In his new book, Know What I Mean Michael Eric Dyson
points out somethingthat that I have always thought
about the Black Baby Boomer
Generations dismissal of hip hop.
That they dissed us when hip hop first popped off, then
wondered why Post Snoop, Post Pac, Post Imus, why
we were unwilling to engage with them.
Bill Cosby anyone?
[ For the record Bill has room to talk
because a.) he puts his money were his mouth
is b.) Black people DO party and bull sh*t too
much]. c.) Black parenting habits CAN use some
help.
We are at a dangerous crossroads.
If those of us, WHO CARE ABOUT HIP HOP, WHO ENGAGE
IN THESE DISCUSSION'S ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT ITS
DEAD, don't use our voices to let the labels, corporations,
radio stations know what we feel about the current state
of hip hop, we will be rendered even more voiceless
than we already are.
First and foremost, record labels are business institutions
not, cultural institutions. So the impetus is on us to speak
their language, cake and the bottom line.
For instance, Dyson points out how the Baby Boomer
generation largely ignored hip hop and white record exec's
slowly yet steadily were willing to cash in on a delish
urban cash cow.
In he book Dyson discussed a conversation where he
encouraged Earl Graves to reach out to the young buck,
hip hop entrepreneurs.
He reports that Earl Graves responded,"Nobody with tattos and low slung pants and low
When he said this I immediately thought of Active Jewish elders
slung pants can't tell me anything."
and wondered if he could stand to take a page out of their
book and be willing to sit down with the tattooed, saggy
pants jawns to impart some game, INSTEAD of just writing US OFF.
He points out that the mothers of three of our favorite
rappers have Ph.D's. Kanye. Common. Kweli. Dr. Mommas make intelligent emcees. HOT!
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So. How does the "People for Better Music Sound"?
If you had the ear of a C-level label exec what would you say?
What are three changes you want in Hip Hop in the next 12 months?
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