Refuse to Lose

With all the recent attacks on Hip Hop's character of late, we at Grown Folks Hip Hop thought it was time to give Hip Hop it's props for ALWAYS being on the frontline when it comes to speaking out against society's ills (racism and injustice being the most popular-for lack of a better term). Hip Hop artists have played a major role in helping with the following: Relief efforts for victims of Hurricane's Katrina and Rita (which included cash and clothes donations and benefit concerts), benefits for the victims of the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Tsunami relief efforts, support for the Jena 6 and other victims of injustice and senseless violence like Adamou Diallo (RIP) and Sean Bell (RIP). Hip Hop was there to help the healing after the tragic shootings at Columbine H.S. in Colorado (where about 90% of the folks there are NOT minorities) and at Virginia Tech. This doesn't even count the many philanthropic endeavors (schools supplies, summer camps, community centers, etc) that most Hip Hop artists sponsor in their hometowns. This is not a new phenomenon since Hip Hop also had a presence at the Live Aid concert in 1985 when Run DMC performed on the same stage as Rolling Stones, Prince and Tina Turner in order to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia. Around 1988 KRS-One set off the "Stop the Violence Movement" which spawned "Self Destruction", a song featuring some of the best rappers of the era. "Self Destruction" was a call for all to put an end to Black on Black crime. The song feat. KRS-One, Public Enemy, MC Lyte, Stetasonic, Just-Ice and others, with the most memorable line coming from none other than the great Kool Moe Dee, "I never, ever ran from the Klu Klux Klan and I shouldn't have to run from a Black man." In 1991, top West Coast artists like Eazy-E, Ice-T, Dr. Dre, MC Hammer and others to put out the classic "We're All In The Same Gang." The song was a cry out to Crips and Bloods to stop the senseless violence that terrorized Los Angeles and many other communities infested with gang violence. Rappers from Nas to dead prez to Paris to Common to Jay-Z to David Banner, Scarface, NWA and so on have always provided social commentary in their music. Just not the singles you hear every night on the "Top 8 at 8." Not only that, but Hip Hop has decided to stand on the frontline when some of our mainstream celebrities have decided to play the background (see: Jordan, Michael and Woods, Tiger) .

As KRS would say, "I Am Hip Hop", and I'm tired of folks that are ignorant about our culture making sweeping generalizations about us with about as much knowledge about the culture as I have about open heart surgery. Everything may not be all good in Hip Hop right now, but it sure ain't all bad either. We need to continue to support and defend Hip Hop as the free and artistic movement it has always been. The folks with the most problems with Hip Hop could care less about it. That's why you have idiots at FoxNews characterizing Nas' album "Hip Hop is Dead" as "hateful music." Really? "Can't Forget About You" was hateful? "Where Are They Now" was hateful? As youngsters, Hip Hop was appealing to us on some level because it was OUR THING. Not even our parents rocked too hard with Hip Hop . In the late 70's and early 80's all the mainstream news outlets dismissed Hip Hop as a passing fad like bell bottom jeans or something (trust me, I was there). Nearly 30 years later Hip Hop is in a place that none of us ever dreamed it would be when we first heard "Rappers Delight" or when we heard the Kool Moe Dee/Busy Bee battle on cassette tape, when we first saw Run DMC and Whodini at the "Fresh Fest" So on behalf of Hip Hop and fellow Hip Hoppers everywhere, I'm raising both my middle fingers to these clowns who continue to throw darts at my culture. That type of salute is one that spans generations, so there can be no misunderstanding how we feel. So to paraphrase Ice-T's great line from "New Jack City", "When you're ready to bring your sideline ass to the frontline, just let me know bruh."