The FNV Newsletter
In Today's Issue: April 23 2002

*HOW HIP HOP DESTROYED BLACK POWER by Min Paul Scott
*GETTING GROWN by Q of SOHH.COM

Send comments, questions and concerns to

mailto:mrdaveyd@aol.com
mailto:Misterdaveyd@aol.com

The FNV Newsletter
written by Davey D
http://www.daveyd.com
http://www.rapstation.com

c 2002 All Rights Reserved
===================================

How Hip Hop Destroyed Black Power

By Min. Paul Scott
TBWT Contributor
Article Dated 4/19/2002

 From the moment Stokley Carmichael (Kwame Ture)
grabbed the mic and yelled Black Power! the phrase has
struck fear in the heart of white America. Not that
they were overly concerned that we posed some sort of
military or economic threat, as the white power
structure had those two options on "lock" but the
possibility that the phrase would galvanize the masses
of Black youth to action. Motivating them to do more
than get their groove on Saturday night and their
praise on Sunday morning sent chills up the spines of
those who had a vested interest in holding the Black
community down. Something had to be done to destroy
this uncompromising desire for FREEDOM, JUSTICE and
EQUALITY.

The blackploitation movies of the 70's were a good try
as they served as a funkier alternative to the Black
Nationalist struggle. However, even the pimps and
pushers were Struggling against "the man." Also,
during that period, the blood of the Black Panthers
and our other martyrs was still fresh on the pavements
of many neighborhoods of Black America.

So the weapon of choice was a movement of young Black
teenagers who had developed a system of organization
that could do anything from educate children about the
historical struggle of African people to turning the
deadliest gang rivalry into a break dance competition.

First, the power structure tried to ban rap music
altogether by strengthening indecency laws in states
where rappers performed and forcing them to place
parental guidance stickers on their albums. But the
contradiction of having those who have robbed, killed
and murdered every culture on the planet serving, as
morality police was too much to swallow. Also
problematic was the fact that to them the members of
the 2 Live Crew and Public Enemy were interchangeable.

So they fell back on their old standard "if you can't
beat them, corrupt them." It was not an overnight,
hostile takeover but a slow, cunning infiltration,
kind of like the annoying scratchy throat that you
ignore until it has you sick in bed for two weeks. By
then it is too late.

What arose was a Hip Hop nation that held no
allegiance to the Black Nation as the hip Hop nation
was all inclusive and anyone regardless of race,
class, religion or political views where anyone who
had 15 dollars to buy a CD and could imitate the style
of dress from glossy magazine covers could be down.

There is a saying in Afrocentric circles that when the
European missionaries came to Africa they had the
Bible and we had the land and when they left, we had
the Bible and they had the land. In terms of Hip Hop,
when the white missionaries in the form of corporate
executives came to the `hood they had the 20 inch rims
and Courvoisier and we had the music, when they left,
we had the rims and Courvoisier and they had the
music. We traded our dashikis for Rockawear, our
African medallions for platinum chains and our souls
for a moment to shine in front of white America. As it
is said, we crossed over and couldn't get black. Black
Power became an example of racism in reverse and a
term that should have gone out with the Afro pick.

Hip Hop should serve as the background music for the
Black Nation and should be heard pumpin' through
speakers at every uprising, protest, or demonstration.

However, the forces, which control Hip Hop, have taken
measures to make sure that the Hip Hop Nation and the
Black Power Nation never unite. While most rappers
would swear on their mammas' graves that they are in
control of their Hip Hop destinies, I can not help to
think that behind the back stage curtain at every rap
concert is an old white "Wizard of the `hood"
carefully manipulating the lives of our children.

What we have here is a failure to communicate; a
conversation that never happened. A dialogue between
the Black Nation and the Hip Hop Nation has been
skillfully blocked by the white power structure. While
talk shows often pit Harvard educated, middle class
journalist, Bob Smith against straight up gangsta, MC
Cut Throat, I have yet to see a debate between "MC Cut
Throat" and straight up Black militant, revolutionary,
"Bro. Shaka Zulu."

We must not be afraid of alienating our children (as
many of them cannot become more alienated, anyway) by
engaging them to observe Hip Hop against the back drop
of the struggle for Black LIBERATION. As many of them
pride themselves on being the "realist" and shocking
white America with their lyrics that talk loud and say
nothing, we must teach them of the ancestors who were
really controversial and were rewarded with a bullet
in the head or noose around their necks and not heavy
rotation on a radio station.

We must not be afraid to use the term
"anti-afrikanism" in describing some of the disrespect
that white corporate America gives us in the guise of
entertainment. While it may be too early to grill Lil
Bow Wow on his views on the mental genocide of Afrikan
people, it is not only proper; but also our
responsibility, to engage 30 something year old Black
men on their views on colonialism. If they are able to
tell our children about the correct way to sell crack
or murder another Black man, the issue of white
supremacy should not intimidate them in the least.

Although many would like to write off the age of Black
Consciousness as a lost era; if you walk outside on a
warm summer night, after the last video has played on
BET, if you listen closely you can still hear the
voices of the ancestors shouting black power, Black
Power, BLACK POWER!

Share your thoughts on this article...
by posting up on our Political Palace message boards
http://pub12.ezboard.com/fpoliticalpalacefrm1.showMessage?topicID=143.topic

========================

GETTING GROWN
By Q courtesy of SOHH.com


'And I remember the good ol days/ bras and boxers and blunts to blaze/
but now I got three children to raise...'  -Cee-Lo, "Gettin' Grown"

On February 18, I turned 27 years old.  On August 5, 2000, I got
married.  On December 30, 2001, we had a baby girl to add to the two
stepdaughters I already had.  I own a house with front and backyards
along with two cars.  Yes, I am settled down and I'm finally acting
like an adult.  But am I getting too old for Hip-Hop?

Two posts in the SOHH.com forum, The Spot, inspired this editorial.
One titled, "Am I Too Old For Hip-Hop" and the other, "Hip-Hop
Generation Gap."  Both posts had some things make me think about where
I stood.  Right now, it's like my Hip-hop world has flip-flopped.
Nowadays, you got cats saying that Rakim is boring, Kool G Rap sucks
and that they rather listen to Nelly, than KRS-One.  These are emcees
I grew up on, helped shape my way of thinking as a youth and into
adulthood.  So basically, I'm like flabbergasted at these cats
disrespecting these legends of hip-hop whom all had a hand in creating
what hip-hop is today.  Then I realized something...most of the cats
saying these things weren't even born when Michael Jackson dropped
"Thriller".  They weren't here when Kane was spitting the illest lines
ever heard or when Public Enemy made you put your fist in the air.
These cats weren't even around to experience the debut of "Yo!  MTV
Raps" and don't even know who Chris "The Mayor" Thomas of Rap City is.

Yeah...  I'm getting old.  I realize that everyday its getting harder
to relate to the hip-hop that everyone claims to be "hot".  I mean,
the occasional club banger like the "Pass the Courvoisier Remix" or
Neptunes cut is cool, but they seriously get killed quick because of
radio overplay.  At the same time, the "hot" music is so fantasy
filled its annoying.  There's more to life than hitting up the clubs
and trying to hit the next chick.  And if you're gonna rhyme about it,
at least come creative and original.  Half these cats don't even know
that the beat used in JD's "Welcome to Atlanta" is an old BDP track.
Yes, life is bigger than your average Hip-hop song.  I never hear an
emcee rhyme about trying to pay his mortgage, pick up the kids from
school or even deal with the issues of today.  Pick up a newspaper and
write a song about what you see, eff the club!

Yeah...my age is starting to show.  I don't go to the club anymore, I
don't got a crew anymore and the only time I watch Rap City is on "Old
School Wednesdays".  I find myself reaching for that classic "Mecca &
The Soul Brother" album or "Low End Theory" joint instead of turning
on the radio.  I agree that the Hip-Hop I'm not feeling needs to
exist, I'm not saying that it should be done away with, I'm just
saying, at my age, I can't really relate to what's going on in the
streets or the clubs because I'm not there anymore.  At my age, I've
realized that the industry doesn't target me when it comes to music,
they want teenagers so they release the same type of music and artists
which causes an off-balance sound in the genre.  I can't relate to
that.  The dope emcees that I can relate to nowadays are hard to come
by but they do exist.  Here are some of the joints I've been listening
to lately:

J-Live - "Satisfied" This is a track for J's "All The Above" LP
calling out the mentality of the hip-hop heads nowadays.  J is known
for his lyrics and some of my favorites in the song are "You look at
the American dream, silk sheets and down pillows, who the f*** would
want to wake up?"  and "I know an older god who lost 12 close peeps on
9-1-1/While you still kickin' punchlines and puns/F*** that sh**, this
is serious biz/by the time Bush is done you won't know what time it
is."  An insightful track, check it out.

Paris - "What Would You Do?"  Although a few emcees have tackled the
issue of 9/11, no one has done like Pairs.  Known for his outspoken
political views, Paris drops crazy science and calls out our country
for its war propaganda involving the war on terrorism.  Even if you
don't agree with what he's saying, you at least need to give it a
listen.

Apathy - "School" With the three-year anniversary of the Columbine
shootings this week, this song gives up the reality of the mindset of
kids in high school.  This is a very creative song, with three
different characters describing their position of popularity within
their high school and how they treat everyone.  Kind of gives you a
chill listening to it because this type of thing can happen in any
high school.  Props to Apathy for this track!

Blackalicious - "Make You Feel That Way" This is probably literally
the feel good joint of the year.  Laced with jazzy horns and a nice
bassline groove, Gift of Gab describes situations and instances that
make you feel a certain way.  It's really hard to describe the song,
so just give it a listen.

Wyclef - "PJs" It's just really cool to hear a song about the hood
where the emcee doesn't threaten to kill you or blast your kids.
Wyclef isn't the best emcee in the world, he never claimed to be but
this track reminds you of where you came from, what situations you got
out of to get to the place where you're at now.  Dope song and I'm
looking forward to the album.

Anyway, I'm not complaining about the state of hip-hop, or hip-hop
that I think that's wack, I'm just letting cats know where I stand as
a "hip-hop head."  Don't be surprised if I tell you I'm not feeling
the new Nature or Cormega joint or that I think Cam'ron or Beanie is
rehashing old ideas over a beat I jammed to in 1988 when Kane or EPMD
was rhyming over it.  To those that are my age, I know you understand
what I'm saying and for you younger cats, you will know what I'm
talking about in about 10 years...  whoa..  hold up...  glances at
calendar.  Next year is my 10 year high school reunion...  damn I'm
getting' old.

Props to Hugo at www.mvremix.com and Davey D for the audio links

written by Q of SOHH.COM
=============================

Send comments, questions and concerns to

mailto:mrdaveyd@aol.com
mailto:Misterdaveyd@aol.com

The FNV Newsletter
written by Davey D
http://www.daveyd.com
http://www.rapstation.com

c 2002 All Rights Reserved

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To subscribe,   send a blank message to FNV_Newsletter-on@mail-list.com
To unsubscribe, send a blank message to FNV_Newsletter-off@mail-list.com
To change your email address, send a message to 
FNV_Newsletter-change@mail-list.com
     with your old address in the Subject: line
To contact the list owner, send your message to
    FNV_Newsletter-list-owner@mail-list.com