Michael Rass (TheWorld.org); Seven, Boo, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly |
| "When I can finally drive and have my own car, I'm going to trick it out!" FEMEN protest advocates for women's rights for drivers in Islamic countries (cryptome.org) |
First of all, What does "Hip Hop" mean? Hip means "to know," to be hip, to be in on it. Hop means "to move," to dance, to get involved. So Hip Hop is quite literally about "conscious movement," at least it was originally. These modern rappers, who are more about the money and conspicuous consumption, are almost the antithesis of Hip Hop.
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| "Get hopping if you're hip to this jive, my b@#$%)(s!" (ABCNews/AP) |
Rooted in the poverty created by the USA's unspoken class-warfare, class-consciousness arose. American Islam in the Black community had more than a little something to do with that. Hip Hop's astounding popularity worldwide owes something to artists who are now more about bling-bling than the original thing. (We're looking at you, Kanye). So it goes both ways.
There is still room for elevating consciousness, remembering Tupac and senseless Black-on-Black violence that supports the status quo, reading
Michelle Alexander, modern
slavery in America, and not caving in to the caricatured mass media representation of Black and urban culture in America.
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| Asian Buddha statues with African features? |
Buddhism, with its emphasis on freedom, wisdom, and compassion for our fellow beings -- and Islam, originally a religion of peace, have much in common. Of course, one would never know that watching TV or FOX News. Fortunately we still have the street, each other, and public radio like
Pacifica and
Public Radio International and its offshoots
.
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| "Can you believe this brother, sister?" |
(TED Talks in English) Big Hass on Hip Hop culture and Islam
