President OBAMA Message to the Hip Hop community
The world has called for change and so has the Hip Hop community. The first black president is days away from taking office. He has achieved part of Martin Luther King's dream by being judged by the content of his character and not solely by the color of his skin.
In light of the momentum of change, our President Elect, Barack Obama will have to face a nation that is slowly crumbling from an economic crisis; a nation that continues to battle war, unemployment, a failing educational and healthcare system. If the axiom is true, that art is a reflection of society, then why is it that when we turn on the radio, we are steady bombarded with rappers spitting lyrics about how much Money, Sex and Bling they have? President Obama states: "I love the art of Hip Hop but I don't always love the message.
Watch the video below and hear the man of the year, deliver a powerful message to the Hip Hop Community. Before you dismiss this as another politician hating on Hip Hop, understand that Obama is not like any other former president, he actually listens to Hip Hop Music. In this interview, the "BIG O" admitted that he listens to Jay Z and Kayne, saying, "Jay got flow".
Ok! so you probably won't see the "BIG O" buying a Lil Wayne CD or Common opening up at the inauguration. He admits that he is still old school, but you can see from this video that he does carry a understanding and an appreciation for the power of Hip Hop as an art of expression. As he responds: "I always say that hip hop is not just a mirror of what is, it should also be a reflection of what can be."
Tupac Shakur said, "by the time we hit 2020, the president of the United States will have either owned a Hip Hop tape at some point in his life or be a fan of the music." Well Pac we got it 11 years earlier.
Our one request to all the MCs before they write their next lyrics, is to listen to what the "BIG O" has to share with the Hip Hop community. If you voted for him because you wanted change, well you should also be inspired by Ghana's words: "be the change you seek". You can start the next time you put your pen to paper and write your next hit.
Click the play button and watch President Obama's message to the Hip Hop Community |
