Texas Says Hip Hop is Not a Significant Cultural Movement

[ensho]

http://counterpunch.com/olorunda03182010.html


It’s been 30 full years since the cultural force known today as Hip-Hop mushroomed out of the ghettoes of South Bronx and spread over the surface of the earth, but nobody could have claimed, back then, to foresee the journeys Hip-Hop would take or the magnitude of a legacy it would build through those journeys. It was simply impossible for a gang of hopeless, crime-prone Black and Brown saps to set off a cultural explosion that in little over two decades boasted a multi-billion dollar empire. It’s easy today to look back and reminisce with great pleasure (and displeasure), but the founding fathers and mothers of Hip-Hop had no idea what trail they were blazing would one day make many multi millionaires or create such intense international dialogue and debate.

More importantly, they couldn’t foretell, even through all the struggle and strife that produced this remarkable phenomenon, that very few would have the courtesy—nay, the human decency—to acknowledge its place and time in history as a moving mass of artistic genius. Last Friday, the Texas Board of Education cast its lot amongst those unconvinced Hip-Hop deserves the light of public recognition.

In a controversial—really whitewashed—draft of the state’s high school social studies curriculum, Hip-Hop as a significant cultural contribution failed to meet the mark, as conservatives struck out, on multiple counts, attempts to add Hip-Hop to the list of noteworthy cultural creations in American history. “Experts had recommended students study the impact of cultural movements in art, music and literature, such as Tin Pan Alley, the Beat Generation, rock and roll, the Chicano Mural Movement, country-western music and hip-hop,” reported The Houston Chronicle. “The board's seven social conservatives, joined by Geraldine ‘Tincy’ Miller, R-Dallas, considered some of the hip-hop lyrics offensive and voted to eliminate hip- hop as an option for students to consider.”

-long snip-

But perhaps the Texas Board of Education has a few lessons to teach the Hip-Hop community, amongst which must be that an uneducated mind is a terrible thing to flaunt.
---------------------------

see the trouble 8 religiously insane people can do

Texas, please, get rid of the insane 8! or the rest of us americans will do it for you.

[Joanne98]

1. Here's their email........

[e-mail]

[NeedleCast]

2. Can't believe the school board in Texas is appointed

They really, REALLY should be elected...not that I don't think Texas would elect mostly conservatives to the board, but forcing them to actually run and campaign might force them towards the center, at least a little. Considering the level of nation wide influence they have, this is like letting a Mayor appoint his/her own city counsel.

I'm curious though...how do you plan for the rest of us Americans to go about getting rid of the fundieservatives on the Texas BOE?

[cornermouse]

3. Not to be siding with the Texas board, but....

if hip hop is the source of all those sexist lyrics which has resulted in open sexism in society and the last election? They richly deserve to be put out of business.

[Egnever]

6. Have to agree

The fact that vulgarity sells does not make it redeeming nor does it make it genius.

[Maru Kitteh]

8. +1

[wuushew]

38. What about De La Soul?

there is positive hip hop as well.

[Warpy]

9. I can't think of any youth music written by young males

that hasn't reeked of sexism from time to time. My own generation of rockers is certainly not exempt.

However, as time goes on, the worst is forgotten while the best is listened to as long as the generation that popularized is alive. The very best is listened to by a new generation.

Some rap blows me away by the political astuteness of the lyrics. Other of it is great jump music, run around and get something done music. I can leave the vast bulk of it alone and that is how it will fare as time goes on.

However, dismissing it completely because some of it is bad is a mistake.

[Echo In Light]

19. There are actually many such bands, but well outside the mainstream

[ensho]

13. sounds like you are 'siding' with the 8

nt

[cornermouse]

25. Texas and I have almost nothing in common.

However, if they are the source of the rank, obnoxious, outright sexism we've been seeing in society over the past several years, then yes. On this one issue we do agree.

I'll go further. It seems to me that it would be very helpful if Michelle took a public stand in the media against "music" that refers to women as "whores" and "sluts". She's a very smart lady and she has daughters.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

32. Yup.

[joeybee12]

14. And let's not forget the rampant homophobia...

...also, 30 years is a short time span to define something as significant...things need to stand the test of time , although I doubt this figured into the Texas board members' "thinking."

[superduperfarleft]

18. If you don't think hip hop culture is significant, you must be living under a rock.

Just because you don't personally like hip hop doesn't mean it isn't worth a mention.

[joeybee12]

28. Tahnks for your stupid post..honestly, did you even read what I said?

We're talking about something that is still significant when viewed through history...I don't think 30 years is long enuogh...that was my point...I suggest you take a reading comprehension course...and thank you for your later response standing up for sexism and homophobia.

[superduperfarleft]

35. 30 years is plenty long enough.

Hip hop has gone from a few kids in the ghetto of South Bronx to impacting cultures all over the world. So yes, if you don't think it's significant now and will also be significant 30 years in the future, then you must have been living under a rock.

Oh, and I started a thread criticizing satan-worshiping pedophiles a few months ago that you never posted on. Thanks for standing up for satan-worshiping pedophiles.

[snooper2]

31. FYI, Bone Thugs n Harmony are all back together..

New album - UNI5 Rebirth coming out April 27th :)


Check out the single on youtube

[superduperfarleft]

16. What a ridiculous post.

Are you seriously blaming hiphop for patriarchy? And how much hiphop have you actually listened to?

[Echo In Light]

20. Makes me recall a Dr Johnny Fever (WKRP) line re disco:

"I'd rather listen to a vacuum cleaner."

Actually, I consider a lot of pop music/hip hop to be the 'disco' of now, anyway...

[joeybee12]

29. Disco just morphed into dance music...

...it's still around, but they changed the name.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

34. I have great difficulty believing that a choice of beat, melody, and instruments...

...has any bearing on lyrics content.

[Ignis]

36. Good thing Rock & Roll has absolutely no sexist lyrics!

:eyes:

[Warpy]

4. How conservatives "think"

If grandpappy didn't do it, it's just not right. This is a flash in the pan. Rock and roll is a fad, it'll die out and nobody will remember it in 20 years. What do you mean, art? My six year old can do what that Picasso fella is doing, real art makes you want to reach into the pitcher and grab a apple outta the bowl.

You're right, the tyranny of Texas has got to end. Maybe if school boards realize the new books are bugfuck crazy and promoting ignorance, they'll stick with the old books and convince publishers that while Texas has a great deal of clout in purchasing, they should never, ever decide content.

[AngryAmish]

5. NO Chuggo in the schools?

[Maru Kitteh]

7. How will the rest of us Americans do it for them?

I'm just asking because that sounds like a veiled threat of violence. I despise what's being done, but I despise the advocation of violence more.

[ensho]

11. violence is in your mind. sunshine and political pressure can rid us

of them.

[Maru Kitteh]

22. Thanks for clearing that up - "the rest of us willdo it for you" is "tough guy" talk

absent clarification.

[ensho]

26. tough woman talk - so you want Texas to get away with this?

nt

[joeybee12]

30. Why arent you more concerned about them trying to get rid of any mention of Thomas

Jefferson because he advocated separation of church and state...keeping that out of textbooks is fr more damaging.

[ensho]

33. I have commented on other threads I guess you missed reading

nt

[HeresyLives]

12. I'm assuming by refusing to buy the books

Surely there are other sources.

[Mari333]

10. and I suppose THIS is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZdMfZD5l0

[MineralMan]

15. And they aren't that sure about Elvis and Rock Music, either...

[NeedleCast]

17. Its the gyrating hips

Gives them the vapors.

[MineralMan]

21. My father, who I love like life itself, always used to say,

when Elvis appeared on the TV: "Not Elvis the Pelvis again..." Hell, he still does at age 85.

When we were teens, though, it was a little annoying, even though he meant it in a humorous way.

[Maru Kitteh]

23. My grandfather was convinced that Big Band was the end of civilized society

[Tailormyst]

24. Racism, alive and well n/t

[ensho]

27. kick

nt

[athenasatanjesus]

37. I don't get it,mainstream hip hop is mostly corporate propaganda.

So shouldn't the Texas school board be in favor of it?

It promotes greed and mass consumerism.
Hip hop is ultra-formulaic so easy to mass produce.
It sells sex the easiest thing in the world to sell thus again easy to mass produce,and people willing to listen to music because of the sexy people in the videos aren't the most discerning audience thus easy to sell to.
They rely on samples so a good sound can always be found,or at least computer enhanced.
Hip hop also tends to conform many of it's fans promoting predictable behavioral patterns easy to market too,and control.

[HopeHoops]

39. If it ain't "dumbfuck cowboy" like Dubya, it ain't culture.

It almost seems like they are TRYING to make Texas into the laughing stock of the world. Yeah, I know, Dubya came close, but he was really from CT. His drunken drawl sounded a lot like Texahegian so he got away with it.