Hip-Hop: Black Cultural Expressions with Roots in Africa
Hip Hop is you. Hip Hop is us. Hip Hop is global. Hip Hop is Black. Hip Hop is Africa. Hip Hop like all the greatest music (Jazz, Blues, etc) and dance (Samba, Tango, Jives, etc) in history was created by Black people and traces its roots to Africa. This piece takes a closer look at the origins of Hip-Hop and its appropriation by commercial entities. The article also suggests ways that the originators of these cultural expressions can financially benefit from their talent and creation.
"In the early 1970s the poor and outcaste youth of the African genealogy; looked down upon as insignificant ended up producing the highest expression of the creative arts to be enjoyed by the worlds people. These youths simply refused to give up after being striped of land and life, raped and left to starve, conform or die in the isolated urbanized ghettos of industrialized Nations. So powerful a thing they invented that abundances of wealth is still being created for all people who desire to fill their cups at this fountain of blessings. Now those very same people who degraded the invention receive the most financial benefits from its sale. In all corners of the earth youths are able to eat and feed their families from this patent-free invention open to all who may desire to hold it true, these entrepreneurs are known as b-boys/girls and Rastafarians."
So powerful a thing they invented that abundances of wealth is still being created for all people who desire to fill their cups at this fountain of blessings.
The Worlds Greatest (Music)
By Nero Mindwarz (Master Scribe)
One needs to only look at the most recent musical developments: Hip Hop to see the tremendous economic impact of the music invented by the African genealogy. Yet still it is not until viewed outside the American bubble and through a world wide perspective can one truly see the globalize effect of African invented music.
In the early 1970s the poor and outcaste youth of the African genealogy; looked down upon as insignificant ended up producing the highest expression of the creative arts to be enjoyed by the worlds people. These youths simply refused to give up after being striped of land and life, raped and left to starve, conform or die in the isolated urbanized ghettos of industrialized Nations.
As a result of their genius they developed new ways to earn by inventing and manufacturing their own life experience expressed though music and dance. They combined fragments of the stolen legacies of their forefathers genius expressed as Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Rock and Roll and the ancient African drums to produce: Hip-Hop and Reggae, the guiding light of modern music which has dominated music markets world wide. These inventions not only build industries but carries an inherit cultural phenomenon with it: Hip-Hop has the b-boy lifestyle that includes style of dress (clothing), dancing (break-dance), Music (rap), Graffiti (painting) and Philosophy (New thought). Reggae has with it the Rasta movement which carries with its own style of dress, colors, symbols, music, hair, dance and philosophy that offers African sovereignty, a return to nature and freedom from mental slavery.
So powerful a thing they invented that abundances of wealth is still being created for all people who desire to fill their cups at this fountain of blessings. Now those very same people who degraded the invention receive the most financial benefits from its sale. In all corners of the earth youths are able to eat and feed their families from this patent-free invention open to all who may desire to hold it true, these entrepreneurs are known as b-boys/girls and Rastafarians. In Seoul, Korea B-boy theatres are filled with the same anticipation of a New York City Broadway show. B-boys are featured in TV commercials and entertainment events of all kinds. In Japan Hip-Hop and Reggae music/lifestyles have been embraced by the youth. In Europe the same phenomenon continue to occur. Meanwhile, from Palestine to The Republic of Congo, to South America, Hip-Hop has become the war chant of the oppressed. All throughout the “unindustrialized nations”, the war-torn and oppressed regions, freedom fighters align their souls back to the life giving source of the African vibrations by raising the red, gold and green banner; the royal flag of Ithiopia can be seen on T-shirts, hats and wrist bans all over the world.
Now good teachers and educators of the older generations are forced to use hip-hop as a teaching tool because the youth no longer gravitate to the vibration of their oppressors. From UC Cal Berkeley to New York City private schools are trading Shakespeare for tupac.
African music is a world wide export either directly or by local imitators. The music of African people continues to serve as the prototype world wide when you include style/fashion, film, etc. the money is even larger.
As the African gene music and sports pioneers converge on all geographic markets and inside cross-markets more civic organizations need to be built to nurture growth. Hip-Hop moguls and successful athletes will need to consolidate to properly manage market controls and monitor trickle-down effects on new industry. Careful community benefits must be structured; foundations need to be carefully guided and must not be allowed to be directed from outside the culture.
The economies created by music and sports can be used as a lever to pull the oppressed from poverty. This will be greatly helped by lateral expansion into other industries as wealthy moguls start new businesses and venture to capitalize enterprise and entrepreneurship in stable industries such as energy, technology and manufacturing.
This economic revolution of sorts has already entered its first phase and is steadily moving towards the second and third phases. Such examples include: Damon Dash, Sean Combs, Shawn Carter, Magic Johnson, Russell Simmons and others have ventured into clothing, beverage, food, credit and retail industries to name a few.
The people of dominate African gene must not be ashamed of their strengths, continue to invent, produce and export these goods/services. When our children have great gifts we must develop and market it. When our businesses and business men/women come under attack the public must defend them. We have already seen numerous examples of politicians and philosophers that claim to represent the African gene become traitors rather than defend African, music, athletes and youth. No one must relax and think for one second that our competitors in this human race are not watching and will not develop strategies to stop our growth.
The ingenuity of the African genealogy continues there has never been an era of humanity in which the people of dominate African genes have been absent. Whether as slave or master our contributions are boundless.
Originally appeared in Mindwarz.
