You Must Learn
Jay-Z stated in a recent interview that hip-hop has been a large factor in improving race relations in America and around the world. Says Hov:
“Racism is taught in the home… and it’s very hard to teach racism to a teenager who idolizes, say, Snoop Dogg. It’s hard to say, ‘That guy is less than you.’ The kid is like, ‘I like that guy, he’s cool. How is he less than me?”
I think that is decidedly true. Now, I grew up with parents who taught me never to judge people by the color of their skin. In fact, I couldn’t give a crap what color you are. It really doesn’t matter. But I fully agree with what Jigga is saying.
I can saw without a doubt that hip-hop has provided a tremendous opportunity to see things through other people’s eyes. As I’ve said many times before, I feel grateful to come from a privileged background: grew up in the peaceful suburbs, never been arrested, never been harassed by cops, never had to deal with guns, drugs or street drama. I had a solid upper middle class upbringing. I have not had it hard by any definition.
Absorbing the content of hip-hop may not have gotten me any closer to the experiences many heads and artists have to deal with on the regular, but it definitely opened my eyes to what goes on in neighborhoods unlike mine. Ice-T and NWA schooled me to the fact that cops weren’t all Andy Griffiths – long before the Rampart scandal. Biggie told me to “stay low and keep firing” and Beanie Sigel explained to me what its like to be locked up doing fed time.
I’ve also had the chance to learn about the history of Black culture and their struggles through rappers like KRS-One, Chuck D, Mos Def, Tupac, Nas, Common, Jungle Brothers, Talib Kweli and others. They’ve educated me in a way that I never had in the school system. Paris got me up on the Black Panthers; and the Nation of Islam would be a complete mystery to me without Brand Nubian or Rakim.
That’s not to say that I have actually experienced anything firsthand beyond that of my own life. I still don’t know what its like to get stuck up or harassed because of where I come from. I hopefully never will. But in terms of being exposed to different points of view, to hear what it is like for others living much their lives in drastically different situations, hip-hop has played a big role.
This is a good example of the true power of hip-hop. So often does it get dismissed for the subject matter, in many cases without examining the context. Without rap, I would likely be wondering why an individual felt the need to carry a gun on them if they didn’t plan on doing anything with it. I was also taught there often many complex reasons why someone gets involved in gangs or the dope game.
I hope that it has broadened my thinking in terms of how I look at other people’s situations and have some kernel of understanding as to what some deal with on the daily. At the very least, it has opened me up to new ideas and knowledge I wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to.
I’d say that’s worth the $13.99 album.
I co-sign this post as most of it applies to my upbringing and p.o.v., as well.
For us (as fans), we can’t seem to count on depth from many leading rappers in recent releases. Jay keeps on about luxury brand labels, KRS/Chuck feel like old men in a young man’s game and the new fellas have more intellectual word choices (no disrespect to KRS or lyrics pre-jiggy era), but are still rapping about sneakers and their supposed trappin antics.
I don’t need Low End Theory all the time, but I’d love to see a mix of more depth with the lyrics that make a song a banger.
Agreed. Even I admit that I’m often in the mood for some “gangsta ish” but its important to have balance. I’m hopeful that the new crop of artists will be able to provide that.
That’s part of the reason why I really loved pre-808 Kanye, as he was a perfect combination of floss and consciousness. He’d be stunting on the mic one track, then searching for salvation the next. And always, always after the ladies. I’m hoping he got it all out of his system.
I’ma be the co-signer on balance is what we’re missing. I often express that the “problem” w/ the game now isn’t all the dance/pop/just get buck rap (since that always existed), but rather that that became the “spokesperson/figurehead” for the game. In the popular format you can rarely find a yang for that yin.
Absolutely true. Although, there has always been a dominant “movement” or trend at any one time on the rap game. I think we are in a transitional state, mvoing away from the bling/superthug era. Where are we moving to? That’s the question…..