Black Leaders Owe
Hip Hop An Apology
by - William Jones Jr [
8/7/02 8:02:55 AM

Leadership is more than the ability to inspire others into action, more than organization and mobilization. It is the ability to see potential and recognize opportunities before the potential and opportunity recognizes itself.

As a race Black people in America we have existed (and continue to exist) under some of the worst possible conditions of any racial group. Whatever the social ill-crime, poor education, disease, police brutality, etc.- Black people either lead in or being affected by it. Amidst this sea of despair, a segment of the Black population has stood up to face these challenges and offer solutions to these problems.

This group is most often referred to as "Black Leadership." Unfortunately, Black Leadership is all too often led by White people who do not necessarily have Black people's best interest at heart. Due to this phenomenon, black Leadership (and Black people) oftentimes miss genuine opportunities to greatly improve upon, if not correct, many of the problems that ail us. I believe that this is due in part to the legacy of slavery: we still wait for the cue from 'White masters' before our ideas and innovations are deemed fit for Black people.

One of the most recent examples of this is the opportunity Black Leaders missed with the Hip-Hop movement; in essence, missing an opportunity to speak to an entire generation. It is for this reason Black Leadership owes Hip-Hop an apology. When Hip-Hop began, it was seen as a passing fad at best, and 'jungle music' at worst. Black youth began rapping over break-beats and instruments, generally saying little more than call-and-response or new spins on old nursery rhymes.

At this very early stage, Black Leaders could have taken note of this new art form that was beginning to catch the ear of Black youth. Black Leadership could have helped to mold and shape Hip-Hop, could have teamed up with the likes of Afrika Bambaata and his Zulu Nation, which promoted peace, and given their support-but they did not. Hip-Hop went unnoticed by Black Leaders in my opinion because; mainstream (White) America ignored it as well.

Then in the mid 1980's to early 90's the overall quality of Hip-Hop music (lyrics, production and videos) began to improve and reached and apex. Rap was plump with originality and variety (something sadly lacking in today's rap music), but still, Black Leadership did not throw its full weight behind it. One of the only segments of Black Leadership that showed any support and appreciation of Rap and Hip-Hop culture was the segment gathered under the umbrella of Islam (Nation of Islam, Five Percent Nation), since these groups are likewise shunned by White America and therefore shunned by Black Leaders.

In many instances when White America feels uncomfortable with an individual or group, Black Leaders feel obligated to speak against or ignore it as well. Rap, at this point in its history, began to develop a strong and clear voice, with artist KRS ONE, Public Enemy, X-Clan, Poor Righteous Teachers and Brand Nubians. These artists and a whole host of others (seemed like every other rap group spoke of nationalism, consciousness, and spirituality) promoted themes of Black unit, pride, history and education. Rap at this time was introducing many Black youth to a history they had little or no knowledge of, and it actually encouraged youth to read! You couldn't fully understand X- Clan or KRS-ONE unless you read a book or spoke to someone who did.

Black Leaders must have missed the Black young people on street corners and college campuses who were holding ciphers where 'science and knowledge' were being dropped about history and politics, because of what Chuck D said or what Rakim said on a record. I can recall a time when sidewalks were filled with vendors selling T-shirts with slogans promoting positivity and Black icons, tables and tables of Black History books were everywhere and I saw that rap played a significant role in the promotion of these ideas. Hip-Hop promoted peace and unity within its own ranks with projects like "The Stop the Violence in Hip-Hop", "Blackwatch" and the "H.E.A.L" movements. Where was the Black Leadership to give guidance and direction to these movements and the leaders that organized them? If Black Leaders supported hip-hop, it was nowhere near the volume to which they now criticize it.

This was a genuine opportunity for Black Leaders to work with Hip-Hop culture to set an agenda and become pro-active. Instead, Black Leaders sat back and watched as the media ripped at 'conscious rap' and people like Professor Griff and Ice Cube came under fire and Sister Souljah was left out to dry.

Black Leadership was silent as rap took on AIDS by promoting safe sex and sensible practices in lyrics and videos. Songs like 'Jimmy' and albums like 'America Is Dying Slowly (AIDS); were not celebrated by Black Leaders as efforts to educate and inform a population that is globally devastated by AIDS; it was ignored because mainstream America ignored it.

I am not saying that I am pleased with the current state of Rap music. I take serious issue with many of the images and lyrical content that Rap has produced as of late, but I believe this the reason why Black Leadership owes Rap an apology, for not being there in its infancy. Just as a parent who has neglected a child in its infancy must share the blame for that child when it chooses a path that is less than productive, so must Black Leadership take responsibility for ignoring the promise of Hip-Hop.

Black Leaders please lead, and do not wait to be led by the whims of others. Hopefully, the next 'big thing' in the Black community will be embraced and nurtured so that no further apologies will be necessary.

Note: This article first appeared in The Black World Today website [www.twbt.com]