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Being Cool and Responsible . . . is Really Cool February 23, 2004
Yet, the truth of the matter is… this young people’s music, once viewed as “fly-by-night,” has lasted much longer than most of us would have expected. Hip Hop has gained enormous popularity and success, even though most of us would have bet our last dollars that it wouldn’t be around this long; that it would fade into the musical sunset, like those memorable Disco nights. We were wrong. The commercial and cross-over success of Hip Hop has been phenomenal. It is no longer simply a musical faze, but something more akin to a culture unto itself, a musical era. Still, for most of us looking at the downside of 30, there is a wide chasm between Hip Hop’s success, and our own success in understanding its allure. Old Father Time is the real blame for this musical divide…as he narrows our musical taste, in direct parallel to the years we hang around. While the Hip Hop visionaries certainly deserve kudos for their genius, it is the music’s amazing longevity that gives rise to another question: What will Hip Hop music’s legacy be? What goes down in history as lasting memories, lasting acts or deeds etched in stone… after the snazzy videos, and catchy tunes finally fade away? The fact is, these young artists are enjoying the kind of success and infamy that most people dream of…and, they deserve everything they get. Like other artists, most spend their childhoods preparing for the fifteen minutes of fame, and, frankly, we should be happy to see America’s capitalistic system at work. But… at the same time, there is that thing called RESPONSIBILITY. For most Hip Hop artists, their success means that our children can sing or repeat their lyrics in their sleep; that they understand the subliminal messages and hip hop codes, we adults never could; that they are hanging onto every word, every gesture these artists deliver across the air waves…on MTV, VH1 or BET’s screens. One African proverb speaks to that idea: “To he, who much is given, much is required.” Nothing is free in this world. When we ask for, and strive for the success, money and influence that comes with it…the rule of humanity says we must give something back. No matter how hard we work to get where we are. No matter that neither friends, nor family, nor strangers raised a finger, or a dime to help us get there…we are still bound to that thing called RESPONSIBILITY. In essence, these artists – some not much older than our grandchildren - hold our youth in the palm of their hands. Now, what are they gonna do with this scary level of influence? How can they begin to write their legacies, now, while their names and songs are still high on the charts? These artists have valuable stories to share…no matter what their backgrounds. They’ve lived experiences that many of the children listening to them, haven’t. They can be role models, teachers, guides against the common mistakes of being young. They can do much to help change their communities and the communities others live in, by:
A recent article traveling across the internet airwaves reminded me of just how small the world is; and, how important it is to take stock of how people outside our sphere perceive us. The gist of the article was that Brazil’s Hip Hop artists view themselves as serious, not only about their craft, but about their responsibility to changing the status quo, and improving their communities. Serious about being “real” rebels, singing and speaking out against the wrongs of their worlds, and serious about remaining true to those who helped get them where they are. Brazilian’s Hip Hop artists, however, question the validity of America’s Hip Hop artists; question their level of commitment to anything more than a fat paycheck, and the Bling Bling that goes with it. The article gives one pause. At the least, it makes us re-evaluate what our responsibilities as artists are. Whether the Brazilian artists are correct in their assumptions or not, it is for us to prove them wrong. What the article reminds us, in the end, is that beyond the glitter and the gold and the fat paychecks, we can’t afford to forget RESPONSIBILITY. It has brought us far, and is the roadmap to our future. This is a lesson not just for our young, but for artists of all stripes and colors and leanings. In the end, we write our own legacies, through our deeds. Janis F. Kearney is a Chicago writer, former journalist and diarist to President Bill Clinton. A Harvard W.E.B. Du Bois Fellow, she is currently completing William Jefferson Clinton: From Hope to Harlem; and a personal memoir, Cotton Field of Dreams. Kearney Communications 5138 S. Kenwood Ave.#2 Chicago, IL 60615 (773) 493-2007 -- ph (773) 493-5747 -- fax janisfk@aol.com |
Quickly…what is your first thought when you see the word HIP HOP? Don’t feel alone, if you can’t put
it into words…you’re like most adults who grew up on soul, R&B, and some blues and jazz sprinkled in
for good measure. You likely neither understand, nor relate to any music that doesn’t have `doo-wop’ in its
melodies, or background singers with matching pastel suits. 
