FOOD 4 THOUGHT: A Tribute To J Dilla and Nujabes
The 7th of February is an important day for hip-hop. In 1974 J Dilla was born in Detroit, United States, whilst on the same day and the same year Nujabes was born in Tokyo, Japan. Who could have known on that day what a great gift was being handed to music lovers across the globe, with hip-hop still in it's infancy, two of it's greatest children had just been born. Not only would their talents remain bound through a shared love for progressive hip-hop, but even their deaths became symbolically linked as they both passed in the month of February. Nujabes left us in 2010, just four years after Dilla. So now this month has become a time to honour and celebrate for all true hip-hop fans. With this in mind, I dedicate this Food For Thought to the legacy and music of J Dilla and Nujabes.
FOOD 4 THOUGHT: Why Sopa And Pipa must be stopped.
Welcome to the internet 2012. In the late 70's when hip-hop burst on the scene as a counter cultural movement. Big business moved quickly to buy home grown talent. So much so that the lyrics quickly began to reflect a corporate lifestyle. Some of the biggest names in the game began to sound more and more like they represented the values of a corrupt regime. Suddenly it was no longer about “The Message” but “Big Pimpin' spending G's”. Hip hop had lost itself. What had represented street life now came to represent corporate America.
FOOD 4 THOUGHT: RE: DEFinition – Changing Our Perception Of Masculinity
“I sometimes feel bad for criticizing hip-hop. But, I guess, what I’m trying to do is get us men, to just take a hard look at ourselves.” – Byron Hurt
“The definition of manhood might not been the way to go anymore. We need something different, something new.” – Kevin Powell
Written by Chase March
From childhood we are socialized to believe in a binary gender system, men and women. Each with attached expectations for dress, behaviour and sexuality. For example, men are taught that visible emotions are not acceptable. We are told not to cry, even if we legitimately hurt ourselves. Male role models such as parents, teachers, or coaches will tell us to shake it off, get up and move on. We get the message that we need to be tough and that showing weakness is a bad thing. These behaviors are often reinforced with verbal taunts. You throw like a girl. You run like a girl. You scream like a girl. Those phrases that paint the feminine as something undesirable are doing a lot more than simply teasing young boys. As babies, we are often adorned in blue as opposed to pink which is reserved only for females. We use language to describe things as feminine or masculine. We don’t think much about what it means to be identified by our gender. Oftentimes we don’t think at all about this. Some people can go their whole lives without ever thinking about their gender role.
FOOD 4 THOUGHT: Weldon Irvine – An Artist Without Borders
When Nina Simone sang “To Be Young Black and Gifted”, she inspired the civil rights anthem of the 1970's. The lyrics were simple, yet the empowering nature of the message resonated with a Black population striving for a better day:"When you feel really low. Yeah, there’s a great truth you should know. When you’re young, gifted and black, your soul’s intact." The man who wrote those words (despite possesing a great voice of his own) remained behind the scenes, as artists like Aretha Franklin performed his song to widespread aclaim. The subject of music is rarely discussed when it comes to the history of Black liberation. Yet for those that still doubt the impact of music within the civil right movement, it was Martin Luther King who said: "These freedom songs are playing a strong and vital role in our struggle" and ‘‘We are in bondage, these songs add hope to our determination that 'we shall overcome'." Through his ability to connect with people, Weldon Irvine carried that movement into the 1970's, displaying an ability for song writing which broke down prejudice. Despite always being the man in the background, this Food 4 Thought is dedicated to Weldon, the musician Mos Def described as "an artist without borders".
FOOD 4 THOUGHT: Che Guevara With Bling On And The Contradiction Of Islamic Hip-Hop
Che Guevara and Malcolm X are two of the most quoted figures in underground hip-hop. In “No Me Importa” - Immortal Technique states “I am the resurrected Che Guevara, but y'all cats are just a bunch of fake Tony Montana's, I bring drama like revolucion Cubana, and block stages like my last name was Santana.” Although many political artists show love to revolutionary activists, the response from their idols is not always as positive as you'd expect. For anyone seeking inspiration, there is plenty to take from Che's life, but his subsequent rise as a hip-hop 'culture icon' is revisionist at best. After Fidel Castro established his government in Cuba, Che suggested that Jazz and Rock music should be banned. He viewed the artforms as 'imperialist music' and supported an outright block on it's production. It is almost certain that if Che was alive today, act's like Immortal Technique would have been banned due to hip-hop's perceived connections with American capitalism.
FOOD 4 THOUGHT: 10 Infamous Cover Stories
Prophetic messages from the grave, graphic images of real life violence and a call to arms for political reform. No I'm not talking about the current revolution in Libya, but the strange World of hip-hop album covers. As graffiti forms part of the four elements of hip-hop, album covers provide the artistic aspect to an emcee's work. They say never judge a book by it's cover, but can the same thing be said for CD's? would classic albums like the GZA's "Liquid Swords" be as memorable without it's distinct kung-fu inspired imagery? This week's Food 4 Thought is a countdown of the most controversial covers in hip-hop history. Ten albums which not only look cool but will be remembered for thier sheer notoriety and bravery.
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FOOD 4 THOUGHT: Say What? The Roots Of Hip-Hop Slang
Slang is an important part of what makes our hip-hop culture impactful outside of just the music. It shapes how others view us and how we view ourselvs. The strangest thing is that we never stop to think where these words come from to begin with. Their orgins often date much further back than you could imagine, but just like the music, it's about taking something old and flipping it on it's head. Putting real perspective to some commonly used phrases, this week's Food 4 Thought is a fun look back at how certain slang words worked their way into our culture.
FOOD 4 THOUGHT: A Call For “The Awakening” Of Minds
Senim Silla started his career with Binary Star and went on to produce one solo album. “The Name, The Motto, The Outcome” was released back in 2007 and is the result of a self-educated man sharing knowledge with his audience. Through taught provoking and creative lyricism he channels his built-up aggression, and i can't thank him enough for it. There are many things to admire about the project but one track in particular stood out for me, it's called “The Awakening”. And I believe it to be one of the best hip-hop songs of the last ten years.
FOOD 4 THOUGHT: Killuminati – The Truth Behind Tupac’s Dumbest Conspiracy Theory
2Pac's death is the subject of much debate, so much so it can be hard to seperate fact from fiction. One amusing development is the widespread belief that 2Pac was a victim of The Illuminati. The theory goes that a secret devil worshiping society called "The Illuminati" control much of Hollywood and the music industry. They targetted 2Pac and forced him to change his lyrical content. Under their control he was forced to change his political message and become a puppet for their evil agenda. Theorists believe this is evident in many songs in which 2Pac refers to selling his soul.
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A Tribute To J Dilla & Nujabes
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FOOD 4 THOUGHT: Behind The Violence – Why The Riots Started
The riots which started in London and then spread across the U.K. have perplexed much of the general public. Although what happend may seem like random acts of destruction, they were on closer inspection, a logical extension of the poor social conditions in England. We are witnessing an underclass disconnected from common values causing havoc on our streets. Yet this was not created over night. There are numerous underlying factors which are at the root cause of the problems. If we are to learn from the tragic events of this past month, there are many issues which will need to be dealt with and fast. This article is my attempt to shed light on the meaning of the riots.
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