Internationalism? Please. Sounds like international police brutality. How can you have nationalism with a world made of inter-nationalism. The INETRnationalists are ANTInationalists. Think about it.

I was happy when Barack won. Yes, I voted for him and even worked on the campaign. I usually favor the left for their economic polices, but nationalizing life and death is going to far. Do you really want the g with picking the winners and losers of evolution? So, I’m not hating on him ’cause of his skin tone.

Nor do I think you should back a candidate only for that reason, though I can understand giving him the benefit of the doubt. I myself am a Jewish man and I don’t support that fucking Bloomberg and I’m not buying Rahm Emmanuel–the token chosen by the DNC for my people. (shouts to PE) I do like the positive hip-hop referenced. What about KRS-1? Any plans on a comeback? The organizing is a good move, but fuck that anti-American shit. People flock here to escape persecution and oppression–keep it real. I’m not denying or excusing America’s warts or misadventures.

With regards to corporate greed, let’s not forget about the greed of the People’s Republic of China, where the citizen’s live in cells in factory sweat shops making cell phones for our consumption. I’m sure you can’t stand the materialism of hip-hop, but their is an upside. As Chuck put it, he was able to go to Europe. These super capitalist rappers are positive role models for the youth, because they hand down lessons about success. Most importantly, owning the labels is a great example. I would still rather here consciousness.

Yes, there are a lot of Wall Street douchebags running around the streets of New York like Gordon Gekko (curious to see the sequal). How fucked up do you have to be to look up to Gekko, the fucking Bernie Madoff of the 1980s?

Speaking of which, Chuck I think the nation has some good teachings, like about lifestyle, but you gotta get new leadership. I’m not biased or anything…

I heard some words drop about the decline of moral fiber and babies having babies. Let’s keep it real. The republicans (independent here) are closer to it, these days. Liberals tend to promote the whorishness in pop culture more, because it’s what sells (or maybe to justify their nasty lifestyles? Fuck Roman Polanski.). The right wing has all those church folk.

Corporations can’t be allowed to get too strong and now they are way too powerful. It’s the same with government. So how do we really bring power to the people, the everyday people? SEIU has many black members, but the leadership is corrupt. I don’t know the story on AFSCME’s leadership, but they have many black members. These could be tools of positive social change, thanks to their organizational capacity Why even wait to join? You can start your own union–so what do you think about that? People together can force positive change by holding our leaders accountable and throwing out the bums.

Hip-hop may be an even bigger vehicle to achieve positive social change. To do so, freedom of speech must be protected. The hip-hop police were created during Bush years and it continues. Barack said he would withdraw the troops and they remain. Democrats and republicans are the two faces of Janus. Do you realize that steps have been taken to open detention centers for non-violent illegal aliens in the US? I wonder why they want to hold them? I guess what I’m trying to say is POWER TO THE PEOPLE NO DELAY!

Damn, I started this comment talking about the first video clip, but damn that second video clip just took it to a whole nother level. Wow! All Three men Cornel West, Michael Eric Dyson and Chuck D. went super hard in the second video. I was really feeling Eric Dyson’s breakdown on Hip Hop’s over abuse of the emphasis of lyrics that talk about material wealth. And especially the affects experienced on the community as he said “beefs between thiefdoms as opposed to coalitions between neighborhoods”

“We don’t wan’t to dismiss the legitimate quest for capital to relieve suffering. But most of that accumilation of wealth has lead to an increase of suffering” Then he totaly broke it down and even tied it together with a very pertinent quote from Biggie’s (The Notorious B.I.G.) Warning.

As a DJ, I was happy to hear Chuck D (on the phone) mentioning the breakdown of Hip Hop’s original elements, Deejaying, Breakdancing, Emceeing, Graffiti and clothing styles, realizing that lately only One element is really garnishing all the attention and that is the Emcee or “Rapper” I believe the fall of the fully integrated Hip Hop culture started when Record labels started putting their two cents into the mix and didn’t quite understand the full movement of Hip Hop. The labels were thinking “why do we have to pay the DJ as part of the group? He just plays records in the background.” Rappers began using Dat tapes instead of live DJs for their shows. It started to lack part of the live element that once was an integral part of Hip Hop. Because of this many “Hip Hop” songs started to move away from the whole party vibe that existed in the late 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s. The Break dancers all but disapeared from Hip Hop and moved to become elements of other cultural movements that still had a party vibe and good rythms to break to like the Rave scene or simply found DJs that still played “Breaks and Oldschool Hip Hop” Graffiti migrated with the breakers and those forma all still co-exist together but it does seem as if Rap and the way of the Emcee has lost it’s way.

Not as much emphasis is placed on the DJs as far as public image goes. Yet in the background the industry knew it still relied heavilly on DJs to get their music out. This was further emphasised by the grossly arrogant, misguided R.I.A.A. lead wrongful arrest of Mixtape giant DJ Drama and Cannon. This gross miscalculation shed a little light into the dark crevaces of Hip Hop where the DJ had been pushed into living. The industry knew they counted on DJs, mixtape and nightclubs to push songs that weren’t yet getting radio play, and to help give street credibility to both old and new artists in pushing their new music and bringing back classics.

The music industry knew DJs and mixtapes are a cheap and effective marketing machine that gets results. But the R.I.A.A. wanted to scapegoat the failing music sales on someone they could physically blame. Not realizing they were targeting music’s biggets allies, the DJs.

In the video clip they talk about the changes in Hip Hop musis and it’s current focus on material wealth, Hoes and Flaunting. I believe falling sales are expected when you don’t have substance in the music anymore, and when you continually contribute to the dumbification of American youth and youth worldwide, by pushing only what I like to reffer to as Junk Food Rap. That is Rap music that is easy to digest, that doesn’t make you think vs say a filet mingon rap of say a Ludacris, Roots, Talib Kweli, Jay-Z, Common etc…

Ludacris is a perfect example of a versatile MC that has intelligent lyrics but can speak on bling, hoes etc.. and still use intelligent lines to do it, then also hit you with a conceptual song about empowering yourself to actually achieve wealth or something that educates people about a subject. I.E. “Tell It Like It Is” and “War with God” off his release Therapy album where he rips his lyrical counterparts in the industry a new one as he also educates them about what they are doing wrong as music artists/entrepreneurs. He also has social issue songs like “Runaway Love” talking about the problems faced in extreme situations of child abuse etc…

KRS One is another great MC that always spoke on social issues, same with Chuck D of Public enemy (The guy on the phone in the video clip above)

Going back to the 4 elements of Hip Hop, If you already have a perfect recipe and then remove or dilute certain elements or ingredients and focus solely on one ingredient only, the dish becomes bland and boring or over saturated with only one flavor. Hip Hop as an artform is currently dieing a slow painful death, because too much emphasis has been placed solely on the shoulders of the MC and only that person is being paid to represent Hip Hop. If Hip Hop is going to continue to evolve and survive it will need to revisit it’s original formulas and bring back the “Coca-Cola Classic formula” it Once had, that being all four originalelements the Emcee, DJ, Graffitti and Breakdancers and the fifth that many exclude which is fashion.

- DJ Emir
http://www.djemir.com
Real DJs Do Real things
Hip Hop Mixtapes and More