Sunday, August 18, 2013

Happy 40th Birthday Hip Hop

 

 This is of my generation. Raised in the Bronx, blocks away from where it all began. The music, the art (which my daddy called mess) the lifestyle, the block parties, the fashion…….all is a part of my culture. 

 My dad was a motorman w/the MTA & I remember him saying to me (knowing I was an artist) “I better not catch running the trains.” Meaning, don’t go underground tagging. He has no idea that the only thing that kept me outta there were those BIG AZZ RATS….lolol 

 My boy Cool Joe (Joseph Pando) always kept me up to date on the latest joints. After I would leave the parties, the next morning I would have my list of what LP’s I'm buying.

 One of the concerts I went to was the Krush Groove Tour w/my home girls. Part of the movie was filmed in my neighborhood. As a young adult I was blesses to work for a company that introduced me to many hip hop artists (in person) & worked closely with an up & coming magazine. (The Source) So many great memories from childhood to adulthood. 

My high school years were a celebration of the lifestyle. I was recently told, that there is no more Hip hop…What I say to that is…though mainstream entertainment has managed to waterdown the Hip Hop culture as they have done to Jazz & R&B…that will not change the historical premise of what this scene was all about. 

 It will NEVER die. Thank you to Kool Herc for being the driving force of a culture that made the Bronx relevant. 

 Remember it started in THE BRONX first….From the words of the Notorious B.I.G “…If you don't know, now you know”