Jay-Z Is More Interesting as a Mogul Than as a Rapper
The Root DC‘s Clinton Yates says that he can’t wait to see what Shawn Carter puts his mind to when he finally sets the mic down for good. As a lifelong hip-hop fan, there are certain things that come with having been born in the 80s, being a kid in the 90s and as [...]
A Message for the Kids: ‘If You Dream It, You Can Do It’
Growing up, I was fortunate to be surrounded by goodness. I was a good kid from Hollis, Queens. I got good grades, had loving parents and felt connected to my neighborhood. When Run D.M.C. formed in 1981, none of us could have imagined the success and adoration that we received and would come [...]
Is mainstream hip-hop a grave threat to our children?
This is part five of a theGrio series on hip-hop and its cultural impact on black America. Click here for part one of the series. Sometimes I think rappers are deliberately trying to get kids killed out here. The influx of negative imagery in music increasingly has absolutely no socially redeeming value and resembles ancient Sodom [...]
Maybe Men Can Be Forgiven for Cheating
Clutch magazine‘s Kirsten West Savali questions the conventional wisdom that women need a reason to be unfaithful, while men only need an opportunity. In this patriarchal society, the mistakes that young men make primarily center around them stumbling towards manhood — what it is and how to get there. They are taught that [...]
G’s, Us, and Peace: Questioning the Journey of Hip Hop Culture
by Herb T. As a middle-aged emcee and proponent of Hip Hop culture, I often find myself trying to be objective as a fan, when listening to the views exhibited by the youth (and not-so- youthful) in today’s Hip Hop and R&B. Though censorship may indeed be one of the most malevolent forms of mainstream [...]
Kanye West: “Mitt Romney Don’t Pay No Tax”
Hip-hop, once called the CNN of the streets, has always been political. Although the level of conscious political hip hop has waned with the uptick of materialism, we still hear Lupe Fiasco taking on Obama, Jay-Z fundraising for Obama, Nicki Manaj talking schizophrenic about Obama, and, of course Kanye West…sayin’ stuff. What would hip hop [...]
Tweeting Teens Happy that 16-Year Old Got Shot in the Face
by Dr. Boyce Watkins In the tweets below, you can see teenagers from Chicago cheering about the death of Jojo, a rapper who served as a rival to the more famous rapper Chief Keef. Jojo made a diss song about Keef, with the video filled with automatic weapons, blunt smoking, hanging on the block and [...]
Dr. Boyce: Does Hip Hop Influence Young People? Just Ask Adolph Hitler or any Good Psychologist
by Dr. Boyce Watkins, KultureKritic.com Today I did an appearance on Hot 97 in New York City with Lisa Evers, Dr. Christopher Emdin and a few other people. The conversation centered around whether hip hop has any impact on what our kids are doing with their lives. The question is simple for anyone who’s spent [...]
Hip-Hop Artist Afrika Bambaataa Named Visiting Scholar at Cornell University
Hip hop trailblazer Afrika Bambaataa has been appointed to a three year term as visiting scholar at Cornell University. The appointment, announced Tuesday, was made by Cornell University Library’s Hip Hop Collection in conjunction with the school’s music department. From Cornell University’s website: Cornell University Library and the Hip Hop Collection are honored to announce the [...]
The Dews and Don’ts of Advertising: Yahoo Music
Even before N.W.A famously fired their 1988 warning shot “F*** tha Police,” hardcore hip-hop was known as the rebel music of the day. Like the previous generations’ early rock ‘n’ roll that championed spending the night together, glam metal that wouldn’t take it anymore, and punk rock out for revenge, it reached out to disenfranchised youths and in [...]
May 2, 2013No CommentRead More