As we end the month of November showing gratitude and appreciation, particulary to Hiphop History Month, Native American Heritage Month and the Annual celebration of the Universal Zulu Nation, also a bit of relief from the frenzy of passing mid term elections. As well in honorable mention, the VH1/Russel Simmons/Viacom effort last month honoring pioneers Afrika Bammbataa, MC Lyte, Rakim, Ice Cube, Wu-Tang, ect,. I was particularly interested in the increase of various praises, in statements, media programming, propaganda and promotions. However, no matter how content, I am drawn to emphasize the necessity for those of us who are progressively conscious in our communities to begin, continue, and further advance the thinking and being of Hiphop, beyond entertainment.
Furthermore, with the inundating, every day promotion of "rap music", then the subsequent barage of criticisms that comes along with it. It becomes painfully obvious that without a "conscious" balanced, responsible and practical approach to Hiphop, Hiphop Kulture, its elements and expressions "we" as Hiphoppas become short sighted in vision, apathetic in standard, complacent and boring. From television, radio, magazine, and ofcourse blog to blog, in some of the most intellectual, exclusive and popular of circles, from thread to thread, all that is discussed is the same old skewed perspective of rap being the center of Hiphop's universe.
Again not to be repetititve, or to disrespect those who have heard this, and you know word is life; but Hiphop is "NOT" rap music! Rap is something you do, Hiphop is some thing you live!" By and large, its official and globally recognized and accepted, that Hiphop is a creative global consciousness. When this consciousness acts or performs, it is recognized by its elements breakin, emceein, grafitti art, deejayin, beatboxin, street language, street fashion, street knowledge, and street entrepreneurialism. (see Refinitions) Be clear, this is not just another Temple promo. This ofcourse is the very material basis and validation that Hiphop is without question culture, not sub-culture and certainly, not just music.
Granted either as a 14 billion dollar industry, or a never ending stream of special interest promotion, economists agree it is quite certain that it will be here for more than just a few years. Everywhere, from around the world, from Okinawa Japan, Sidney Austrailia, Cairo Egypt, to the South Bronx NY, Altanta Georgia and Los Angeles California; youth are more and more, embracing and responding to the wholesale mass marketing of "hip-hop" oriented strategies. So I inquire, "how many real Hiphoppas are in the place to be...?" Globalization is here, and it should be top priority for many of us who are Hiphop-citizens, or those rap fans sympathetic to our cause; to be responsible for Hiphop's continued establishment and preservation. We must step up as groups, networks, communities and further sustain what has been established, by each of those pioneers we dont hear enough about. So that it may continue to inspire and reach men, women and children across the globe. Provoking them to challenge the status quo, developing dignity and character, becoming educated, considerate and productive people while carrying messages of peace, love, unity, and safely having fun.
Considering the compelling issues either overwhelming or dividing our communities, such as the increased corruption and world wide ethno-political conflicts. Or the unabated structural violence, environmental tragedies, natural disasters, pandemic sicknesses, festering hatreds, widespread ignorances and wrenching poverty that continues to cripple our homes, schools, workplaces, religious institutions, health care facilities, town halls, recreational programs, local, state and federal governments. Motivating and convincing more capable, interested and concerned persons to raise the quality of the Hiphop lifestyle, or just lifestyles in general, by choosing to be "more" responsible, "more" accountable, "more" considerate and thoughtful for how Hiphop looks and acts in society is paramount. This will encourage like-mined citizens of other communities to break down defense mechanisms that perpetuate corrosive ignorances like racism, descrimination, common stereotypes and prejudices which directly and indirectly effect Hiphop Kulture, Hiphop politics, Hiphop economics, business and trade.
In many of our inner city communities, we find our surroundings in utter decay, with little to no applicable direction, knowledge, resources or support systems to alter its destructive patterns. There appears to always be an open availablity for "get rich quick" schemes and no tangible, functional, practical, institutional or entreprenurial strategies to ensure minimal success and gratification. Despite figures that suggest low unemployment (4.3%), millions of us struggle to find stable employment or sustainable income, but constantly find ourselves depending on insufficient sources to maintain our families, finances and lifestyles. Resulting in cycles of under employment for over qualified skilled workers. Every year, more students drop out of high school (50%) and college(24%) with no possibility of return, to join an underpaid, overtly descriminatory workforce to pay for basic necessities. Translation, a 2007 American workforce unprepared, overdemaded and unequipt to compete in a global economy, where education with concentrations in mathematics, all sciences, critical analysis, language, grammar, literature and comprehension are imperative.
Furthermore, with the increasing numbers of young people who look at any one of Hiphop's (9) elements as their most promising way to success, I highly recommend fundamentally sound formal education with skills and training in organization, professionalism, discipline, administration, etc. To all practioners of Hiphops' elements this campaign to decriminalize Hiphop's public image is essential to the progress of your futures, and the very preservation of Hiphop itself. Every day someone new emerges from the confines of a colony, with new messages to offer Hiphop kulture. So each hiphoppa should be prepared, adequately equipt and properly motivated to compete, or sustain their progress while persuing their goals. Therefore, to compete hiphoppas must know the value of their contributions as average citizens. Not just consumers!
For example, consider Hiphop in its beginning stages, when corporate interests, bottomlines, marketing strategies and the like were not a main stay in our young cultural community. Before Dondi, Herc, Bamm, Cowboy and Flash were seen as pioneers. When the days of being Ghetto Fabulous meant that, you were respected and loved by your local community and an artist's success was deeply rooted in the credibility and validity of his or her expression. The days of yes yes yallin'.
However, many of Hiphops original citizens (mostly African Americans) during Hiphop's Dark Age (1971-1981) and the Golden Age (1981-1991), portrayed hip-hop,(the unorganized, immature culture before 1999, not the self aware, empowered, more unified Hiphop Kulture that exists today); as a black thing (so you would'nt understand.)
This was primarily perpetuated because for many of us, we had nothing and Hiphop was definitely something. Something that was capable of transforming objects, subjects and eventually circumstances to better define and articulate our mentalities, economics, socio-political ideas and inner being. Consequently, like many things originating in African-American culture, the resource, credit and rewards are often extracted by coersion to undermine the initial goals and intentions. Which often gives the perception of being like an overprotective parent, not wanting your children to play down the street and be misled, abused and taken advantage of. Most critics accused blacks of "reverse racism" and dismissed the existence of such a creative consciousness. Nevertheless, the committed DJ's still spun, real Emcees still rhymed, and street entreprenuers still hustled. It was not about the dolla dolla bill, because what was valuable was within us!
Furthermore, to quote Grandmaster Caz of the legendary Cold Crush Brothers, during Hiphop Appreciation Week 2001 in New York, "Hiphop is our baby, we created it!" And we created it... because necessity is the mother of invention. At the time, our necessities were peace, love, unity and safely having fun. They still are. However, in 2007, we need to expand these principles and broaden our vision to complement our maturity. A successful, well thought out campaign to assert the fact that we are more than just gangstas, we are more than just bitches, we are more than just con-men, coons and video hoes. We are teachas, doctors, mechanics, active duty military and veterans, city council, mentors, clergy, secretaries, nurses and most of all... MANY OF US ARE PARENTS! Parents who want what is in the best interest of our children and not solely what is in the best interest for corporations. So I challenge any and all corporate sponsors, radio stations, television stations, print media, internet media, music label A&R's, advertising and marketing firms do not be afraid of us. Just because we speak differently, dress differently, and at times think differently, do not merely dismiss us as insignificant. Go beyond what is being promoted now in rap music and see us for what we are. We are not just doing hiphop, WE ARE HIPHOP!
HIPHOP BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT!
There it is.
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