Last week thursday award-winning poet, filmmaker, author, and professor at Morgan State University, M.K. Asante, JR. came all the way out to UWM to deliver a speech that nearly swept the breath out of the ballroom. It was clear the majority of the audience hadn't seen him before because a gasp of astonishment descended upon the crowd as the brilliant 27 year old made his way to the podium. Wondering why everyone was so amazed after realizing he was only 27? Because the day before in the same room, Hip Hop Scholars hosted one of his award winning films '500 Years Later.' Let me tell you, breathtaking is an understatement. The film went all the way back to the roots of slavery and takes you layer by layer all the way to modern society, basically peeling hip hop's culture down to the core to describe why mainstream hip hop is so fucked up right now. And you know what I'm talking about!
During his presentation M.K. Asante, JR. brought up key point after key point about the current state of hip hop. For instance, Viacom- an extra white, corporate, business suite ass, american media conglomerate- owns BET! Maybe it's not my place to say who should own what, but what in the hell do these guys know about good hip hop? Maybe it's just me, but I think these guys will do what ever makes the most money; they know it's all good in the streets as long as the base line's pumpin'!
After M.K. Asante, JR. was done with his lecture, there was a Q&A segment. One local artist in 'EMC' asked, "what do you think about cats sayin' that hip hop is dead?" He replied with a question of his own; "even though you see McDonalds everywhere and you know it really ain't shit compared to quality diners.. do you say that food is dead?" Enough said. Much thanks to MC'n Shelly and DJ TYME along with Hip Hop Scholars for hosting this dope event!
"When you make an observation, you have an obligation." -M.K. Asante, JR.
word. ask not what hip hop can do for you, ask what you can do for hip hop