Culture Feature- Politics & Hip-Hop

POLITICS & HIP-HOP
Words: Melissa K.

Contrary to what critics think, Hip Hop does carry a message. In fact our culture has a history of being rooted in politics. In the early stages of rap, artists such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five used the music as a gateway of expression of not only our joys and highs, but our lows and struggles. Keep in mind, that even though they caused a lot of controversy, N.W.A’s social commentary on realities of the streets caused people to wake up and pay attention. And if one thing Hip Hop can do-better than any other genre- is make people listen. Not to mention the social awareness groups such as A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, the revolutionary mentality of Tupac, and the political movements of Public Enemy, Hip Hop has been known to be used as a vehicle for change. But that was years ago. Where do the roads of politics and Hip Hop meet? And with the biggest election of our nation’s history steadily approaching, who will stand up for our culture, for our own movement? Yes, we are popularly known for our run-ins with the law, the Hip Hop Police, and dislike for “poliTRICKians” but ultimately, what happens in our communities is a result of what happens in our country. And whether we like it or not, we must be involved.
And luckily now, our generation seems to be undergoing a political revival with Democratic candidate Barack Obama vying for the presidency and events such as the case of Sean Bell, Hurricane Katrina and other incidents that have forced our culture to step up and take notice about what is happening in our communities. Since Kayne West’s statement on national tv: “Bush doesn’t care about black people”, things haven’t been the same. The Game, Cassidy, Maino, Talib Kweli, and Ice Cube have all contributed to songs based around the April 25, 2008 acquittal of the three NYPD officers involved with the Sean Bell Case. Rappers are rallying behind politics more now than ever. It’s evident when Jay-Z calls himself “The Hood’s Barack”, Jeezy name drops Hilary Clinton, and Big Boi’s most recent collabo with Mary J. Blige.
True enough, Hip Hop is often used as a scapegoat for the bulk of our problems within the urban community. "I can admit that there are some problems in hip-hop," Rapper David Banner states, "But it is only a reflection of what is taking place in our society. Hip-hop is sick because America is sick."
If you need a reason to become in politics, that should be reason enough. And if not, think about censorship of our lyrics, the recession, police brutality, the fact that there are more black men in jail then in high school, and you will see Hip Hop has more than enough issues to address.