 'Hip Hop For Respect' is the buzz word for the day and Talib Kweli of the group Black Star was in the Bay Area for the past couple of days speaking about it. I caught up with him on our Hard Knock Show [M-F 4-5pm 94.1 fm] where he spoke passionately about the anti-police brutality song and project. He talked about how Mos Def, Q-Tip and himself were inspired to bring together the Hip Hop community and make a statement after the tragic police shooting of Amadou Diallo last year. The Hip Hop For Respect Project was the first major gathering of Hip Hop artists for a particular cause since the Stop The Violence 'Self Destruction' song and 'We're All In The Same Gang' project 10 years ago.
Talib explained that a letter was sent out to as many Hip Hop artists as they could reach and everyone was invited with no one being turned away. Producers Organized Noise who we know for their work with Outkast, TLC and Goodie Mob volunteered their time by coming up to New York and laying down several tracks. Dwayne Wiggins of Toni Tony Tone flew out from Cali to play guitar, while Najee hit up the flute and Doug E Fresh came through to Beat Box. An allstar list of artists came through last April to drop vocals including: Kool G Rap, Rah Digga, Pharaohe Monch, Ras Kass, Wise Intelligence, Shyheim, Capadonna, De La Soul, RZA, EPMD, Common, Channel Live, Sporty Thieves, Mood, J-Live, EL P of Company Flow, John Forte, Pras of the Fugees and Shadaam Sadeek to name a few. 'Hip Hop For Respect' is indeed a landmark project and a brilliant song worth peeping. It will be interesting to see which radio stations and media outlets play it and use the song as an excuse to set up dialogue between the police and the respective communities that have concerns.. Drop me an email and let me know if you heard the 'Hip Hop For Respect' on your local radio station. kingdave@sirius.com During our interview I asked Talib to speak on activism within the Hip Hop community. He responded by noting, "A lot of people are under the illusion that we made it. People think that because we got UPN 9 and BET or so and so is on the cover of Forbes that there is no more struggle. This is more dangerous because this illusion was set up by our enemy and has been used as a weapon to keep us in place so that we don't act accordingly." Talib also pointed out that because of this illusion a lot of people haven't seen pressing issues that bring them together as may have been the case in past years. Talib also addressed the issue of how many media outlets who are supposedly down for Hip Hop have been lax in their coverage and support for artist and people who have been doing a lot for the struggle. He noted that its to be expected that mainstream publications like Time, Newsweek etc will turn a blind eye and ear, but its troubling to see the same type of attitude displayed by outlets who are make a career out of waving the Hip Hop banner. He sited artists like Dead Prez, Boots, Common as well as Hip Hop organizations like Third Eye Movement as being committed to activism, throughout the year. Talib topped off his Bay Area visit with a stellar performance at the Justice League in San Francisco. Other people on the bill included Planet Asia and Rasco who are now collectively known as Cali Agents, Zion I and San Jose's Encore who have been causing quite a stir as of late. Talib is finishing up his album 'Reflections Eternal' which is due out sometime in July. In other Black Star news, Mos Def has just completed a video for his new single 'Umi Says' which features Jazz legend Weldon Irvine and Will I Am of the Black Eyed Peas. Mos used the video to bring attention to the plight surrounding five year old Cuban immigrant Elian Gonzalez and the current stand off between The US and Cuba as to whether he will be returned home. It depicts images of the large demonstrations in Cuba with people carrying signs that read 'Bring Him Home'. The video concludes with Mos Def holding a sign that reads 'Lets Get Free'. |