The Capitalism of Hip-Hop's 50th

I woke up today without a clue about what to write. Then my guy Rob Swift posted this…

We’re 50 years removed from the Universally accepted inaugural Hip-Hop event at Sedgwick and Cedar in the Bronx, and we’ve come a long way financially. Artists have made millions and even billions stemming from simply doing the thing they love most. But after years of partnering with corporations who have exploited and profited off the culture, many of the purist architects and early contributors have been unfairly omitted from many of our Hip-Hop 50th anniversary celebrations.

In the video above, Rob explains the importance of understanding why such harsh conditions were deliberately created in the Bronx and other marginalized neighborhoods, and how the resiliency which led to the creation of Hip-Hop.

Rob also reminds us of the importance of the B-Boys and B-Girls, who have been almost completely ignored by promoters in the creation of thousands of Hip-Hop50 concerts and celebrations. It’s a great, informative watch if you’re interested in the culture.

In addition to being a brilliant spokesman for Hip-Hop and DJ culture, Rob Swift is very important to me personally as a friend, but also because he’s the first successful artist in the culture to co-sign me when I moved to New York in 2010.

Every brick we lay is on top of a platform that has already been built, and Rob had a already spent a lifetime earning his spot as one of the greatest DJs in the world, so when he introduced me to other DJs and promoters, it gave me instant credibility. I can honestly say I don’t know where my place in the culture would be without him, because prior to that, I was a super underground artist, producer, and DJ just trying to find a way to make a living.

But obviously Rob must have seen something in me as well, and I quickly secured us a bi-monthly DJ gig at the Meatball Shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Soon after, Rob introduced me to his X-Ecutioners’ partner DJ Total Eclipse, and we began to promote a monthly entitled “Brooklyn Live” at the now defunct Public Assembly.

This was around the time that legitimate DJs were beginning to be underbid by hipsters on laptops who would happily press buttons all night for $50 and free drinks, so the skilled DJs were losing opportunities left and right. But we continued to DJ and promote events solely out of love for the culture.

But friends like Rob always remind me why I fell in love with Hip-Hop, and my obsession with the music and culture have led to some of my greatest experiences and many of my closest relationships.

Now to get back to Rob’s statement…

Promoters have ignored the 4 elements, partially because many of them don’t understand the history. Some promoters are capitalists, and while some may love the music, many of them never went back to study the platform which was built through struggle and overcoming adversity. It’s the same platform that millionaire rappers stand on today, while overlooking the thousands of criminal record deals, which left “successful” young black artists completely broke.

So, if important early rappers are being neglected in Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary celebrations, you can only imagine how B-Boys, B-Girls, graffiti artists, and even DJs are being treated. It’s as if they never existed.

Now truthfully, times have changed, and it’s important to adjust. I never want to be the “old head” who doesn’t embrace change. Some newer music just doesn’t strike me, but some is incredible, and transcends generational tastes.

But breakdancing is about to be an Olympic sport. DJing has become a multi-billion dollar industry on its own. Street artists sell now sell their paintings for millions. And all of these incredible disciplines arose out of the destruction that came from the building of the Cross-Bronx Expressway and the burning of the Bronx. We can’t forget that.

For the upcoming anniversary, the NY Times compiled a dope piece consisting of a ton of personal Hip-Hop origin stories. I haven’t read them all, but you can find the article here.

Thanks again for tuning in, sharing, and commenting. It keeps me going.

Til next week.