Sun 23 Oct 2005
Howard Dukes of the South Bend Tribune has sharp words for rap artists and their actions before Katrina in his commentary, Where was hip-hop in the ‘foremath’ of Katrina?
Dukes points out that the hip-hop community was dutifully quick to respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and how the poorest of those victims were affected, but where was the majority of mainstream hip-hop before Katrina? Many rappers responded with strong public statements and even headed into the studio to record benefit tracks in the days following the devastating hurricane, but before Katrina, he says, most were “content to settle for being the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” of the black community.”
Word.
Dukes calls out Mos Def, Talib, Kweli, The Roots, and Common as among the precious few that paid any real attention to the poor and important social issues prior to Katrina. He also recalls the names of the greats of the old-school:
In the 1980s, when the poor were even more out of favor than they are now, groups such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Boogie Down Productions, Public Enemy and N.W.A. produced records that addressed social issues while packing dance floors across the nation.
This really should get all the “bling bling” artists, as I call them, to take a serious look at their lyrics and actions, but it won’t. It’s been obvious for years that the only people they’re really looking out for are themselves and the what they value most is making as much money as possible.
This post is tagged: conscious rap, hip hop, katrina, mos def, rap.
