Hip Hop: On a Different Level

Image: Zen Creatif, AG.

What do people need to know about hip hop? Remember summer vacation as kid in the middle of July when the onset of boredom had arrived. Gone was the novelty of the 21st of June when you and your posse made a bonfire with the books. The first few weeks were amazing; you went to sleep when you were suppose to be getting up… and went out when you were suppose to be going to sleep. However, it was all good, because whatever deviance that freedom inspired soon produced creative tales to share. So, the beat went on and on and on about the girls, the liquor, the drugs, the cops, the jumped fences… and the judge. Then one afternoon, you were called out, “Dude you’re storytelling is now tired.” Therefore, like any well thinking maestro, it is time to put the ‘symphony’ of grandiose tales in effect. This is hip hop.

Now let’s a few things straight, actively listening to discourse does not mean we agree with the position statement. But, we need to listen to know what is going on. Music is for soothing the soul, so we say. This is an issue when we listen through censored ears and romanticized hearts which, denies what the lyricist a platform to speak their reality, their truth. Worse, when the narrative misaligns with our life world, we tend to exclude the new and ban the unfamiliar from our prejudicial playlist.

Yet, the perceived noise is somebody’s anthem. Lyrics and beats are a reflection of their pain, joys, love, expectation, hopes, and experiences that is being validated by someone in this same time, social space, and perhaps a nearby place.

Similar to reggae and dancehall, hip hop emerged and transcends through social injustices and the broken promises of social change. Sometimes the subtlety of the cultural shift aligns with the vision of the OGs, another time it challenges the status quo. One thing is certain; the youth subculture will always push the boundaries on how we evaluate fairness versus equality. Everyone wants their share based on how they perceive themselves and the world around us.

To reflect for a minute, the lens of the artist and the gaze of the observer often clash. With a pulse on society, artists have the unique approach to evaluating and rendering what they sense in close proximity and at a far distance. Both metaphorically and physically, like a cordoned area, observers have limited access. The greater the division, the deeper the clash, the more important it is to enter into a discourse. Paying attention and engaging in a conversation, even just for a minute, is the only way we are going to know what is really going on.

Challengers, such as Tee Grizzly, L'l Yatchy and Chief Keef recognize the significance of conversing. So, like it or not, they are ferociously pushing the boundaries to get everyone talking. While they are not forcing anyone to accept their position statement, they are making their presence known.

Zen Creatif, AG.