Who pressed mute on the hip-hop revolution? The movement that was going to move those who were going to fight the power. Chuck D fight the power. Who pressed mute on those who said “free at last” and thought about the idea that you had to push past the police? Who pressed mute on hip-hop which was a tribute to the fathers and forefathers? Who pressed mute to make hip-hop so ignorant that we don’t even care what a rapper or MC has to say? Who pressed mute? I can talk about I can curse your sister out or talk about killing you today? Who pressed mute on the hip-hop revolution and why doesn’t anyone have something to say?
Who pressed mute on the idea that hip-hop was an idea that was allowed to move beyond the spaces and places we were allowed? The places where we were being held down with a nightstick on our back or a foot or our neck. Yet we have name cities like “Chi-raq” [a mashup of Chicago and Iraq] and there’s a penalty to pay for a brother who would call the death out for a young brother and then he would die the next day. Who pressed mute to allow the velocity and vicious lines to malign the history of Malcolm X and Al Sharpton? Who will press mute on how we hate you and me?
Who pressed mute on the responsibility of hip-hop? Who pressed mute on the idea that our president is uplifting and requires that we must be better than best? Who pressed mute on the idea of us coming together in a collective way?
Who muted the idea that hip-hop would change the world? Black folks are kings. Not just on the throne or the court or the big screen. Kings that create empires and dreams beyond sports and music. The whole idea is to celebrate the McDonald’s owners, those who go to work every day. Let us celebrate the black physicians and pediatricians that take care of our children every day. Allow the new dentists who prepares teeth for the toothless be a movement for today. Let us be vocal, take on a dual responsibility to be flavored with ideas and sprinkle the stars in the sky without calling each other the n-word. For those who realize we continue to call women derogatory names, we see that hip-hop has changed. For hip-hop to take a stand for every woman and man, playing in a band like a symphony. That shows that we can be together and be the best that we can be.
The movement is now. Hip-hop is not what it used to be because someone pressed mute. We are our brother’s keeper and not just because the President said so. Not if African American business owners aren’t supported. Not if African American businesses can’t get loans and grants like big businesses. It’s not about equal; it’s about equity. We can’t keep quiet about what’s going on. We have to turn the mute off.
If a major corporation where you work isn’t introducing you to the black business owners and publishers, there’s the problem. If there is a business with only one or two African Americans, then you’ve become a negro that wants to hide. Hip-hop needs to get back to the movement that will propel us in a new direction in a revolutionary way. Peace
