Editorial: Stop Calling These Imposters Hip Hop

STOP CALLING THESE IMPOSTERS HIP HOP ARTISTS,

they do not do or cover all its elements of the hip hop culture

Emile YxThis version of Hip Hop that the worlds media promotes globally, is a strange sissified version of its true self. It consists of middle-class fakers acting like gangsters, so-called hardcore rappers, so-called underground heads and so-called superstars killing each other, while the white controlled global media celebrates. Who are these imposters?

Hip Hop is the MC (not rapper), DJ or turntablists, B-boys or B-girls (not breakdancers), Writer (not graffiti artists), BeatBoxer and students of Knowledge of Self. These according to the founders of the culture are the main elements of the culture. Now you have world media calling EMINEN, 50cents and the rest of the multi-nationally backed “rappers”, the upholders of HIP HOP CULTURE. Excuse me, but do they b-boy, write, MC and DJ ? HELL NO! so why do we perpetuate these lies. They have no right to call what our ancestors created and gave as a voice for the people, whatever the hell they wish to call it. Strangely enough we just allow this bullshit to continue without any protest. We even reduce ourselves to speak their names and titles they named what we do. Hip Hop elders have not been approached in their research about the culture, they just named things as they wished. We sit in front of the TV and hear them spread these lies to the world and accept this powerless position they have put us in. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. It is time to set the record straight. These titles that make up the HIP HOP CULTURE are titles that practitioners of writing, MCing, B-boying, DJing, Beatboxing earn and no just given to anyone. It is something that is earned with time, dedication, research and sacrifice. Nowadays everyone is a rapper and maybe they are right, because an MC earns that reputation for skill as well as ability to be the “master of the ceremony” (Where the name MC comes from by the way). Many of these rappers are studio rappers that have no stage, microphone or crowd/ audience control skills.

Afrika Bambaataa & Kool Herc

Afrika Bambaataa & Kool Herc

A true MC or Hip Hop head would not lie to the audience about fake bling, bling that he or she does not have, especially knowing how many youths are listening to them on the radio and watching them on the TV. A true B-boy or Hip Hopper learns the history of the culture and gives respect to those who have gone before. Those like Afrika Bambaataa, Kool DJ Herc, Grandmaster Flash, Grand Wizard Theodore, MC Cowboy, the Rock Steady Crew, The Nigga Twins, Pop Masters Fabel, Phase 2 and Mr Wiggles to name but a few who contributed to the REAL HIP HOP culture.

There are also hip hop histories in countries around the world and those contributions by those individuals have to be given the credit that they deserve. This new mentality of forgetting the past as quickly as a new song hits the number 1 spot on radio or MTV, is a global mentality. This eliminates respect for elders and those that pave the way. It also separates the younger practitioners from those who have experience and who could help them not repeat the mistakes that they have made before these young kids who are now earning millions. It is my opinion that it is for this very reason that the gap between the elders and next generation are made bigger by record companies and the entertainment industry. Their intention is to keep these younger artists as blind to the realities of the industry as possible. EXPERIENCE CAN NOT BE DOWNLOADED.

Aerosoul Art Do you think that classical music lovers would allow the world media to call their music “Screeching noise” or simply rename it whatever they wish, without putting up a fight ? I think the arrogance of the world media is because HIP HOP is considered a black sub-culture or street culture. Even the usage of the prefix “sub”, implies something that is lesser than or under what might be considered cultural. Think about it a bit more. We name it b-boying/ b-girling, they rename it breakdance, we name it writing, they rename it graffiti, we name it MCing and they rename it rapping. It is an insult to our creative ability. They control the media and thus feel that they have the power to name whatever they wish and get away with it. Like Michael Jackson being called Wacko Jacko, this is like calling us “Nigger”and “Kaffer” all over again. We internalize the lies they feed us and start to believe what they call us. Attached to the medias version of hip hop are gangs, profanity and violence. The REAL HIP HOP is a powerful tool globally bringing youth together and enlightening them to their true selves. REAL HIP HOP is educating youth, fighting AIDS, exchanging cultures, breaking down racism, protesting against global dictators.

I do this call out to all defenders of the TRUE HIP HOP CULTURE to use the correct terminology and free our culture from their verbal enslavement of it. Only once we do this will we be able to regain the financial control of this multi-billion dollar industry that they have almost taken complete control of. I know that everywhere in the world there are true soldiers of the REAL HIP HOP. Like Mr Devious, from South Africa, who was prepared to die for what hip hop has taught US. In the USA is the Universal Zulu Nation, Eazy Roc and Asia One that started the B-Boy Summit, also from the USA is Poe One and Cros One from the Freestyle Sessions event, in Germany is Storm and Swift of Battle Squad, also in Germany is Thomas of Battle of the Year, in Japan is Dance Machine, in Spain is Kapi, in Holland is Timski, in New Zealand is Norman, in South Africa is myself Emile of Black Noise, we have brothers in Brazil, Mexico, Sweden, France, Denmark, Zimbabwe, Australia and every other country on this planet. We are many my brothers and sisters and our voice can never be silenced, but we have to RE-IGNITE THE FIRE OF TRUE HIP HOP REVOLUTION. We have to insist that MTV Awards and Grammy Awards remove the false labeling of the best Hip Hop Artist, until they are willing to call up a group that have writers, DJs, MCs, B-boys, etc.

I hope that you will forward these thoughts to all those concerned with HIP HOP getting the respect it deserves.And hopefully we will enlighten more youth to the REAL HIP HOP and not the FAKE one that is spread MTV and other media.

Yours in the REVOLUTIONARY HIP HOP
Change must come
Emile YX?
Black Noise (South Africa)

Sept 2008

Man Behind Cult Flick The Warriors Passes

RIP Sol Yurick, the man who gave us the classic book The Warriors died in his Brooklyn home over the weekend from complications to lung cancer..He was 87. For those who are unfamiliar the book is a cult classic was written in 1965. The movie of the same name and adopted by Walter Hill came out in 1979.

Warriors was based upon a book Anabasis by Xenophon who a Greek solider. It tells the tale of the Greek Army stranded deep in enemy territory, where they are set and ultimately have to escape..However, many in Hip Hop upon seeing the movie drew parallels to the movie and the early influences of gangs on the then emerging Hip Hop scene. For example, the Gang Summit shown in the opening scene, was thought to be loosely based upon he historic Gang truce of 1971 (the Hoe Avenue Peace meeting) put together by the Ghetto Brothers. This was highlighted in the book Can’t Stop Won’t Stop by Jeff Chang. The large mostly Black gang depicted in book and movie the Gramcy Riffs which everyone bowed down to was thought to be the Black Spades.

The WarriorsYurick was familiar with NY street gangs because he had done intense research and wanted his book to shed light on the tribulations those who were poverty-stricken were going through. The movie which it was said he didn’t like sensationalized the gang aspect and made it cartoonish with all the crazy costumes folks were wearing.. Nevertheless, the movie struck a chord and was embraced by Hip Hop to this day.  Excerpts from the movie are frequently sampled or referenced by everyone from Lakim Shabazz to NWA to the MOP. A video game emerged from it and many feel intended or not Warriors is a Hip Hop’s unofficial first flick..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTUrWYv2vtU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL0ipXUD-uU

Whatever Happened to the Cleveland Bus Driver who delivered that Uppercut?

Cleveland Bus driver Artis Hughes

Cleveland Bus driver Artis Hughes

Whatever happened to Cleveland bus driver Artis Hughes? This was the 22 year veteran who delivered an upper cut to an unruly female passenger named Shidea Lane?

Well, that driver was fired from his job and charged with assault last November. Initially nothing happened to him, but after the video was posted and went viral, The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) said his actions were not in accordance to the company’s policies and pulled the plug. The passenger who he hit was charged with disorderly conduct.

Hughes although never suspended or charged with assaulting a passenger before the infamous uppercut incident, had been written up for driving with headphones, talking too much to passengers and hitting his right mirror in a minor accident..Those trangressions didn’t help his case.

According to the Beachwood Patch, as of  two days ago (Jan 9th 2013)  the local transit union is fighting to get Hughe’s job back..

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268 President William Nix said that the members approved the measure to seek arbitration unanimously.

According to the union contract, this arbitration will be binding — so the third party’s decision will stand.

“We would love for him to get his job back,” said Nix. “He should be made whole.”

He added that Hughes’ firing sent a bad message and was followed by other assaults on bus drivers. “Anyone who wants to get away with something, you can just go out and attack a bus driver and you won’t get caught and you won’t get arrested.”

What’s interesting about the entire saga is that everyone was up in arms justifying the driver’s actions.. Everyone was talking tough about what they would’ve and wouldn’t have done if they was driving the bus..Everyone was talking a good game.. blah, blah, blah…They even held a press conference talking about the help that would be needed..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmGMDs7OLOU

As we predicted after the dust settled, most people have gone silent and are nowhere to be seen. For all the tough talk, very few have taken time to look out for the unemployed driver..This should be a lesson to all.. keep your hands to yourself or risk suffering the consequences and while the crowd may cheer you on, that’s all they’ll do.. When the crap hits the fan, you’ll be on your own.. Lets hope for the driver’s sake the union can get his job back.. Also there have been several other incidents of drivers being assaulted by unruly passengers since Hughes was fired..

 

Ol Dirty Bastard vs Kanye West… Who had the Illest Award Show Interruption?

Long before Kanye, the late ODB was known for bumrushing stages during award shows. At least ODB said he was doing it for the kids

Long before Kanye, the late ODB was known for bumrushing stages during award shows.

Was debating with a friend about the most memorable Award show interruption..There’s been lots over the years..From Tim Commerford of Rage Against the Machine sitting on top of a stage prop after RATM lost to Limp Bizkit to Lil Mamma walking on stage when Jay-Z and Alicia Keys was performing New York to Suge Knight calling out Diddy during the Source Awards.. In discussing this with a few friends..It all came down to Ol Dirty Bastard vs Kanye West… Who had the Illest Award Show Interruption?

In 98 ODB of the Wu-Tang Clan stormed the stage and claimed he and the WU loved the kids.. It was classic and seemed destined to never be topped until Kanye West stormed the stage at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards and infamously interrupted singer Taylor Swift with his famous  ‘Imma Let You Finish but….

Anyway here’s a couple of clips.. ODB or Kanye..

Ol’ Dirty Bastard at 98 Grammys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdNHS8b9C7I

 

Kanye West at 2009  MTV Video Music Awards

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z8gCZ7zpsQ

We had to toss in this clip of Mos Def who got arrested in front of the 2006 VMAs protesting the treatment folks got in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6-LgAfRtEs

 

Nas Nominated for a Grammy 18 times-Yet has never Won?

Nas has been Nominated for a Grammy 18 times

Nas has been Nominated for a Grammy 18 times

It was interesting peeping this Nas interview w/ Angie Martinez… Here it was revealed Nas has been nominated 18 times for a Grammy yet has never won.. My guess is Nas’s name is used as a way to suggest the Grammys are somehow creditable.. If you see his name on any list where they are talking about the best of, then as a Hip Hop head you are likely top give it at least a second look and some consideration because Nas’ name is on there.. Of course he never wins. Seemingly everyone else who is usually a few steps behind and leaning more toward the pop zone gets the nod..

This year Nas was nominated for 4 Grammy including Best album.. His joint Life is Good will go head to head with albums by Drake, Rick Ross, The Roots, Lupe Fiasco and 2 Chainz.

His song Daughters has been nominated as best rap song and best rap performance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP4_0z2M85Q

 

His song Cherry wine w/ the late Amy Winehouse has been nominated for best rap song/ collaboration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6903zFUIxoU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tpJZjZGDtXE

9 year old Makes Oscar History.. Foxx, Jackson, Washington Dissed by Academy

9 Year Old Black Actress Quvenzhané Wallis Makes History

9 Year Old Black Actress Quvenzhané Wallis Makes History

Today  9-year-old Black actress Quvenzhané Wallis makes history…She’s the youngest actress in history to be nominated for Best Actress Oscar..

A lot of talk about Django has resulted in many people overlooking the movie  Beast of the Southern Wild.. For those who say they want something that is more heartfelt and intellectually more challenging,  this is the film for you.. For those who say they wanna see a flick that is more reflective of reality, then this is the film for you.. Congratulations are in order to the film’s star Quvenzhané Wallis…

Wallis will be going up against Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook ), Emmanuelle Riva (Amour) and Naomi Watts (The Impossible) for the coveted accolade.

Given all the contentious conversations we’ve had in recent weeks about movies like Django and Lincoln, I would hope folks would use some of that energy and bring attention to Wallis and Beats of the Southern Wild.. If not this flick then what flick?

As for Django, those who disliked the movie need to fret not, all of its Black actors were snubbed.. No Oscars for Jamie Foxx, Sam Jackson and Kerry Washington.. Christopher Shultz was nominated for Best Supporting Actress and Django was nominated for Best Picture..It’ll go head to head with Beast of the Southern Wild, Lincoln , Zero Dark Thirty, Les Miserables among others

Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa & Others Denied Entrance to Baseball Hall of Fame

Hard Knock Radio logoToday was the day some of baseball’s best were supposed to get inducted into Cooperstown, Baseball Hall of Fame… Among the folks listed were home run champs Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa along w/ pitcher Roger Clemens... That did not happen.. baseball writers decided to stand on principle and not admit folks who were surrounded by the controversy of performance enhancing drugs..

Here’s the AP story

Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds

NEW YORK — Steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa have been denied entry to baseball’s Hall of Fame with voters failing to elect any candidates for only the second time in four decades.

Bonds received just 36.2 percent of the vote, Clemens 37.6 and Sosa 12.5 in totals announced Wednesday by the Hall and the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. They were appearing on the ballot for the first time and have up to 14 more years to make it to Cooperstown.

Craig Biggio, 20th on the career list with 3,060 hits, topped the 37 candidates with 68.2 percent of the 569 ballots, 39 shy of the 75 percent needed. Among other first-year eligibles, Mike Piazza received 57.8 percent and Curt Schilling 38.8

Jack Morris led holdovers with 67.7 percent. He will make his final ballot appearance next year, when Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are eligible for the first time.

Sports writer Dave Zirin has long managed to keep folks politically engaged by connecting the dots to issues on the sports arena

Sports writer Dave Zirin

We interviewed sports writer Dave Zirin who pulls no punches in expressing the fallacy of MLB and the hypocrisy of baseball writers..especially those who like to uphold the notions of integrity, sportsmanship and character as criteria for induction… Zirin rattles off a variety of glaring examples of folks voted in the Baseball HOF who easily run counter to these lofty notions.. he aslo speaks on the widespread illegal drug use in other eras..involving some of baseball’s then best.. many are in the HOF to this day without a word being spoken or their inductions challenged.

Zirin gives a full and thorough breakdown of what was at stake and what was driving this crusade against Bonds and company… Zirin points out this has more to do with currying political flavor vs the deep concern for drugs.

We also talk to Zirin about the awful decisions made by the Washington ‘Skins’ to keep Robert Griffin 3 in the game which resulted in a season ending and possibly career changing injury..

You can peep the interview at the link below

 

HKR: Roundtable Discussion on Black Media Images, Django and Beyond

Hard Knock Radio logoHere’s pt1  of  Hard Knock Radio round table discussion on Black media images, Django and beyond…We covered an array of topics ranging from the historical breakdowns and distortions about in the institution of slavery as found in movies like Lincoln and Django and what that means when such misinformation is presented to the larger society..

We also talked about the types of efforts used when marketing movies and culture in general and why we can never afford to simply say ‘It’s Just a Movie’… We talked about the impact of landmark films like Sankofa, Roots, Superfly, Spook Who sat by the Door, Spartacus,  and the Legend of Nigger Charlie

We also talked about the impact movies are having on students since several of our guests teach courses on, film, media and Black images..

django-jammieLastly we focused on the efforts many are undertaking right now to bring forth new images  and challenge nagging stereotypes… Our guests include.. Historian and Professor William Jelani Cobb…. SF State Professor Dawn Elissa-Fischer,  Film maker Idris Hassan, Sean Kennedy of Good News Oakland and Scholar activist Duane Deterville of the Maroon Artists Collective..

You can peep the HKR show ..by clicking the Link Below… We will post up pt 2 tomorrow.. The entire discussion will air on Free Speech TV in a couple of weeks.

Here’s part 2 lf our round table

Piers Morgan vs Alex Jones… The Gun Control Debate

An interesting exchange between  CNN’s Piers Morgan and Alex Jones about gun control..Thoughts on this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyKofFih8Y

Jones was part of the crew of folks who created a petition to have Piers deported… As you watch this keep in mind, this is the same Jones that in Texas many Brown folks see him as a staunch anti-immigrant Nativist who promotes the offensive “Reconquista” conspiracy theory which has in many ways been fuel for far-right wing forces anti-immigrant militia forces.. In short Fear of Brown Planet…He expresses those sentiments HERE

Because he speaks on police brutality and will speak against certain types of government oppression, many have gotten sucked in believing he ain’t all that bad..Think again.. Here’s a few pieces  1) http://www.thomhartmann.com/users/political-fingers/blog/2011/05/alex-jones-neo-confederate-racist

2) http://www.irehr.org/issue-areas/race-racism-and-white-nationalism/item/376-who-is-alex-jones

3)  http://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/i-hate-arabs-more-than-anybody-desperate-army-recruits-neo-nazis

Piers Morgan  & Alex Jones

3 Dope Songs from Audra the Rapper-She Got Virginia Locked Down

Audra the RapperAudra The Rapper is an American rapper, songwriter, singer, brand ambassador who captured the attention of Rick Ross of Maybach Music Group. She was born in Washington, DC and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia and the Richmond, Virginia area. Audra recorded her first song, I Got Yo Weave when she was 15 years old, a song she had written when she was 14. It was this song that jump started her care

“Hit and Run”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oeuv_A23lzQ

“Beautiful Dreamer”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-n84Lafows

“Porn”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXBMa1fPfiE