When you think of Hip Hop, your visions should consist of culture, style, principle, rhymes, fashion and art! Although the sounds of Hip Hop sample a little blues, jazz, and drums it\’s the melody that tops off the rhymes that make Hip Hop a force to be reckoned with. Before the 46th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference, I wrote a letter to music mogul Russel Simmons proposing a Hip Hop board. This board would ensure the culture is being carried in the right way. Needless to say, he did call to say that it was a great idea but, then invested one million into GlobalGrind.com.
Mic check one, two, one, two. Now back to this Hip Hop and politics panel discussion. It was a great merging of the two topics, but sort of ironic because Hip Hop at one moment in time influenced our political decision-making process. \”Pain Protection Policy\” panel discussion was important in particular because of its impact on society on a national and global level. But could it reach the audience seated?
Hip Hop is no longer in the basement. Hip Hop culture has influenced people from Indiana to Indonesia. Not only that, furthermore with the height of community and police disconnection and disengagement at critical levels, it is time to hear the conversation, and learn what the responsibility and roles Hip Hop and Politics play in all of this and what can be done.
Hip Hop culture, similar to call and response, depicts the conditions of the society or at least 80\’s, 90\’s and early 2000\’s. At alarming, and rapid rates across America more black men and boys are being gunned down at the hands of police officers. Also at alarming and rapid rates, not many notable Hip Hop figures are speaking up about the current state of police brutality. The greatest rapper alive Lil Wayne, denounced racism, rambling off, forgetting it has officially been 10 years since hurricane Katrina displaced thousands of New Orleans natives, major key alert. \”How we still slaves in 2016\”-Jay Z, perhaps because the politics perception of blacks in America should be to just go vote, and live in unsustainable conditions.
It\’s a phrase I say \”if art imitates life, what\’s beautiful about injustice?\” If Hip Hop culture is supposed to propel its consumers understanding of what is going on in society, how many Hip Hop artist have disrespected the culture? Better yet which rappers always do a video or spit 16 bars similar to the commercial songs in rotation on the radio? Hip Hop had certain criteria, standards, and artist definitely didn\’t earn stripes instantly on Instagram. Much work needed to be done. Hip Hop culture was once the voice for the voiceless, \”I know I can, be what I wanna be, if I work hard at it\”-NAS.
Hip Hop culture embodied education, talent, poise, character, and most importantly respect for the art. The climate of the culture of Hip Hop with regard to our national, and biggest argument H.R. 2994, S. 1897 how does the \”Safer Officers and Safer Citizens Act\” policy reflects the cold cases which are perceived as cops just getting away with murder, mental health access, not to mention the school to prison pipeline? Too much sauce, but who deserves the vote in this upcoming Presidential election in less than 51 days. Has Hip Hop gives us enough rhymes to sort thru our decisions? Recently, TI dropped a video titled \”War Zone.\” The imagery is from a different point of view, and from the looks of Hip Hop and the current state of politics, major key alert.
The DC Voice asked the panel a question, tune in to find out what is was.