For many years Hip-hop has been held up as the boogie man, by both whites and blacks, as a major contributor to the ills in the African American community. When this has happened I often found myself wondering to what artists and music these detractors were listening.
Hip Hop is one of the few modern day art forms which can reach across cultural and racial lines to inform and inspire. When done correctly it can speak to our youth in a way that few individuals or other mediums can. It can brutally address societal issues and injustices all while forcing us to take a hard look at our own strengths and weaknesses. With that said, I wanna give a shout to my brother Marc Smith (aka Emskee). Keep doing your thing! People need to learn that there is a huge difference between Hip Hop and Rap. You gonna have me grab my mic and book of rhymes again.