By Dang Le/managing editor
Students learned about how the hip-hop genre dominates the music industry and its possible effect on their community Feb. 26.
“We have stories that we want to tell,” NE campus president Kenya Ayers said. “We want to give voice to a reality that many were experiencing and did not know how to express in any other way.”
For the 7th annual Hip-hop Summit, Ayers hoped that students would feel the inspiration to exercise their voices.
NE student activities coordinator Cara Walker asked the audience what they think about the lyrics or imagery in the music video that would promote hypersexuality, violence, drugs and partying. She questioned students whether those would affect them.
Even though there are a variety of arguments, the audience said they agreed that one should have the responsibility to make up their minds and not to be influenced by the others.
Students engaged in a debate as to how women and men are represented in the hip-hop community.
While some said that women should dress as they prefer, other audience members said there are times and places for anything, and if some women want to wear little clothing, they should prepare to be judged by the others.
Walker embraced the discussion, saying that these dialogues help students understand more about the culture.
“We not only have to consider one side of the argument but both sides of the arguments,” she said.
NE English professor Shewanda Riley discussed how hip-hop can evolve in the years to come. She said that hip-hop came out when people were used to Stevie Wonder and similar music styles.
For her, hip-hop has always been a style of music that embraces change in language, fashion, culture and hairstyles.
“For those of us who remember when hip-hop was introduced, we didn’t think it would last,” she said.
NE English instructor Tyesha Stafford-McGilbrey expects hip-hop artists to use their platform to make political impacts and motivate their opinion audience to use their voice.
“If we have Young Thug here and encourage people to vote, think how many people will register to vote today,” she said.
In the audience, students from the Metro Opportunity High School spoke about the political scene and said there are not many things rappers and themselves can do to change.
And while they are not old enough to vote, Johnny Muhammad, mentor and youth advocate of Metro Opportunity High School, said he hopes that rappers and students be aware of their political surroundings.
“For example, last night, Joe Biden assumed he knew he had the black votes. He doesn’t,” Muhammad said. “Voting is your power, and you have to understand that.”
NE student Refiloe Diale said she appreciated the event and learned a lot about southern hip-hop. She said that the event helps students enjoy the genre while also being conscious of its purpose for the community.
“The hip-hop culture has created an all-round revolution to use your voice to address or speak about something that is current,” she said.
