"Knowledge is power, and knowledge can be the difference between life
Or death...you should know the truth and the truth shall set you free!"
- Gangstarr (Intro to Who's Gonna Take the Weight)
Yesterday, as I was twitter debating with some of my younger followers, about Hip Hop, our community,and what it needs...I realized, that I wanted to blog about what I currently observe, and that's a standstill, not only in Hip Hop, but in taking responsibility for moving our community to the next level. I ended my soap box rant, by saying that today, I would blog about the changing of the guard in Hip Hop and, the difficult transition between the older soldiers, and the new Souljas. I was so frustrated, by young brothas, that boast of never reading a book, spewing simpleton rhymes, and honestly thinking that they had new ideas ranging from age old conspiracies, to tatics in a game on a path heavily traveled by young men, whose names, they've never heard, lessons never learned, and voices never recognized.
I had no idea...at the moment..that a Hip Hop legend, Guru had just lost his year long battle with cancer. I woke up this morning in a state of shock and emergency. I was comforted by the neverending tweets of my generation, feeling the same passion, respect and reverence for a long standing legend, but my heart was also dismayed, by the number of young people, who simply...had no idea at all, what we all just lost. Let me make this perfectly clear...it's by NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, they are simply products of their own environments, and that includes products..that have manifested, developed, and become hungry..without the lessons of the past. That my 30 + 40 year old friends..I blame on us..so now we ask,"Who's Gonna Tale The Weight?"
So wont you dig the scenario
And just imagine if each one is teachin one
Well come together so that we become
A strong force, then we can stay on course
Find your direction through introspection
And for my people out there I got a question
Can we be the sole controllers of our fate?
Now whos gonna take the weight?
- Gangstarr (Who's Gonna Take The Weight?)
As a Principal, and a person who manages teachers, but more importantly is systematically responsible for learning as an outcome, I recognize how hard it is to pass on information, especially when each and every single one of us is still "GRINDING!" and many students appear uninterested, or don't see the value in studying the past, but what I challenge..is that it's not only worth it, but an inevitable task, if we...the guardians of Hip Hop, ever expect to reap what we've sown, and continue to plant seeds for a better tomorrow, then Hip Hop is a passion, and a culture worth fighting for!
Spirituality supports reality
We gotta fight with the right mentality
So we can gain what is rightfully ours
This is the meaning of the chain and the star
Land is power, so gimme forty acres
Lets see how far I can take ya
Each and everyone of us must find a dedication to a cause that is greater than our own ego. Once you've done that, then you must strategically fight for your passion. By no means do I intend to chastise the past, or the brothers and sisters of our generation, but I will tell you what I've seen. We are quick to criticize our younger folk first, before recognizing their strength, their struggles and their accomplishments. I include myself in this category, until I realized yesterday, while debating with a young brother, that just like my teachers at school, if I want them to listen, I must start with praise, even when the situation is dismal at best. If the criticism is not CONSTRUCTIVE, if it doesn't start with,"I see you working hard, here is how to do it better, and ultimately...I'll help you," then it just comes across as HATE, regardless of how true, or important the message. You have to pull someone out of the ocean, before you give mouth to mouth. If we want Hip Hop to live, then we must feed the offspring with life, or like Nas said "Hip Hop is Dead."
In closing, I beg..that before you ask "Who's Gonna Take The Weight?" Ask yourself..."Is that brother too heavy?" Because he needs a back, and a foundation to build, then think of that Gilbert Young painting, with the extended hand reaching out, and remember, "he ain't heavy."
Original invincible
Thats how Im lookin at it
I use my rhymes like a glock automatic
Any means necessary, Im goin all out
Before the rains bring the nuclear fallout
So let me ask you, is it too late?
Ayo, whos gonna take the weight?
---RIP GURU, A legend, a teacher, a prohet.
Peace,
Principal Shells
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Very true...they youth have no guidance so they don't know what good music is.
ReplyDeleteWell put...I can tell it was written by someone who really loves hip hop.
ReplyDelete..Bravo Shellz Great Work..Teach The Seeds Dem..
ReplyDeleteGreat post, you've summed up all my frustrations perfectly. Two things are at work here, I think. First, our society have never readily accepted and embraced ignorance as much as it does now. Secondly, young people who actually understand the concept of respect are in the minority. When I was, let's say 17, if someone of Guru's magnitude had passed and I was unaware of his impact, I would be interested in learning who he was solely based on people's response to his death. This day and age kids just think he was some irrelevant "oldhead" that the rest of us "oldheads" like, as though he had no impact on the culture they enjoy today, even in it's watered down state. One thing that hasn't changed is that the youth are shaped by their parents and other authority figures in their environment. The sad fact is that in many cases with the current generation of youth, those people have "checked out". Kids don't usually initially look to rappers, athletes etc. to be their roles models, but too many parents' find it easy to neglect the role they have in shaping their children. I always say that more often than not, if people have a choice between doing what is right and what is easy, they tend to do what is easy. That has to change. We have to tell them things they don't want to hear and make decision that will make them not like us sometimes. We have to sacrifice things we don't always want to , fight through fatigue, deal with things we don't enjoy. I am supposed to be a statistic, I am a young African American man born to a single mom who to this day has never met my father. Yet, my mom and my grandmother invested in me, and rather than become a statistic, I'd like to think I've given them a nice return on that investment. I'm college educated, never seen the backseat of a police squad car, and still aspire to be better because that's what they instilled in me. That's not some unique success story, that's what happens almost everytime we take our responsibilities seriously. I know I was very wordy, but I had to get that off of my chest. Great blog and I'll be visiting on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteGreat work...and it does start with a praise first its automatic in my work...there's certain artist in the game who should be held accountable but its all about the check...$money makes ppl turn a blind side to their passion... real dope!!!
ReplyDeleteBeatz and everyone, thank you so much for taking the time. Your words are so powerful.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I'm going through. As a father, how to I teach my newborn daughter without alienating her from pressure from her peers and pressure to "fit in"? She will know the standards, the icons, and where her name came from ("Brooklyn"), but will she really understand it? Will she get it? And will she carry on, grow, and evolve from it? Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteShe will, because you will do everything within your power to make it happen homee!
ReplyDeletethat is so true we have to teach our young genreration... because all they know is bow wow and souljah boy and a few others which is a damn shame... im so glad my nieces and nephew grew up listening to what we listened and they know who is who.
ReplyDeleteI feel you Andrea. Bow Wow actually knows his hip hop history. Talib Kweli is his mentor, and his music is changing, getting better.
ReplyDeleteSouljah has a new artist named Khleo, who can really rhyme. We have to invest in the people they do know, cause they aren't going anywhere.
Great work Shells...
ReplyDeleteWe really can't blame them. They are products of their environments. Times are soooooo much different than when we were coming up...in EVERY way. We have to make sure the kids receive as much guidance from us (our generation, their elders)as possible...
Peace Shelly Shells!!! Dope blog. I definitely agree. I know what I know of about music because of my parents, my friends with younger parents, my big cousins, etc... My younger sister knows more than some 30 year olds I know because of me and our core group of people.
ReplyDeleteWe can't assume the majority of the younger generations know about "our" Hip Hop and are dismissing it. You'd be surprised what they will chose when given the option.
If we want our love for the culture to be prevalent in future generations, WE have to put the work in... And not expect the money hungry radio stations and record execs to do it.
Hip Hop is for the people BY the people. Grassroots...
Peaces lady,
DeJeanne
DeJeanne,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more, my middle students fall in love with whatever we present, but I find, that a lot of us aren't taking the time to do it, so I agree with you completely. Each one, teach one!