Posted on 19 June 2008.
*Note this article is strictly an opinion. If you have comments please leave them below. But these are the views expressed by the author on the subject.
As I look at all the Hip Hop Lifestyle sites this month, I’ve noticed the way some are creating the buzz about Black Music Month, and working Hip Hop into the mix, good for them, (and I’m not dissing the big dogs, because I’m not ready to play yet)! Why do I say they are working it into it? Because, when Hip Hop Lives (HHLO.net) first received the press release from the White House, on May 31st, saying that President Bush had declared June 2008 Black Music Month, I laughed to myself.
Why would I do this? For me being a Hip Hop head and lover of the culture. I noticed that the release did not mention Hip Hop at all. Thus began my doubt that the White House even considered the impact of Hip Hop in Black Music History or just simply neglected to mention it to appease the White Republican masses.
Hip Hop has done everything they have said other genre’s of music that has been created and embraced by Black men and women everywhere. It has “created music that communicates across racial boundaries.” It has expressed both “joy and sorrow.” Hip Hop has created a bridge between cultures, genders and generations some never thought would happen. It has opened the door for communication and understanding across all barriers that some genres haven’t been able to do.
Love for Hip Hop spans the world over. The love for the classics is accepted among the different generations and cultures. It gives us original Hip Hop Heads the opportunity to speak to our children about the meaning and the depth of Artists such as Tribe Called Quest, The Wu-Tang Clan, KRS-One, Dr. Dre, McLyte, Biggie, TuPac and many more of the greats! It gives us the opportunity to listen to our children about what’s hot now. The snap music they love, Lil’ Wayne, Bow Wow and other newer artists that the kids are embracing, and debate with them. It shows unification between continents, between Europe, Africa, the United States…everywhere. If you’re not hot in the US, you’re hot in Spain. The Greats are truly never forgotten.
But the White House overlooked this one genre of Black Music the most prevalent in the culture today. The genre that currently is making the biggest impact in the lives of the young people of America. Hip Hop has been sweeping the nation by storm since the early 1990’s. The genre that was created in 1973 at a party in the Bronx mainly to achieve the goal of having people come together and have a good time at a time of major city upheaval.
So is it up to us the official owners of these Hip Hop sites to make sure that the movement is heard?! Or should we stand back and do nothing? Creating a month of focus on Black Music is a wonderful thing, but should we support a “Proclamation” by a President who seemed to overlook the masses?
What happened to the fight that Hip Hop had in it? The fight I’m talking about is the fight for political change. What about the fight against those people who continue to hold others down? Are these sites trying to make a statement to the President, like “hey, you forgot one over here?” If so, let’s band together and protest the President’s misguided statements. Let’s fight for Hip Hop in the way that Public Enemy would fight for Hip Hop!