2009
10.31
10.31
Very intriguing words spoken by Jay-Z before his performance in Montreal on October 30th, 2009.
Previously: VIDEO: Jay-Z Ft. Alicia Keys – “Empire State Of Mind”
PREVIOUSLY:
- VIDEO: Jay-Z Ft. Alicia Keys – “Empire State Of Mind”
- MUSIC: Jay-Z Ft. Alicia Keys – “Empire State of Mind”
- INTERVIEW: MTV News Raw: Lil’ Mama
A bold statement at the end…I agree with him that hip hop has HELPED break down racial barriers, but to say it’s done more than the likes of a Martin Luther King Jr. is going too far and is disrepectful – even though he *tries* to give a caveat.
Without people like MLK Jr., Jackie Robinson, and countless other activists in their time – many people of colour would never be able to enjoy the successes they do today.
Without people breaking down barriers long before hip hip, there is no way it would be widely accepted as a form of popular music.
Look at all the racism that occurred before the Civil Rights era and after…’Black music’ was popular then too (Motown, Jazz, Blues), but racism was alive and well. So for Jay to proclaim that hip hop has done more to help eliminate racism than it’s predecessors and those who lost their LIVES in doing so was not a well thought out statement. Disappointing really.
I want to add the following to clarify my thoughts on this, because I kind of contradicted myself in my last paragraph while typing it originally:
Many of those Motown, Jazz, and Blues artists were pioneers and had to withstand so much in order to live their dreams in those times. They are some of the ones who helped make it possible for Jay to be where he is today.
That’s why I’m disappointed he’d say Hip Hop has done more than anything else to help eliminate racism (well, reduce it). He really came across as dismissing everything that was done by those that came before him.
I am going to have to disagree with you,
Hip Hop has done more for race relations. Imagine your a white kid and your parents are racist. Do you think that the words of MLK are going to move you over the words or hate that you parents preach every night?
I witnessed with my own eyes being the only black kid in a mostly white class, that hip hop brought the white, asian, brown, and black kids together. MLK could never do that with his speeches. Its hard to go home and listen to you parents talk about how much they hate black people when you idolize Snoop Dogg.