Hip hop as protest/social/political movement, via Bakari Kitwana...

Message Bookmarked
Bookmark Removed
...who I honestly don't know anything about, but it sez in this extended interview here that he worked for The Source and has a book out called The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African-American Culture. The focus of the interview is more on his take regarding the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and larger questions of civil rights and politics in America. Your thoughts?

Ned Raggett, Monday, 22 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

''What's the difference between a Cory Booker and a Ras Baraka? Why do you think that Baraka makes a more appealing candidate? He still hasn't won in Newark, whereas Booker was a councilman there. Sharpe James defeated Booker, but it was a close race.

Booker did not appear as an authentic candidate -- not authentically black, but authentic. He seemed handpicked. Ras has been in the community, he's been a teacher for 10 years. He's visibly a part of the hip-hop nation; he was featured on the Fugees album.''

What you just dug up is interesting. I suppose it's the old question of whether politica and political movements mix.

I found the bit above interesting. Surely, the appropriate candidate should be someone who is a good administrator, not someone who demonstrates his 'hip-hop credentials' by making an appearance ina fugees alb. Also he does not explain why booker apperared to be 'handipicked' and it was disappointing taht the interviewer did not pursue this.

''But, still, people have to start thinking out of the box. Booker is a product of this generation. He might not be as close to the hip-hop nation as Ras, but he could have tapped into hip-hop more. Booker had some support from Queen Latifah at the end. If he had tapped into that more, I think he would have won. Booker went to Stanford and Yale -- the ability of people in our generation to do that is a result of the civil rights generation. He's a little more polished than what's seen as an authentic hip-hop voice but he's not an aberration.''

he begins by saying that 'stars' obscure the real issue when it is reported by the media but then he goes on to say, if he had used Latifa's support he would have had a better chance.

Julio Desouza, Monday, 22 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the above should say music (or rather the active participation of 'stars' and so on) and politics mix.

Julio Desouza, Monday, 22 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

whether politics and political movements mix = my secret favourite subject, nearly

mark s, Tuesday, 23 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

that would have been v.interesting I agree. Sorry to cut the fun out of yr life mark.

Julio Desouza, Tuesday, 23 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)


You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.