Bridging the Gap
Last night the Atlanta school board voted unanimously to ban students from wearing baggy pants. This has been goin' on all over the South lately, in Louisana and other parts of Georgia. It's been on the radar in New Jersey, Oklahoma and even Yonkers, New York. They also talked about outlawing baggy pants in Baltimore, until they had the good sense to drop it. It's some of the dumbest shit I have ever heard and now it's in my backyard. It's time for me to speak up.
This is basically all about the older generation hating on hip hop. They can't ban it, so instead they're gonna try and turn kids into criminals just for being themselves. Kids have been wearing this look for more than two decades. Since before I first discovered Kris Kross, and they wore their oversized pants backwards, kids have been dressing this way, and all of a sudden local governments and school boards all over America are deciding it's "indecent". So why now?
Well, I have a theory.
Have you ever noticed how if a teenager tries to have a conversation with a grandparent or someone much older than they are, the conversation seems to go left or get misconstrued? The reason why this happens is because the bridge between the older generation and the younger generation - i.e., our parents - was broken.
What do I mean? When I was growing up in the 70s, right at the time of the birth of rap music, my mother and father were there with me to see hip hop come into my life as something positive and not a negative. They saw it touch me like the new wave that it was, which sparked the baggy jeans, the sneakers with no shoestrings, and all the trends that exist today.
When I came home from touring on the New York City Fresh Fest I was wearing Lee jeans with permanent creases and shell toes with no strings. I got sent home for not having shoe strings in my shoes. When the principal called my mom and told her, she couldn't believe it. In my defense she cussed him out and explained to him that what I was doing was no different from his era of high water jeans or, as you may know them, flood pants.
She reminded him that all kids throughout history experiment with their look and challenge convention. Ya'll heard the expression, "everything you kids wear today is the same thing we wore back when I was your age"? That's what my mother told me. Thanks to her intervention, I continued to work my look and never heard another word about it again.
But I was lucky to come up when I did, and to have parents who could relate to my world. By the mid 80s, the biggest epidemic hit the black communities ever...CRACK! And for some reason this older generation that came before the crack era - our parent's parents --seems to not realize how hard it hit our community. These people, the gatekeepers and lawmakers who are in positions of power now, are the parents of my mother's generation, and they just don't seem to get it.
You could say there's some racism in this whole movement to outlaw baggy pants. In people's minds that look is typical of young black kids. There's been a wave lately of nooses, burned crosses and swastikas, popping up all over the country. Bill O'Reilly and Don Imus can get away with being the biggest ass bigots in the universe and still have careers because people don't bat an eye.
But that's not even all of it. In my mind this problem goes beyond race, because it's not just old white people who hate our culture, and it's not just young black kids who wear baggy pants. To me what's going on here is all about the generations. Older black people, folks our grandparents' age, are the ones criticizing us the most. Me and the Bill Cosbys of the world need to sit down and have a conversation.
It's not all their fault. They haven't been educated. But I don't see them asking people like myself to be a part of these boards, councils and committees that are making all the rules. They need to talk to young, hip-hop minded people who understand both worlds. Guys like me need to fill them in, because this last generation hasn't done its job and been the bridge between their kids, and the generation that came before them. They haven't been there, acting as that buffer in the middle. So what we're left with is one of the worst generation gaps in decades, with understanding on both sides getting less and less.
That bridge generation disappeared in the 80's and early 90's, when so many families were destroyed by the crack epidemic. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying all black parents were on crack. But plenty of families got messed up, especially in poor black neighborhoods. A lot of 'em are STILL messed up! The R&B singer Mario and his mom are another perfect example of this. Mario's 19, and his mother's addicted to heroine. He did a show on MTV, where he talks about this, and how he's trying to get her off the stuff and save her life.
Probably the majority of kids in the projects were and are being raised by grandmas and older aunties 'cause their parents were either strung out, in jail, or dead. It's kinda like this generation of black kids now in their teens and early 20's got left on the doorstep, with no one to teach them, and no one to speak for them.
Think about it. In every era of music and culture, your parents taught you what came before. My generation, babies born in the 70's, is like the last generation to have had that benefit. My mother used to tell me about the shit she used to do when she was growing up -- sneaking out to parties and listening to rock music and Motown - and how her mother didn't approve. My mom would lay down the law and keep me out of trouble. But she also explained me, and what I was doing, to my grandma. And when she related what I was doing to her own time of rebellion, and reminded my grandma of some of the stuff she was into when she was younger, it smoothed the way.
Hip hop's no different from any other movement. When kids grew their hair long in the 60's parents got upset. When Elvis sang black music and shook his hips, the older generation hated it.
But unlike rock, hip hop has been taking the place of the missing parents. The only thing kids are paying attention to these days is rap culture, and hip hop is getting blamed for this. People are putting it on us to be better role models because kids listen to our music. But that's not really our position. Music is music. It's not supposed to be this deep.
Banning baggy jeans ain't gonna solve anything either. Kids will just get mad, rebel even more and go and wear them somewhere else. The ones already at risk will turn away from school and get into something else.
I think the Atlanta school board needs to revisit this issue. I think somebody from the city needs to get on the phone and talk to me. We need to fix the bridge. Creating a law like this is only gonna add more miles to the generation gap, and that won't help our kids.
Jermaine Dupri, who was named the most successful R&B producer of all time by the Guinness World Records 2007, is a Grammy-award winning music producer, president of Island Urban Records and author of Young, Rich and Dangerous: The Making of a Music Mogul (Atria, October 2007). For more information about this blogger log onto http://www.themostaccess.com/index.php?s=Jermaine+Dupri/
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Jermaine:
Bill O'Reilly attempted to bridge the gap by going to a restaurant in Harlem with Al Sharpton, and then he talked to Juan Williams about his experience.
O'Reilly was explaining to Juan that his Grandmother was afraid of black people because she never actually met a black person (i.e. bridge the gap).
O'Reilly wanted to tell his audience that when he went to Harlem, it was no different from going to any other restaurant.
He wanted to bridge the gap, and you dismissed him for his attempt and called him a bigot.
what are you people talking about here? If Hop Hop is not a part of your culture you need to leave it alone. The subject is outlawing a style of dress. How about a ban on tight demin outfits and odd looking big hats? If you are ignorant of the Hip Hop culture you should not comment about it because most here sound like bigots. I am the first to admit that i do not like JD's music, but i am thankfull that huffpo has given him the RIGHT to express his views here. Lets not forget that Hip Hop and American culture are both very violent and disrespectfull towards women. How many serious problems are WE dealing with in this country that we are banning a STYLE of dress?
Mr. Dupri really should sit down with Mr. Cosby. Is it wrong to be a productive member of American society, to get up and go to work every day to provide for yourself and whatever family you choose to have? Rap/hip hop music does nothing to promote this and does everything it can to destroy it. The latest (to me) is the "Stop Snitching" movement, where the spread of violent crime is endorsed and promoted by hampering prosecution (no witnesses, no testifying). Thugs, pimps, gangs and dealers are not going to INSPIRE anyone to be what is generally considered a success in life, baggy pants or not.
Oh, and I don't really tell you what you can really do for me, lol, so be happy.
Yep. I hate hiphop and hiphop hates me. These are your lyrics aren't they?
Little fast bitch, actin' sarcastic
Need to get her ass kicked, tryin' to get the cash quick
No one has yet explained to my satisfaction how these so called lyrics are artistic in the damned least, how it's so wonderful to call black women bitches, whores, sluts, and numerous other ugly names before the world. Where is the artistry? Could you please write an article explaining that to me? Lay it all out in understandable terms how it's art to belittle, degrade, denigrate, and generally write hate filled lyrics for the consumption of white kids. Why do you lie and whine before the world when black women demand that you treat us with dignity and respect, claiming that we're messing with your ugly art, and not admit the truth? Which is the fact that you write these lyrics because they are popular with white youths who spend the most money on a culture of which they are not a part of. You also don't tell the truth about those slave owners of yours, the moguls of the entertainment industry who own you and demand that you write such lyrics or you don't sell. You don't tell the public that there are mega bucks in writing such lyrics which is why you don't want to stop writing them. And really, it's only a matter of words, bitch, whore, slut, golddigger, and any other derogatory name for a black woman that you all could hurl at us. And you think I should care, why? And just think Jermaine, we don't get the chance to sing those type of lyrics about black men, do we? We aren't given the equal opportunity to call you bastard, fool, dhead, and any other thing we can think of to call you in song, now, do we? As far as I'm concerned, you're all a bunch of brats, lil' bois, as you would say, living the life with no consequences, and when called on it you whine and cry.
I'd like to hear more of your angles, even if no one of authority or influence takes you up on your desire to lead. You brought up 3 different issues, that you feel you have solutions to--crack, hip hop fashion, and the bridges between the generations--plus, you don't appreciate your industry been held up to blame, or to change, when there are obviously so many other factors that aren't being brought to light.
I was born in '73 and I remember the zeitgeist well. There are epidemics of crack and meth that change the parenting dynamic, and there is a dialogue that needs to begin about the troubles of the past as compared to the troubles of today. And not copied verbatim from tired history texts, but brought live from the generations before, a helping-hand confession of the way things were, the way they ought to be, and the reality that lies in the middle.
I'm with you Jermaine, if you want to vent your views here, assign accountability where it's due, and get some new ideas rolling forth. I'll add you to my favorites, and just know I see where you're coming from, where you're going, and I appreciate your communication style...honest, but upbeat.
Let me start out by saying I completly agree with YOU Mr. Dupri! I am a white jewish 44 year young woman. Lumping CHILDREN together with thugs and prisoners because they are wearing baggy pants? Are you kidding? Doesn't that strike anybody else as racism? Uniforms? please. Mr. Dupri is totally correct, when he says that you can't say the 'N' word anymore so let's get these thugs wearing baggy pants? I went to college in Athens, Georgia in the 80's and if memory serves me correct, they are still fighting the civil war there! And are proud of this fact. And being jewish...well I digress. For sure, the answer is not what I am wearing or what you are wearing. The school board should call Mr. Dupri.
Mom `cussing out' the principal pretty much says it all.
If banning baggy jeans isn't going to solve anything, then wearing them isn't going to solve anything either.
Young blacks need to decide if they want to be a part of the mainstream culture or not - you know, that place in America where people take personal responsibility for their actions, get an education, get jobs, buy houses, have children of their own, where the parents stick around to raise their kids.
JP: "But unlike rock, hip-hop has been taking the place of the missing parents."
Does anyone else feel that the previous statement is EXACTLY the problem.
"But unlike rock, hip hop has been taking the place of the missing parents."
And so goes the problem, Jermaine. That's what Cosby et all are saying, not that your hip-hop is anything different than past music/cultural fads (although I don't remember the beatles referring to women as "ho's"), but that the hip-hop generation, already socially decimated by the lack of fathers and positive role-models (another one just got locked up for 23 months in a prison here in VA) and with no outside societal support, shouldn't look to the music as a way to pull themselves up.
No, the Atanta school board is absolutely correct in their decision and I hope people like yourself do not do anything to change it. Mr. Dupree, I tried to understand your post, but you couldn't be more wrong about this. I am a white male, 34 who lives in the inner city of Baltimore, one of the cities you brought up in your piece. I see this on a daily basis. I see what kind of attitude this promotes in kids. I see that this "style" does nothing to inspire kids, it does the opposite and lumps them in with prisoners and thugs. It seems to me that this style has gotten even worse. It used to be slightly pulled down, but now, it is all the way pulled down, butt hanging out, and one hand out of use because it is holding up the pants that should be able to stay up on there own! If you can not see that, then you are not spending enough time with "your people."
UNIFORMS should be mandatory in ALL schools across America. A school should be a place of learning and inspiration, not a fashion show. Our schools should not reflect the same styles that are common in PRISONS. Our schools should not have to put up with this, they should be able to set standards and the children and parents should respect those standards and know that they are there not as a racist thing, but as a tool to inspire learning and lessen distractions. These kids need to be INSPIRED by people who are successful in life, and not just musically or athletically. As soon as they get out of school and start working in the real world, their baggy pants will be a thing of the past or they will be unemployed. Why not start teaching them that lesson now?
I strongly disagree with you and I personally think that role models like yourself only hurt the cause when you are on the wrong side of things. How old are you Mr. Dupree?
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