Arts & Culture Rap and a Revolution
October 23, 2014
By Kenya Vaughn
Special to the NNPA from the St. Louis American
“I’m not here looking for followers, I’m looking for new leaders,” conscious rapper Talib Kweli proclaimed in a freestyle as a capacity crowd crammed into Fubar, 3108 Locust St. in St. Louis, on the afternoon of Sunday, October 12.
He was the main attraction for a full day of hip-hop to feed the souls of those who gathered in the area to demonstrate for Ferguson October over the weekend entitled “Hip-Hop and Resistance” but also known as Hip-hop 4 Change.
Kweli’s play on words posed direct opposition to both the current hip-hop industry climate and social media culture. And in doing so, he praised the young people of Ferguson who got the world’s attention in the wake of Michael Brown’s death and sparked a national movement.
“Do not get discouraged. Stay focused,” Kweli told the crowd in between his set. “That’s why we wanted to do this concert – to make sure y’all stayed focused, to make sure that y’all connect with artists and people who connect with y’all, and to let you know that we love y’all and support y’all.”
Kweli has been a visible presence in Ferguson since the protest began and has been lending his celebrity to speak on behalf of the protesters and working with local groups – including The Organization for Black Struggle.
“Black lives matter,” he said, inciting the audience to follow suit with chanting. “All lives matter, but we the ones who have to stand up and say some [expletive].”
As people stood along Locust St. hoping to be able to poke their heads in, Kweli hit the stage early on in the lineup.
The five-hour free show was a mix of local and national talent rooted in revolution and liberation for people of color.
Jasiri X, Dead Prez, Rebel Diaz – a collective of black and Latino MCs, were among the nationally renowned talent to hit the stage.
Local artists included Rockwell Knuckles, Scripz N Screwz, Aloha Mi-Sho, T-Dubb-O, spoken word artist Cheeraz Gormon and Tef Poe.
The Lost Voices – a protest group that grew on the ground in Canfield in the wake of Michael Brown’s death – kicked off the show.
“Turn up, don’t turn down. We do ‘dis for Mike Brown,” the group chanted as they bounced around in their signature yellow and blue LV gear.
There was no talk of stale and recurring bling narrative – no rappers bragging on wealth they’ve yet to attain, bling they haven’t finished paying for and “bedding” bad “chicks.”
Thoughts on immigration, police brutality, revolution and the current state of hip-hop were shared with the audience through words and music.
“Hip-hop is not your salvation, hip-hop is a tool – it’s a vehicle – and you get out of it what you put into it,” Kweli said. “If you don’t like the hip-hop that’s out right now, change what the [expletive] you’re listening to.”
Rebel Diaz chose to hip the crowd to the experiences of Hispanics who head to America for a better life, only to be met with barriers and racial bias.
“I remember my mom coming into our room all happy with ID cards that said ‘resident alien,” RodStarz, a native of Chile, said. “As a 12-year-old, that [expletive] can mess you up. I remember trying to scratch my face to get through to the green skin. But I found hip-hop and, just like we do in hip-hop, I decided to recreate the terminology and say, ‘My people are out of this world.’”
They went on to perform “No Human is Illegal.”
Jasiri X of Pittsburgh gave all praise to Tef Poe – while slamming his more popular hip-hop contemporaries for not actively engaging with the Ferguson movement.
“I remember hearing Tef say, ‘You have these rappers making songs about this fantasy revolution,’” Jasiri X said. “But there’s a real revolution going on right here, and where are they?”
Jasiri X, who works with Harry Belafonte’s Sankofa, said he was eager to be a part of the movement after seeing it on television and through social media.
So was his fellow Sankofa member and “Grey’s Anatomy” star Jesse Williams.
“Thank you for hosting a revolution. You all have been working long and hard, and we support you in this,” Williams told the crowd.
“I want you to figure out a way to stay balanced and make self-care a part of your regimen – and also keep in mind our tactics and our strategies. We need to be real [expletive] clear about what they need to do and what we expect. Let’s nail down our strategy on paper, as well as in the streets, because we can’t do one without the other.”
Tef Poe closed the show without addressing the audience about the happenings in Ferguson. His actions on the street for the past two months speak for themselves.