Old School Scholar

As I was driving home from work the other day, I pulled up to a stop sign. Standing on the sidewalk was a boy no older than 8 or 9. He looks right at me and starts reciting the lyrics to Lil’ Wayne’s “Ride for my Ni¢¢az”. My first thought (aside from, “where are his parents?”) was, “This kid thinks he’s impressing me with his ability to quote Lil’ Wayne, profanities and all.” I’ll bet he couldn’t even remember what he learned in school that day, but he sure knew those lyrics.

For those not familiar, minstrel shows were theatrical skits that portrayed African Americans as cartoonish stereotypes. You know; lazy, uneducated, inarticulate, watermelon, fried chicken, yada yada yada. The characters were either played by Caucasian or Black actors in black face. White audiences in the 1800’s to early 1900’s were greatly entertained by them. Mainstream America [...]

What is Hip Hop? There are a lot of different answers, depending on who you ask. Before I give my definition, let me start with what isn’t Hip Hop: Gangstas, Pimps, Hustlers, Drug Dealers. Basically, all the negative stigmas of urban life glorified in today’s rap music. It’s downright insulting to call the rap (or crap) music of the last few years Hip Hop. The early foundations of Hip Hop culture were built on the desire to escape the dreary existence of street life.