| About a year ago I began work on a presentation to | | | | Did he really believed the statement or was he using it |
| highlight the basic differences between Hip Hop & | | | | as a clever way to create a buzz and draw attention |
| Rap. Somewhere in the mist of my project, I turned on | | | | to his album release? His response to the controversy |
| the TV to find out, Hip Hop had been murdered and | | | | bother me even more, saying he was referring to, not |
| Rap declared legally insane. And while George Bush | | | | just hip hop, both the whole music scene in general, as |
| was held responsible for the war in Iraq and a weak | | | | far as creativity was concerned. Though I agreed with |
| economy, everything else wrong with America was | | | | him 100% about the lack of creativity, I could not |
| being linked to Hip Hop. Drugs, teen pregnancy, | | | | believe that he perceived hip hop as a once active |
| violence, the high school drop out rate, the victimization | | | | member in mainstream music that, after being |
| of women (including rape and abuse), the reason | | | | exposed to a virus called commercialism, fell victim and |
| racism existed in American, cop killings, pornography, | | | | died. |
| did I leave out global warming. Okay maybe not global | | | | Luckily, hip hop had major medias to represent and |
| warming, but there was a serious witch hunt taking | | | | defend it against the assault...it... wait... what am I talking |
| place. Later I saw David Banner and Masta P in front | | | | about... once the Source magazine started trixin' with |
| of a committee in Washington, DC defending their | | | | Rap, the love affair was over and hip hop got kicked |
| music. | | | | to the curb. And hip hop lived at Hot 97, in the |
| It's was all surreal and as I watched America's | | | | beginning, but after they attracted enough listeners off |
| corporate media do what they do best, sensationalize | | | | that claim, they raised the rent so high it downgraded |
| a story for ratings (prime example, after the Virginia | | | | hip hop from the penthouse apt, to a one room studio |
| Tech University shooting, one media outlet went so far | | | | in the basement, finally back to the streets. |
| as to place a picture of 50 Cent next to the shooter's | | | | That's when I decided to expand my presentation to |
| picture, claiming that his music was responsible for | | | | do more then just highlight the differences between |
| influencing the killer to commit the violence). | | | | the culture of Hip Hop & commercial mainstream |
| Oprah's "Town Meeting On Hip Hop", BET's "Hip Hop | | | | Rap, I also had to prove that Hip Hop was still alive. I |
| vs. America", Paula Zahn's "Hip Hop: Art or Poison" | | | | decided the best way to do this was to present a |
| allowed out of touch black leaders, right-winged whites, | | | | clearer and more detailed description of what Hip Hop |
| and angry women groups to all scream "Hip Hop"... "Hip | | | | was. I had to go deeper than just identifying the 5 |
| Hop negatively influences youth to do this...", "Hip Hop | | | | elements, which is what the original idea was, but to |
| promotes that....", "Hip Hop is the source of all societies | | | | explain why people love hip hop, what it means to live |
| ills". To make matters worse the people on these | | | | hip hop, and what other than the 5 elements separate |
| panels who were invited to speak for hip hop were | | | | hip hop from rap. As a result not only did I create a 3 |
| mostly rappers and members of the rap industry out | | | | part presentation, I developed what I feel is the most |
| to preserve their moneymaker. The legitimate | | | | important part to this presentation, what I call the |
| members of the hip hop community on these 3 panels | | | | "Essence of the Culture". |
| could be counted on one hand, Common (Oprah's | | | | Hip Hop has a soul, an essence that is made up of 3 |
| Town Meeting on Hip Hop), Chuck D & Nelson | | | | main factors: Creativity, Originality, and Skill |
| George (Hip Hop vs. America), and a couple of others. | | | | Development. These are the main factors that fuel hip |
| Hip Hop wasn't giving a fair opportunity to articulate to | | | | hop culture. It is the force that governs it and the |
| America, that what was actually being pumped out on | | | | foundation for which it's built. It dictates the art, fashion, |
| major radio waves and on the Viacom machine (MTV, | | | | and media of hip hop. When the music industry |
| BET, and VH1) was not Hip Hop but a commercialized | | | | attempted to bring the music element of hip hop |
| version of Hip Hop called Rap. And as people | | | | culture to the mainstream, it failed to include (or |
| continued to confuse rap for hip hop, things got totally | | | | purposely excluded) the essence, leaving them with |
| out of control with the statement of the year "Hip Hop | | | | nothing more than a product called Rap music. Once |
| Is Dead". This declaration was first made by Nas when | | | | an element (or person) of hip hop culture is separated |
| he released the self titled single, for his 2007 album, | | | | from its essence, it becomes disconnected and no |
| "Hip Hop is Dead". | | | | longer part of the culture. |