What’s Killing Our Culture? II: It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop
by Adia “Dr. Dia” Winfrey, Psy.D. | special to NewBlackMan
On June 21, 2012, my piece “What’s Killing Our Culture? It’s Not the Mainstream and Tight Jeans,” was published on NewBlackMan (in Exile). Within a week, it was heavily circulated. The piece prompted “Turn Up the Dial? The Cultural Values of Black Youth Culture,” by esteemed composer and author Professor Bill Banfield. This second installment of “What’s Killing Our Culture?” will continue to explore the question. I will also reference social media accounts of scholars, youth, artists, and journalists in recognition of “Remixing the Art of Social Change,” Words, Beats, and Life Inc.’s Teach-In at Howard University.
Child literacy expert, Nikolai Pizarro (@BE_PURE), recently alerted me to the Facebook status of a high school student. Within three minutes of posting, it received seven “Likes” and the comment, “I juss gotta steal this.” The following status is a reality for many of our youth, and is the motivation for my life’s work:
Im Tired Of Yelling
Im Tired Of Being Sad
Im Tired Of Being Alone
Im Tired Of Pretending Everythings Alright When Its Not
Im Tired Of Being Alone
Im Tired Of Being Angry
Im Tired Of Feeling Crazy
Im Tried Of Feeling Stuck
Im Tried Of Missing Things
Im Tired Of Missing People
Im Tired Of Feeling Empty Inside
Im Tired Of Not Being Able To Jss LET GO
Im Tired of Wishing I Could Start All Over
But Most Of All Im Tired Of Being Tired !
The geographic origin, gender, and race of the author are irrelevant. Though initially created for Black males, I’ve conducted my Hip Hop-based group therapy program, H.Y.P.E.: Healing Young People thru Empowerment, with male and female youth of varying races across the country. This Facebook status reflects the voicelessness I consistently witness. Before they’ve had a chance to live, our youth are simply “tired of being tired.” We can’t waste time focusing on youth fashion trends, or Hip Hop debates about “underground versus mainstream” or “conscious versus gangsta.”
“Give me a gifted trap rapper over a wack "conscious" n---a any day. It's hip hop. Form >>>>>> content.” ~@Phonte via Twitter (Recording artist)
As stated in the first “What’s Killing Our Culture?” the architects of Hip Hop culture were Black and Latino youth who claimed their voices and space in spite of. Freedom of self-expression is at the heart of Hip Hop’s appeal across elements. But with this freedom comes a harshness that can become difficult to stomach. Like the litany of “gangsta” or more recently dubbed “trap” rappers before him, 17 year old Chief Keef is at the center of the “music is killing our kids” conversation. With lyrics boasting of “playing Russian Roulette, with n----s heads,” it’s easy to understand the attention Chicago’s Chief Keef is garnering.
In his piece, “Chief Keef is the Bomb,” recording artist and community activist Che “Rhymefest” Smith (@RHYMEFEST) states, “A Bomb has no responsibility or blame, it does what it was created to do; DESTROY!” Smith goes on to state, “Notice, no one is talking about the real culprits, the Bomb maker or the pilot who is deploying this deadly force.” Via Twitter, noted journalist Ferrari Sheppard (@stopbeingfamous) declares, “…Chief Keef makes me want to cry for real because it's not his fault and what he represents is a reality.” This is the power of Hip Hop Culture…it gives voice to everything, including the most heinous realities of our society. How do we respond?
History shows us the general methods being employed are futile. I vividly recall images from my childhood of pastors bulldozing 2Pac and NWA albums and tapes. Over twenty years later, these rap artists are cultural icons. Clearly this method did nothing to silence the messages or messengers. Even when the physical manifestations of its elements are disfigured, Hip Hop Culture will not be destroyed. What’s left?
“Open minds, open doors.” ~@TheRealMarcSee via Twitter (Recording artist/Producer)
Through years of research and professional experience, I’ve found Hip Hop Culture, the very source many consider to be the problem, holds the solution. When combined with time and love, which we often undervalue, Hip Hop culture can improve the outlook so eloquently expressed in the aforementioned Facebook post. Hip Hop culture opens the door forjudgment-free, engaging interactions with our youth, which reinforce their brilliance, validates their experiences, and harnesses their potential. Our youth are being targeted and destroyed from all sides, and too many continue to focus on their symptom-ology rather than the real issue, which is their pain and voicelessness.
Dr. Guthrie Ramsey (@DrGuyMusiQology), University of Pennsylvania professor said it best in a Facebook post, “Sagging? We talking about sagging?” If we continue to be lured by distractions, and subscribe to such thinking, our youth will continue to be spiritually dead, and we will only have ourselves to blame. Now’s the time…let’s get H.Y.P.E.
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Adia “Dr. Dia” Winfrey, Psy.D, is the author of H.Y.P.E.: Healing Young People thru Empowerment (African-American Images, 2009) and has been featured on NPR, in JET Magazine, and endorsed by syndicated radio personalities Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden. Learn more at letsgethype.com.
