By now we have all heard the news regarding the passing of Jason Mizell, affectionately known as Jam Master Jay. Times like these remind us that no matter how much we choose to promote Hiphop as a money-making product, the truth of the matter is that Hiphop is one family. If Jam Master Jay was just the maker of a music product, his death would not have moved our souls. But Jam Master Jay is Hiphop! And when a respected and revered light in Hiphop diminishes, those connected to Hiphop feel the loss. If only for a moment, we realize Hiphop’s ability to create heart-felt experiences that go beyond entertainment. With every tragedy we seem to become more aware of our connectedness. In mourning it is easy to see how we are all connected and how one life can affect us all. In shock it is clear that we must all unite against crime and injustice, not promote and market it! But such realizations only seem to come about in the center of tragedy. And still, such realizations do not last long enough in the minds of the people to effectively create change.

How unfortunate! We must decide collectively to care for one another, respect one another, and support one another before tragedy strikes. Sure…now that Jam Master Jay has left us, now everyone will seek to honor him and his contributions to the art of Deejayin. But how many of us honored him when he was alive?! Sure…now RUN DMC’s music will get some air play again, but what about the struggle RUN DMC and Jam Master Jay went through in their lives to get their music heard across the airwaves and on television? It seems like the only way to be honored in hip-hop, is to be dead! We got it backwards! This is why we must never stop “preaching” and “teaching” about the unity of Hiphop as culture, and the true essence of Hiphop as consciousness. One day we shall reverse this destructive trend of immaturity and cultural carelessness, and awaken our people to the reality of our Self-empowerment through Hiphop. For this is what we feel when certain Hiphop personalities die or get seriously injured—we feel our cultural connection to them. We don’t even have to know the person personally, all we have to know is that they are sharing our same urban experience—and the connection is made. This is the essence of what is called Hiphop Kulture.

Whenever our need to care or show remorse arises, especially for those that we do not personally know, true Hiphop is being expressed. Through Hiphop, we feel our connectedness to something beyond the accumulation of material goods. The outpouring of remorse for the passing of Jam Master Jay proves the existence of a “Hiphop” culture, and also exposes our neglect for the development of such a culture. For if Jam Master Jay is great, what is he great in? For if Jam Master Jay is to be respected, upon what history shall we draw from to view the evidence of his reputation? What is the name of the cultural group that mourns the death of Jam Master Jay? Which world culture shall remember forever the contributions and achievements of Jam Master Jay? It is obvious that “Hiphop” is the answer to all such questions. However, what isn’t so obvious is why Hiphoppas have not matured yet to the point of self-government. For if we exist as a distinct, cultural group, let us follow the high principles of our group. Let us not continue to embarrass and degrade our group. Let us unite and organize our way out of the continuous cycle of such tragic events. Let us stop treating Hiphop as a product, or exclusively as entertainment, and begin to unite around Hiphop’s cultural principles so that we may minimize the tragedies in our collective Hiphop experience. Jam Master Jay, I wish you a wonderful journey.