So it’s currently February 22, 2007 and I’ve come to just realize something. This culture that so many of us scream as “Black Culture” isn’t really doing much in acknowledging Black History. Yeah sure there is the occasional Martin Luther King reference in a song or the Malcolm X (who’s anniversary of his assassination was yesterday) quotation of “By Any Means” twisted out of context to legitimize the said rapper’s gangster persona. Why is it that this culture that clearly has the ear’s of the youth isn’t using the power to promote our people’s achievements? Our History?
Is there a deeper reason than the excuse of “White People Run The Labels” or “What They Taught Us In School Was False”?. Could the real reason behind Hip-Hop not really pumping up our past be because it’ll shame our present? Looking at what our people went through to get us at this point, think about how we betrayed them. We let our enemies take control over something that gave us Freedom and unified races. We bicker with each other spreading the Willie Lynch mentality promoting Death and silence rather than Speaking Up and fighting for what’s ours. When you think about it sorry my fellow Hip-Hoppers but truth be told Malcolm X, MLK, Harriet Tubman probably aren’t proud of us. They look down on us like disappoint parents because it seems we failed.
It’s not about the corporations brainwashing us, no it’s about us selling out our History for money and now brainwashing each other. The prime example will always be BET. To go from a station with a message, something that had shows where Black People would talk about the real issues, a show where teen’s talked about real issues to now promoting horrifying B.S. is outrageous! Do we really lack enough self pride to not demand someone’s head on a platter when BET creates a show called “Hot Ghetto Mess” something where you’re encourage to flaunt ignorance? We’re mad at Kramer (rightfully so though) for blurting hate-full words after being heckled at his comedy show but not a little disturb that College Hill doesn’t even show the Kids in fucking school! In fact this new season’s selling point is a bunch of rowdy kids partying and having sex. So in other words it’s just a darker-skin tone “Real World” Negroes please!!!
Why aren’t we as an culture repping our people’s struggles and achievements? Why aren’t we teaching our kids instead of filling their minds with pointless shit as to whose more of a thug and how to sell drugs. We claim we rap about what’s going on in our society but are we really? Are we really being Ghetto Reporters or Ghetto Terrorist? I remember as a kid older heads bumping BDP’s “You Must Learn” and it has me thinking. It’s not like it’s impossible to make a banger with knowledge in it. We our the voice of our youth so as black people lets speak on who we are. Lets show love to how far we’ve come.
Or maybe that would be to hard of a hit because we’d have to realize how much we fell off and how we have to become more accountable of ourselves. I’m not talking about just making a song or two or donating cash here and there. I’m talking about really devoting ourselves to educate and elevate our people with this power we have properly. There is no way in hell guys like Jay-z, 50 and Puff can’t dedicate time (real time) and effort to support the History that made it possible for them. We in Hip-Hop got to step it up some how some way, cause if we loose touch of our past we loose touch with us. I don’t want to side with Bill Cosby’s crazy ass but come on man we’re looking mad suspect right now. If we don’t do anything the Klu Klux Klan might as well disband cause we’re doing the work for them.
Feel free to take some time fo discuss ways Hip-Hop can enhance or promote Black History. Maybe you know some songs with great Black History facts and what have you. Holla and Never Forget Who You ARE!
KRS-ONE “You Must Learn”
http://www.zshare.net/audio/krs-one-bdp-you-must-learn-mp3.html
everything is “black” culture this “black” culture that. black history should jus be dedicated to one month in the whole year? lotta rappers talk about black history throughout their songs…they dont have to make songs jus cuz white people said this month is black history month.
jay-z did the katrina ad for mtv
Nothing but truth. Very insightful and righteous. Something I talk about with my friends and partners on a regular.
C-NoEviL
You’re exactly right my friend and it’s a shame that many people will take what you’re saying as news. I really would simply rewording what you’ve already said if I commented further on it, but I will add this.
The most popular hip hop image of today would cease to be if the black community made sweeping change here in America. The majority of today’s rappers claim they are from “the ghetto” and “the struggle” and it benefits them because that’s their gimmick. They complain about the conditions they come from but they, and a number of others, don’t want it to change because then that’s it for their bread & butter. I would love for change to happen, but ofttimes it seems like people enjoy complaining about their struggles more than they would if they didn’t exist.
One more thing, is Billy Cosby all that crazy? I don’t like how he indiscriminately disparages young black men and hip hop as a whole, but he definitely says some things I agree with.
Peace ya’ll.
TRUTH!!!
I feel ya cat. Heads need a “King Celebrate.” Remember that joint? It won’t happen though. America loves the jezebel and the coon. That’s always going to sell. Corporations won’t give us anything that won’t.
We don’t need a Black history month if African American history was completely accepted as being part of American history. Having a “month” reinforces our “minority” status. The so-called “black community” really, urgently needs to think bigger and broader. That’s why shit hasn’t significantly changed (for the better) since after the peak of the civil rights movement.
Thinking bigger and broader would ultimately culminate in people realizing that a month is shit. And people idolize the past so much that they remain stagnant. Long story short….oppressors have a hand in everything.
AMAZING truthful article. These articles and your reviews make me love NBS. I might join the forums one day but I must commend your editors time & time again. Always on point.
Great article. And I agree. TO be honest though it’s time to do something on the base level (start really supporting & taking part of uplifting and wise movements from hip hop & other small community things) since we are asking big ego-centric money loving artists to do something for their fellow ppl and to move us past this stage.
You talk about Bill Cosby being crazy and you talk just like him. Stop being afraid to be the only one on the dancefloor!!! Stand up for what you mean!!! Bill Cosby aint crazy, he has enough balls to say whats TRUE and what he means. You are half way trying to make sense. We are effing ourselves up period, point, exclamation..! But too many blacks are scared to say it out loud because the so called black community will come down on him. We have become so inclined to reaction, rather than thought on whats levied against us. Making us look ignorant like we are. Every thing that is so called black is negative ie. thugging, stop snitchin, gangs, reppin yo hood, putting in work, slangin, hustlin, get money get money get money!!!! These are all attributes and things we despised back in the day that was used against us. Now we are the perpetrators of ignorance and it’s called being down or black…thats BULLSHIT and we know it!!!!! We don’t have enough guts to pull the card on our own people! That makes us lose credibility and thats why the rest of society doesn’t respect us. They respect us as far as being politically correct where they wont say what they feel to our face! But we know and they know we are full of shit hiding behind what happened to us back in the day. It’s 2007 and time for blacks to be accountable to blacks.
p.s. Bill Cosby aint crazy he was dead on right, and has enough balls to say it out loud in front of the whole world. And thats what hip hop USED to be!!!!!!
Say what you feel even if you the only one sayin it!