers could change the political landscape just by demanding their ravenous fans get involved politically, socially and responsibly. If you couple that with true education, sincerity and a focus on state and local issue, you could see a true voting bloc with awesome power. I’ve spoken about this since 2000 and in 2005 I’m nearly ashamed that I have to repeat myself. But if that’s what I have to do to get the industry to pick up the ball, count me in for the long haul.

Hip Hop Needs Help, Not Heckling

2005-04-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

Controversy and Hip Hop have been common bedfellows since the late 1980s with groups like N.W.A. and Public Enemy absorbing the ire of anti-rap proponents denouncing the importance and worth of the music and culture. So to note that Hip Hop’s most visible artists and images of today leave little to be desired is perhaps the greatest understatement in some time. The most ardent protest thus far has been the Essence magazine campaign to stop the negative images of women and I’ve mentioned in a previous column about the current Feminism and Hip Hop conference in Chicago. Chicago Tribune columnist Dawn Turner Trice gently spanks Hip Hop on the bottom but at the very least recognizes that what’s being touted as Hip Hop is just only more prominent and exposed. She seems to be aware that there is more to the music than what MTV, BET, Clear Channel and Radio One have forced us to endure. Finally, someone out there who’s ready for a change without seeming to drag Hip Hop into some unnecessary mud fight. I can get behind that.

It’d be great if those women at the conference would allow supportive voices (or would that be opposing?) that could show that there’s more to Hip Hop than Nelly’s “Tip Drill” video and other negatives songs that are dance floor popular. Take for instance the Advanced School of Knowledge event out in the Bay Area in California mentioned in this story from the San Francisco Bay View. These young people are using Hip Hop and applying themselves in ways many people probably never gave them credit for nor would expect them to maintain. For every instance of negativity, there are many stories of this magnitude being repeated in many neighborhoods in this country over and over - people actually using Hip Hop as a means to cope and to educate those who are headed down dark paths. As I’m fond of saying, positive Hip Hop stories aren’t “sexy” angles for the media outlets. I mean, Hip Hop can be peaceful? Who knew? It doesn’t ring with the same punch as, say, reports of label mates Game and 50 shooting at each other over ill spoken words and hurt feelings.

This remains my hope: that while we can politic and pontificate until we’re blue in the face about the problems in much of current Hip Hop music, I pray that we can use that same glaring assessment on the acts, youth groups and others in the music industry who use their influences and ability to communicate to young people for the higher good. To demonize Hip Hop doesn’t fix it; the repair is ongoing and will not be a quick fixer-upper. I demand that these anti-Hip Hop groups do more than just the bare minimum requisite as far as research is concerned. If we can remember that it took 30 years for it to get to this highest height of foul, it may take us 30 to snatch it back. Are we patient enough to wait it out? Time will tell.

If It's Broke, Who's Gonna Fix It?

2005-03-31T10:11:00.000-08:00

Hip Hop artists of today are doing little to help themselves as I tirelessly defend them and the culture; it seems like weekly there is a new single or incident that ruins all hope for a broader acceptance. But what I’m sure I’ve yet to do on these pages was to apologize for what’s occurred thus far. I happened across this interesting, if brief, piece from EUR that is shockingly understanding of the tone in today’s music. It’s rare to witness such an open acceptance of what we’re faced with in Hip Hop now – an almost gentle understanding is present in this piece. Yet, I cannot say I’m fond of what’s that articulating. Mr. Robinson’s piece speaks of “war in the drums for the black man” – and I get what he’s expressing but war and aggression isn’t what the music nor culture need. What it’s missing is an overall standard of high quality; today’s music is all hype, pizzazz and minimal substance.

Jeff Chang's excellent book, “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop”, is something I’m sure you’ve seen me mention several times in the space of this blog column. The reason being is it is that pivotal a work to possess as we continue to try and define the worth and importance of our ever evolving culture. Chang takes it to a deeper level than just speaking on the culture and music’s development; he smartly details Hip Hop’s cultural impact and influence – something we can witness in other countries by the day. I wonder if people really understand how much Hip Hop permeates and influences other genres of music and culture yet suffers so much from the negativity (and media focus) only to yet again be treated alien.

There is a such a lull in politically or socially charged Hip Hop as it is the time where the big labels are looking to get that first “hot” spring/summer record to dominate the airwaves and charts. On the indie scene, many acts you would figure to lead that charge are either stagnant or compelled to make music they’re usually not associated with doing (case in point: the new Perceptionists record featuring Mr. Lif and Akrobatik). Was Lif supposed to make an I Phantom part two? Of course the fans want that as it was definitely Lif’s crowning moment but concept records are so 2003 now – sarcastically speaking. I will say what a lot of others won’t: I wanted Lif to return to that concept and I can’t tell where they’re going with the new angle (and I’m not sure if I’m liking it less because of what it wasn’t more so than for what it is).

In the end, however, the onus is on us the fans and practitioners to advance those concepts and ideals into the music again. If we want music quality to improve, we have to counter the output of crap with better music. If we simply bitch and moan our way through life talking about what once was, it’s nobody’s fault but our own if it does not improve.

Debate, Divide & Decide: Picking Sides in the Hip Hop Sex War

2005-03-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

I imagine that when writer Stanley Crouch has exhausted all of his usual fare, he attacks Hip Hop music as a means to make a juicy read. It’s becoming a tired, tepid shtick yet he keeps going to the well with it. He’s correct that women need not buy into the misogyny present in much of today’s bigger radio hits but his condemnation is too far-sweeping and does nothing to address the many positive alternative images and messages available. See, these critiques of Hip Hop music and culture would not be so maddening if the writers and critics took care to paint the broadest strokes possible. Instead, we have these narrow-seeming men and women who come across as not only crotchety, but ill informed.

With the impending Feminism and Hip Hop conference coming up in April to be held in Chicago, there exists this heavy air that we’re preparing ourselves for a war that doesn’t need to be fought. This warlock hunt that Essence is launching has a good idea but it is such a bumbling approach as I fear it will never be taken seriously. They will struggle for legitimacy by culling opinions and detractions from people they truly feel have a handle on the taste and pulse of the culture – and it’s a false sense of assuredness in that because they never go outside what’s in front of them on cable and radio.

I would urge these champions of Hip Hop’s sexist reversal to recognize that there are writers, artists and vocal leaders who have a more centrist view of what they perceive Hip Hop the culture to be. People like the great writer Jeff Chang – who gets mentioned in this pretty thorough critique of the so-called Hip Hop generation by Phillip Martin. The betterment of the music starts by truly understanding it – and that’s precisely my main issue with the Crouches and McWhorters of the world (I totally hate when writers do that but I’m being lazy this week). If they took the exhaustive road of researching other sides first before they donned the cloak of disdain, I'd be fine with their single-minded comments.

I’m interested in just 3 things: the improvement of overall Hip Hop quality regarding both the music and the culture, less of a corporate greediness in the industry and an open forum between varying sides of the music as to increase and promote awareness on all levels. Right now, we’re doing a lot of chest thumping and finger pointing. There aren’t really any healthy discussions – just these campaigns with burning torches and angry mobs ready to tear down the tower in which Hip Hop as the Frankenstein monster rests. We have this air of contention that’s heavier than the actual issue at hand so nothing gets done if that persists.

There was a conversation I had the pleasure of overhearing recently on the train between an older Black gentleman and his White, and equal in age, counterpart. They were discussing what they felt was the problem with young people today. The White gentleman stated that he felt the problem all started when, as he comically put it, “the rap hippity stuff” started to become the benchmark for what’s cool in this country. The Black gentleman followed up by saying that the music began to form the tastes and held the rapt attention of the global youth thus insuring an almost absolute global influence. In the end, nobody knew it’d be this big and we’re still trying to contain it with misunderstanding’s fumbling hand. When are we going to get this thing right?

All Around The World

2005-03-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

The story of London rapper M.I.A. sounds far too intense to be true. However, the daughter of a Sri Lankan rebel happens to fuse every detail of her influences, surroundings and background into an eclectic mix of self-styled sounds and lyrics. This is precisely what I speak about often in this blog column: Hip Hop is indeed a culture that’s often dissected to be less than what it is but which influences cannot be ignored. The global impact of Hip Hop culture isn’t a shock any longer and yet, it continues to remain innovative and interesting even in the midst of a quality drop in today’s money obsessed climate.

M.I.A.’s debut LP, Arular, even happens to inject a little world politics amongst the slang-heavy and driving disc. It is definitely one of the more creative releases to come out in some time.
To further explore the global theme, check out this article from the Canadian Press about social Hip Hop’s influence around the world. Isn’t it odd how other countries use the music to drive messages to their peer group instead of talking about how flossy they are? When there’s a song on the radio the likes of the Yin Yang Twins low-brow single, “Wait”, you have to question the future of the music on American radio and television. It seems that now the daring innovators are people concerned with matters that separate messages to the beat from being an excuse to brag, command women to gyrate and glorify a lifestyle that is not even one they’re living necessarily.

I’m sure I’m coming off like a crotchety old-school cat that hates the current scene and has turned his back to the culture. Part of that is certainly true – I do not enjoy what the true shining joy of my youth has devolved to. But am I giving up on it? I would never do that. The simple fact is this: I’ve put too much time into supporting this music and culture to just willingly give up on it. I do not have a narrow view of its future as many intellectuals and critics seem to have and believe ardently. Still, I have to give myself a little chin check as well when it comes to the subject of many of my written works. In short terms, the music is going straight to hell on the mainstream side. It’s to the point now that a record truly deserving of commercial success only can insure that goal by the sheer power of its record company’s influence in marketing the product. Again, it’s not a game of quality any longer – it is simply a game of numbers.

I never heard of Brian Proffitt (many thanks to Up & Coming magazine) who is a co-founder of Hip Hop Against Racist War (HHARW). Very impressive thing they’re trying to do here and I wish their concert rally later today much success. Perhaps the trend of promoting quality music and ideas will be the next big thing. We can only hope, right?

Many thanks to the Houston Chronicle for the link to the M.I.A. story

Rappers Are In Danger! (C) KRS-One

2005-03-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

I’m not ashamed to note that I am in my early 30s - although my dashing and boyish good looks defy my age. Poor attempts of humor aside, I’ve grown up witnessing various phases of Hip Hop’s media coverage and the accompanying sounds of the time. From the mid 80s to now, I have had the pleasure of seeing how bumbling reporters tried to paint rap music as not only a fad but a xenophobic culture that would never go mainstream. I do believe the facts certainly betray that frame of thinking as Hip Hop’s global influence has no signs of slowing down any time in the near future.

Given the background of some Hip Hop artists and practitioners of the late 70s and early 80s (inner city dwelling “minorities‿), it wasn’t impossible for some in the media to shore some level of doubt regarding their potential for success. Yet, it happened in large fashion and nobody could stop the onslaught. In my time, the first major coverage paid attention to a Hip Hop act on a national level was Queens New York legends Run-D.M.C. In comparison to major artists of now, Run-D.M.C. was everywhere as 50 Cent and others are now – eventually leading into their own version of an Adidas sneaker shoe. Then there was the groundbreaking (and possibly rumored as I’ve heard) million dollar record deal signed by Eric B and Rakim when they defected from their first label – and chronicled by Nas on his latest disc on the song “U.A.B. of Rakim‿.

Until 1988, when Public Enemy’s oft-discussed 2nd LP “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back‿ was released, controversial Hip Hop was a rarity; the so-called “golden age‿ was at its peak and media coverage started to peak right along with it. Public Enemy’s bold politics and loud music took this nation under its hold and had possession of it until at least the early 90s. I remember those times of protest against PE for band member Professor Griff’s anti-Semitic remarks and how the media dogged the group as often as it could. Public Enemy’s lasting legacy, however, is the over-used but relevant at times tag line that Hip Hop is the "CNN of the streets". Some could argue that Hip Hop is now the Radio One or Clear Channel of the streets as today the sound is homogenous and you can’t differentiate artists by region anymore because it’s all sounding the same.

Today’s media obsession with Hip Hop – especially the violence – isn’t a shock. It makes for great stories and reporting. Unlike when I was coming up, the kids and old heads of today can log on the Internet and see Hip Hop unfold nearly live. We’ve become a microwave culture expecting our information fast, hot and filling. Who cares if anything lacks substance or relevance – we want to know and we want to know NOW! Take for instance this current quasi-disagreement with label mates 50 Cent and Game. Not only was it over absolutely thin reasons, but it nearly escalated into people dying over words – mere words over radio airwaves. And then you have folks saying beef or diss records kept on wax is good for Hip Hop? How? Nobody has yet to explain in a sensible way why that’s good for anything other than to drum up sales and media attention for the artists involved.

This is the type of behavior that lends credence to the words of jazz critics and scholars like author John McWhorter – who I maintain still doesn’t know what he’s talking about. It also helps support statements such as the Reverend Al Sharpton’s suggested 90-day ban of rap music on commercial channels although I do believe there are more pertinent issues in the community the Reverend could equally focus on. Beating up on Hip Hop isn’t going to help change it. Let’s face it, the marriage of violent behavior and Hip Hop will have more reoccurrences and the music’s legend will continue to spread. The Federal Government will continue to waste dollars investigating Hip Hop (isn’t this a laugh) to discover illicit activities. The problem isn’t Hip Hop and never was. There are various positive messages and artists but they’re not as sexy a story as, say, Game and Fiddy trying to murder each other or rappers uttering controversial statements with all microphones and lights on. The issue is that there are certain individuals that have chosen to break laws and act as if they’re above them or engage in activity of almost a daring-to-be-caught sort. Demean them. Damn them if you have to. But do not attack the entire whole of Hip Hop – not when there are so many opportunities abound for the camera to turn the lights up on some folks in the genre and culture that are bringing forth positive images and contributions.

Can Hip Hop Transcend Its Already Lofty Heights?

2005-03-03T10:06:00.000-08:00

I can appreciate a writer such as the likes of Jeff Chang. I’ve been reading his work and blog on and off for the past year – coming away impressed for the most part each time. This interview with Mr. Chang gives a little insight about the man and how his mind works – but I encourage you all to peruse his work whenever you can.

Hip Hop music and culture is so amazing in the fact that it unifies a lot of individuals from varied demographics yet there is never a lack of cohesion (at least when everyone’s on the same page). There are plenty of active Hip Hop groups across the country – just like this group in Detroit – that champion the virtues of Hip Hop and unifying all the sub-genres within the genre.

Again, the beauty of Hip Hop is that it is multi-layered in both sound and approach; there is something in it for everybody. Like partisan politics, there is the “aboveground‿ (read: mainstream, commercial acts) and the underground (read: groups that’ll never move units). For Hip Hop to survive on the lower tiers, the divide has to be narrowed. I’m not satisfied with what’s on the radio save for the occasional Nas single of late. But the days of groups of both sides sharing air time are dwindling fast as the Hip Hop music industry is disgustingly consumed with sales and not quality.

Armond White, film reviewer for the New York Press, recently wrote this piece recalling Public Enemy’s groundbreaking It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. You may ask yourself, “Why is a film critic discussing a Hip Hop LP at lengths and then comparing it to the Sex Pistols?‿ Why couldn’t PE’s second album stand out on its own without comparison – because frankly, there isn’t another piece music in the world quite like it? He is correct; to listen to PE makes one recant the tension and desire of hope for the times. At the time, I was 15 and confused as hell about my station in the world. I was considered bright but I felt forgotten and left behind. I studied the civil rights movement and their successes and failures; I would read anything that dealt with revolution (I discovered Marxism at the time). The entire experience was pivotal for me and I know I am not alone in that experience. Mr. White, however, seems to turn the blind eye to the likes of Mr. Lif, El-P, Tahir and maybe even dead prez – although it seems as though the last group mentioned have devolved a bit from their earlier stances. There are plenty of vocal and active MCs – I’ve written about them in this blog column at lengths. Mr. White speaks of a “political and cultural promise‿. But I hope he does a little more research in his next attempt to wax in remembrance of a time of Hip Hop old.

I have a question to pose to you all. Do you want the intelligentsia – namely the Black Intelligentsia – to introduce novel ideas in bridging Hip Hop and academics? Or do we join forces as a huge Justice League of sorts to combat the evils and downward spiral of Hip Hop? I don’t think it’s impossible for academics to apply Hip Hop’s lucid ability to embody youth culture and yet be one of the most diverse social settings ever. But do I see it working? Only if the egos of those involved can be checked and understand the true need for collaboration and not try to bully their ideas ahead of anyone else. This piece from Harvard University’s Kwame Owusu-Kesse details in brief how that could and should happen, but I still feel it misses the heart and soul of what we need. Hip Hop isn’t in need of repair nor does the political and social aspect of the culture suffer on the grassroots level. What truly is at hand is steady undercurrents of change abound and all of us – the academics and Hip Hop proponents – need to find out our roles and stick to them.

Red, White, Black & Blue

2005-02-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

If you’re a fan of the mammoth Hip Hop collective Wu-tang Clan, then you must’ve heard word of the latest venture by Wu mastermind and producer, The RZA: the release of the Wu-tang Manual. I’ve read the book and I can admit that while much of what he discusses doesn’t read like bombshells (since I’ve been a rabid Wu fan myself), it is well-done and far from a campy attempt to cash in on a name that is fading in many circles. What better way to make yourself relevant than to actually do something compelling enough to be deemed as such.

Not to turn this blog entry into a RZA love ode, but this strengthens the widely held opinion that the Wu was the most innovative rap collective ever assembled. But isn't it amazing how RZA seemingly dons the dubious cap of world ambassador for peace? Read this following quote from this MTV report from Jennifer Vineyard:

"One of my goals in life is basically to represent righteousness," he continued, "but also to break down the barriers we all put up on each other. I'm not trying to be Martin Luther King and all of that, I'm not going to fight for civil rights or nothing like that, but I think it's just a misconception of religion and cultures that's got us all boggled with each other. Let's at least know about each other, and then if you want to smack me after that, then all's fair in love and war."

Pretty heady stuff from the man who invented the pimp-smacking, beat-making hardheaded alter-ego of Bobby Digital – representing the “wild‿ side of the Wu-tang Clan’s “abbot‿. The shame in the success of the Wu book is that many a rapper will try to mimic the literary formula -just as so many have tried to do in the rap world. I highly doubt anyone can match the effort and care taken to present a book worthy of the praise surrounding it.

These are curious times for rap artists – most especially for mainstream artists such as Kanye West and Jadakiss for tackling topics that aren’t rooted in common themes of partying and bullsh*t. But for indie rap acts such as Sage Francis and Dalek , the backdrop to paint politically themed works isn’t as discouraged or nonexistent. Both of the acts embrace unconventional methods of music – opting for less steady rhythm and quirkier and sometimes noisier fare. Then you have an MC such as Mr. Lif who can rock over the traditional straight rhythms but easily ride a chaotic El-P track with the same tenacity – all with topics ranging from the ills of the world to the hypocrisy of the Iraq War. Is this a return to the late 80s and early 90s – when rappers of more “conscious‿ dealings shared the spotlight with Mr. Mainstream rapper as well?
I haven’t said anything focusing on Black History Month because I’ve never embraced this so-called mystical month of black accomplishment and celebration. I’m proud to be of the hue and race I am. Yet I feel this so-called celebration is trifled by the fact that there is so much of a rich history in black people or Americans of African descent in this county, only to be sandwiched into the shortest month of the year. There are many clichéd programs available about this time – yet there are a good amount of television and cable programs that don’t seem to bastardize and commercialize the experience of black achievement. That said; enjoy this piece from Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman interviewing Columbia University professor Manning Marable. It’s a pretty good discussion on MalcolmX – one of black history’s greatest stories.
Hopefully you’ll learn something.

Have We Given Up The Right To Fight?

2005-02-18T10:03:00.000-08:00

It isn’t too often when I’m impressed with an academic’s take on Hip Hop culture and the political angle it’s taken on over the years. I’m usually uncomfortable witnessing men and women who aren’t entrenched as deeply as I or my peers are dissecting the worth of something we cherish dearly. Perhaps I’ve grown an obsession – possibly a false claim to the rights of what it is to be political and still considered part of the Hip Hop circumference. As I do before I sit in front of my PC and write my weekly entry, I surf the Internet for interesting news items and I most times hit jackpot. I came across a piece from Columbia University professor Manning Marable (I really enjoy his written work) about Hip Hop and politics. It was done in 2002; well after the shock of Bush stealing the first term. The ideas were still being discussed and fresh – people seemed still eager to fight.

Now here’s what’s disappointing – and feel free, readers, to correct me if I’m wrong – but I’m not seeing any type of unified front like we did that first time. There was a decided amount of outrage because clearly nobody wanted George W. Bush in office. The youth voter efforts I conducted in 1999 and 2000 were my proof – every young person I registered to vote (and I didn’t sway anyone as law dictates) all said their votes were going to Al Gore. Apparently this was the consensus nationwide and we still got stuck with Dubya. And now, we’re still stuck with him, albeit it’s a little frightening now when you think of how narrow the popular vote was this time. People are getting out there now in force. There exists young Republican and conservative movements just like the Democrats and liberals have undertaken for years. It has the makings of a type of jihad – a holy war.

The challenge with the political Hip Hop movement is how we all can sustain the tenacity of before. And unlike before in 1999-2000, the efforts for this election came way too late from people like Sean Combs and others. Professor Marable’s piece reminds us that there is still a large divide between the passionate and dedicated fighters in the Civil Rights movement and the politically active Hip Hoppers (I don’t quite like that word, but it fits). Narrowing that gap has been a passion of mine for a while but I need those haughty academics to meet me and my people halfway. But there is also another issue at hand – and I say this with a measurable amount reluctance. We have to be more inclusive now as our country isn’t as segregated in demographics as it once was. Politically, a lot more is at stake now given the looming specter of the social security debacle, the so-called wars in the Middle East and a crumbling foreign policy. We have serious things to ponder for serious times and we need leaders in the trenches of all generations, backgrounds and hues to put aside the differences for the advancement of the ideas that truly help the people. The question is how do we put everyone on notice?

Hip Hop: The Thinking Man's Sport?

2005-02-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

Those of us who are proponents of Hip Hop culture and enjoy everything that has stemmed from that root understand the difficulty we face trying to extol the good virtues of that culture. Then there are the academics and philosophers over thinking Hip Hop’s place in the world – and I’ve been guilty of it myself. So this leads me to the first item to get my goat for this week. At a recent Emory University panel discussion , a few notable academics got together to discuss Hip Hop’s impact for their fifth annual State of Race forum. Michael Eric Dyson was present, probably butchering Hip Hop thinking he’s helping it.

But what’s annoying is that why are Jazz men like Stanley Crouch and professor Dwight Andrews weighing in on what Hip Hop is to them? It’s apparent their worlds naturally collide by the association of their backgrounds alone. I’m sure he’s a brilliant man and all, but this is becoming a tiresome trend. You need experts in the field you wish to discuss and dissect. Professor Dyson, for what it’s worth, is not someone I consider an expert, proponent or champion of Hip Hop. Plus, many of his views are stuck on 3 artists at best. I don’t see Dyson going to Fat Beats NYC digging for the next hot record. But that’s another topic for another day.
I just wish the day will come that universities that hold these forums recognize that not all the great minds of the culture are teachers and professors rehashing what they think is right. The best minds are the people who have shaped and are shaping continually what the worth of the culture is today. As the professors from that forum noted, there are glaring problems within Hip Hop yet the problems are only made so when you do not focus on the other side. If we’re to just embrace this one-sided view from these so-called academics, then Hip Hop is doomed to an eternity of scrutiny by people who don’t even know it.

But then again, I can’t blame the less informed for having narrow views since much of popular Hip Hop isn’t advancing anyone mentally or socially. The message-driven music of the 70s and 80s only truly had a similar phase in Hip Hop during the mid 80s to mid 90s – of course with various exceptions to that rule. Many people could easily say I’m foolish in my hopes that the music will return to those nearly archaic roots. And I say nearly only because of this experience recently at the barbershop I attend. They had an Old School Hip Hop video block on one of the cable stations (I assume MTV Jams?) and we’re all watching. Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power‿ video came on and all of the age 25 and over guys in the shop are pumping our fists and grinning ear to ear – remembering where we were in our lives when we first heard it.

Almost every young person in the shop looked at the screen blankly and looked at us as if we were aliens. They couldn’t even fathom why it made us so happy to see that. I have to remind myself all the time that because these kids are just as tall as I am, they weren’t around when I had my vocation and that I should allow them to have their experiences with Jay-Z, Nas and all the mundane rappers with typically dope beats (not to say all of what's currently hot is bad). They don’t even care about lyrics the way I did when I was kid – MCs nowadays are phoning it in with the rhymes (and the messages too) because ultimately nobody’s listening. It’s not the end of the world, however. For every Chingy (who I don’t think is necessarily wack but definitely under whelming) that fits a person’s listening lifestyle, we’ll have rappers like Mr. Lif who can deliver a message without it beating you over the head.

There has to be a delicate balance between sounding dope and saying something meaningful. Those few rappers who can achieve that are dwindling but let’s not give up on Hip Hop just yet.

Have Speechwriter, Will Fool You b/w RUSSELL RUSH IS BACK!

2005-02-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

While watching the president's State of The Union address on television Wednesday evening, I kept hearing the chorus from Definitive Jux recording group S.A. Smash’s song, “I’m A Robot‿ (an album I named as one of the best in 2003 for the magazine Loosie.com) – all while looking at the eerie Laura Bush with her Stepford Wife hand waving. That was my own personal Twilight Zone moment but let’s really think about the meat of his message.

It’s known that I write for those of the so-called Hip Hop generation and this is a group I’m hoping stays just as informed as I strive to be. I’d like to think that some of you who read my words looking for jewels might find a few here and there.

But I challenge you all to pay attention to what’s going on in Congress and listen to the political talk shows and pundits. Much of what was discussed during the SOTU was about your future and the ability you’ll have to care for yourself in retirement age. Ask any parent, those retirement planning years now seem so far off but it will go by quickly. For every little bit you don’t do now, it will just be a larger hurdle to climb later. Realistically speaking, Social Security shouldn’t be the only retirement fund you rely on. Now if Puffy and the rest of the Hip Hop political hopefuls want to get behind something, I’d like to see them launch a campaign to empower young people to learn more about their finances and the laws behind them. They’re pretty quiet these days and this is just the type of hot button issue that will draw big time partisan battle lines –jumpstarting the necessary discussions to be had.

One of the most important Hip Hop albums of all time is Public Enemy’s “It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back‿. According to AllHipHop.com’s Nolan Strong, there will be a discussion about the legendary LP held at the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at NYU. For me, this album notes the very first time I decided to be active in my community. I hope to travel up and witness this discussion as it meant so much to me as youth. I can still remember hearing cuts like “Bring The Noise‿ and “Rebel Without A Pause‿. That first line, “Yes, The Rhythm The Rebel/Without A Pause, I’m Lowering My Level‿ will forever be burned into my mind. Seventeen years later and this LP's worth is still clearly superior to a lot of today’s so-called classics.

A little news item that I almost overlooked was Mr. Russell Simmons rubbing elbows and slapping high-fives to Republican Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich. Simmons, as you can read in this article , seems to be moving a bit to the right with his support of Governor Ehrlich’s seemingly kind gestures. Truth be told, Ehrlich’s doesn’t seem to tow the party line when it comes to fixing problems in the state so I can actually get behind what he’s doing as well. It’s just a little interesting after how quiet Simmons has been on the political front that we see him resurface at a time such as this; He’s been active in other causes as of late. This isn’t a judgment of the man’s character – I will always maintain that however critical I may have been about Mr. Simmons, I never once didn’t have high hopes for his mission. That said I hope he makes a more vocal return to the political realm because things are certainly stalling right now and the politically minded Hip Hop movement needs a jumpstart.

Young, Not Dumb, Full Of Aplomb

2005-01-28T09:59:00.000-08:00

The Inauguration is over and thankfully so; please let me explain why. I had to ride a train in our Nation's Capitol that was full of the snootiest bunch of young white republicans I’ve ever bore witness to. Not knowing my race, background or anything these kids were just ripping foreign cab drivers, the “criminal element" (read: loads of mean black people) and the like. It was so nerve-wracking that I eventually put down my headphones and told them all to, politely, have a warm glass of shut the hell up.

They were shocked, sure, and I generally didn’t care. I don’t mind republicans – as I know an alarming amount of disgustingly loud and out of touch democrats as well. It was the sheer volume and disdain they seemed to display for anyone not in their “world" that had me wanting to kick them all in the throat.

I’ve known a few republicans and conservatives of various hues in my life; they’ve been some of the more civil politically-minded people I’ve come to know. So I don’t have this “us-versus-them" mindset when I discuss those who may be on the right and republican. My issue with the group mentality has always been one of divisive cattiness. It is the very core of partisanship’s many problems. There will always be a middle ground to tread politically.

Former Source editor Bakari Kitwana recently had a discussion on Hip Hop at Texas &AM University. I’m not the hugest fan of his works but I do appreciate him recognizing the very true fact that white youth are not Hip Hop’s primary audience – as that is the usual correlation since white youth buy more of the music than other race groups. But I will say in today’s “must sell a million to be relevant" Hip Hop, the focus on quality beyond quantity is nil. The truth remains: Young people want to shake their asses, pimp in their rides and bop on the train with their walkmans. The message can be inserted, but would it ever get heard?

Speaking of messages, my colleague DaBookman posted a blog about the Hot 97 scandal involving the radio hosts mocking the Tsunami victims by referring to them as “chinks‿ and such. Today, there will be a rally led by New York City councilman John C.Liu. What a disgusting set of events that led them to this point. Morning radio is already quite tasteless and then you have Hot 97. I hope that drive-time morning deejays are forever mindful of the sensitivity of their listeners. There are times were a joke need not be uttered regardless of the impact.

I appreciate college professors like Tracy Everbach of the University of North Texas for their allowing their students and young people alike to display their level of intelligence and social relevance on their terms and not what some white bread generalization is supposed to be. The moment we recognize that the young voters are a lot brighter than they may let on, we can brace ourselves safely when they become the leaders of our world tomorrow.

Politics, Parties and The Will to Work

2005-01-21T09:58:00.000-08:00

As yesterday’s events showed us, we’re still a country that loves a party – no matter the detriment. The protestors were oddly muffled and the grins that go along with such an event were at an all time high. My favorite part of the evening, however, was laughing at the stumbling, drunk and young Republicans falling all over themselves and overhearing one young man say “Dude, Bush really does suck at speeches." You don’t say. I didn’t really get too close to anyone nor did I speak much. I’d just gotten back in town from a warmer climate and it was colder in D.C. than I left nearly a week ago. Still, the security was bananas down at the Inaugural Parade. I’ve never seen such a massive amount of law enforcement. It may have been more cops than marchers present.

I’m not sure how I feel about the whole thing. The reality is this: Bush is here to stay and a nation of already discontented voters will continually harp on the failure of the Kerry campaign as being the reason politics will not be something they care completely about or trust. Do we blame them for that? Of course we shouldn’t. I’m still at a loss for words myself. The fact that I was there watching the swearing in of a man I do not want running this country shocked me into that sad reality of dealing with this administration for 3 more years. I just picked up this book and the question of “what we do know" is a valid one. I know that our mission to change the political landscape of our country is not without hardship ahead. I realize progressives and those on the left are bracing themselves; perhaps preparing for an even stranger term than Bush’s first. The important lesson we should learn is that what we’ve done so far should not have a drop-off.

A man I’ve come to respect, author Adisa Banjoko, recently penned an editorial for All Hip Hop.com offering five political Hip Hop resolutions. I’m glad someone is stepping up and putting us all on notice. Complacency in the face of great ideas is the bane of this society and will derail everything we’re trying to do. If a new blood needs to be injected into the forefront of this nation, it will take people doing some serious work. How many are ready to step up in that fashion? I’ll admit, I have plenty of things to learn but my will is very strong. Mr. Banjoko and I had a recent conversation and I expressed to him that as a person who writes, I have this fear of being redundant. He answered that as a writer you’ve said what’s been said a thousand times over, so of course you’ll become redundant in some instances. I was a little afraid to admit that but he’s right. I look over the weeks of writing I’ve done here, for myself and abroad – there is this constant need to fight the machine. So if I’m redundant, at least I’m working on being consistent with it.

A Change Gon' Come

2005-01-14T09:56:00.000-08:00

Until today, I’ve never heard of the Albuquerque Tribune columnist Gene Grant. I ran across one of his columns today speaking on Hip Hop’s need to “sober" itself. For once, a man who openly admits that Hip Hop may have passed him by offers a gentle and careful critique of the genre. This is more of what I expect of those a generation or two ahead of us “gen-xers" – the openness to acknowledge that they may have just missed the boat on Hip Hop music and culture yet want to see it embrace a more defined state. I’m fine with that because as the years have shown us, Hip Hop music is so influential and widespread. For every garage band doing bad covers of their favorite rock jams, you’ll find twice as many kids from the ghettoes to the suburbs trying to compose sixteen bar rhymes as their favorite MCs are capable of. I can remember how as a kid, bad lisp and all, I would try to imitate EPMD MCs Parrish Smith and Erick Sermon – badly as I’d like to not admit. And to go back and hear little nuggets and gems of wisdom (as Mr. Grant pointed out) was just the icing on the cake for me at that sponge-like state.

I’ve read many accounts from respected writers on how they came to love Hip Hop as they do. It’s always with a sense of reverence and wonderment. I remember reading some years ago how writer Oliver Wang discovered De La Soul and just fell in love with the music. Now he’s one of the leading voices in Hip Hop culture. I bring up Mr. Wang as I came across this blog from Hyphen Magazine about “stealth activism." I like that sound of that, as I’ve been that way prior to my more vocal activity over the past year. The poster mentions and links a piece Mr. Wang recently wrote which I suggest you all read when you can. We’ve come to an interesting time in Hip Hop. Messages are still being dropped but the call of the club and car stereo knocks loudest. I’ve been guilty of not giving a care to the lyrics as much as I used to and I wonder if that’s a sign of the times or just a phase of my own personal development. Public Enemy was occasionally featured on drive-time radio as was other so-called conscious songs but the last hit record that took on that dress has been Jadakiss’s “Why" – and even that faded off pretty quickly even with timely remixes featuring gifted MCs Nas, Common and Jada’s fellow Lox member, Styles P. Yet it was a game effort; I hope to see more of it in 2005.

With Essence Magazine going after the easiest and more visible offenders in Hip Hop music with their Take Back The Music campaign, I hope they don’t torch an entire genre of music to find success in their mission. Part of me hopes that they do light a fire under the butts of these entertainers who wantonly spew nonsense and divisive garbage. But that doesn’t equal elimination to me, as there are people who don’t mind that in their music. We’ll see what happens. In the meantime, this piece that mentions the spreading of Hip Hop’s influence in politics is just another encouraging note that we who still believe in the power and influence of the culture are not wasting their investment of time.

Next week, I’m headed down to the Inauguration Parade. I’m sure I’ll have plenty to write about after that being in the heart of it all. You all have a great weekend.

What A Way To Start Out The Year

2005-01-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

Read columnist Stanley Crouch’s bio that appears to the left of his latest piece – an impressive background and certainly one he should be proud of. So explain to me why in the world is he applauding this bumbling attempt at Hip Hop witch hunting? Thankfully he’s not leading the charge as he’s about as informed on Hip Hop culture as I am about his background in Jazz. I wouldn’t dare take him on in that arena as I know I could not match him there. But to call Hip Hop “the cultural pollution" is a step in the wrong direction for such an accomplished– yet extremely out of touch – man and shows that he need not be critical on a thing he is not a part of. I would’ve used the word brilliant but he’s showing how dense he truly is with this piece. We’re in a crisis because of a popular music’s misogyny is at some high rate, Mr. Crouch? Please.
There are far too many positive things to focus on in the culture. When is the last time you think the future author of the biography of Charlie Parker had any exposure to Hip Hop music or culture save from the negative images we all are inundated with? Doesn’t he know that with Hip Hop’s ugly side that there is a great deal of artists who don’t exalt the woman-hating mentality? Of course he doesn’t. He’s far too content to cheer on Essence magazine’s editor, Diane Waters, and her staff who really feel like they’re doing something with this.

This isn’t to say that Essence is wrong in leading this charge; I just hope that they don’t demonize an entire culture while doing so – as Mr. Crouch seems to do from his very gruff and disdainful standpoint. Yes, a lot of popular Hip Hop music today isn’t in favor of women. I can admit to how often I’m appalled myself at the amount of images and lyrics that do nothing for the advancement of the culture. But I’m involved enough to know that it does NOT mark the entire beauty and worth of the culture. If anything, I hope Essence’s mission makes a lot of these labels and entertainers find more creative ways to express themselves and not do it at the expense of women’s pride. In fact, I actually think this could end up being a positive thing if all sides keep cool heads and realize it only betters us all. I hope they go out and find Ed O.G., Masta Ace, De La Soul and other like minded so-called “old-schoolers" who put out material this year that deviated from the current popular formula. Of course, none of these acts are popular commercially so they don’t enjoy Essence’s media attention. That’s the potential problem with this movement from Essence. They can do some good – and give some needed exposure to positive music – if they allow themselves the patience to research it. How many songs do you hear of a man actually praising his wife as Masta Ace does on his latest disc, “Long Hot Summer?" Ed O.G. is most famous for his fatherhood anthem, “Be a Father to Your Child," released in the early 90s and frequently mentions his close relationship to his daughter. De La Soul, all 30-plus family men, never misses a chance to speak on their roles as dads. There are good stories and artists out there and I hope all bases are covered.

In this piece from the Associated Press’s Sean Couch, legendary MC Nasir Jones is interviewed – unveiling some of his personal politics – which could stand to use some polish – and background. I’ll give Nas credit for doing this latest CD, Streets Disciple. He may have made many missteps on the LP and probably could’ve omitted some of the sex talk and facts at times but he’s stuck his neck on the table for Hip Hop music. You can hear that while some of the beats on the LP lag, he rarely does. This was just a step in the overall maturity of the contradictory yet increasingly humble MC. I urge you to forgive his past gaffes and recognize that he’s making moves many rappers on a large label wouldn’t.

2004: Crazy Year, So Much More To Learn

2004-12-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

There is a very simple process to my blog. I read a lot of news columns, peruse the Internet for interesting content as it relates to what we do here and try to engage myself in conversations that will inspire good words. It’s been hit or miss for the most part this year when it came to my writing. Very little of it, as I look back on it, was my best work but I am proud of the efforts MfA has taken to give folks like myself a voice. I thank you all for reading my rambling prose.
Now to the good stuff: Xzibit – yes, that Xzibit – as political freedom fighter? Who knew that Mr. Pimp My Ride himself had that sort of angle with his politics? It’s refreshing, nonetheless, as you can read in this interview with London publication The Independent.

But there again, X to the Z goes on about he wants a return to the days of old when rap music’s messages were less centered around the ass-shaking and flossing fest that it has devolved to in some instances. X, with all of his visibility with the MTV show, could be a maverick in so many ways. As I’ve said in the blog before, these rappers and musical entertainers already have the attention of the world. They could use their powers for good, to borrow a cliché of sorts. Instead, they wait right alongside us fans hopeful that some savior upon a mystic steed is going to smite away the garbage that pollutes the mind and senses of us all.

Inaction of this sort is annoying because you can clearly recognize how it can be eradicated. But we must commend Xzibit for at least doing what he can on the platforms he enjoys. I’d like to see more from him in the future in that regard. Speaking of the future, we need to prepare for it by recognizing the ills of the past. This piece from Eric K. Arnold is a time capture of important events in Hip Hop – although he missed quite a bit and doesn’t seem to be as informed as I’d like folks to be when speaking on this culture I revere so much. Check out the Politics and Hip Hop portion for some interesting thoughts from Mr. Arnold.

I’ve written about Cornel West’s book, Democracy Matters in this blog once before but here is a review from Lester K. Spence and he brings up a point I’ve always raise with academics trying to fuse “youth culture‿ into their essays and critiques. Many of those in academia are so far removed from the grass roots levels of any type of movement, you would be hard pressed to find any of the scholars and intellectuals to reach people beyond their often times haughty circle. This self-contained and selfish right the public intellectual seem to covet when it comes to critiquing culture comes replete with words that miss the lay masses they should also try to reach. Most times, reading intellectuals discuss Hip Hop culture with this unnecessary wordiness just comes off as nothing more than self-serving mind jobs.

I leave you all today with this link about a political Hip Hop movement that fiery rapper Immortal Technique is involved in called the 9/11 Truth Movement. I like what the poster Alex from Disinfo.com called the political Hip Hop movement – it definitely could be seen as a seventh element as I include turntablism as separate from the element of DJ-ing.

To all MfA massive and crew, enjoy your holiday weekend and remember that 2005 is all about doing what we started here – and more.

Peace,
Chandler

If We Alright, Hip Hop Gonna Be Alright (c) Mos Def

2004-12-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

Before I get into my blog this week, I’d like to offer a top ten Hip Hop listing of my own – since that’s the music I’m typically speaking of. My colleauge DaBookman listed some interesting top releases I'd like to check out later. This is a very quick, off the cuff list. I promise, readers, that in the future installments of this blog that I will do some research and write about other genres as it hits me. Here’s the list:

(Mainstream Releases)

1. Nas – Street Disciple
Nasir Jones takes us through the dichotomous mind of a man who’s trying to find his proper place in this crazy world. The beats aren’t the choicest but Nas makes up for it with well written lyrics and an honesty that immediately makes you forgive his gaffes over the years.

2. T.I. – Urban Legend
Country drawl and standard lyrical fare aside, T.I.’s claims of being king of the south don’t seem too far fetched after witnessing his growth from his "Trap Muzik" LP to this latest disc. Make no mistake, he may be about making the club crunk but there is a true b-boy’s grit to his rhyme approach. It’s good, catchy music and it should satisfy old and new fans alike.

3. Handsome Boy Modeling School – White People
Just like Prince Paul’s "Politics of the Business" LP, most people won’t get the point of this CD. True enough, it’s not as good as their debut but nothing on a major label is currently this ambitious. Give Paul and Automator props for having the stones to do something this daring. Even Dres from Black Sheep shows up on this disc. You have to check it out just for that.

4. The Roots – Tipping Point
For every fan the popular Roots band may have lost with "Phrenology", they may have gained a slew of new ones with their latest release. Many say the Roots listened too hard to their critics and made an LP to appease their desire and if so, they’ve succeeded in making a solid yet far too short album. The highlights “Star‿, “Boom‿ and other songs are just amazing lyrical displays from front man MC Black Thought - although it is evident drummer/producer Questlove’s masterful vision is what drives this project.

5. Kanye West – College Dropout
OK, so Kanye West may come off like a bit of a jerk and the arrogance isn’t appealing one bit but as far as “concept" albums go (and I hate concept LPs mostly), he achieved his goal and should be applauded. To add, the album is pretty damn entertaining to boot. West as an MC is not hard to take as he’s more than capable, definitely charismatic and knows how to deliver his verses with punch. The beats are, without question, solid work and even the stodgiest backpacker would nod his or her head.

Honorable Mention: Ghostface Killa – The Pretty Toney Album; Erick Sermon – Chilltown, New York; Devin the Dude – To The Xtreme

(Indie)

1. Madvillian – Madvilliany
M.F. Doom, the prolific wordsmith of K.M.D. and The Gas Face (with 3rd Bass) fame, and his pairing with blunted beat conductor and musical genius Madlib is independent Hip Hop’s freshest and most ambitious album. It never stales after repeated listens and just when you think you’ve figured a line out, Doom shocks your senses again. Once you’ve deciphered the thick, hazy vocals of the super-villain, the dusty beats of Madlib will have you stuck on stupid for years to come.

2. De La Soul – The Grind Date
De La Soul has been in the game since 1988 – astounding enough to say the least. The fact that they still sound relevant in today’s microwave Hip Hop scene is a true testament to their dedication to building a legacy and sound we should appreciate for years to come. Dave and Pos sound like they’re having fun and the lyrics aren’t so inside joke-like any longer. They also have a sharp ear for beats and a fantastic cameo from the previously mentioned MF Doom.

3. Ed OG/Pete Rock – My Own Worst Enemy
Boston native Ed OG first saw fame in the early 90s with “Be a Father to Your Child" and “I Gots to Have It" but has stayed around the business with sporadic releases over the years. With this project with Pete Rock (who produced 7 of the LPs 10 tracks), he is showcasing some of what could be dubbed as “good ol’ grown man Hip Hop". Could easily be the best late year release in indie Hip Hop thus far and a surprise at that.

4. Oh No – The Disrupt
Madlib’s younger brother is by far a superior MC than his more famous sibling and his production skills are more dance floor ready than headphone proper, but he’s made one of the sleeper CDs of the year. He’s got a very busy flow ala his fellow Oxnard, California MC collaborator Wild Child of the Loot Pack (which is Madlib’s group). The hooks, just like on Wildchild’s slept on “Secondary Protocol" are stellar and the beats have knock. This should get some burn if DJs had the stones to play the record.

5. Murs and 9th Wonder – Murs 3:16. The 9th Edition
In an unlikely collaborative effort between west coast underground legend MC Murs and North Carolina beatsmith 9th Wonder resulted in an LP that’s just impressive enough to remind you that this wasn’t the best this pair could do. Murs let his hair down so to speak and came from a really honest perspective – possessing a rare humility not seen from many MCs. 9th, often criticized for the sameness of his tracks, even showed some new tricks on his trusty Fruity Loops program

Honorable Mentions: Prince Po – The Slickness; Theodore Unit – 718; Masta Killa – No Said Date; Foreign Exchange - Connected

As you can tell from this editorial piece in the Philadelphia Daily News, the usual suspects again are asked to explain "what's up with Hip Hop". No offense to these so-called experts the journalists seem to dig up but they all say the same thing and seem to be the standard set of usual suspects. And, as I've said before, academics who do NOT participate in the culture on the most organic of levels have no right to speak on the culture. None whatsoever and you can quote me on that. It is a tired, bland question that goes to show you we've become far too used to big selling acts to dictating the pace of the musical tastes of the public. That's not what Hip Hop participation or music is about -- the big sales and media hype. For every Jay-Z, there's a J-Zone nobody's gets to hear and it's the fans who lose in the end.

The big story is how political rap is making a quiet and steady comeback - thanks due in part to the efforts of sites like ours and movements like the P-Diddy spearheaded Citizen Change. But was poltical rap music a really big thing? Questlove of the Roots fame makes a good point in the above linked editorial. Was Public Enemy that popular? Perhaps because Chuck D's politics were so pointed, it felt bigger than life and he certainly carried a torch many were relunctant to help hoist then - and has kept up his end of the bargain a variety of ways. What scared the MC away from speaking up? Where is a voice in Hip Hop as angry as Zach De La Rocha's? Who's going to take that new weight? That's a better question to ask than what's up with Hip Hop. Hip Hop, as noted by all those releases above (and the many other decent offerings of the year), is doing just fine - with or without a political message.

That said, I do want more rappers, to quote Boston's Ed OG, to start "sayin' somethin'" we can apply to our lives in a major way.

Not At All Politically Charged, These Rappers Need To Be Politically Barred

2004-12-17T09:45:00.000-08:00

There is a fine line between asking an artist to altering his or her content and censorship. There also exists an almost arrogant tune in suggesting that the said artist should be considerate of those they may offend – the reason being is that the easiest retort an artist can use is to recommend to the listener that they do not expose themselves to their content. Easy enough, right? I don’t think so. Music in this digital, fast-paced world is expected to come fast and often. There isn’t much time to catch your breath from one hot single, regardless of the genre, before another comes along to invade the far reaches of your mind. Like any other public figure, we expect to be satisfied by the output of their thoughts and perhaps think they owe us the consideration to give us nothing but their best.

As a consumer, you have the choices of buying the product from that artist or not. Nobody is putting a weapon to your head demanding you do anything. You are driven and drawn to seek out what you like. Whether that is indie rock, Hip Hop, soul, blues, R&B and so on, music fans are inundated with a lot of that artist’s thoughts and – sometimes – that person’s personal politics. Case in point, take Harlem New York’s wildly popular super group of Camron, Juelz Santana, Jim Jones and Freaky Zeeky – otherwise known as the Diplomats and affectionately known as the Dip Set. Talks of gang warfare, healthy amounts of misogyny, showing off of wealth, raps about material gain, guns and sex are the hallmarks of the group – with an occasional “positive‿ message here and there. Make that very occasional. Still, they enjoy one of Hip Hop’s most loyal fan bases and they’ve the good fortune of having a very solid in-house production squad known as the Hit Makers. Recently on this popular message board, a topic was posted about a blog entry from Kris Ex that, in some ways, takes the Dip Set phenomenon head on. As Ex explains, there isn’t a whole lot of thinking you have to do with their rhymes. They are usually simple, void of any type of complexity and all the while you can’t stop listening to it. But does that mean its fine to do so? The Dip Set, at one time (and I’m not totally clear on this), were said to have a mini-crew known as The Taliban. There was also a lyric from one of the crew members that vaguely seem to praise Mohammed Otta (in fact, prefacing his name with "the great") – he being the leading terrorist to drive a plane into the World Trade Center in 2001.

It echoes my point that there is indeed a false marriage between Hip Hop and politics – clearly the Dip Set cares nothing about being politically charged although the charismatic Jim Jones (and I realize the irony of that) likes to be considered a freedom fighter. But realize for a second the power that they and other popular rappers and entertainers have. If any of these men had the compassion of, say, Dr. Martin Luther King or the true militancy and grit of Malcolm X – which was eventually tempered with a deeper inner peace – what heights could they achieve? What kind of mountains could these people move?

Large ones, I’ll tell you that. But they will counter – as Talib Kweli and Nas will definitely say – that politics as they are have little to do with the people in the streets. I hope one day those two and many others will see the folly in their words and that isn’t to say they’re off base. It’s just that men this powerful could be leaders if they just turned the heat up on the facts of this nation. They’d be much more effective than any blog, website or media program could ever be.
The sadness remains in the fact that there isn’t many popular – and I mean of the MTV/BET ilk – that are choosing to make such a move.

Keep struggling and keep fighting.

The Music And The Message: Hip Hop's Potential To Change Remains Strong

2004-12-09T09:43:00.000-08:00

At my most jaded, I tend to forget that Hip Hop music had a time where messages mattered just as much as the beat. And while I don’t believe that resurgence is coming just around the corner, I’m always encouraged to witness when an artist takes the honorable position of being a vocal soldier against oppression. Wu-Tang Clan’s Remedy is one of those soldiers I speak of and, from the past music I’ve heard, he is good at what he does. Of course his country’s plight and the suffering of his people in times past does give him a wealth of content, but he could do it the easy way and ignore the serious politics of his messages. He doesn’t balk from his past and that alone is one of the reasons Hip Hop remains important to so many people – it is not just music; it is also a vehicle for expression and change. I hope many follow Remedy’s ideal and try to dive at a subject with the same fervor and tenacity as he has.

Chicago rapper Capital D – also know as David Kelly – is a proud Muslim and rap artist who seems to have taken a stance by bucking trends and offering his side of being black, Muslim and American – all while being prideful in all three aspects of his being. This article from Anna Johnson of the Seattle Times showcases that rappers who embrace Islam are going to find difficulties ahead but the dedication to getting those messages that matter out to the public do seem to take hold. Again, the current state of Hip Hop is indeed bleak. However, this proves that if you want to find gems, you just have to dig deeper and elsewhere.

It is an emotional week for me as everything I’ve read has moved me on some level. Author Adisa Banjoko truly captured a sentiment I’ve shared amongst friends about judgment of character and the merit of one’s actions. We need to take people on at their best and let that be the determining factor. If the world were to judge us by our current administration’s gaffes and follies, they would have right to assume that Americans are low individuals who lack the very compassion we’re supposed to uphold. As Mr. Banjoko illustrates, we’ve gone too far with assumption and allowed them to become law. To inject a bit of my own personal politics into this discussion, I’ve always strived to deliver freedom, justice and equality to all human families of the planet Earth. I can be frank enough to say that I would only give that energy to those who deserve it. The opportunity to do so has been infrequent but as I see changes coming on our political landscape, we must expect the impact of societal changes just as ardently.

Author Raquel Cepeda has released an anthology of Hip Hop related essays and narratives. I’m interested to read what Ms. Cepeda deemed important enough to share with the world. But in this brief Q&A on the Vibe website, the author seemed to have that annoying distancing thing many do with Hip Hop once they’ve grown tired of it. The thing about Hip Hop culture, just like life, is that it has many often-ignored layers. We tend to focus on the sexier, louder parts of the culture and scene thus we miss out on all the goodness the culture still is in possession of. I believe that the political aspect of Hip Hop music needs help and definition but I don’t think that the culture itself needs fixing or to be ignored only to be appreciated later.

Silence Is Golden, Action Is Platinum

2004-12-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

I think one of the more frightening instances you have as a person that shares their written thoughts with the world is the fact that once you release it to the public, you have the burden of hoping that what you say has weight and merit. I think about that often when I take on the task of blogging because they’re more than just web-logs for me – they’ve become both outlet and sounding board. I’m not going to say I’ve been the most observant person in speaking on the faltering marriage of Hip Hop and politics, but I will say that what I’ve written here over the months has been the most honest writing I’ve done in some time.

There is a simmering rage that has been building in me since the day after the election and it stems from the lack of faces that I hoped would be just as prominent in defeat as they surely would have been in victory for Senator John Kerry. Nas, who’s just released a new double disc called Street’s Disciple, takes a shot at the political Hip Hop movement by going as far as saying “we got f*cked" even while rallying young voters in high numbers. His feelings are indicative of what the apathetic most likely deem as a tangible basis for not being active in politics. And as I said in a recent blog, this push from the Hip Hop and “urban" music (read: black, rich and powerful) sector came just a few months too late. The sincerity was always under my steady microscope – and I wonder now if I was a bit harsh on the different organizations and groups. I may have been but I promise you I cannot let up for one bit. That means that whatever criticism that will come my way for everything I say is definitely welcomed.

Although it isn’t related to my usual fare on the blog, I ran across this interesting piece from the Socialist Worker website. Anthony Papa’s story is riveting and I encourage you to visit his website mentioned in the end of the article (Big respect to the ISO DC branch and Dave Z; I haven’t forgotten you guys). There are definitely fresh and radical ideas of challenging the structure coming from the left and I welcome them. I want to see more of an intelligent and focused approach – not fashion. That is for the eyes that wander looking for candy. We’re past those times without question. The levels in which we can analyze the triumphs and faults of organizations such as MfA and other related groups can be limitless. How we chose to express ourselves and organize will always be under a possibly uncomfortable level of scrutiny. How we combat that is by not quitting. How we remain relevant is by continuing to forge relationships with the people who thirst for a change. Why remain silent when there is so much more to say? Why is there such inactivity when there is so much more to be done? We cannot be afraid of the detractors any longer.

Civic Participation: The Last Frontier

2004-11-26T09:41:00.000-08:00

While many of us are still digesting the holiday meals of the week, I’ve been on a continued quest to detect the pulse of what I still think can be a mighty movement – yet many seem to think since the passing of the election that civic participation is dead. The one thing that gives me pause to not agree is the fact that young people such as Amanda Rothman are reporting from her demographic with honesty and maturity beyond her years. This is why catching young people up in the frenzied world of politics – whether it’s using music or cool slogans to attract them – early on establishes a strong root. We cannot dumb everything down because as Talib Kweli once said to me in an interview, the people aren’t stupid.

That said I truly believe that many of the larger efforts to attract the youth (and black) vote through music started far too late. The big names got involved beyond the critical time to really establish a true connection with the people. It became a corny representation of making a serious political action and right some sort of "coolness" ritual. That is the wrong approach and I hope everyone – including us at MfA – will have taken heed to the things that went wrong with the “it’s hip to be voting‿ angle. There has to be an allowance for educating the voters and make it much more inclusive. Too many times I felt this strong Left-leaning stance behind the words of the organizers and there is nothing wrong with investing in what you believe in. However, there has to be flexibility to bring those who are fence straddling into the fold. It can’t be too Hip Hop, too punk or too rock. It has to be, and pardon how corny this may sound, a melting pot philosophy of inclusion.

As far as keeping the youth and minority voters interested, who knows what the future may hold. I’ve milled about the thought of holding classes on civics in the inner city and abroad but I’m not qualified enough to lead a group of students as such. I’ll continue to ponder ideas and thoughts as to aid in making the message heard and the lessons learned. As I’ve learned in the last three weeks, there is much I do not know about how the conservatives and Republicans reached out to their flock. I’m going to dedicate myself in recognizing every trend of outreach available as to better my efforts for those I wish to reach. This is going to take a collective effort and has to encompass many angles. It is a somewhat lonely road trying to connect so many varying dots but it is a task I’m more than willing to undertake. I know I have peers who believe as I do but there exists selfishness in myself to unmask the complexity of this on my own. Until then, I’ll keep trying to both provide you and myself with the answers to the facts I can actually speak upon. We must remember it does not end here.

In The Shadow Of The Nation's Capitol

2004-11-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

I’ve been in and around the Nation’s Capital nearly all my life and it never ceases to amaze me how much our lives are affected by the men and women on the avenues of Pennsylvania and Independence. In light of that, it angers me to know that many of the city’s poor residents don’t even care about that very thing. I try to limit my time at night in the Washington, D.C.’s more notorious neighborhoods, but I was returning from a meeting with some resident activists who have concerns about literacy, the reality that they may lose their homes to rising prices and the specter of gentrification. It wasn’t a large gathering nor was it anything that hasn’t been discussed many times over. There exists a portion of the population in urban areas that desire true and noticeable change in their environments. But none of these people ever take those congressmen and women to task – and it could be that they just aren’t acclimated to the crazy and jargon-filled world of politics.

Young people approaching true adulthood are now the MTV/BET/Videogame heads we used to be (and some of us still are in some cases). As I’m slowly moving into the “getting old" bracket, I’m a little more aware of using my stately old man status to command the attention of the kids who probably don’t think I know Chingy from a sound on a cash register. As I leave the meeting, I decided to take the long walk back to the subway train. I usually do this to free my mind for writing in my journals and for this blog. I don’t jump into conversations with young people in the hood because most times it sets off defenses unnecessarily with them. But I had to ask these two guys who were obviously just finishing up their drug selling runs for t he night if they ever voted or cared about politics. One of the kids was 17 and the other was 19. The older kid said what I thought he’d say:

“Voting ain’t changing sh*t out here in these streets for real. So I can’t say I ever will."

It was a long, tense pause after he said that but he finally seemed to lighten up. His friend, however, said that as soon as he's able that he will be in the polls. He said that drugs and weed should be legal so he wants to fight for that – “on the low," he said. That wasn’t the intent I had by speaking to him but if he thinks he can make a change in that arena by voting, I wish the young cat luck. This proved to me that you can reach them and I’m hoping that this sudden quiet hum from all of the rappers and entertainers is just a formality as we wait until the movement to educate people on the political process picks up steam. Take for instance 17-year old Aries Jordan who penned a wonderful editorial here. In a perfect world, all city-bred kids would adopt this stance and be this informed. Of course that may never be the case. The hope I maintain is that after the shock of the outcome of this past election and if the government continues to run from a conservative angle, that it will be an even louder wake up call than November 2nd was.

The Still Political P Diddy and Other Things

2004-11-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

The Vote or Die! campaign popularized by Sean “P Diddy" Combs is, in his words , “phase one." The venture with Citizen Change to motivate young voters in getting to the polls actually did what the exit polls seemed to not reflect – that there were more young voters in this election than in 2000. Mr. Combs speaks of building from this and encouraging empowerment through politics – and if you’ve been reading this blog you know how I’ve felt about these efforts to attract the so-called “Hip-Hop vote." I don’t question the mission; I merely question the sincerity of it all. We need to get away from that term and move beyond dangling slogans like carrots in front of eager young adults thirsting for a change. Combs and others like him have money, influence and media connections – use them to push the ideals you want. Getting folks to wear slogan shirts and shake their butts or what have you is just the start. What I feel, and perhaps a little smugly, is that we’ll go beyond the call of duty to make sure we educate our readers and volunteers on what it means to be a part of this democracy. Information is not only empowering, it is now necessary given that mainstream media will choose to continually misrepresent the progressive political progress.

Another thing we need to do is not mope. There were so many long faces the next day. After Kerry conceded (and I swallowed that bitter pill), I decided then to dedicate myself to this fight for political awareness amongst the apathetic even more. It’s about realizing a movement and sustaining it. We must continue to fortify these efforts with the same fervor we did to get folks to the polls – which is a strong point raised by a dynamic writer by the name of Raj Jayadev. It’s amazing when you surf the web trying to see if you’re the only one who feels strongly about moving on and beyond that you can actually find a piece out there written by a like-minded individual. That inspires me to continue this fight.

I can be honest with you all and say that I had no idea how aggressively the GOP went after voters and convinced them that the president should be re-elected. I’m not shocked by the news of it but I was so focused on the outreach I was trying to undertake. Davey D mentions this fact as one of the Bay Area media and personalities questioned in this article from the San Francisco Chronicle. The funny thing is that there is tension in the words from these apparently politically active people. It almost has a sense of cowardice in some ways and defeat in others.
That defeatist attitude cannot do. Nor do we resort to insults and berating those who don’t think as we do. In the meantime, let’s hope the other side continues to dismantle from within because a change has to come; it is now the necessary thing.

Election 2004: Nothing Like Before But Certainly Not Expected

2004-11-03T09:36:00.000-08:00

I kept looking at the zombie-tron last night; making sure what I saw was reality. I don’t believe I went to sleep until 5am this morning. I know that I still feel accomplished for the work we and others have done to get out the vote and raise awareness like never before. That doesn’t stop from this point at all, at least not for me. I’m certain that many of my fellow Americans who realize how pivotal this moment is will continue to fight for issues that are fair and hold this administration accountable for anything that detracts from the improvement of this country. I have hope that all the groups like HSAN and Citizen Change do not fall silent because the results are not what were expected – we all did a necessary work. We should take pride in knowing that we empowered many young and uninformed people and armed them with knowledge that I hope sticks to their minds – especially after this.

In this article from Joe Garofoli of the San Francisco Chronicle, there seems to be the feeling that while efforts to get the youth vote out was a good thing but failed to have the supposed impact on the election. Who knows what really happened as far as turnout is concerned. I know in my own voting district, I saw people of all ages out and motivated. I don’t know how it was nationwide but I just can’t believe that we didn’t get it done on our end. I wish I could trust the media’s assessment of what went wrong – or right, according to your choice. The pundits are licking their chops at our defeat no matter how diplomatic the post-election talks have been. I do agree with the administration’s aim to focus on getting this country back to order and leave partisan leanings aside – yet I only support this notion if those on the other side are truly concerned with working with those who don’t share their ideals.

The Religious Left – something that writer Max Blumenthal mentions in a piece featuring several AlterNet writers. I wonder if that is a true focus to undertake because I can say from my civic minded duties, the black church has certainly got more involved than any other time I can recall. In a voting drive I worked in Baltimore this year hosted by the popular Tom Joyner Morning Show, many of the fans in attendance were from church groups and such. But to engage a religious Left and use that influential muscle to rally a new regime change – I’m still not sure if that’s the answer. And while I refuse to feel a sense of sadness, I can’t help to want to brace myself for some form of impending doom. America, as a good friend said, validated Bush last night. That is a very scary thought indeed.

Crunch Time: The Hip Hop Youth Movement Has Legs

2004-10-30T09:35:00.000-07:00

My PC has been giving me a few problems so updating has been the pits for me. I hope to continue bringing my best forth to you all.

As the time winds down before we involve ourselves in probably the most hotly contested decisions in many of our lives, it goes without saying that the mission to get the youth vote out has been mostly successful and hopefully continues beyond what we’ve witnessed thus far. Friday night, I was working the MfA table for the Cali Comm tour stop in Washington, D.C. featuring Del the Funkee Homosapien (with a surprise guest appearance wit Opio), Bukue One with EMC and T-Wiz (I’m sure that was his name), Zion I and Aceyalone, Mikah 9 and Ab Rude appearing as the supergroup Haiku D’etat. It was a fantastic set from all involved and surprisingly packed given that it was near Howard University – which was celebrating its homecoming weekend. I’ve worked a show before but this one had a feel of a lot more informed folks than the last one I worked. Many of the folks who approached the table knew about MfA or were involved in similar efforts with other like-minded organizations. Those who didn’t know about us stopped and listened to what our mission is and how important this coming election truly was. It was, as Opio stated while on stage, the face of a movement and the face of Hip Hop. Opio stated that being in the nation’s capitol during such a pivotal moment meant there was a unified front forming. It was, as he said, Hip Hop at its truest and its best. Music brought people of varying hues and backgrounds yet with the same tastes and goal that should be deserved all of us: the ability and freedom to choose. Perhaps you had to be there but I knew I was witnessing something I hope to be a part of again.

The comfort I take in knowing that many of the organizations that ushered in the new voter consciousness amongst the youth – especially the black youth vote – won’t just stop there. In this article from David Jacobean, Asad Jafri of the Chicago chapter of the Hip Hop Congress seems to recognize the need for this effort to go beyond getting folks to the polls. Education is still the key focus in all of this. If we can get the entertainers and moguls to get involved on that end as well, we will have transcended the already worthy greatness of the movement. I’m not cool with the term “hip hop vote‿ because it is too vague. Hip Hop is international, multi-cultural, multi-generational and constantly evolving. It is still, by many measures, a young and growing entity. We have to continue to recognize how inclusive Hip Hop has become and not forget that the spread of its popularity and influence will not be quelled anytime soon. Educating people on the intricacies of policy matters and political processes won’t be an easy task. If we expect to advance from this happy feeling of unity and participation, we must go forward from this point. Let’s just hope we don’t forget the fervor in which we’ve done so thus far.

Voter Apathy: How Do We Combat It?

2004-10-23T09:34:00.000-07:00

The election is just nine days away and I’ve found that I’m having a hard time reaching people on why this election is so critical. It’s been a big shift from the concerts and media blitzes from the summer to the cold, hard reality that apathy still reigns supreme amongst young people – especially those youth who come from underprivileged backgrounds. I’ve found that I’m running out of creative ways to encourage the kids to get to the polls. In an interesting turn of events, however, I was on the back of the bus after midnight headed home. I usually try not to travel in the area late – especially since I was a recent victim of a stabbing incident. Not that I’m shook or anything, but I’d rather be at full strength if I’m going to be out as I’m still healing (on a horrible side note, adequate health care in this country is not an obvious priority. I had a horrible time in an area hospital’s ER section).

There was a young guy sitting across from me and he was rolling himself a blunt – and if I have to explain that, you can stop reading. I didn’t stare at him as he was rolling as to not make him uncomfortable for doing something highly illegal in such a public forum. It dawned on me to ask him was he registered to vote. The tension was thick at first because he seemed as if he was already high but as it eased, he did answer me.

“Yeah, I did it because some girl pressed me to do it plus she was cute."

So I asked him, “Do you think you’ll be at the polls this Election Day?"

“Maybe I will and maybe I won’t. I ain’t decided yet - It’s not like it matters, right?"

That’s pretty much where I’m left when trying to reach out to the so-called Hip Hop and Y generation. This same pitiful but understandable apathy existed when I was doing voter registration drives and outreach in 2000. I tried explaining to him the power of his choices, and what we as a nation went through in the late sixties to achieve that right. The uncanny thing is that I can recall having numerous conversations of the same tone in the fall of 2000 with the so-called Gen-X kids (of course, we’re the old heads now). As you can tell, I’ve never been fond of the whole generation titles. I cannot do this again in 4 more years, this constant repeating of myself. I’m going to try and implement new strategies by the time the next election cycle comes around. By then, I’ll be in my mid-thirties and as comfortable as I am with that I hope that apathy’s stronghold on the minds of America’s youth is lessened by the power of information.
As the bus ride nears an end, I give the kid the address to our website as he did say he’s able to get online. I told him that if he ever wants to talk about anything of a political nature to take my e-mail. He did so, although he was as responsive as a snail. I’m hoping that he takes me up on my offer – even if at the end he still finds himself not at all interested in the process. But where do we help them turn the corner and show them that this inaction is precisely what many expect of them? How do we get them to realize they have power in their numbers?

It has become my own personal Rubik’s Cube of sorts – my own frustrating puzzle that I’ve come to almost despise. However, I will not allow this to be a defeat. I believe all of us at MfA and similar organizations are doing the best we can. The only thing we have on our side is the ability to teach and the advent of change.

Voting Is Cool, Learning Why Is Even Cooler

2004-10-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

"I urge hip-hoppers to vote on Nov. 2, but we don’t have anyone to vote for, yet" – KRS-1 at the State Of Hip Hop and Politics forum in Detroit, MI

I apologize to readers and crew but I’m recovering from a knife wound and I haven’t been able to sit in front of the PC to deliver the goods. I’ve been playing catch up on the news and I came across the above quote from the Blastmaster from his visit to Detroit . Interestingly enough, it is a common refrain amongst the apathetic and disinterested. For the latter, I can assume where that feeling stems from: lack of connection. The presidential debates had little connective power with the politically-charged youth movements across the nation. And to be frank, Kerry and Bush gave off about as much heat as dying bonfire. Many of the active Hip Hop heads couldn’t possibly feel as though the president and his opponent are considering their involvement in this November’s critical election. It’s distant and esoteric banter, void of any semblance of passion or measurable focus. This shtick will not fly in four more years; I hopefully dream that many of our more astute minds will have passed on those nuggets of political knowledge to the generations to come.

Well, it’s apparent that not everyone follows Russell Simmons’ flute blindly. A Wisconsin group of protesters was steadfast on holding The Mogul responsible for his newfound political passion and questioning the sincerity of the efforts. Good points are definitely introduced in this article from Dustin Block of The Journal Times. There is an overwhelming national agenda with many of these Hip Hop/Black/Youth voter movements. But there is little discussion on how to maximize the grassroots efforts and resources. As I’ve heartily maintained all my life, politics is much more exciting – and tangible – on a state and local level. That’s where we need to turn all this focus on – the times after the big election.

Is Hip Hop bigger than politics? Sean “P Diddy" Combs seems to think so . I’ve been impressed at how quickly Puffy has followed the footsteps of The Mogul and has made himself at the very least sound like he knows what he’s doing. There will always be a hesitation on my part with Combs (does anyone remember in 2000 when Combs was at a Hamptons voting drive party yet not registered himself?). In fact, I’ll have a decided amount of doubt with any public or famous figure who involves himself in the political process for the rest of my years. This isn’t to say that I don’t want Hip Hop political organizations or youth-centered movements to flourish. What we do at MfA is very much about that so I support the notion. But we cannot be taken for granted in this and every upcoming election from here on out.

As dour as I may sound, I think this piece from Michael Arceneaux shares a sentiment I often echo (and I’m glad I’m not alone): voter education. Even I could stand to brush up on that part of deal so it should be equally stressed as the voting. The bottom line is that we need to involve ourselves totally to this process. Just as we are committed to wearing slick slogan t-shirts and put on concerts, we need to make sure that dedication materializes beyond November 2nd.

Young People & Voting: Reaching Them Where They Are

2004-10-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

It seems like our good buddy Hans Zeiger is showing his true blue colors again. In this column from the conservative super-boy (who seems to relish bad press so I won’t go shining him up too much this go-round), we’re invited yet again to his twisted philosophies and ideals. This whole “voting is a privilege‿ deal that our boy Hans is stuck on is mired in the same divisive and unilaterally snobbish conservative mindset that has set back many of his fellow conservatives for decades now. How can you place worth on a person based on what they may or may not know? Not everyone is as plugged into politics as many of us who write about it are. And it’s for good reason because much of what we report and discuss in our columns and articles is of a very esoteric nature. It seems in Mr. Zeiger's twisted utopia, no voter would’ve ever committed a felony and they’ve been exposed to the political rat race at an early age. Zeiger is a rarity – a young person with a sharp, if dangerously narrow, vision. He is certainly not a mainstream person and seems to be quite proud of it.

His worship of this lauded “republican government‿ is frightening. His high order of morality is equally as frightening. Now I do agree with him on one front: There is an hidden emphasis on all the wrong things that this democracy has to offer (freedom to do whatever, it seems). However, he articulates an almost perverse need to toss all of these singing MTV kids into the fire and brimstone. It mirrors a sort ethnic cleansing in some way.

I’ve often groaned at the academic approach to Hip Hop (although I too am about undertake the same path albeit I pray to do it differently). There is yet another book that attempts to do just that. That’s The Joint! The Hip Hop Studies Reader features previous works from writers who capture the essence of Hip Hop (more or less) from an educated person’s standpoint – and it’s exactly what we need less of. I’d like to hear more from hardcore participators who don’t have twelve letters after their names. The culture is embedded in me enough as it is – and for other supporters of the culture, academia is not where our culture thrives and grows. It’s the kids in the street we need to reach and they are not going to read any of this, I’m sorry to say. The problem with most movements of a headier nature is that it isn’t realistic to the strugglers – the people who live haggard lives and aren’t as enlightened as others. That doesn’t mean they should be put aside and not catered to. From political activism to Hip Hop education, there is never enough focus on the people that need to be brought along slowly. We sometimes forget that our passion for music and activism isn’t shared commonly.

In Oakland, a Hip Hop summit was held at Laney College this past Sunday featuring former members of the Black Panther Party as speakers. The Bay Area has always been a political hotbed and judging from the article, the security measures were perhaps unnecessarily excessive given the fact that many Panther members are not as dogmatic as they were in the 70s.

Check out this heartfelt piece from Panama Jackson – perhaps a good counter to the ultra-conservatism of Hans Zieger. I’d like to see these two face off in a public forum. Hell, I’d like to see myself square off with Happy Hans. We’ll work on that.

Time Keeps On Tickin': Voting Deadlines, Hip Hop, Politics & You

2004-10-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

I don’t want to bog down my week’s blog with discussions of the already heavily discussed Presidential Debate. However, just moments after the debates started I happened to enter an apartment lobby where a heated discussion between a female Kerry supporter and an apparent fan of Bush, a young man. I was never clear on the gentleman’s angle as he was leaving as I entered, but the woman (an attorney, she said) vehemently discounted Bush to anyone within earshot. She raised an interesting point of tracing the transmission of terrorist websites and why they haven’t been located using our “vast IT resources and skills‿. I’m sure, as I said last night in that brief conversation, efforts of that sort are certain to be made with immediacy. I cannot imagine, as this attorney believed, that Bush and the rest of his party leave these sites up as a form of wartime propaganda. What agenda would it serve to torture the public with these beheading websites that taunt our so-called incompetence? Why would anyone use that tactic to insure votes or galvanize troops and the public? As much as I support anyone’s right to voice his or her views, I can’t say I agreed with that at all. Living in the D.C. area, you’re bound to any number of these types of political firefights. It’s good fodder for discussion at the bar at any rate.
With the voting deadlines all but passed, the movement now is focused on insuring voter turnout. We’ve had a number of national and local summits – a summit is taking place today at the University of Pittsburgh – that seem to have gathered the number strength necessary to make a difference. The Hip Hop and youth political movement is now a weekly news item in many papers across the country. Just as it was in 2000, the melding of movements and cultures is a hot topic. There was even talk of a month-long event kicking off in D.C. today but I can’t seem to find any links on the subject. It’s encouraging, it’s exciting and it’s definitely necessary.
But it’s nearly not enough.

I try so hard to not sound like a broken record but I was right in the midst of the media hype in 2000 surrounding this new Hip Hop and politics movement. I was a part of it as well and I’ve been let down by the lack of sincerity shown since then – even by people who know are the main voices representing the movement. I’m a big skeptic, I realize it now more than ever but I have to be in order to keep myself aware of what is to transpire. I’m not sure what’s going to happen next month but form here on out, I’m making sure everyone I know isn’t just satisfied with sending in those registration cards. I’m going to annoy the hell out of them to get to the polls and finally make a change. After the election, I intend to check up on all these Hip Hop political fusions and PACs to see if they’re really serious about empowering people through the power of voting and democracy. Focused political education and awareness shouldn’t just be a necessity; it should be an expected right.

It’s not about the numbers anymore. It’s preparing future generations to understand it’s more than just picking one over the other. Educate yourselves and inspire others.

Hip Hop Music and The Message: What Isn't Being Said?

2004-09-24T09:26:00.000-07:00

The most maddening thing about people who are deeply entrenched in Hip Hop is that the so-called scholars or purveyors of the culture make too many rules for it. If Hip Hop were meant to be contained in some box it would’ve stayed as it did during its early incarnation. I said the same thing a couple of years ago during a Hip Hop conference at the University of Maryland that the music had to grow. I appreciate Adisa Banjoko’s passionate plea to the Hip Hop Nation but the last thing the music needs is fixing. Let the commercialism die out on its own. Let the people decide what’s official and what matters. People speak of current trends of Hip Hop yet complaining about is just as trendy. There are some who feel the meshing of music and political activism is a trend – let’s face it: Hip Hop is a series of phases reflected by the generation that it supposedly represents. I don’t know why so many people are resistant to Hip Hop’s propensity to change. At the start of every five-year cycle, there was a paradigm shift. The music went from stiffly delivered party rhymes to message-laden poems to replayed popular grooves to break beats to samples and so on. The evolution of the music continues today with turntablism and the advanced rhyme schemes. The problem lies in the fact that none of what’s truly good is that popular so it lends our minds to the idea that what sells must be what works. It’s a very close-minded ideal and much of the culture’s regression can effectively be attributed to that.
The themes of the music are most certainly decadent. Sex, violence and drugs permeate the musical side of the culture heavily. And some of the artists most known for being everything but politically aware have been thrusted into a position (maybe even reluctantly) to lead our young people into a new political awareness. Songs such as "Why?" from Jadakiss are enjoying airplay, as this article from writer Rodney Thrash illustrates. We’re encouraging the easily influenced to follow the leader (blindly, perhaps) and get involved. I never cease to wonder if the artists really know how important their position is or are they just doing a favor to save face. People get commercial deals because of their ability to recite a rhyme or program a beat. If that doesn’t encourage you to respect how far Hip Hop has come, then maybe you need to stick to your stacks of B-Boy lore and glory. I’m with Mr. Banjoko on some points. I’m all for the music improving but I’ll be damned if I would ever openly state to these rappers to censor themselves. To be a part of this culture has been a privilege but I do not play the holier-than-thou game. We live in a land of choices and freedoms – regardless of what you think. Some of those freedoms are what leads people to nearly kill themselves to get to America.

But as trends go, I like the fact that young voters are getting fired up and concerned politically - even if it is because P Diddy said so. This article from J. Patrick Collican details how young voters who were once apathetic are now engrossed in the entire electoral process. If it took one of these rappers who need "fixing" to get the young voters' attention, I'll live with that until I die.

Get Up! Stand Up! Everybody Hands Up!

2004-09-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

There are few stories in the world of politics the likes of former Washington D.C. mayor, Marion Barry. As much as he’s been hounded for his 1990 crack cocaine conviction and affairs on his former wife, he was and still is a man of and for the people. There is a reason why people flock to vote for him. He embraced the lessons of being in the community you are supposed to uplift, lessons learned from Dr. Martin Luther King and others. It’s amazing that for all he’s done many of his critics (who don’t even live near the area) mention the crack thing almost automatically. He’s failed miserably, sure, but he’s been re-elected as mayor and is now a holder of city council seat. We don’t even treat our current music stars this harshly for their past infractions with the law and how much have they done for their communities? In this well-written piece by the Washington City Paper, writers Jason Cherkis and David Morton showcase a daily log of the life of a man who is an apparent shell of his former self still trying to fight for the people. It humanized the former Mayor even more than before.

As the days are winding down to the presidential election, politics are still more interesting (at least to me) on a state and local level. As one of my former colleagues once said, the political pace of this nation starts in the state and local level. Always has and always will. I have this hope that after November, all of the newly aware that visit this site and have joined all the marches around the country remember to continue the tradition of educating themselves further and to never give up sharing what they’ve learned. The people who are on the frontlines, we need to recognize and support their efforts to keep democracy in the front of our minds at all times.

In this Alternet piece from Scott Thill, our little site gets mentioned and it touches on just how many musicians are really embracing the idea of voter participation. As well read a man emcee and producer El-P – CEO of Definitive Jux Records – appears to be, I’m amazed to read that this is his first year he will participate in a presidential election. Perhaps it isn’t that far off a conclusion given the fact that one of his better songs was the track, “Patriotism‿ from the Soundbombing 2 LP, a scathing anti-establishment lyrical assault that is still relevant to the current themes of the day. It is because of these occurrences I’ve remained encouraged to keep at this struggle to enliven and enlighten those of us who need it. The Punk political movement is still something I need to research. I’m not as well versed in music beyond some R&B, Hip Hop, soul and dancehall reggae. But reading Thill’s article proves that even with widespread voter apathy, wave of change is coming and will not be denied. I can assure you that in 2008, when much of us have mellowed and aged a bit, the two big parties will have to address the generation behind us head on. The generations to come will become even savvier than we are and that’s precisely why Music for America and others are doing what we do. Let’s stay aware, people.

The Hip Hop Generation: "People of Color" Or Did I Miss The Memo?

2004-09-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

Writer/Author Farai Chideya examines the validity of "voters of color" (guessing from this article are we supposed to assume they make up the entire Hip Hop generation?) and the connection to political parties outside the usual Big Two – namely the Green Party . I have a good friend who lives in the area and he's always urging me to join he and his fellow "Black Greens", as he puts it, for one of their meetings. I've yet to do it for a host of reasons I'll save for another blog entry. None are entirely negative, however. I’ve just had enough of the pitches for me to “join in" and I’m quite ready for a different set of action.

Party pleading to the Hip Hop Generation, no matter the group, is something that can and should be questioned across the board. As Ms. Chideya's book excerpt illuminates, The Greens of color truly believe this is the vehicle of political change for them. As I always like to say in conversation, if I'm trying to sell you a car I will certainly make you comfortable enough to give me the sale. I'm not clear on the angle as I’ve yet to really immerse myself in the affairs of the Greens locally but I’m interested to see what’s gotten all these folks gung ho for them.
KRS-1, the legendary and innovative New York MC and lecturer, recently stated in a The Source article that Hip Hop is the only thing American other countries still respect of our nation. Hip Hop’s global reach is astounding in scope – especially when you see instances of the more politically aware approaches of those beyond our domestic shores. In this article from Mmegi we’re introduced to Fifth Light, an apparently insightful and determined MC in Africa residing in the country of Botswana. But unlike some wide-eyed youth who latch on to this looming American specter that sometimes lauds materialism and misogyny, Fifth is totally the opposite of that. When is the last time you heard of a MC using Kofi Anan in a simile rhyme scheme?
I have to admit I’m in total awe of the breadth of work Professor Cornel West has amassed over the years. He’s just released a new book and has totally gone hard left in his assessment of imperialism and conservatism. And as this Seattle Times article notes, Mr. West knows how to travel in all circles without toning down any of his formidable intellect. However, West isn’t the easiest “brotha" (his thing, not mine) to read. I’ve been driven to near rage trying to get what the man is saying and I’d like to think I’m a pretty bright guy by most standards. He’s giving of himself, however, and that has to amount for something. Writing from your mind takes a toll – believe me, I’m feeling the burn these days.

Free ideas and steady motion make this country great. The sustained efforts of those that are, at the very least, poised and prepare to teach or lead is giving way to the reality of all the idealism of our times. I just hope we don't pigeonhole our pigeonholes in some faulty attempt to promote change.

This Is Rap For Real, Somethin' You Feel

2004-09-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

The charged climate in NYC is most likely winding to a subdued end and a nation quietly suffers not. If you were present at the march that took place on the day before the RNC’s opening, you witnessed an amazing sight. The number of anti-Bush protestors was one astounding wave of humanity after another. The signs were filled with both interesting artwork and clever, eye-catching slogans calling for the republican collective to make their way out of the city.
After being in New York a few days, the energy of the folks I had the pleasure of speaking with from varying organizations was off the charts. I definitely wished I could’ve made it to the end of the convention to connect with more folks but I’m proud to say Music for America represented lovely.

I’ve been realizing as we’re nearing these last campaign months that what’s been missing is a stronger black and minority youth presence in these uprisings and protests. I’m always in and around the Washington D.C. metropolitan area but I hardly feel as though a lot of progressives get that these people have full right to not feel included. Political activism of the sort we’re used to seeing involves participants who are not only savvy, but have resources (computers, Net access, automobiles, etc) that allow them to comfortably speak to those who share their lifestyles and passions. Politics and political activism are definitely esoteric interests that need constant redefinition. The music and politics activist movement is perhaps the strongest bond to potential voters existing today. Online efforts such as ours (and of course, inspired by art and culture melding) are seemingly robust. Yet, these burgeoning motions are replete with the glaring fact that a large number of people of color do not enjoy the connection our other counterparts do.

For some, it could be a matter of education – whether that’s through higher learning or self appointed research. For others, plain old apathy is the recipe for a lot of unregistered voters remaining disdainful of all things political. The gap between the young bloods and the old jacks is wide simply because at the national level, these older politicians are very far-removed from anything on an urban or grassroots level. It’s not a concern to the older politicians to want to reach the inner city voter– at least not a genuine one. It’s a great campaign maker to say you’ll look out for those in the urban slices of America. The reality is this: The young people of all hues that reside where it is at all times tense, they could care less because who in the hell is caring about them? They thumb their noses at this electoral process because beyond being a number, the politicians of late have no messages that they can relate to or appreciate.

As harsh a reality that seems that is where we are. The Hip Hop political movement is definitely huge in attracting the inner city demographic but that’s not an issue. What is constantly and rightfully questioned is the sincerity of the messengers. It’s nearly becoming faddish to join up with this movement but none of the swelling number of the newly aware won't prosper if they’re not being taught what it means to live in a democracy. It is pointless to give folks fly slogan shirts and stiffly delivered catch lines if the lessons of democracy aren’t taught and respected. I’ve embraced a bit of a mantra lately. I intend to talk to the person, not down and not up. I need to be more direct and less passionate when I speak to people about my involvements in politics and what it means to be active. I’m going to learn how not to lose people in rhetoric and let them chew on facts, figures and shared experiences. We may soon forget that not everyone is going to have the tools necessary to walk in hand with the rest of us who are plugged into the frantic world of politics. More than any other failure, it would sting more to feel as though across the board we’re not as inclusive as we’d like to believe.

RNC in NYC: Let's Just Wait And See What Happens

2004-08-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

In 2000, I attended the RNC in Philadelphia as a reporter and I was promptly swept into a back of a police van with several MOVE members – most notably Mike Africa . My grandparents saw me being hurled into the back of the police vehicle on their local news channel; I’m sure at the time it did nothing for their sanity. It was the first time I’ve ever been in the middle of a protest and I can say that for a time, I was terrified. The noise, the ruckus and just the overall energy in Philadelphia was unlike anything I’ve ever been through. I told myself then that it’d be a cold day in hell before I’d go do something like that again.

And here I am preparing to travel to New York for this year’s RNC because a group of friends are headed up to join a anti-RNC protest. I’m not doing anything of that sort but I must admit that I’m eager to see if the energy level matches what I saw in Philly those four years ago. It seemed like every young and disenfranchised ethnic group was out there in full protest mode – there was not one group not represented in some fashion. The oddest moment of that evening wasn’t me being cast as a troublemaker by Philadelphia’s riot squad. That distinction belongs to when I happened across Malik B, then still a loosely-affiliated member of the Philadelphia-based Hip Hop band, The Roots . He was either intoxicated out of his mind or distracted by the din around us but he grabs my mini-recorder and recites this fiery, if poorly focused, freestyle about the surroundings and politics in general. Then he takes my recorder and begins to interview random people walking the block; probably scaring a few older folks in the process. I wish I could say it was all a twisted dream but I assure you, it all happened.

I attended part of the DNC in Los Angeles in 2000 – all without incident or protest. If there were any protests, they were snuffed well before any of the key events of that week. I didn’t even do much in the way of work. I was essentially a tourist with a press pass. In 2000, just as I do now, I was trying to discover a link between these conventions (and also all things political) and the young voters the candidates and political parties so openly coveted. I walked away in 2000 not feeling as if it ever connected with those on the fence and it’s more of the same this year; so many squandered opportunities to gain some new blood in their respective parties.
As corny as I find the term "hip-hop voting bloc", it’s effective in what’s trying to be achieved by the National Hip-Hop Political Convention and its organizers. Bakari Kitwana’s piece for DaveyD.com illustrates why he thinks this new voting bloc would be better off not voting for the good senator. However, I loved the part where he detailed how Barack Obama and Jon Edwards were on that platform at this year's DNC doing what they’re supposed to do, and that while it was stirring it still begs to be scrutinized heavily. Do not follow anyone blindly, young voters. Even those of us that shine brightest have the capacity to short out at a moment’s notice.

Hip Hop & Politics: The Movement Needs Polish

2004-08-20T09:14:00.000-07:00

At last, I’m not the only person who realizes what kind of moron Hans Zeiger painted himself to be. Jason Alston, a fine writer for the Daily Dispatch of North Carolina, points out in his latest link just how bigoted and callow Mr. Zeiger is. I’m proud to note that I’ve linked Alston’s work previously for my blog and he’s by far one of the more impressive writers on the subject of Hip Hop and politics out today. It’s always good to know that we have folks who choose to represent all sides of the spectrum and not what has been sensationalized or demonized beyond repair.
For the last four years, the Hip Hop political avalanche has been lumbering ahead full steam and, of course, with young black voters there exists this need to connect with them on their level. The attempt to do so is sometimes ham-handed because not every young black person enjoys rap music; it isn’t the only music of choice amongst young people. It also takes hits in the creativity department. How many Rap/Rock The Vote-like organizations need to pop up before it becomes too saturated and watered down? This isn’t a knock to the efforts of Hip Hop influenced political action committees and their ilk, but is it truly a case of too much too soon? In 2000, as high as the stakes eventually became, it didn’t seem to have this urgency. Then again, we didn’t have this current administration.

An analysis from Askia Muhammad of the Final Call speaks about new black leadership. The hallmark of the Democrats is that they are made up of a large number of minority voters. Of course, this immediately links them with any progressive organization with black figureheads (i.e. Russell Simmons’s HSAN group). I’m not sure whether it’s bad or good – I’m most concerned with people learning what the electoral process is. If that means Ludacris and the Rap The Vote gang got someone registered, it’s a win for everyone. Still, we need to teach the refrain that it goes way beyond just voting. We have to get folks active, too.

Adisa Banjoko, a Bay-area based journalist, just penned a new book on Hip Hop culture and politics. Hopefully this will be a start in the right direction for the infusion of the two very varied entities. Many authors are attempting this style of book – we can only hope Mr. Banjoko’s release will do the culture and the various themes throughout politics some justice. I’m always afraid of these sorts of book releases because at the end of the day, it’s still a business venture. I don’t doubt or question the author’s sincerity – I’ve exchanged e-mails with him in the past. I’m just very aware of how this could turn out. I want to be proven incorrect.

Jimi Izreal of Africana.com definitely hits the nail on the head in his article on young voters and the Hip Hop selling point, perhaps more so than I ever have on this blog column. It may read harsh but it is beyond necessary. In Aaron McGruder’s latest Boondocks strip entry, it touches on this very issue in three short black and white frames. So perfectly illustrated, so sadly true. We need more than slogans; we need informed leaders that both have the energy and connection with the people. Otherwise, it all just sounds like dead air.

To The Left, To The Right: Does The Hip Hop Generation Care About Playing Sides?

2004-08-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

The blog revolution is larger than ever, perhaps more than I could ever imagine. It’s particularly comforting to know that participants of all sides of the political spectrum have taken the opportunity blogs present to illustrate their views. Dan LeRoy of the National Review lets readers in on an entire world of young African-Americans who have taken the bold step to state their allegiance to conservatism. It’s always a slight shock to the system to have right-leaning people of color openly state their position because almost unilaterally Americans of African and Caribbean descent, and those in the Hispanic community, are usually liberal to a fault. LeRoy writes with a blind praise about these bloggers that, "the Internet is suddenly full of great black writers whose views aren't monolithic — you'll find almost-daily disagreements about affirmative action, President Bush or the morality of gangsta rap — but instead offer a vibrant, hip-hop generation alternative to the broken record of the civil-rights establishment." Broken record? I’m sure Mr. LeRoy can’t possibly be so excited about the prospect of black conservative blogging to the point he would be so dismissive about such an important landmark in human history.

I’ve been told by my parents and others of the baby boomer generation that conservative values are quietly heralded in many a black community. Why then is the liberal tag usually applied to almost every black Democratic politician if this is supposedly true? There isn’t anything inherently wrong about being either liberal or conservative but the divide is beyond unsettling. There exists this breeding pool for contention already present amongst many rappers since the early stages of Hip Hop and the political battleground is no different when it comes to that tension. Where does the dialogue stop being about who gets the "last lick", as we used to say on the playground, and starts becoming about actual growth? To be perfectly honest, this pressing need to be respected does nothing for advancing true policy or democracy. It just ends up being a bunch of adults complaining over steaming heaps of nothingness.
Being political this year, much like in 2000, is extremely fashionable as noted in this article from writer Meg Carter for The Guardian by way of the Tapei Times. The nationwide involvement from entertainers and those of the fashion world have the potential to be callow attempts at cashing in. Do we want this to be true? Of course we don’t. I want to believe that all of these rappers and film actors are sincere about the mission to get voters involved for the mere sake of choice – even when it's clear they're designing a choice for who the young voters should select at the polls. I’m not sure if it’s enough to just ask anymore; we need to start molding leaders of tomorrow by offering more than sexy slogan t-shirts and offer plans to direct these mini-movements into a lifestyle. But what’s bothersome is that I couldn’t even begin to offer an alternative and I don't want to seem pessimistic. I’m hopeful that with all that’s happening this year with the political activism and movements, all of these efforts are going to bear the best fruits.

The people over at Slam Bush have uploaded a video of New York MC and freestyle master Wordsworth debating our president and it’s one of the freshest ideas ever hatched. Stick me with the late pass if someone else has already posted this on the site but I think it deserves another look. Wordsworth is lyrically light years ahead of a lot of MCs and this proves it.

Beats To The Rhyme: The Digital Generation Isn't That Lost

2004-08-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Although driving in the Washington Metro area is usually the most convenient way to get around the city, I'm quite fond of taking our subway train system (commonly called The Metro) because it affords me the opportunity to relax and reflect without tearing my hair out during rush hour. I remember as a kid ditching school in the 80s (yes, I'm old) just to ride the Metro from one end to the other. Even with the so-called threat of undercover truancy officers - and you never saw them anyway - my friends and I had nothing better to do.

Apparently this trend has yet to die out. Just this week I was aboard the train when a bunch of kids hop on board - unnecessarily loud and acting like typical teenagers. They start a pretty horrible "cipher" (freestyle rhyming session) using the empty seats around them to pound out beats and I listened to the amateurs give their best shots. I usually turn away from the noise or just turn the volume up on my walkman when this common occurence happens but this time, I decided to ask if I could join in. Man, you could just hear the record screech across the vinyl then. I’m sure I didn’t look the part; I was wearing a pretty nerdy ensemble of khakis and a buttoned-to-the-top rugby shirt. I most likely could’ve passed for some of the kids’ dad. With the visual shock waning, I showed these boys that looks are deceiving and for a solid hour I owned the Red Line downtown bound Metro train.

The young ones were impressed and asked me how long I’ve rhymed and how I did it so easily. I told them I just use what’s in my head and I expose myself to a lot of written works. Of course they all groaned when I mentioned reading being my most favorite hobby and then when I told them I love watching political talk shows, one of the boys chimed in to my shock.
"When my dad was alive, we used to watch The McLaughlin Group and Tim Russert every Sunday at breakfast".

His boys immediately started to clown him, calling him a nerd and soft. But to his credit, the kid never buckled in his pride in doing so. I was impressed that this young man, all of 16 and slight to boot, would even care about something like that. How funny is it that I did the same thing to him that his friends did to me – assuming the worst based on appearances? By some miracle, all six boys (and one of them soon to be 18) opened up to me saying that they’re tired of feeling like they don’t matter and that they want to go to college and be effective citizens. They actually said the term "effective citizens"! I’m still in shock at how well-mannered they became when the topic moved away from the freewheeling raps to something I would’ve deemed boring if I were in their position. I asked the boys if they had Internet access and some of them said they did; the others were aware of what it was. Although they got all teenaged giggly when they mentioned how they go to "check out girls on BlackPlanet", they said they understood the Internet was best used for gaining information. One of the younger kids even copped to using the Internet to help finish one of his book reports.

I mentioned my work with Music for America and I tried not to bore them too much. I talked to them about being voting, activism and how the rap music they love so much can be more than just beats and rhymes. They all promised to check it out when they could. I’m hoping they do – even if it’s just to say they’re not ready. Hopefully one day those boys will become men and not forget that day when they taught an "old" guy a little bit about not judging a book by its cover.
You’ve read this far, so why not check out this interview with Palestinian- American rapper, Iron Sheik? Pretty interesting read, actually. And I love the fact he’s copping to the fact he’s not from the streets. If only more rappers had that much pride in being from the suburbs.

And in other news:
Hip Hop’s biggest fan, Bill O’Reilly, claims he doesn’t "mind Hip Hop" in his interview with P Diddy by way of MTV. Someone get me his mailing address so I can get him a copy of this new Kay Slay Troublemakers 2 CD. I know my man Billy Bill will think this is the freshest CD since Barry Manilow’s last joint.

Don't Forget Those Hip Hop Kids. They Vote Too, Ya Know!

2004-07-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

I can’t imagine a time where a televised event such as the Democratic National Convention received so much undivided attention from usually apathetic viewers. A great number of my friends and colleagues who consider themselves a part of the so-called Hip Hip generation expressed an interest in politics I’ve never expected to witness. When Kerry’s speech was airing, I received e-mails and IM messages from people I would’ve never expected to give much of a care for this sort of thing. They were asking me questions; they wanted website recommendations for research and so on. It was encouraging to know that for all the bombast and hype, they were attentive. Will they continue this sort of interest after November? I hope so because as I always tell young people and anyone within earshot: politics are most interesting and important on the state and local level. That’s where we need to have efforts like the ones MFA and other groups are taking on. This movement has to be sustained beyond the election.
My friends probably also noted how little they were represented on that stage. Not to say that visible luminaries of Hip Hop weren’t involved in some form or fashion but none of the major news channels gave them half the light they deserved. As in 2000, the DNC did little to make certain that Hip Hop culture and the supporters of that culture that keep it afloat were a part of this epic event. There were half-handed attempts made by progressive organizations but when you’re about to throw your valuable vote behind someone, you should be addressed and made to feel as though what your support and vote matters. The empty soul of the convention echoes in me. I started to wonder if it would ever occur to these folks attempting to rally voters that there needs to be some sort of inclusion in those moving and resounding speeches. As Davey D noted in a piece for San Francisco Bay View, Hip Hop’s presence at the DNC was definitely felt but hardly seen. The Boston Social Forum and Russell Simmons’s Hip Hop Summit in Roxbury deserved just as much airtime as any other event near or around the DNC. There should’ve been cameras and reporters on a national level covering some of these major events. The stigma that America isn’t in tune with the movements of young people was solidified by that very exclusion.

Kerry claims he loves Hip Hop (did he call it "the Hip Hop"?) but did he get down in a middle of a cipher or even breeze by any events? I’ve said it in this blog column enough times but these politicians would get major props from the kids and even the old-heads if they would simply show up – even if it’s just to grab a bunch of photo ops and perhaps inspire some kids to give half more than a passing care. How dope would it be if the Democratic presidential candidate got on stage with one the acts even if he would’ve done something corny like a b-boy stance? That would’ve set the whole joint on fire. It would’ve been in every major newspaper worldwide and it would make a lot of young people feel as though this man is of the people of for them as well.
Just to wrap it up this week, check out this article from writer Hans Zeiger as he lets us know how he REALLY feels. I’d like to know the readers feedback on this piece so drop us a line in the comment box of this blog. This should be a rather interesting read considering the happenings of the week.

I Thought I Told You That We Won't Stop: Puff Daddy Making Politics Sexy?

2004-07-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

In a recent article published by the Associated Press by way of the Tucson Citizen, there was an announcement of a new, nonpartisan alliance between Sean "P Diddy" Combs, James Carville and others to form the newly minted voting initiative project titled Citizen Change. Beyond the potential anti-Republican rallying cries this group could potentially express, they claim to want to invoke dialogue between both the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates at their respective parties’ national conventions. Citizen Change will host events centered during both conventions and will present invitations to the candidates. We should applaud P Diddy for using his money and influence for the greater good. We should also note that the group will be working closely with other organizations and clothing companies such as the the Hip Hop Summit Action Network and Ecko Clothing . True enough the shock slogan of "Vote or Die" on the front of T-shirts and clothing items is quite ambitious yet we should still question the motives of those involved. Companies with far-reaching marketing appeal are still advertising items during these rallies and voter drives. While we shouldn’t knock these companies for attempting to cash in and expose their product to all those easily influenced eyeballs, the corporate specter looming overhead could prove to be bothersome. That isn’t pessimism; it’s reality.

I’m a firm believer in the theory of using whatever works to get people interested in productive things. I sincerely hope Puffy doesn’t make a mockery of himself and his position as a mogul for the sake of gaining favor in higher places. I don’t know the man’s motivation other than what he’s already stated. I want to trust him when he says he wants to make voting, in his words, "sexy", which I take to mean the he intends to craft this campaign into something the younger potential voters won’t mind participating in. I can’t imagine why the stakes became suddenly high when just a few years ago he wasn’t even registered to vote yet was urging others to do so at a voting rally held by close friend Russell Simmons out in the Hamptons. These actions, while noble, should still be under scrutiny. Not to downplay the significance of what P Diddy is doing but along with telling people they should vote, are they explaining the Voting Rights Act of 1965? Are they giving true history behind the power of voting and the hell people had to endure to gain those rights or are they just collecting bodies? Voter registrations without voter education hold little weight.

In comparison, why should Donna Brazile , the former campaign manager for Al Gore's 2000 Presidential run, and her urgings to the Hip Hop community be taken any more seriously? Is it because her credentials are stronger? Is it because she has the backing of reputable and long-standing organizations? She speaks with the urgency and sincerity many politicos employ when looking to galvanize groups but that does not excuse her from caution. The challenge we of the so-called Hip Hop generation face should most ardently engage in is one of making sure these political figures, entertainers and others truly understand that we expect them to be true leaders. We're a nation of people hopeful and perhaps desperate for a reason to believe in the power of true democracy. Not every message to us needs to have the backdrop of a dope beat or fancy threads to get us interested. All we can hope for is that the messages and the messenger won't let us down when we do decide to step in unison with them.

Hip Hop Witch Hunts & Misinformed MC's

2004-07-16T09:07:00.000-07:00

The deification of so-called conscious or socially aware Hip Hop artists is a minor annoyance when compared to the various complaints from columnists and the media that Hip Hop is worse off than ever. This stems from the very nature of some people to only acknowledge what the major players force down the public’s throat. The only time Hip Hop participants seems to enjoy any type of true discourse is when the music is under fire for whatever controversial reason.

Jadakiss , an MC with the rap trio The Lox and currently a soloist, has managed to get the interrogation light pointed Hip Hop’s way again with his current single, "Why?", which poignantly asks some deep (at least compared to some of his usual content) questions and offers the idea that our President had a hand in the World Trade Center tragedy. As columnist Jason Alston suggests in his piece for the Daily Dispatch, J to the Muah really took the conspiracy angle to an unnecessary level – but fails to note that in his defense of Bush and country that Jadakiss is allowed his say and doesn’t recognize that at least it’s getting the kids talking about something other than the usual fare of popular Hip Hop. Jadakiss is more than misinformed but if anyone took this his lines as gospel could stand to let go of the remote every once in a while.
Bill O’Reilly, the Hip Hop witch hunter, is all over this as anyone with cable should know. Labeling Jadakiss a "smear merchant", O'Reilly is his usually consistent and annoying self. But that's nothing the Hip Hop nation need to pay attention to. This issue further illustrates one of the points made in last week's Confluence entry. When we have popular rappers with all this media influence and attention uttering statements without facts to back them up do nothing to serve up Hip Hop as a potential beacon for information and change. That isn’t said to condemn Jadakiss or any other rapper for their right to free speech and expression but we have to make, at the very least, partially educated declarations and accusations. Jada likens himself a martyr, someone to take the blame as he notes in this article from writer Rashuan Hall. But as noble as that seems, the glaring problem in all of this well-meaning dart throwing is that the subject is far too layered and esoteric for a rapper to inject into song without boring an audience. It’d be good to see Jada or other rappers that may support theories similar to this to get involved in a televised debate. If he’s truly concerned with stirring things up as he states in the Hall piece, let’s see him do it with some folks that can challenge him on a different platform.

“Why" is currently a hit all across the country and while that’s good for Jadakiss’s label and his royalty checks, let us hope that he’ll use this leverage that he claims to have planned to be used for the greater good and simply more than boosting sales of his LP.

Rappers Take Note: It's OK to Change The Topics Every Once In A While

2004-07-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hip Hop music’s place in the world as a global phenomenon has long been established yet what remains the most baffling occurrence in the music is how across the globe, rap artists use Hip Hop’s influential power far better than our artists employ here in the states. In fact, M-1 of the rap group dead prez illustrated a common apathetic thought amongst rappers and young people in a recent piece from Adam Phillips of Voice of America. Mr. Philips posed the question to the activist-rapper if he has ever voted and M-1 made it clear he’s never voted and will not until revolution is on the ballot. Just to note, this occurred at this year’s Hip Hop Political Convention . It makes you wonder just why he was on the panel if he doesn’t support the choice and right to vote. Again, a clearer description of what many consider political in Hip Hop needs to be constructed. Being politically charged is one thing, being politically minded is another. This isn’t to say that rappers need to become preachy and dogmatic but it can’t hurt to try to creatively drop some politically-themed messages in the music.

Although the talented Atlanta-based rapper Ludacris threw some lyrical shots at Fox News talk show host Bill O'Reilly , his television spots with other rappers encouraging young people to vote won’t hold weight if he doesn’t come with the material to back it up or display more of his apparently impressive intellect when called to do so. Commercials are fine; voting drive concerts are fantastic. But do these people know how to answer questions about the electoral process? Do they know who passes and denies laws in their respective states?

With one word, these entertainers could make it "cool" to research that and we’d have a nation of highly informed people but that’s becoming a more utopian thought by the minute.

Amidst the turmoil in the Middle East, Hip Hop with a message thrives. Israeli emcee’s T.N. and Segol 59, highlighted in a great piece from the New York Times and author Ben Sisario, employ the popular rhythms of Hip Hop and couple them with lyrics inspired by events of their homeland. While T.N. rails violently against the Israeli military, Segol takes a lighter approach yet preaches equality for all involved in the land conflict between Israeli and Palestinian forces. As the piece states, Hip Hop is barely a decade in motion in Israel but they’ve taken the potency of the art form and are using it to advance their messages. It is indeed amazing to ponder how unifying Hip Hop music can be. All it needs is a steady influx of emcee’s willing to take a chance, lose a little bit of sales and perhaps change the pulse of the music by sheer determination and creativity. Not everybody who supports and participates in Hip Hop music is in search for easily grasped songs with simple, catchy hooks. Sometimes, it’s good to challenge yourself and the listeners as an emcee. Give the people more of what they need, not just what they want.

Women & Gays Ain't Down With Us?

2004-07-02T08:40:00.000-07:00

In my June 17th entry for Confluence, I received a comment from a reader, wrath-of-jubei (which happens to be one of the freshest usernames ever). He or she raised two very interesting points:

"No one knew how big Hip Hop would get. Hence, the present state of confusion and trying to figure out what to do with it. Really, you have two perspectives vying for control of Hip Hop - one commercial, the other activist/political. The only difference is that the former is not afraid to admit that it's in it for the money and fame ..."

I make it quite known that I’m annoyed by the current swell of Hip Hop academics and their almost lecherous need in attempting to validate themselves by quoting that occasional 2pac lyric at every lecture or panel appearance – as if that’s the official badge of Hip Hop acceptance in doing so. These folks are cashing in on Hip Hop and while there’s nothing wrong with that, it seems as if it’s masked with this false feeling that they’re truly doing this for the benefit of society. I just want one of these stiff shirts to admit freely that they’re in it for the lecture tour cash. There are so many levels to discuss when we speak about message-driven Hip Hop and it’s never discussed why we try to place it in the hands of men and women who do not actively immerse themselves in the full spectrum of Hip Hop. Some parts of the genre are ugly and a perhaps a small measure of caution in dealing with the culture should be applauded. Still, to ignore any part of Hip Hop in favor of the other does a disservice to those who seek to be taught more about the art form and culture. It’s more than to Hip Hop than quoting popular rappers and trying hard to make it deeper than it needs to be. I apologize for saying this but until one of these Hip Hop activists and intellectuals quote some Mr. Lif or Blitz I don’t think I can take another 2Pac reference seriously.

The other point that wrath-of-jubei raised:

"But, to say that brothers are somehow unable to express intelligent, developed and mature political views simply because they don't agree with a particular social lifestyle and orientation (that should remain as private as heterosexual behavior) is disagreeable. In addition, rather than focus on a need for "gay" tolerance, Asim and others need to discuss the fact that many African American boys are not being raised to recognize their roles and obligations as men."

Make no mistake about it. A lot of male artists in Hip Hop could use a little sensitivity training. Yet with that, many of the attacks Rap music endures could definitely be avoided. Women and those of gay and lesbian orientation have valid reasons in feeling excluded and poorly valued in the culture. Alienating a potential fan base has never seemed to be a concern for the music yet when we discuss Hip Hop’s potential to alter society’s fabric, the gay and female fans and their comfort do not seem paramount. Part of the problem in making this a reality lies in the fact that most rap artists do not see themselves responsible for anyone’s actions beyond their own. Most artists seem to ignore this amazing amount of power they possess. I wonder if the rap artists that do get involved in community-enhancing projects recruit those of their ilk or check each other on their lyrical content. It is indeed comforting to know that with the recent Hip Hop Political Convention, Hip Hop artists are making strides to get politically active but once election day is over are we going to wait another four years to give a damn? Political activism and involvement, much like Hip Hop, is something that has limitless potential. Are we going to sustain the effort? Are rap artists willing to compromise their output for the sake of gays and women’s comfort? We have a long way to go before those questions can be answered.

Trolling Through The Late Night AM Radio Wasteland

2004-06-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

I’m going to take a different route with my Confluence entry this week and make it a little more personal than usual. I had a severe case of writer’s block last night and I decided a highway drive would free up some thoughts. After painfully sifting through the garbage on the FM side of the station – with all the requisite slow jam/love song sets because of the late hour – I stumbled upon a goldmine of entertainment: AM Radio. I am completely hooked to that side of the dial now. The variety of programming is far more interesting in comparison to what you will witness on the FM side. Of course, you have to endure a fair share of badly produced commercials for “male enhancement," hair loss, and financial counseling but it is all worth it for the occasional gems you reap.

Last night, however, I realized that AM radio is home to a bevy of President Bush apologists and they’re heavy into their Right-leaning agenda. Thankfully, they allow countering views from those on the left but as radio host Dennis Prager said in his syndicated talk show late last night, the Left enjoys hysteria and mayhem. Prager railed off against director Michael Moore's new film, Fahrenheit 9/11, and criticized Moore for attacking Bush and painting him as an incompetent leader. Not that Bush needed much help in that arena given some of the decisions by he and his administration in the last 4 years but Prager raised some good points from the Right that I wouldn’t have been exposed to had it not been for my late night road-toiling. One thing is highly noticeable as well. These Right-leaning talk show hosts, for all their pro-American values and morals, are really behind Bush and his team – almost with an apology at the ready for being supportive.

Another show I happened across was The Mike Gallagher Show show. If I can find where his show runs on the dial, I’ll listen to it again. The host is affable, quick and isn’t afraid to let someone from the Left challenge his strong, conservative views. Although he isn’t as gung ho about all things Right as Mr. Prager, Mr. Gallagher was at the very least fair.

However, the frustrating thing about AM radio is the reception. Just as the show was getting good, I would lose range due to my driving up and down the highway. I drove around an extra hour and half in an attempt to get Gallagher’s show back on the dial when I stumbled across the evening's weirdest offering. It was a politically-themed call-in show directed towards truck drivers. Because of the reception, I kept missing the call letters but I can assure that this show (which is based in Denver, Colorado) was the strangest thing I’ve ever been privy to. The callers used their CB radio handles when calling in so that made it even more comical to hear "Big Bear" or "Heavy Foot" drop their versions of political science.

But it didn’t stop there. I happened across one station playing some pretty poorly constructed rap songs so I braced myself for it and listened. It was a song about getting registered to vote – well, it pretended to be a song anyway. I truly believe they will have this song on repeat in hell for infinity. And while I appreciate the message and the intent, the execution was laughable and amateurish. Much to my frustration, I wasn’t able to the get the "artist’s" name or else I’d be providing a sound link for the column. I can’t be alone in witnessing that horror.

Don’t be afraid to venture off into the deep darkness that is AM radio. You never know what will come to light. If you can weave around the countless gospel and religious station formats, you'll find something worthy of interest.

Music with a Message ...

2004-06-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

Growing up and slowly becoming socially aware in 1980s, I didn’t realize how powerful music with a message could be until I reached high school in the mid 80s. I watched the news and read the paper with the requisite pre-teen and teenager’s wavering interest. News items and names stuck to you here and there, especially President Ronald Reagan . One of my boyhood heroes, Chuck D of Public Enemy, often took Reagan (and eventually the senior George Bush) to task for what he felt was a series of ploys by the government to derail the progression of his people and misinforming the public. Discovering Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane and KRS-1 at a young age really influenced a thirst for not only the music but a need to find out why the messages were so strong. Radical thoughts and politics aside, you heard their music often and the messages, when present, were branded into your mind. With Reagan’s recent passing, it made me recall how many songs in my youth attacked the man’s character, or at least his administration.

Ironically, my first Hip Hop CD purchase was Run-D.M.C.'s self-titled debut. There was nothing, as far as I can recall, socially uplifting on that release. I can admit I missed many of the messages in some of my favorite Hip Hop artist’s songs and I didn’t return to seeking them through music until the early 1990s – when Afro-centric themes were still relevant and prominent. Even then, I missed out on a lot of messages because, like most people, I was impressed more by dogmatic rhetoric than I was by action.

Go-Go, a form of percussion-heavy music that relies on chants and borrows heavily from funk, soul and, much later in its development, Hip Hop, is a Washington, D.C. musical phenomenon. It is one of the rare forms of music you have to experience live to fully understand its power. Sadly enough, success in Go-Go has been sporadic at best and it has never latched on anywhere else in the country as it does in its own backyard. In his June 8th column about Ronald Reagan’s legacy, Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher revealed a tidbit I was totally unaware of. He wrote: “In this city, Experience Unlimited, the great go-go band, sang of Reaganomics, "No matter what they cut back, we're going to say, 'Ooh la la la' to that," and a generation that saw no way out other than the foolish dreams of hustling and pro sports was lost to crack, music videos and a deepening disconnect from the ideals of work and family. This is the same Experience Unlimited (better known as E.U.) that is in sole possession of Go-Go’s biggest hit, “Da Butt."

Who knew they were paying attention to the political and social landscape?

In D.C., one of the most popular bands of the 1980s was the Southeast Washington-based Junkyard Band . Their first nationally available single through Def Jam Records, “The Word," was backed by a more popular b-side, “Sardines." I didn’t pay attention to the words back then and not until quite recently did I realize that they were railing against President Reagan in a similar fashion as E.U. did. The refrain in the song, “Reagan made the bomb, Reagan made the bomb" meant nothing to me when I was 14-15 years old – all I cared about was the beat and having a good time. How ironic is it that Marc Fisher, a man I have little in common with aside from the fact we’re both writers, has brought everything from my past full circle. Go-Go, a form of music nobody confuses with being socially conscious had folks really pushing some ideas to the youth. It’s too bad that current Go-Go bands could care less about the issues; it’s all about the honeys shaking their butts and “going hard" as the kids say.

As time goes on and they reach that age of settling down, how far are will the young people of the day be willing to reach back and recollect when the music became less about the party and more about the message? As it stands now, every current popular song on the radio in Washington, D.C. share the common theme of partying, chasing women, sexual prowess and conquest and who has the shiniest trinkets. I’m honest in saying that I enjoy a good, old-fashioned song that may display a little ignorance – especially if the beat is enjoyable. But I won’t ever stop pining for the days of old when there was at least a decent amount of balance between the banal and the bold.

With Peace,
D.L. Chandler

For more information, visit the sites below:
Washington Post's MP3 Go-Go Page
Interesting piece about Public Enemy
Washingtonian Magazine's take on Go-Go music

Political Hip Hop Convention ...

2004-06-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

In a recent editorial release from the Black Policy.org staff, they raised one of the more interesting arguments concerning the surging infusion of politics and Hip Hop culture. It follows:

"The establishment of a highly organized political front by a unique and universal cultural art form gives us serious pause. You don't think it should? Such thinking threatens to create an atmosphere of expressive filtration - if the world of hip hop has a political agenda, then Artist X's lyrics are, over time, forced to ultimately conform to the evolving hip hop 'party line.' If not, Artist X may face exile from the 'hip hop community' - however that's defined. Suddenly, all the social, political and activist messages in hip hop sound the same. We'd be curious to see if 70 percent of hip hop consumers (middle class White teens, college students and graduates) are included in this political collective."

As we touched on in Confluence last week, there are so many vague intentions for this supposed Hip Hop political movement that many are still in the dark on just what they intend to do. How inclusive is it when a majority of the speakers and acts featured in the panel discussions and entertainment portions for the upcoming Political Hip Hop Convention are mostly Black? How can you have so many of the usual set of suspects talking the same thing with what will be an unmistakable lack of policy focus? This isn’t meant as a slight to the convention’s efforts, but there lacks a true balance in political philosophy. Many of the speakers and panelists are hard driving liberals as if to say moderates and conservatives can’t enter the “cipher," so to speak. There isn’t one speaker listed (in my view of it) that will offer countering thoughts and is that truly going to advance this progressive ideal?

Simply put, it can’t be this one-sided banner movement. When can the White b-boy or Asian b-boy and b-girl start to feel like this message speaks to them? Of course, we’re jumping the gun because the convention hasn’t started yet and it may march to a very successful drum. That is still a hope I share with everyone involved. My fear is this sort of political marginalization will invite an ultra-liberal slant and becomes a type of reverse commercialism. As if we’re packaging this Hip Hop and politics movement like it’s the next fly ride or fresh new kicks in the hood.
As the Black Policy.org piece goes on to illustrate in the last paragraph in its Hip Hop Appreciation week section, the people we’re left to begin and hopefully carry on this tradition exist in these hallowed halls of the Black intelligentsia – but are they up to creating the necessary tenets of the agenda? Just because you can quote a 2pac lyric and possess a doctorate in African-American Studies does not mean I should buy into your ideal for a bold, new and politically-charged Hip Hop America. These professors, academics and supposedly well-meaning blowhards have questionable credentials in the vocation of Hip Hop. That’s where young people should question this movement. If the union between two very multi-faceted and diverse entities such as politics and Hip Hop is to work, the torch-bearers had better be prepared to offer more than what’s been given already.

Policy over politics; I like the sound of that.

Check out these two sites:
www.blackelectorate.com
www.urbanthinktank.com

Both sites are owned and operated by Cedric Muhammad and Yvonne Bynoe repectively. They'll both be panelists and moderators for this year's Political Hip Hop Convention.

Consumerism, Commercialism & Indifference ...

2004-05-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

It is often assumed that Hip Hop’s only contribution to the broad spectrum of American culture is the widespread acceptance of consumerism, commercialism and indifference to anything not Hip Hop related. However, many on the outside of Hip Hop’s circle understand that the influential power possessed by the genre’s largest stars is an intangible gift. It isn’t any surprise that Russell Simmons , a marketing mogul that many herald as a genius, has tapped into the political pulse of young people. His many successful business ventures and music connections have allowed him to advance his newest platform: political activism . Over the last few years, he’s emerged as young America’s champion for change and has managed to get stars not known for their political views involved in efforts to encourage voter participation and eliminate voter apathy. Many have quietly questioned Mr. Simmons’ sincerity – I being one of those people. I do not have any contempt for Mr. Simmons’; I simply question the motives behind his stance and its overall focus. I want ideas on how to affect political change, not tips on how to wear my Phat Farm gear. I support any person’s efforts to provide change and even shameless promotion in light of it isn’t an issue. I just hope that his effort’s agendas aren’t inconspicuous. If I have to endure another television interview with the man displaying his wares – on a topic that has little to do with any of his many products – I’m going to have to look for another voice in the Hip Hop political scene.

The question remains is if it’s working. Certainly, a lot of major companies that sponsor voter registration events are pandering for those youthful eyeballs and the advertising dollars they help to generate. Throwing a few thousand dollars to a school or youth center in the “hood‿ here and there supposedly gives them some sort of credibility with the real people. These are the folks who are in the trenches suffering at the hands of the establishment – apparently this is where apathy breeds most often. With the upcoming Political Hip Hop Convention in New Jersey, there is hope that a new progressive movement can finally take hold and be regarded seriously. This approach, while ambitious, still has the usual set of suspects and a gaggle of people who never made themselves to be political beacons before. Pardon my seemingly negative stance – I truly do hope that these men and women get this right. I still have to question it if only to understand the true underlying motive.

Sean "Puffy" Combs , record label executive and current Broadway actor in the play “A Raisin In The Sun‿, is back in cahoots with cable network MTV to host a new politically-themed showed called “Project Change ‿. Not to blow anyone’s spot but didn’t Sean Combs attend a Simmons-sponsored political event a few years back encouraging young people to vote when he himself wasn’t even a registered voter? This is precisely the worry of many active and progressive thinkers when it comes to the huge task of getting young people to the polls. If the youth voter movement paid as much attention to the facts as they do the videos and music of these beloved icons, would these events they sponsor ever take hold? We can’t foresee the future but we can hold these so-called leaders accountable. One of the qualities of being a leader is to admit when you’re faulty. Let’s hope that won’t be an oft occurring event. We’ll give them a chance to prove us wrong.

For an interesting look into Hip Hop Activism, read Don Hazen’s piece over at Alternet.

Hip Hop's Evolution

2004-05-21T08:23:00.000-07:00

If you look back and chronicle Hip Hop’s evolution as a message tool, you can directly see the most universal theme in many a young person’s struggle: the limits of their surroundings and the desire to change that. Beyond it being one of more common themes in Hip Hop music, it has never taken root in being popular. It isn’t hard to imagine, then, the ever-present difficulty in discovering acts that have both the sonic dexterity to make poignant songs but also do so and still be entertaining.

Far gone are Public Enemy's glory days of the 1980s and early 90s. Yet during their peak, you would hear PE songs on the radio and their videos enjoyed a healthy run – certainly more than was expected. And not only was it prevalent, it sounded good as well. The message was clearly intended for Black America and regardless of how politically charged the lyrics were, front man Chuck D was dedicated to his people’s struggles first. Anything dealing with politics on a broad level was never fully articulated. It is precisely why calling certain acts political is such a vague assessment. Most acts that get stuck with the “conscious" or “political" tag are usually those that cater their sound to counter the ever-popular club oriented and radio friendly songs. What sells now is anything that catches the ear and gets folks rushing to the dance floor. Lyrics have very little importance these days. Yet it seems that when you praise an emcee’s lyrical worth and give it a label (sometimes just to highlight the content), some emcees would rather run screaming to the hills.

So why is there reluctance by some of Hip Hop’s better lyricists to embrace those tags? Why did they became so damning when in the 1980s, folks seemed proud to be known as beacons?

I interviewed emcee Talib Kweli in the summer of 2000 and it was during the recording of the Reflection Eternal LP. I was a huge fan of the man’s work and I definitely enjoyed his Black Star project with fellow Brooklyn native, Mos Def . During the interview, I made the mistake of asking whether or not he was a conscious or political rapper and would he be getting involved in any voter drives since it was an important election year. Mr. Kweli seemed visibly annoyed with the line of questioning – I wasn’t seasoned as an interviewer at the time. He said that any type of assumed tag people place on him would put him under more stress than he was willing to take on. He admitted that while he would never dumb down his content because he felt that the people would understand it, he did say he wanted little to do with any movement that didn’t concern his people first. He went on to say that voting does nothing to change the fabric of the nation and clearly felt justified in saying that. I don’t know what Mr. Kweli’s stances are on political and social issues now, but I do wonder if the apathy we are inundated with is being helped by this sort of indifference to the democratic process by artists or people most would expect to champion those ideals.

In a recent e-mail exchange with Nicole Powers, MASSV Club and Events Editor for URB Magazine , she too articulated how difficult it is to remove the shadow of voter apathy. She did express that during this year’s Coachella event, many artists used their platform as an opportunity to get messages across. To quote Ms. Powers, “the artistic community seems to have found their collective balls‿. As she went on to say in her e-mail, perhaps being politically and socially aware will become fashionable again once more people of prominence step up.
Hip Hop culture, as universal as it has become, is still widely recognized as an entity were black and Latino people are the leaders and pioneers. How then are we to tackle delivering a message when certain people who are witness to the message can’t even relate to it? Perhaps it will take an artist that is on the total opposite of the race spectrum.

Sage Francis , a gifted emcee and poet from Rhode Island, has enjoyed a steady stream of success since the late 90s. He too seems to shy away from labels but as one of Hip Hop’s most accessible and vocal acts, he maintains an almost cult like following. Francis was one of the few underground Hip Hop acts who embraced the Internet early on for its connective power and has encouraged downloading of his own music in the past. His most recent tour, the boldly titled F*CK Clear Channel Tour, was met with praise. A fellow colleague referred to Francis’s work as Public Enemy for White Suburbia. While I won’t support or refute that claim, Francis’s strong anti-establishment views and his educated ramblings (he graduated from the University of Rhode Island) make him an interesting person to watch in coming months.

There are so many angles and answers to chase and we will eventually take them on. For now, we have to find out why so many acts with the power to move a nation have decided to play the background. Perhaps in the coming weeks, someone will grant us their insight.

With Peace,
D.L.

Consumer Culture & Hip Hop

2004-05-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

Josh Koenig and da bookman, respectively raised two very strong points: How consumer culture is widely influenced by broadcast media and how in other countries, Hip Hop culture is employed on a more political level while in the states it is a more personal experience. Both of these occurrences shouldn't be a shock to young America; it is beyond obvious that the down-your-throat-and-accept-it nature of MTV and BET further impacts Mr. Koenig's point about media influence.

I'm sure many of you reading have been victim to the droning effects of commercials on both the radio and television -- not fully grasping why you went to the mall and spent mindlessly but in this brutal assault on our ability to choice, it does happen quite a bit. It comes as little surprise why certain musical acts enjoy success on major airways these days; every station seems to be controlled by Clear Channel or Radio One and there exists no shame in these radio stations repeating the same 10 songs every hour on the hour. Not to discredit anyone's attempt at art but J-Kwon's "Tipsy" should not have been a top 10 hit on any level but the barrage of hearing it 20 times a day has taken hold. I've even found myself saying the infectious chorus against my will.

Hip Hop's social roots are historically recorded. From the early 70s until now, it has proved to be an entity of refuge for many. Of course, Hip Hop culture is more segregated than ever and that is truly reflective of the way things are in this country currently. You have your commercial pop acts, and then there are your grimy underground acts, moving from there to the more "organic" poetic sound and so forth and so on. Each particular sound has a built in niche audience and there has been little reason to galvanize all of the forces for one. It is amazing to read how in Brazil, England and other countries how whole Hip Hop concerts are built about political movement and resistance but here in the states, we're doing summer jams for Pepsi and Budweiser. Yes, these large companies reportedly give back to urban areas and youth charities, but it is replete with the looming specter of commercialism and consumerism.

As a unifying force, music and informational sites like MFA can do a lot to bridge a slew of communication gaps. As we of the so-called Generation X get older, we have to realize that those kids coming up behind us are the youth movement now. We can't underestimate the importance of that movement and we need to construct ways to help them get involved. MFA and other organizations have the right idea in getting the youth involved in democracy and participation. Hip Hop music and culture is about being fresh, innovative and provocative. The ideas behind political movements need to mirror those same ideals. To meld movement and music, it takes consistency and a real desire to change.

We will see in the coming months if that challenge can be met.

For an interesting read, check out http://www.clearchannelsucks.org/.

With Peace,
D.L.