Hip-Hop is the saving grace of humanity in America and abroad. Hip-Hop, being spear-headed by people of African descent, is influencing youth all over the world to mobilize around one common cause. And that common cause is the right of self expression, which is what we as Americans often pride ourselves as advocating to our international neighbors.
How can we accuse Hip-Hop culture of being a negative element in the society when no Hip-Hop or rap artist is responsible for murdering leaders, destabilizing governments, or causing or instigating wars around the globe? Sure, a Hip-Hop artist or a rapper may call yo’ mamma a bitch but they aren’t likely to cause the overthrow of a foreign government or lie to the American people to continue prosecuting an unjust war that is really being fought for oil.
I say respectfully to the elders and the previous generation, who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King and rallied with Malcolm X, and who may be somewhat displeased or in many cases disgusted with the cultural practices of the Hip-Hop generation, that the Hip-Hopsters are nothing more then the direct political descendants of the Civil Rights/Black Power era. Those participants long ago established the foundation for us, the present generation or Hip-Hop generation, to be loud, outspoken, defiant, and rebellious in our outward appearances and mannerisms.
In many cases we are their ideological children, not necessarily in rhetoric but in practice. We mustn’t forget that a lot of old black folks told the youngsters that they (the youth) were crazy for marching in those protest demonstrations with King and the civil rights leaders at that time.
We should be very hesitant in criticizing the overall presence of Hip-Hop because it, like any art form, is being consistently developed, examined, and scrutinized. Don’t forget it (Hip-Hop) was developed by people of African descent. And one of the elements of African culture, specifically in music, is improvisation. This means that each day Hip-Hop as a culture and philosophy is expanding from within and without. I see the power and recognition of Hip-Hop culture conquering the planet.
Any time we see Arab youth in the Middle East holding up two fingers together in the air hollering, "Peace nigga," you know we’re not just dealing with some ordinary fad. Instead we are dealing with a global and almost supernatural phenomenon. Thank you for reading these few words.
Copyrighted@2007
The Author can be reached via email at jarogersscholars@hotmail.com
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