What is Hip-Hop Activism?

June 10, 2003

What is Hip-Hop Activism?

Politicians and media folks love to play with our heads by making up new slang. The government will concoct a certain word or phrase and then repeat it again and again, every time they get in front of a microphone. They never really explain where it came from, or what exactly it means, but by sheer power of repetition they get the media to pick it up and join in the chorus, beating it into our heads every time we watch tv or read (surf) the paper. Pretty soon we are all swallowing their slang and regurgitating without a second thought.

Like when America decided Manuel Noriega was no longer a useful partner in crime, we started calling him a "strongman" every night on the news. Pretty soon whenever reporters talked about him he was Panamanian Strongman Manuel Noriega, and it seemed like none of us ever thought to ask "wait, what the hell is a 'strongman' anyway? And how come nobody called him that until 4 months ago?"

They do this because they know that by controlling the language used to discuss an issue they can shape the way that issue is delivered to the public, shape the direction and the boundaries of debate on that issue.

So I always try to pay close attention to language, and I'm always concerned when people start repeating a phrase over and over without establishing a definition for it, and confirming that what it describes is something that actually exists.

Lately I've been seeing the phrase "Hip-Hop Activism" thrown around a quite a bit, but I'm never clear on what exactly it's supposed to mean, and if there really is such a thing. It certainly sounds nice, but I don't want to slack on my critical thinking just cuz the propaganda is coming from our side and I'm sympathetic to the cause.

So when I see pieces like this one below, I always wind up yelling at the screen "But what the hell is Hip-Hop Activism?" ..does this describe any action carried out by the "Hip-Hop Generation"? Does it mean activities led by actual Hip-Hop artists or industry figures? Are there certain Hip-Hop tactics that must be employed for an activity to qualify as Hip-Hop Activism, just as Hip-Hop fashion requires wearing certain clothes, and Hip-Hop music requires certain musical elements? Just what are we talking about exactly?

Hip Hop Activism Buds Beautifully
Harry Belafonte stated to me in an interview that entertainers have the responsibility to speak out on issues concerning the community. He also said that entertainers are so often used to take people's minds off real issues and that entertainers who do not act are part of the problem. In a recent Wall Street Journal article entitled, "Mean Street Theater," written by John McWhorter, he called social and political contributions to the community made by rapper's "sideline donations." About the recently slain rap artist Camoflauge, McWhorter writes, "Despite his searingly profane, violent lyrics, [he] was regularly invited to speak at Savannah high schools." This article could have been more appropriately titled, "Mean Muggin' Hip Hop."

There's more. The article went on to run off other artists, i.e. Tupac, Biggie, and Jam Master Jay as products of the genre. Never mind the failings of law enforcement who have yet to find the killers of any of these men. But, they could find any small-time hustlers in the hood and lock them up for years and years for a nonviolent offense, i.e. drug possession.

This brings me to the most appealing part of the piece. While the author gave credit to Russell Simmons' Hip Hop Action Network for setting a goal to register millions of hip hop voters for the 2004 elections, he asked a poignant question. "What does the organization want the hip-hop generation to vote for?" If for nothing else, his article should have been printed for this query.

It is true that Hip Hop has to have a political issue or issues to mobilize around. And we got issues; no doubt about that. Well, Russell Simmons, P Diddy, Jay Z and many other hip hoppers are right on point in their effort to address what should be the number one issue to focus hip hop activism � fighting against the failed war on drugs. These celebrities are doing exactly what Mr. Belafonte says is expected of them.

This is a perfect issue for hip hop activism because the lives affected the greatest are in the same communities that Hip Hop most represents. In addition, the unchecked drug war is now devastating lives in white communities as well. But what makes this an even greater issue for the hip hop generation is the fact that it is The Issue of our time...

...Hip Hop is coming into political maturity and can work to change some of the realities that are reported so vividly in rap lyrics. It is so fascinating how music has always been a part of social action in the black community. During slavery, coded songs were used to take persons to freedom. In the civil rights movement, marchers sang songs like, "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round." Now, there is an entire genre that is budding into full political awareness. How beautiful. And, it does not look like a mere "sideline donation" to me.

I'm sympathetic to where this guy's coming from, and all in favor of organizing against America's bonehead drug policies. But I'm not sold on this assumption that there exists a particular entity or tradition we can accurately label Hip-hop Activism. And I'm damn sure not sold on the assumptions drawn about it here, based mostly on the Russell Simmons Celebrity Be-In: "Hip Hop is coming into political maturity" ..is it really? "Now, there is an entire genre that is budding into full political awareness" ..is there? What does that even mean?

Posted by jsmooth995 at June 10, 2003 04:25 PM

Comments

Catch phrases seem to be a part of our present political warfare hence "Operation Iraqi Freedom","Axis of Evil", "Weapons of Mass Destruction" and most recently "Saddam Loyalists".
If the term Hip Hop Activist is being used, I believe it is to focus on the same people who buy and support the genre. Right now, we are in a crisis and we need to take little time for petty arguments and find more time for how are we going to unite and get these Crazy MOFO's out of the White House. There are many Republicans who are not bigots like Buchanan and Falwell, but they seem to find common ground and proceed forward. We can't afford another 4 year of this y'all.

Posted by: Sweetpea at June 19, 2003 10:42 PM

I totally agree that we must watch the language that we use and that we hear being used. That is one of the lessons we can learn from Malcolm X. He studied the dictionary. We too need to study the origin of many words. For instance the word nice. Look it up. Is it really a nice word?

Doc Hall

Posted by: dr. p.d.hall at June 24, 2003 01:49 PM

I posed this same question to Davey D after he used the term when posting something about Russell Simmons and he came back with an enlightening answer.

"Actually the person who COINED the term Hip Hop activism was Harry Allen.. He refered to himself as a Hip Hop activist way back in the late 80s with a clear intent.. we recently had Harry on our radio show and he broke down the science behind that.... The next group of people I heard actively use the term was Third Eye Movement when they fought against Prop 21..here in Cali..Maybe the mainstream jumped on the term and tried to flip it.. but it started amongst us first..

we also need to include Raptivism Record coining that term as well..

Davey D"

Posted by: Jon at June 30, 2003 10:31 PM

I read the article and it does not appear to me that hip hop activism is reaching maturity, and I doubt Russel Simmons ability to the leader "unofficial" or "official" because I have questions about how he runs his businesses. He may have hip hop summits and I can agree with certain stances that I know he has taken on criminalization of youth, blacks, and latinos, and how drugs play into that, however I wonder, who makes the clothes of his fashion line, sweatshop workers or does he employ people of the community? Also if he talks about having certain rappers participate hip hop activist "conscious" events, why have rappers who have such sexist lyrics like Jay Z participate and promote, sure they can get pepls attention and it is good that he participates period, but if the rapper emcee doesnt put out lyrics that are conscious but mainly puts out lyrics that promote a sexist materialistic etc negative culture, than I do not see how hip hop activism would ever reach full maturity, with "art " being produced like that period. There is serious lack of feminism in hip hop "conscious" and "commercial," and hip hop activism will never reach maturity if this is not explored through the art and thoroughly discussed whether you are male or female. Any movement lacks maturity if it is not strong in addressing womens issues, if any movement is going to ignore half the population of the world, then tell me how are any of these movements sincere and mature??

Posted by: Leslie at November 25, 2003 09:34 PM

Hip Hop, as used in it's proper connotation, is most defiantly an Activist Movement. However, I would like to see the power and persuasion that Hip Hop has, to tackle an issue I feel is going to have the most consequential affect on all of us; Global Warming!I have addressed this issue in my lyrics, however I don't have the influence of say a Jay Z or 50 cent. It's time we become enlightened on issues that determin survival.

Posted by: Rotate at December 3, 2003 05:52 PM

2 pac and 50 cent and dmx and alot more that are hardcore rappers!!!they are not hip-hop.

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Posted by: courtney adams at June 25, 2004 07:38 PM

Hip-Hop activism is a broad term, but I also think it can be interprted to mean different things to different people. When people feel strongly about an issue, they generally do not go about solving it the same way. People I think want to make clear to all people that hip hop is deeper than it may first appear.

Posted by: Ashley at June 28, 2004 11:29 PM

All the above mentioned new phrase slang words are brought into our culture through the media. it is important to remember that the media is a buffer betweem our cultrues and societies and events that happen. Hence the media shape what we are talking about and thus do so by creating new words for better understanding and sometimes to detract from actual events and issues. Evetything is framed and subjective. True meaning can be arrived at through understanding. Dont just read, see or hear, ask why and what the underlying message is. there will always be another angle. just look for it!

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