Hiphop Teaches Stanford University "The Ledge"!

HIPHOP TEACHES STANFORD UNIVERSITY
“THE LEDGE”

By LeRoi Burns



This past Saturday March 4th 2006, Stanford University invited a cluster of journalists, authors, organizers, professors, activists, rap artists, Hiphop teachas and pioneers to the Wallenberg Hall to discuss Hiphop. Considering that I am in my mid thirties and a Hiphop archivist / journalist who has covered such illustrious events as the “Meeting of the minds” in 1994 at the Schaumburg Center in New York, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Hiphop Exhibit in 1999, and the presenting of the Hiphop Declaration of Peace at the United Nations in 2001, a host of conferences, well known and not so famous; lectures, gatherings and concerts, I was somewhat skeptical to begin with covering this assignment. The reason; to date academia still has not approached Hiphop with the integrity of a scholar or a journalist, to accurately research, document or present, let alone archive. With this said, after the six hour drive from Los Angeles the previous day, I was excited to be a part of such an event considering such participants as Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Bizzy B., Camilla Westenberg, Bakari Kitwana, the Teaha KRSONE, Angela Ards, Ben Caldwell, Davy D and Derrick Darby to name a few.

At the top of the morning I arrived as most of the participants did, being overwhelmed by the wealth it must take to coordinate such a campus, with its sprawling lawns, expensive architecture, majestic palms flanking the long driveway towards a structure that reminded me of the antebellum slave south and its flamboyant plantations. Walking up the stairs, I began to feel that same ole’ feeling I always get when I am someplace where I may not be genuinely welcome. Nevertheless, I pressed on into the foyer to discover the event was being held practically in the hallway of this building. Now excuse me, but I have been in several University functions but shouldn’t this type of event at least be in a room of its own. The organizer who greeted me, was somewhat distracted by the members of a Hiphop organization ahead of me in line, who were clearly disappointed that there was no general public or audience, no formal room, no impartial non-participant media sources, which obviously meant, no Hiphop.

After getting my bear claw and starbucks coffee, I immediately made my way to a small table in the corner of the hallway waiting for the first panel to begin, when I noticed a group of well dressed, inner city kids bringing in a large backdrop of the Hiphop Declaration of Peace. Intrigued, I proceeded to ask a charming young Latino woman with them, who they were and was the Hiphop Declaration of Peace apart of the archive? Articulately and politely, she began to tell me that they were with The Temple of Hiphop, and that their kultural specialist / global advocate was giving orientations on the Declaration of Peace during the intermissions. Amazed, considering that no other organization representing liberation Hiphop was present, I thanked her and stood in the hallway as the curator of the archive Marcyliena Morgan began to announce the event was beginning. Surprisingly unorganized, due to the moderator’s late arrival, things kicked off rather sluggishly. Journalist Angela Ards, from the village voice impeded the monotony by providing some much needed contrast to the panelists, self-centric approach to documenting Hiphop’s history. Somewhat unimpressed by hip-hop historian Davy D’s, claim that “he was there” during the culture’s inception, she interrupted saying “I have been a journalist since before their was a term, hip-hop journalism, and that all journalists should express the fundamentals of writing and journalistic integrity, something lacking in the genres documenting.”

Consequently, two panels later, after some very subdued intellectualizing about rap music, pontificating, name dropping and credential ejaculating, we were finally to be given real Hiphop in the form of a panel named “The Artist is the Theorist: I AM Hiphop”. Panelists, Boots Riley, Bizzy B., Ladybug, Angela Ard, Davy D, Adissa Banjoko, Ben Caldwell, Camilla Westenberg, KRSONE, Craig Watkins, Marcyliena Morgan, Martha Diaz, Giuseppe Pipitone, to name a few began to discuss the issue of Hiphop. Pioneer and first solo Emcee Bizzy B., began by stating how honored he and KRS was to be invited, considering much of the conversation was confined to chronicling rap music, its lyrics and its influence, African American gripes, race relations and the prison system instead of the main topic of being Hiphop. At this time, a question was posed to the legends and leaders of Hiphop about what it means to be a rapper in today’s society. Composed and clearly strategic, KRS being the only artist relevant enough to answer, stood up and began by greeting and offering respect to the university and panel, then began to make the distinction that although “rap is something he does, Hiphop is what he lives!”

Furthermore, he began to discern the difference in discussing Hiphop from an objective and skewed perspective, as opposed to the subjective and point of origin. KRSONE immediately addressed a bay area journalist Adissa Banjoko, who for those that do not know, has been slandering KRS on his website to sell a few copies of his book for well over a year. Banjoko has also demanded KRS debate the globally embraced “I am Hiphop” philosophy created by the Teacha in 1994. Expressing some frustration about imposter hip-hop opportunists, KRS said that “he does not debate faith” and their were enemies of Hiphop on the panel such as Mr. Banjoko, who could be a federal co-intellpro agent working towards the dismantling, division and downfall of Hiphop, its cultural character, elements and expressions. He went on to say that after twenty years of supporting every journalist on the panel, including Mr. Banjoko, and those also nationally and abroad, that with such disrespect in direct violation of the publicly presented Hiphop Declaration of Peace at the United Nations, that he felt like “beatin’ his fuckin ass”, for having the audacity to be in such a forum.


By and large, the rest of the event was somewhat therapy for the rap fans present who were compelled to the realization that Hiphop is not rap music! For far too long, Hiphop (including rap music industry) which is a 10 billion dollar industry must continue to demand its respect in every institution, social order, political structure, capitalist endeavor and democratic venue. To the approval and applause of those present claiming Hiphop, this outburst by KRSONE was quite refreshing considering the current state of Hiphop and rap music. Reminiscent of the November call to action by Zulu Nation founder, Afrika Bammbaataa, to take a stand for Hiphop against the scandalous corporate radio stations, record labels and media telecommunications outlets under federal investigation for the past two years, many of us who consider ourselves citizens of the Hiphop nation, were very pleased.

For the rest of the event, the panel, wanted to ease the tensions between Hiphop’s statesmen and those who clearly continue to claim to be hip-hop, whether bishop or historian, but continue to compromise Hiphop’s cultural unity and common spirit for profit, prestige and acceptance. Many of the participants emphatically began to agree with KRSONE and Bizzy B, while offering some much needed understanding and compassion to the discussion. After the panel, KRS and Adissa adjourned to the entrance to further their heated conversation, which seemingly formed clarity when MalikONE, the global advocate of the Temple, began to emphasize the necessary respect when approaching Hiphop’s leadership, culture, and salient issues. I later interviewed MalikONE at a KRS concert filled to capacity in Berkley, who throughout the event, with the support of the Temple of Hiphop, gave an informative presentation on the Hiphop Declaration of Peace, advocated the upcoming 9th annual Hiphop Appreciation Week™ and garnered support for a Hiphop Guild to implement the pertinent developments of the Stanford Hiphop Archive event.

Resonating points by Imani Perry and Ben Caldwell, MalikONE stressed “It’s good that things were shaken up a bit today to affect the apathy of those doing the documenting, and the two things that move politics are money and people.” He also affirmed that “not only is the Teacha acting within the best interest of Hiphop’s culture, but that this is a time for action not acting!” He also gave me some insight to the reason KRS chose this forum to address these issues and Adissa. Apparently as KRS briefly mentioned during the discussion, Adissa was working on a book entitled Chicken Soup for the Hiphop Soul, which KRSONE and the Temple endorsed and financed some $5,000.00, but was never completed, or justified by Adissa Banjoko. When asked about this, Adissa refused to comment. Finally, I must add that Dr. Michael Eric Dyson did not attend, but his assistant did say that he was disappointed that he would not be able to meet with KRSONE, who was the reason he was attending and moderating. Predictably, this entire event will most likely be convoluted and politicized by those who were exposed and only wish to disrespect the cultural character of Hiphop, and build a career on the credibility of those patriots who continue to fight the power.