When Politics Became The New Hip Hop
The definition of Hip Hop has always been a political one: at the heart of democracy lies the aorta of free speech. Be it George Orwell, V.I. Lenin, Karl Marx, or Donald Oliver Soper shooting the gift (of gab) in London at Speaker's Corner of Hyde Park, or KRS-One and Chuck D voicing their opposition to Reaganomics and a Dickensian New York in the late '80s, or Jay-Z, Puff, and Kanye describing theirBrave Rich World from Gulfstream-V windows 40,000 feet above Monaco in rhythmic iambic pentameter, Hip Hop is the vox of the common man speaking to power.
FDR was Hip Hop: "There is nothing to fear but fear itself."
MLK was Hip Hop: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
JFK was Hip Hop: "And so my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."
RWR was Hip Hop: "The past few days when I've been at that window upstairs, I've thought a bit of the "shining city upon a hill"....And how stands the city on this winter night? More prosperous, more secure, and happier than it was eight years ago."
Bill Clinton is Hip Hop, too, but George Walker Bush embodies the flatline of Gangsta Rap: "Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised...Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict, commenced at a time of our choosing."
Barack Obama is the greatest MC of all time. The DNC's Master of Ceremony's skills of Moving the Crowd have never been more evident than on the night of August 28th, 2008 in Denver's Invesco Stadium. It was the night Barack Obama fulfilled Martin Luther King's dream, and accepted the Democratic National Party's nomination for President. I wonder what went through his mind before he took the stage that night. Was it Jigga, as Obama mentally scrolled through his list of detractors in the media and politics, who tried to clown him by deifying him?: "I never claimed to have wings on/I get my/by any means on/when there's a drought/get your umbrellas out/that's when I brainstorm."
Maybe it was Rakim in the earbuds of Obama's iPod: "I'm not a regular competitor/ first rhyme editor/ Melody arranger, poet, etcetera/ Extra events, the grand finale like bonus/I am the man they call the microphonist."
Or maybe it was just Barack Obama being Barack Obama on this most historic night, transforming rap into epos: "We cannot turn back. America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate. And so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix. And cities to rebuild, and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect, and so many lives to mend. America we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone...in America, our destiny is inextricably linked."
I don't know if John McCain is Hip Hop. I don't know if he or the Republican Party understands that it is the culture of Hip Hop that has directly -- and indirectly -- fueled the youth movement behind Barack Obama. Many have made this connection between Obama and Hip Hop, including the great New York Times columnist, Maureen Dowd, to a young Baltimore, Md. journalist by the name of Timothy Cooper.
Even Robin Williams said on Letterman a few weeks ago:
Obama running is wonderful. It's-initially it was very interesting with people being kind of afraid of going, 'You know, he's a very eloquent black man'. And some folks in Conneticut going, 'Well, he's a tan Kennedy'. But...what was their fear, though? Are they afraid that this very eloquent man will be elected President, and all of a sudden he takes the oath of office and goes, 'Yo what's up?!! (Williams grabbing his crotch in the b-boy style) Yo-yo-yo! Yo gonna keep it real! I'ma bring it home right now, no more of that Urkel stuff! I wanna introduce some members of my cabinet: this is Lil' Ray-Ray, Skinny G, Colin Powell, because he's bad! Keepin' it real!The Gen-Y'ers have truly made the connection between Barack Obama and Hip Hop. They are his advance team on Facebook, My Space, and Friendster, an army of Millennials that has assisted the Obama campaign in raising hundreds of millions of dollars online. For this new paradigm--young white kids (and Asian, Latino, African-American, and multi-racial kids, too)--the culture of Hip Hop allowed them to embrace a black man without fear, suspicion, or loathing. These same Gen-Y'ers will go to a Jay-Z concert and know all the words to "Regrets" or "Lost Ones." Michael Phelps motored Beijing's Olympic blue cube -- stoked by the fires of Lil' Wayne lyrics playing in his head -- en route to a record eight gold medals. These same Millennials are also educating their parents around the breakfast and dinner table, letting them know that the Baby Boomer version of the American Dream, the Woodstock, flower power, peace, love, and Haight-Ashbury, has grown up in Eminem's 8 Mile of Detroit, Snoop Dogg's Long Beach, and Common's South Side of Chicago. Their world may not be a ghetto, but the Millennials have broadbanded it into their very own 3-G global 'hood. Which, incidentally, is Obama's hood, too.
So I don't know if John McCain is Hip Hop. Last week, with McCain and Sarah Palin -- the Charli Baltimore of the G.O.P. -- and their operatives flashing the political gang signs to their conservative base ("Terrorist", "Ayers", "Who is the real Barack Obama"?), The Straight Talk Express derailed into lyrics of David Bowie's "Candidate": "I'll make you a deal, like any other candidate/we'll pretend we're walking home 'cause your future's at stake...I'm having so much fun with the poisonous people/ spreading rumours and lies and stories they made up."
John McCain may be more Rock and Roll than Hip Hop, which --along with R&B-- was the Hip Hop of the '60s and '70s. The raison d'etre of John McCain seems to trapped between a pair of Bowie bookends: The Man Who Fell To Earth who joins forces with The Man Who Sold The World. No matter how much distance this heroic fighter pilot and former POW tries to put between George W. Bush -- who is on an unswerving, abominable path towards presiding over the most calamitous administration in American history -- McCain cannot escape the connection nor the facts. Wall Street continues to collapse. The ranks of the unemployed swell to hundreds of thousands every month. The war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and an increasingly unstable Pakistan seem to have no end in sight. Those are the facts, and so is this: life as we know it in this country is slowly rotting away. And that's not Hip Hop. That's the discord of an apocalypse. And -- quite possibly -- as Sen. John S. McCain may find out at the end of the last and final debate with Barack Obama on Wednesday at Hofstra University, his campaign's swan song.
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Barry--
As far as Obama being like JFK. I hope he has a lot more substance than that. He did unite, but he did what he could to become president and then acted slowly. Everyone forgets that Nixon actually had a stronger civil rights record than Kennedy and, at that time, Republicans couldn't sniff a southern state. JFK made the tactical decision to visit Martin Luther King Jr. in jail. Prior to being president he voted against the 1957 civil rights act and, unlike Eisenhower, had to have his arm twisted to even act. JFK also took us in to a costly war that we easily could have resisted (it was actually democrats who, once upon a time, believed that our military should go in to other lands for missions). I am voting for Obama. I love his stance on actually talking to Iran and Syria, it takes a real independent spirit to do that. Please Obama, don't be Kennedy, he's perception, you can be reality.
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Hey, really nice insight DelRay. Thank you for posting. I appreciate it.
Why does it seem like "hip-hop" never covers enough to satisfy anyone? No offense intended, but this blog reminds me of the Mormon practice of retro-active baptisms of dead people to fill their heavenly roster. JFK? MLK? Why stop there? By this standard, Jesus seems pretty "hip-hop", right? Mohammed? Chairman Mao flipped a billion people in revolution. Does that make him or the Chinese Cultural Revolution "hip-hop"?
I continue the practice of quoting "hip-hop" because I still have no idea what it even means, if anything. Coolness? Relevance? Influence? I can't say that I know. Sadly, my perception of "hip-hop" is still the platinum-toothed rappers singing about their material wealth, or latest fueds, or other things that lack a real depth. So Michael Phelps listened to Lil' Wayne. Are any of his lyrics quotable, or will there be a lot of removal of swears and hurtful language? Socially-conscious rappers are the exception to the rule, nothing else.
Maybe it's time that people make an effort to bring the changes to "hip-hop" that they infer that "hip-hop" brings to everything else. Let's raise the bar.
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"Sadly, my perception of "hip-hop" is still the platinum-toothed rappers singing about their material wealth, or latest fueds, or other things that lack a real depth."
You're right,. But raising the bar begins with your own cultural pole vault on your own personal track expanded consciousness. Read about the history of Hip Hop, where
it began in the South Bronx, how it lost it's way when it mutated into a corporate form of entertainment
called rap, and it's most grotesque version, "gangsta rap", and why the "rap" essence is now fighting for life, and knowing it's very survival depends on it''s willingness to go back to it's essence...Hip Hop. Your Hip Hop myopia stems from you looking at the art form as a monolith. And it's not.
These kinda comments bother me...Okay...I could say all rock and roll was a bunch of noise and loud guitars if that's all of the singles they played on the radio. But there are some songs that actually grab my attention and I listen to. I can't paint all rock and roll or alternative music as some Tattooed white boys with long hair and loud screaming voices. You see where I'm going? You're only example was Lil Wayne...why because he's hot right now and on every magazine cover cross the country. I could give you all kinds of quotable quotes what year would you like to start from 1998 to 2008 pick one... Last year...since Kanye was the one the media decided to focus on...would he had been you're example? My point is...stop watching MTV and BET and assuming that Hip Hop is only what you see on those channels. The culture and the music runs deeper than Lil Wayne. He's just one Rapper. That was kinda off the subject..but I had to speak on that
Thanks again Barry for this post. Since were speaking of Rappers with Messages...Check out this link Big Boi of Outkast ft Mary J Blige..."Somethings Got To Give". :D
http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhUtfvU90M4YKV5k4g
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Thank you so much for weighing in: basically I was trying to educate that poster because in he addressed his own myopia with the culture, because without saying it, he was confusing Hip Hop and Rap Music, not understanding that Hip Hop is not a monolith but more of a cultural polymorph. He doesn't understand that when G.M. Flash and the Furious Five presented "The Message" in the beginning of Reagan's "Morning In America", that that was more than a song. That was the political and emotional manifesto of those who had been forgotten and even dismissed by Reaganomics. This poster is cemented into the visual fixity of "Bling", when Hip Hop is and will continue to be protean.
And the song with Big Boi and Mary is the new day in Hip Hop! It's really setting the tone for what Rap needs to do, and that's come back home...to Hip Hop.
Thanks again.
Bmc
I referenced Lil' Wayne because the blog author did. I certainly did not reference him out of nowhere. While Michael Phelps, being an adult, can make whatever choices he wants about the music he listens to, the fact is that there is a majority of parents in America who would not want their children listening to that artist's music, "hip-hop" or not. And if "the culture and the music runs deeper than Lil' Wayne", why is he one of the poster-boys? Why are the primary faces of "hip-hop" STILL the angry rappers? They are the chart toppers, after all. If they are the ones reaching more consumers, then it IS pretty clear what "hip-hop" is, and it's not this minority opinion that it's this uplifting movement. It speaks of an epic failure of this cultural movement if it cannot reclaim its own identity from corporations that are supposedly hijacking it. And I say supposedly because no matter what you might think, there are not "hip-hop" artists turning down record deals as a form of protest from companies that promote gangsta or violent rap. It's still all about money.
When there is a serious effort to reclaim the mantle of "hip-hop" from those exploiting it, I will believe that it is a movement. Until then, everyone involved right now is just trying to get paid, and that's not noble.
p.s. when the repugs purge the voter rolls and if they steal this election, I will be out in the streets going gangsta.
"street fighting man" - kind of a gangsta rock song
I am a huge Obama supporter and for the life of me I can't understand why you consider this brilliant man to be hip hop.
Nor can I understand why JFK is hip hop.
Or MLK.
What exactly makes MLK hip hop? Because he courageously stood by his Gandhian principles and fought the establishment, protested for peace and marched on Washington for civil rights? In that sense MLK is more hippy than hip hop. I haven't really seen that many hip hop peace marches. But I'm open.
Hip hop is such a broadly general music genre that I guess you can describe anybody you think is cool as hip hop.
I think Obama is very cool. And hip. Wouldn't necessarily describe him as a hippy, but when I listen to hip hop Obama's face doesn't jump into my consciousness either.
A very exuberant article and beautiful in spirit. But kind of silly. Peace and Love.
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Thank you for your point of view.
I can tell you where you're making your mistake. Hip Hop is describing a culture or Sub Culture of a Culture. Rap is what we do. Rappers are just one aspect of Hip Hop. Hip Hop iteself is an attitude, a concious, a way of life. One that you would have to be a part of to truly understand. Barack is Hip Hop because he encompasses all of what the culture and music was founded on. All the positives Hip Hop was before theses fools born after 1985 turned it into some whackness
The hip hop movement represented change throughout the 80's and 90's. Jazz did the same thing in the 50's and 60's. Rock and roll and soul were pioneering in the 70's. MLK, Obama, and Ghandi are all people of change as well. After being produced in environments of civil unrest, hate, and greed, each of these people represent a change for the better. In those ways, Obama can be a part of hip hop.
You have to go a place without roads and XBox 360s to find people that don't know what hip hop is. They might not define it correctly but most have either taken part in hip hop commerce. If you've bought a burger, then you know about hip hop.
Artists can create an album on a $800 computer with all of the editing software necessary to complete a roughcut. Create one song per day for two weeks. Sell 10,000 copies at $10 each which grosses $100k. You net $90k minus expenses for your fees. Sell an extra amount on I-tunes for $1 per song worldwide. Can you say American Dream, people?
Obama doesn't even have to like hip hop to be considered part of the hip hop culture. Hip hop embraces him. Many republicans embrace him. After 8 years of anarchy in a nation that is supposed to promote democracy and spread it to other nations, many people have no choice but to "hip hop" their way out of it by creating change.
Tieuel Legacy!
Hey, 53-year-old white woman loggin in who appreciates good poetry in any form.
I was energized by Obama's genius since reading Dreams From My Father a couple of years ago. Urged friends to become conscious of who this man is & what he could do for the nation. But I live in the midwest and they only looked at me with puzzled expressions.
Lamented watching so many of my peers seduced by the superficially seductive idea of a female president. The next presidency is about so much more than (white) women's issues. The sad thing is that Americans have been told so many lies for so long that their ability to recognize reality, honesty and truthspeaking is severely impaired.
Finally, people are coming around! Americans' native intelligence is beginning to re-emerge. Sadly we had to get very hurt in the pocketbook before we started paying attention. But the emergence of a group who call themselves Rednecks for Obama and the support of Obama's candidacy from many prominant republicans are among many signs of the tide turning. (And yet I still expect the repubs to find a way to illegally steal this election!) All the same, this is the most amazing presidential race of my lifetime. In spite of the bleak financial future the economists all say we are in for, I feel more optimism about the U.S. than I have felt for nearly 8 years.
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That was an eloquent and heartfelt response! Thank you.
Good alternative view of the campaign!
I have to correct a misquote, though, and everyone seems to do it. FDR actually said:
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," i.e., he said it in POSITIIVE, not NEGATIVE terms.
Peace Out!
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You're correct and thank you for the correction. I appreciate it.
When fear is the main course served on the plate of an economy that doesn't know how to fix itself under an 8 year anarchy, then fear stares you right in the face each and every day. It was positive then but at this but the plus sign has lost it's vertical bar. Tieuel Legacy! aka Shawnre'
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Wow! Truly cogent insight, Shawnre. Thank you.
Barry,
You are as eloquent as ever.
J. Love
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Thank you J Love! I appreciate the kind words! My man a few posts down, who is a "semi-successful" rapper, said the post was lame. But it's all good, I'm going to pick up his mix tape "Choking on Wack Juice: The Story Of My Life!" at Walgreens near the large green bins...at the back of the store...lol.
Thanks again!
So it REALLY IS about race? Gosh, and those foolish Republicans are hoping (not hopping) you'll vote based on the candidates' achievements and character. Was Elvis "Hip Hop," too?
Dae Powell
http://www.ShoeStringGenealogy.com
The blog is about generational issues, not race. How about reading the whole thing next time and not the first two sentences.
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Thank you for breaking that down for the poster who didn't understand. I appreciate it!
Wow. Just wow. I need to reread this to comment intelligently - but thank you!! You have expressed something eloquently that is so difficult to pin down, and to express!
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Thank you so much!
There is certainly a generational shift at work in this election. But at 42 and part of Gen X, it is a matter of young at heart.
I was at an N*E*R*D/Common Show in Orlando last Thursday and it was like a heavenly Barack Obama rally! Awesome music, cools kids and Obama references all night....When I was walking out i said to my sister that I really love our generation!!! Who can beat us in the cool department? :)
I was working a phone bank on Sunday and just happened to call many voters under 30.
After several amazing conversations, I said outloud "I love the coming generation. What a great world they will create."
As a Gen Y'er I'm guessing I can be considered one since I was born in 1977....anyway, I'm a product of Hip Hop, the life the culture and whatever it encompasses. Barack's appeal goes waaaaay beyond Hip Hop though. But in hip hop there is a phrase we love to use called "KEEPING IT REAL and/or GANGSTA" which is what Barack does. "Gangsta" not in the context most people think, but in terms of backing up what he speaks. And standing on a foundation when he speaks it. So I can see where he could be considered Hip Hop. He definetly has the Hip Hop generation's attention
No, actually Gen Y is for those born in 1980 or later.
so where the heck do I fit in LOL
Word!
This was the best. We need someone to "Move the crowd".
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Thank you very much!!!
i am a 47 year old white woman who loves Hip Hop...and symphony...and alternative, and ANYTHING that is done with talent, style, and flair...Well, anything but COUN*TRY...lol.... I think that not only does Obama touch the Hip Hop with his progessiveness, he touches the symphony with his intelligence, and alternative with his fresh new ideas.... He is truly a candidate who can touch MANY generations, and lead us to a new and more "harmonic" time......
I'm so WITH YOU, Lynn!
This article is lame. I say this as a semi successful hip hop artist. All these cultural abstractions are as much the problem as anything else. plus they don't make much sense. Sure it feels good to say someones part of the hip hop generation but at this point the hip hop generation can cover anyone between the ages of 12 and 50. I guess i'm saying that i don't really see the point of this post
Oscify...
Totally right about the age of Hip-Hoppers - 12 to 50.
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Thank you. I appreciate all comments from the successful...and the semi-successful!
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Thank you and much success in that semi-successful career!
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Thank you and much success in that semi-successful career of yours! Let me know when the mix tape hits iTunes!
What does semi-successful mean? Kinda pregnant? A white lie? Plain and simple. Hip hop can be found in most cultures that rely on roads, cars, and fast food restaurants. Some might be behind the times but they get the big picture. Why do you think that hip hop sells tickets overseas and commercials are made all over?
This article is deep therefore it might take a few reads to capture everything. If you've seen the conclusion of the Malcolm X movie then you know what it means. It's not the fact that ALL
African children in a class are named Malcolm.
Tieuel Legacy! aka Shawnre'
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