For most of my life, I didn't pay hip hop much heed. My high school years were filled with the sounds of classic metal bands and the post-hardcore/emo scene, with a sprinkling of rock, pop, and jazz. I listened to a couple of Eminem tracks every now and then (because of course I did), but I had decided that hip hop was not for me. That changed in my freshman year of college, when a friend of mine introduced me to Run the Jewels, Kendrick Lamar, and Danny Brown. I latched on immediately to RTJ's aggressive, infectious beats, Danny's wacked-out head trips of songs, and Kendrick's lyrics of struggle in the face of incredible fame. By the end of 2015, I had started dipping my toe in the world of rap. Below are some of my favorites from each artist. Last week, our class was visited by Phil Fletcher, a man who grew up with and is still inspired by hip hop music. Phil runs a local organization called City of Hope Outreach (CoHO), a group that "advocate[s] for others through the opening of holistic centers within under resourced areas in Central Arkansas to influence change in unique ways which involves active presence and relational transformation." His journey began at the beginning of the genre as we know it, with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five on "The Message". He also had us listen to tracks from Public Enemy and Ice Cube. He latched on to artists like these because they spoke truth to power. Phil himself spent part of his adolescence in southern California, where the racism attacked by artists like these was real and immediate. Sometimes I forget while I listen to rappers today that the whole art form started as an act of rebellion against the powers that be. Against systems that demeaned and exploited African-American communities from birth to death. Growing up in the 2000's, white and without hip hop in my life, I certainly can't imagine how cathartic this music must have been to folks who saw themselves reflected in the rhymes and beats of the early greats. Phil also made a point to talk about how hip hop speaks to him on a spiritual level. Besides putting lived experience to a mic, some rappers have taken their Christian convictions and written songs about the example of Jesus Christ and how God moves in their lives. Lecrae is one such rapper who takes the religious angle in his songs. For Phil, not only can hip hop be a force of social change and call to action, it can be an avenue for expressing praise to God. One thing that distinguishes hip hop/rap from the Deadheads, EDM, and metal is that the music itself is designed not only to be a route to transcendence but also as a call to action. Hip hop, more than the other musical sub-communities we've been studying, is rooted first and foremost in the lived experience of the artists and the communities they come from. It's no wonder then that my generation has latched on so much to it. Hip hop has overtaken rock as the dominant genre of choice for young people today. Perhaps part of the reason is the desire for a new world, a world where injustice is swept away and all can flourish. Whatever the reason is, it's inspiring to see someone like Phil be so invested in and moved by the music he loves. I hope to continue my hip hop education and seek the example of folks like Phil, who use the inspiration of music to transform the world.
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AuthorSam Coker Archives
April 2018
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