News
[Op-Ed] Hip Hop Democracy and the Future of Our Freedom
by Kyle T. Mays, Ph.D. In the wake of the election of president-elect Joe Biden and the incoming Vice President, Kamala Harris, who will be the first Black and Southeast Asian…
by Kyle T. Mays, Ph.D.
In the wake of the election of president-elect Joe Biden and the incoming Vice President, Kamala Harris, who will be the first Black and Southeast Asian woman, millions of people were happy that President Donald Trump will no longer be in the White House. People partied in the streets. Although we should be ecstatic, we still have work to do.
People can be joyful in this moment of important change, but we should proceed cautiously. Black male Hip Hop artists like Lil Wayne, Ice Cube, and 50 Cent aligned themselves publicly with Trump. It was a huge mistake on their part. It didn’t matter, because Biden won the electoral college, and earned the most votes ever, at more than 75 million. Yet, Trump earned the second-most ever, at nearly 71 million. Some Republicans voted for Biden but did not vote Democratic in state elections.
We can argue all we want about the nuances of who voted for him and why, but to me, it is clear: Donald Trump was an outward white supremacist in office, and voting for him because of “conservative values” won’t cut it. This is not good for the 2024 election. We still have work to do. After all, unless Trump is charged with criminal charges, he could run again and could get just about the same number of votes. The Hip Hop community can play an important role.
Hip Hop Nation has always been political. From its inception, rappers and taggers used their voice and visual expressions to tell stories about the condition of poor, working-class Black and Latinx communities. Before Hip Hop engaged in mainstream politics, they were in the streets placing their tattered ballots on the walls of dilapidated New York City buildings and daring society to push them to the edge. Hip Hop’s elements aren’t just cultural production. Drawing on a historical blueprint laid out by organizers like Fannie Lou Hamer and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, parts of Hip Hop Nation has been deeply committed to community organizing. They have encouraged young people to vote but also to be involved in their communities every day, not just every four years.
The Hip Hop community, especially at the grassroots level, has a lot of work to do over the next several years to avoid a letdown. We can’t rely on the voices of Hip-Hop billionaires and millionaires who may not represent the interests of those they claim to represent. For almost twenty years the Hip Hop community has sought to engage young people in voting with the Vote or Die campaign, Rock the Vote, and Respect My Vote campaigns. Those have been important in encouraging young people to vote. However, we don’t need to create a new political party to “represent” Black people. A study of the 1972 Black Political Convention held in Gary, Indiana would reveal a lot about how diverse Black politics truly are. Black youth are engaged in politics on the ground, and one of the best ways to help is to donate money and other resources to the causes that they actually want.
We must persist in our struggle for our freedom. There are grassroots organizations at the local level that have continued the work of social change. Many organizations continue the struggle to make Black Lives Matter every day. Assata’s Daughters, based in Chicago, is a Black woman, femme, and gender non-conforming group that continues the work of Black liberation, inspired by the activism of Assata Shakur. Shakur has been in exile in Cuba for decades, remains on the FBI’s Most Wanted list, and is the godmother of the late, Tupac Shakur. Other groups include the Aadizookaan, a Black and Indigenous artistic collective in Detroit. They combine Hip Hop culture and Indigenous storytelling techniques to encourage young people to decolonize their neighborhoods and continue the work of making sure that Black and Indigenous Lives matter in Detroit and beyond. Another organization is 1Hood, led by rapper Jasiri X, who educate young people through creative arts. There are hundreds of organizations that could use more resources to do the work in their local communities.
Hip Hop royalty could, as some are likely already doing, donate money and resources to these types of grassroots organizations. They can de-platform their brands and uplift those groups who really need the assistance. But the question, of course, is who is in their ear?
In some ways, it doesn’t matter what the elites in our communities do. As long as those on the ground continue to struggle, we will get our freedom. Voting is important, but without constant on the ground struggle, political education, and working against the forces that impact us, like police brutality and extreme poverty, the electing of Biden and Harris won’t matter. We still have work to do.
Kyle T. Mays, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of African American Studies, American Indian Studies, and History at UCLA. He is the author of Hip Hop Beats, Indigenous Rhymes: Modernity and Hip Hop in Indigenous North America (SUNY Press, 2018) and is finishing up a book titled, An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States (Beacon Press, forthcoming, November 2021)
The post [Op-Ed] Hip Hop Democracy and the Future of Our Freedom appeared first on The Source.
Stay updated! Click the Google News follow button for more news and updates.
Follow on Google NewsFeatured
Top Celebrity Rappers Like Jay-Z, Drake, and Diddy Leads the Sky High Ballers on Private Jet Leaderboard
When it comes to living the high life, some of rap’s biggest names take it to a whole new altitude, literally soaring above the rest. From lavish Gulfstreams to custom-painted Boeings, hip-hop icons like Jay-Z, Drake, and Diddy dominate the leaderboard of private jet travel. Thanks to a website, CelebrityPrivateJetTracker, fans and critics alike can track their planes, peeking into the high-flying habits of their favorite stars. Spoiler alert: these artists rack up miles like it’s a competition.
Take Diddy, for instance. His Gulfstream V is more than just a mode of transport; it’s practically a second home in the skies. With 308 flights covering a jaw-dropping 415,139 miles, the man behind Love Records proves he’s got places to be and people to see. Hot on his heels is Travis Scott, whose Embraer E-190 has clocked 293 flights and 402,344 miles. Jay-Z isn’t far behind, with 291 flights and 386,642 miles logged on his own Gulfstream V. Clearly, the “business” in the phrase “business class” doesn’t apply here.
And then there’s Drake, aka Air Drake. His custom Boeing 767 isn’t just transportation; it’s a statement piece. Originally gifted to him in 2019, the plane underwent a sleek redesign this year. The new exterior, imagined by the late Virgil Abloh, boasts a dreamy sky-blue cloud pattern with a cheeky new tagline: “Chances are she’s onboard.” Despite taking fewer flights, 116 to date, covering 77,026 miles, Drake’s plane commands the kind of attention that makes headlines.
Of course, the jet-setting lifestyle isn’t without controversy. In 2022, Drake faced backlash when his plane was tracked, taking several flights under 20 minutes. Critics were quick to call him out for the apparent environmental impact. However, Drake clarified the situation on Instagram, explaining, “This is just them moving planes to whatever airport they are being stored at… nobody takes that flight.”
Rap royalty has taken off literally. The question is, where do they land on the spectrum of sustainability? While the opulence of private jet travel is undeniable, it’s also a stark reminder of the ever-present tension between luxury and responsibility. Whether it’s business or pleasure, their flights showcase a lifestyle where every mile flown symbolizes success, excess, and, perhaps, a bit of introspection about the price of it all. Love it or hate it, these rappers don’t just command stages; they command the skies, flying high in their careers and above the clouds. For now, the leaderboard is theirs to dominate, and the rest of us can only watch, grounded but fascinated, as they chase the skies.
Featured
Young Buck and 50 Cent Reignites A Decade-Long $250K Record Contract Saga
Once hailed as allies and a dynamic duo under the G-Unit banner in the early 2000s, 50 Cent and Young Buck are now locked in a bitter courtroom clash that’s reignited an age-old debate: Did 50 Cent ever pay Buck the $250K advance loan he was promised? What began as a brotherhood of hitmakers has devolved into a financial feud showing no resolution like a never-ending hip-hop drama filled with cryptic Instagram posts.
The saga dates back to 2014 when Young Buck reportedly signed a contract under G-Unit Records. A $250K advance was allegedly part of the deal, but Buck claims the check never came. The decade-long dispute remained relatively quiet until 2020, when Buck’s bankruptcy filing thrust the contract into the spotlight. G-Unit Records, however, claimed the advance had been paid.
Fast forward to 2022, and Young Buck publicly lambasted 50 Cent for blocking his earning ability. On It’s Tricky with Raquel Harper, he alleged, “Once he stopped me from being able to make money, I filed another bankruptcy.” According to Buck, 50’s actions went beyond trolling, impacting his ability to provide for his family.
The drama escalated in August 2024 when a court ordered Young Buck to repay the $250K. Buck, however, doubled down, filing legal documents challenging the contract’s enforceability. His attorneys argued that G-Unit provided no concrete evidence, bank records, or tax filings to prove the payment was made.
True to form, 50 Cent took to Instagram to troll Buck again, reposting headlines about the court order and jokingly demanding the money by Monday. For 50, this legal battle is more about public entertainment than resolving old debts. On the other hand, Buck remains puzzled and hurt by 50’s relentless antics. Speaking on Steve-O’s Wild Ride, he reflected, “I don’t know what I did to make him want to see me not feed my children.” Buck refrains from wishing ill on his former collaborator despite the bad blood.
The feud is a cautionary tale of the consequences that arise when personal and professional relationships collide. For enthusiasts, it evokes a bittersweet reminder of the formidable impact team G-Unit once had. For Buck and 50 Cent, it highlights the enduring nature of unresolved conflicts from the past that can find their way into the future. Whether this $250K debate finds closure or spirals into another episode of contention remains to be seen. However, it is evident that both parties are firmly entrenched in their positions, with the hip-hop community closely monitoring the developments.
