(December 3, 2007) — In media outlets and community forums almost everywhere, questions concerning the current state of hip-hop are consistently asked, as if hip-hop is ailing. But it is not.
Hip-hop is alive and kickin' with a heartbeat and veins pumping full of energy. It is so good that it keeps my 90-year-old-mother, yes Mos Def's grandmother, mentally sharp as she memorizes and recites lyrics she enjoys or keeps me current on people and occurrences in the hip-hop community.
It is amazing that no one asks about the current state of rock, punk or pop music, but when it comes down to the cultural productions of black people, there are the questions: How well is it doing? What state is it in?
Hip-hop is doing great and it is where it is, with the people who create and embrace it — still here and crossing over to reclaim and claim other genres of music and creative expression.
When we think about hip-hop's birth almost 40 years ago on the streets of the Bronx and up to its present global presence, we know that hip-hop is not going anywhere. As a matter of fact, it is the bridge between generations and cultures.
Take Lil' Wayne for instance. I am not surprised that Lil' Wayne is infusing more elements of jazz and blues into his art. Since the record label Cash Money is rooted in New Orleans, it's natural for the label to intertwine jazz and blues with its version of hip-hop. This is the beauty of hip-hop — its variety and ability to suit the needs of many.
Look at the history and legacy of hip-hop. There are more good things than negative within it, which is why I love it so much. When I see Jay-Z, Puffy, and Russell Simmons on the covers of magazines such as Forbes, Fortune and Time, I am thrilled that hip-hop has allowed them to take their lives and the lives of their families to new levels.
This art has enabled us as a community to take better care of ourselves beyond our own means or dreams.
Some people don't like the perception and attention attached to "video vixens," but they are accessing opportunities and charting courses previously unavailable to them and other women. On many levels it is empowering.
Yes, we collectively need to continue challenging producers and directors to better portray women as we want to be portrayed, but we can't ignore that women are sexual beings, either. More apt representations will emerge when more women take the mike, as well as the director's chair, producer's booth and executive's seat, rekindling the fire Moni Love, Mc Lyte, Latifah, Yo-Yo and Lauryn ignited.
Still, in our culture, men and women have the right to own and display their sexuality under the constraints of the law. We don't condemn Hugh Hefner and the Playboy Bunnies for selling sex; thus, we can't condemn hip-hop either. And as more women take ownership of their voices and bodies through hip-hop, they will elevate themselves and other women.
I love hip-hop; it is dynamically transformative. When we move beyond the images and scope of what mass media present to us and go into the communities that keep hip-hop vital, we know that it is changing lives. It is an art form that remains close and connected to the inner city, allowing us to find and polish the diamonds in the rough, diamonds like my son, Mos Def, or Talib Kweli, Common and Kanye West.
Kanye is truly a diamond, and God has something beyond our wildest imagination prepared for him. Having known Donda West and the energy and love she poured into nurturing her son, she will be greatly missed, for she was hip-hop. Still, she gave us an amazingly talented and creative spirit that has taken hip-hop to higher heights and deeper depths.
So, I am excited to see where hip-hop goes next, anxiously waiting for the international vibe to really take off here. I've heard hip-hop in France, Brazil and elsewhere around the world that is mind-blowing.
Hip-hop is a continuum and I'm glad to be a part of the culture and community.
Smith is the mother of hip-hop artist Mos Def.
Hip-hop is alive and kickin' with a heartbeat and veins pumping full of energy. It is so good that it keeps my 90-year-old-mother, yes Mos Def's grandmother, mentally sharp as she memorizes and recites lyrics she enjoys or keeps me current on people and occurrences in the hip-hop community.
It is amazing that no one asks about the current state of rock, punk or pop music, but when it comes down to the cultural productions of black people, there are the questions: How well is it doing? What state is it in?
Hip-hop is doing great and it is where it is, with the people who create and embrace it — still here and crossing over to reclaim and claim other genres of music and creative expression.
When we think about hip-hop's birth almost 40 years ago on the streets of the Bronx and up to its present global presence, we know that hip-hop is not going anywhere. As a matter of fact, it is the bridge between generations and cultures.
Take Lil' Wayne for instance. I am not surprised that Lil' Wayne is infusing more elements of jazz and blues into his art. Since the record label Cash Money is rooted in New Orleans, it's natural for the label to intertwine jazz and blues with its version of hip-hop. This is the beauty of hip-hop — its variety and ability to suit the needs of many.
Look at the history and legacy of hip-hop. There are more good things than negative within it, which is why I love it so much. When I see Jay-Z, Puffy, and Russell Simmons on the covers of magazines such as Forbes, Fortune and Time, I am thrilled that hip-hop has allowed them to take their lives and the lives of their families to new levels.
This art has enabled us as a community to take better care of ourselves beyond our own means or dreams.
Some people don't like the perception and attention attached to "video vixens," but they are accessing opportunities and charting courses previously unavailable to them and other women. On many levels it is empowering.
Yes, we collectively need to continue challenging producers and directors to better portray women as we want to be portrayed, but we can't ignore that women are sexual beings, either. More apt representations will emerge when more women take the mike, as well as the director's chair, producer's booth and executive's seat, rekindling the fire Moni Love, Mc Lyte, Latifah, Yo-Yo and Lauryn ignited.
Still, in our culture, men and women have the right to own and display their sexuality under the constraints of the law. We don't condemn Hugh Hefner and the Playboy Bunnies for selling sex; thus, we can't condemn hip-hop either. And as more women take ownership of their voices and bodies through hip-hop, they will elevate themselves and other women.
I love hip-hop; it is dynamically transformative. When we move beyond the images and scope of what mass media present to us and go into the communities that keep hip-hop vital, we know that it is changing lives. It is an art form that remains close and connected to the inner city, allowing us to find and polish the diamonds in the rough, diamonds like my son, Mos Def, or Talib Kweli, Common and Kanye West.
Kanye is truly a diamond, and God has something beyond our wildest imagination prepared for him. Having known Donda West and the energy and love she poured into nurturing her son, she will be greatly missed, for she was hip-hop. Still, she gave us an amazingly talented and creative spirit that has taken hip-hop to higher heights and deeper depths.
So, I am excited to see where hip-hop goes next, anxiously waiting for the international vibe to really take off here. I've heard hip-hop in France, Brazil and elsewhere around the world that is mind-blowing.
Hip-hop is a continuum and I'm glad to be a part of the culture and community.
Smith is the mother of hip-hop artist Mos Def.
