Breakdown FM: Adissa Banjoko -Why Was Hip Hop Not Present at Coretta's Funeral

1. 

   Qayyim_Allah_Kabar said:

   I hear what this cat is saying, but at the end of the day it's all about perspective. So what... hip hop didn't come. I respect Dr. King and his legacy, but truth be told; intergration was the beginning of the destruction of the black community. All BLACK leaders did not agree with Dr. King's doctrines, and all black people don't agree.

   (Posted 1362 days ago)

2. 

   Davey D said:

   That's true that many didn't agree with ALL of Kings policies... Intergration was just one of his goals.. and come on now lets keep it real. The end game was not to be able to sit next to white folks, but to have equal access in public tax supported spaces. That's what the Montgomery Bus Boycott was about.. But certainly his efforts to end the war and bring justice to poor people are not things we should be in disagreement about?

   (Posted 1362 days ago)

3. 

   mospirit said:

   I have to agree with Adisa Banjoko's observations about the absence of any representation by the elite of mainstream hip hop. Coretta Scott King was the Matron of the Movement. She possessed such grace and quiet strength amidst an era of such raw anger and volatility. It seems the fabulously wealthy mainstream artists owe an enormous debt to her, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, Kwame Ture, and a host of others who (with their literal blood, sweat, and tears) cleared and freed up the social, legal, pop-cultural, and ECONOMIC paths leading toward the glitterati's circular driveways of gold in front of their high security mansions that house their conflict diamond encrusted platinum shackles. But maybe it was best that they didn't represent. How could they possibly hold a candle to the fire in the hearts of all those people who did attend the funeral? And like Adisa, I question whether the broader hip hop generation will bellow the embers to feed that collective fire. Or maybe we can numb ourselves to it all. As Qayyim_Allah_Kabar said, "So what%u2026hip hop didn't come." Yeah, so what. Makes the distaste far more palatable.

   (Posted 1362 days ago)

4. 

   illteque said:

   I didnt know where this dude was coming from. At first he completely threw me off with that corny intro. Then i found where he was coming from. And i found that he was only talking to black folks and referring them as the "hip hop community". Now i am a puerto rican and i am very passionate about returning to the truth of the hip hop culture and i dont even think he considered me. But i am including myself as a member of the "hip hop community" because i rightfully am. and i think that he needs to understand that not all people know what he knows. I didn't even know who Mrs. King was untill she died. And i know some uppity, more intellegent people would look down upon me but i dont know anyone else my age, black, white or puerto rican who knows who this lady was either. So he cant blame the hip hop community for not showing up.....But he does have a point that org.s like the Hip Hop summit and others should have been present but why? If some where to show up then Hip Hop would be representing black people. But hip hop represents all colors. And it should not be treated as a voice for the african american, but as a voice for the streets.

   (Posted 1361 days ago)

5. 

   Vess said:

   I'm definitely feeling what Adissa has to say. Hip Hop's original message was one of activism, and I've been bracing for it's comeback to the mainstream that we've been hearing about, but dudes are talking and not backing it up with action. I'm white, an activist for civil rights, and an emcee...now you may think what right do I have to say anything? I agree with Mr. Kabar that not all Black people may not agree with Dr. King's teachings, but you can't deny his impact, and if hip hop wants to get back to it's original spirit, we need to be represented at such important events such as this.

   (Posted 1357 days ago)

6. 

   Vess said:

   Correction in that last post - should "all Black people may not agree..."

   (Posted 1357 days ago)

7. 

   Qayyim_Allah_Kabar said:

   Additionally, how many of today's rappers even do the knowledge about the past. If they knew their history they wouldn't being repeating it now. I live hip hop, but I think people tend to place to much emphasis on the rap aspect of it. Just b/c a big name rapper was not at the funeral doesn't mean hip hop wasn't there. I do understand where everyone is coming from though. Just imagine if hip hop was used to it's full potential. What if we had cats like Huey P & Malcolm speaking over RZA & Premo beats. The seeds might actually be given the right nutrients to strive in this cold world. Nuff Respect to RBG, the Coup, and others who are active in their communities but don't necessarily get the exposure for it. KNOWLEDGE LOVE.

   (Posted 1351 days ago)

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