This past weekend, I recorded a podcast examining A$AP Yams’ claim that 2014 is the worst year EVER in hip-hop. Because I believe he is right, I analyzed every record that was released between 1979 (the arguable invention of hip-hop) right up to this year. As I recalled classic albums we were blessed to hear many years ago, I was able to pinpoint exactly when records addressing societal ills were abandoned and songs with materialistic, misogynistic and overly violent lyrics completely dominated the airwaves. No need to get into the argument about why the music made the switch, nor do I want to pretend that violence and sexism are new-age components of rap music. But, there once was a time when many artists were actively interested in the causes that their fans were going through, even if those specific rappers’ fame and fortune allowed them to be far removed from those specific experiences. So today, as protests rage and civil unrest gathers around the country (hell, the ENTIRE world), it’s really disappointing to see many of today’s leading artists remain so disconnected from such a monumentally important movement.
On Monday night at 9 PM, it felt like all of North America was anxiously awaiting the Ferguson grand jury decision. After the announcement of Darren Wilson‘s non-indictment, social media was aflame. There was an outpouring of grief, anger, disappointment and dissatisfaction. While many people may not have been shocked at the decision, that did not mute the visceral anger we felt. Soon, President Obama appeared to give a predictable speech on calm perseverance, which eventually turned into an intense clash between police and protestors on the streets of Ferguson.
Yet, as all of this unfolded, there was a noticeable absence by Black rappers, singers, actors and entertainers to even so much as Tweet or Instagram #BlackLivesMatter. At the very least, from a business perspective, it would seem they should care about their fans’ struggles, but more importantly, one would hope they would care about their people and their communities.
I’m not going to put any specific names on blast, but I will say this: Go look at the social media of the artists you personally respect, and check to see if they’ve stood in unity with Ferguson or protestors anywhere between today and November 24th. If you don’t see even one mention, I don’t want to hear a DAMN thing about their regularity of social media activity or any other excuse, I just want you to look and understand that their silence isn’t just casual ignorance – it is their wilful ignorance towards caring about our collective community.
I wish we could return to a time where Black musicians didn’t just only make music propagating our causes (like Public Enemy), but also took to the streets as activists and agents of change (like KRS-One). I wish we could return to a time where Black singers openly campaigned against hate and boycotted racist actions even at their own financial loss (like Sammy Davis Jr. and Ray Charles). And I wish we could return to a time where Black entertainers LEAD marches and civil rights initiatives (like Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier), but those days are dead and gone. Fortunately, we don’t NEED any celebrity to fight with us, because many of us are doing a damn good job on our own. But, the next time an artist puts out a product looking for your support, just remember how much that artist was interested in supporting you.
Image: Shutterstock
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Lincoln Anthony Blades blogs daily on his site ThisIsYourConscience.com, he’s an author of the book “You’re Not A Victim, You’re A Volunteer” and a weekly contributor for UPTOWN Magazine. He can be reached via Twitter @lincolnablades and on Facebook at This Is Your Conscience.