OneidaDreamer

"I'm about the culture of hip-hop
I’m about real hip-hop
I'm about the love of hip-hopin
and respect from hip-hopin
that’s forever that’s always but;
I think what the ESSENCE of what hip hop is about; I mean, I think what you people can attest to it.
You people that are here; its not about money and cars and diamonds and you know; and given the negative images to our kids and makin them believe that, they have to walk around with a gun and shoot it. Just to feel validated you know what I mean?
And they have to strive to be drug dealers you know what I mean?
That’s not what it is.That’s not what it is.
So if you do anything, remember that;
Hip-Hop is just not about the music, you know what I mean?
It's about a way of life and our whole culture
and it didn't start with the Sugar Hill Gang
and as much as I love Jam Master J, it didn't start with Run DMC"

Before rap was a game
Before Hip Hop was a Nation
Before Lauren Hill began our miss-education

Before milk was chillin
or PE brought the NOISE
Before Heavy D and the Boyz

Before the Roof caught on Fire
Before "FRESH" was the "Word"
Before Houdini and Friends and Roxane's Revenge

Before the freaks came out at night
Before “Say HO!!"
Before the CRASH CREW was rockin on the radios!

Before Whitney, Mariah, and Brandi and Janet
Before BAM and
The Soul Sonic Force rocked the planet!

Before we were the breaks and before hard times
Before the GANG, King Tim and
Before Super Rhymes

Before Reganomics
Before rappers got shot in their stomachs
Before you found hip-hop in comics

Before "G's"
Before Weed was "Trees"
Before goin "Road Dog" gave you a deadly disease

Before "Haterz"
Before Thugs and Perpetrators
Before the Alphas and before the Betas

Before Beepers, Cell Phones , Retro Gods,
Fed-X, Food Stamps
And Metro Cars

Before Gats or cops was 5O
and before Gats was answers and
Before the B-Boys turned into Break Dancers

Before Legs was “Crazy”
Before Alternative Swayze
Back when my man L said "It's hot and it’s humid and its hazy"

Before Trends and Tattoos
By no means get this twisted,
My name is HIP-HOP AND I'VE ALWAYS EXISTED

In this physical form
Or in the essence of rhyme
Grand Master Kaz baby, greatest of all time…




Quote and Spoken Word
off Z-Trips 2006 Album Shifting Gears
Track 15

__________________

Wyawaqacumen

Dear brother,

In your poem here, you write: "I think what the ESSENCE of what hip hop is about; I mean, I think what you people can attest to it."

I listened to your words and let them take me to your point, as much as I could hear it. I did not however hear in those words what this essence is.

For me, this culture can be positive, but I have a hard time accepting it fully because I also see a very negative, very harsh reality in Hip Hop culture; that it is also associated with gangsters, drug use, violence and things that are not socially productive.

I agree with you that everything "Hip Hop" doesn't mean this, but there is an association and that association does cause others to think twice.

I would love to hear your opinions on how Hip Hop particularly could help native American society today and how you'd propose to charge that cause.

You see, I guess I too in a way am into the essence of things, like you claim. I just have different issues to look at I suppose.

My thanks for your thoughts.

Walk well.

Wyawaqacumen

OneidaDreamer

All of the words from this piece are a DIRECT QUOTE my friend. Did you not read after the poem???? Hmmm?

This is not my poem. I got it from Z-Trips album. I however feel this spoken word is very close to home for me. Perhaps you don't know much about true Hip Hop. If not check out my thread concerning this subject in the Music category.

I love hip hop. It's very much a part of my life. I posted this poem here because I believe that people need to hear the things that this poem has to talk about. The very essence of Hip Hop Culture was about unity and creating a positive outlet for urban youth to express themselves. Here's a direct quote from DaCotau off the " Hip Hop Amongst Turtle Islanders " thread I've started:

" ABSOLUTELY!! I agree. This type of image (gangsta, ignorant etc)is really an insult to fans. It reinforces tragic stereotypes and nothing more. Hip Hop was started by intelligent, creative people who were able to break through stereotypes and articulate themselves and their culture in positive, ground breaking ways. Whether it was through urban art, dancing, writing, DJ, MC, and so on. If the originators of Hip Hop were all spending their time committing crime, locked up, and acting stupid in the street then we would not be having this discussion now because there would be no Hip Hop. As far as I am concerned the "artists" who promote the gangsta image, and worse, bash being educated and living positive, are just exploiting their own people. It does not matter to them how there message is translated by the youth that are listening because they're getting paid and gettin that cash is all that matters to them. What is happening now in main stream urban music could not be farther from it's origins, and I am old enough to remember the original scene and how positive and inspiring it all felt. "


This woman and other skins grew up in NY and other urban areas and lived during the old skool days back in the mid 70's on through. I think you are mistaking Hip-Hop culture with the Commercialized Gangsta Bling Bling b*ll*hit that has flooded every corner of American and Native American culture today.
I don't think you really know what you're talking about when you referenced what you think is hip hop. Your referring to the Gangsta Bling Bling BS junk thats on MTV and VH1. And all the negativity that goes along with those FALSE IMAGES.

But I guess I was a little taken aback by what you said brother. Please refrain from miss quoting me in the future. It makes me feel misunderstood and hurt. As well as a little offended. But I'm a big boi and can handle my self.

I think that Hip Hop Culture has always been and always will be. Underground is the key word here. That is why you and other people don't know anything about it. People can't see past the negative stereotypes that the "Media" has created. Which reminds me of another culture that constantly suffers from misinterpretations and stereotypes from the "Media"; a culture far older than Hip-Hop.


I cant urge you enough to go and rent or buy the documentary SCRATCH. It is the single most comprehensive look into hip hop culture and its positive influences to date. A sister movie to this is The Freshest Kids. Its about B-Boyin or Break Dancing. Which is another part of Hip-Hop culture, and is very much alive and thriving today and wasn't just some fad of the 80's.

But it is a crying shame that our young people are getting sucked into the negativity spawned by commercial bull*hit "Rappers". It is very sad that people are hurting one another and talking like morons and using very disrespectful language and behaviors towards their elders and women. It is a shame that when folks think hip hop they only see the negative things and none of the positivity of hip hop.

I see your point brother. And I'm glad you like to get to the essence of things too...


Miigwech

__________________