Blame the Music: Mayor Talks to Hip-Hop Coalition

by Adam Lynch
April 13, 2005

The gap between the generations gets wider with each passing decade. Looking to bridge the gulf between gurus and grandpas, Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., spoke with the Mississippi Artists and Producers Coalition (MAP) April 5, at the Birdland Café on Farish Street. MAP, a union of rappers, singers, producers, entertainment lawyers and other media personalities, had a volley of questions to toss to the mayor.

Rapper Johnny Ray O’Quinn pointed out that there were few venues for concerts and entertainment in his own neighborhood and complained that he wasn’t seeing much happening in the realm of after-school care.

Johnson answered that he thought “every school in Jackson ought to have an after-school program.”

“The most dangerous part of the day is from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., because that’s when they’re left on their own,” Johnson said, adding that his administration was willing to work with individuals looking to orchestrate aftercare arrangements.

Johnson also asked that producers and artists “sit down with (city) building and codes (people) and see if we can work up a venue” for concerts. He also warned that a proper facility for entertainment can make a huge difference in safety and that safety had to be a top priority for rap concerts because of the general public’s intolerance for the music.

“The minute something goes wrong, they’re going to blame the music,” Johnson said. “When those gunshots went off at (a recent concert at) Lake Hico, (the blame) was all on that show. I got a thousand calls from neighbors at Hico, complaining about the number of shootings. Let’s talk about making sure the venue is big enough to accommodate you.”

Entertainment lawyer Ishmael Muhammad asked the mayor about the Mississippi Bar Association’s recent move to disbar vociferous defense attorney Chokwe Lumumba. He also asked about Johnson’s feelings on the proposed booth at the Mississippi Fair featuring Neshoba County civil rights murder suspect Edgar Ray Killen last October.

“Chokwe does wonderful work. I think we need people like him in the judicial system … but I can’t challenge the bar because I’m not a lawyer. I don’t try to take up the banner of anyone. I try to take up the banner of the people of Jackson,” said Johnson, who pointed out that he had asked the commission not to authorize the booth at the fair.

Muhammad argued that “it’s not about supporting Chokwe, but about supporting the fight against the conservative element to take away the rights of black people and young people.”

Johnson said he knew this. “That’s why I’m in this mayor’s race, and that’s why I’m in the office. I’m against the powerful and the privileged. I’m for the common people. I’m for working people who do not have power and who do not have privilege.” He said the people “have privilege” in his administration. “Look at the positions and commission appointments I’ve made,” said Johnson, who boasts among the highest minority appointees in any Jackson mayoral administration. He added that he was pushing for more people under 30 to fill city positions.

Johnson also called upon MAP not to “abandon its foundation.”

“In African culture where there has always been a village. … you’re part of that village. I’m part of that village. We can’t be separate. You can’t talk about helping somebody while I sit back and say ‘well, that’s your job.’ Your foundation is the hip-hop generation who are enjoying hip-hop music now. You can’t get away from it,” Johnson said.

West Side Al-Capone said after the forum that he would believe Johnson was making progress this year when he saw it. “I’m impressed by what the mayor said, but actions need to speak louder than words. We just got to wait and see,” he said.

Rapper Kamikaze said he felt the forum showed that the MAP coalition was “something to be reckoned with, not just musically, but socially and politically as well.”

“I walked out with the sense that we stood up and we made the powers that be realize that the young people do have a voice around here and that we’re serious about trying to make some changes,” said Kamikaze, explaining that the Mayor’s office had contacted them first regarding the possibility of the forum. Kamikaze added that Melton had contacted them earlier that day for a similar forum.

“Of course, we figured that was going to happen, and we’re trying to set that up,” Kamikaze said.

By: ladd on Apr 13, 05 | 9:00 pm
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COMMENTS

A lot of the hip hop and rap I hear sounds violent, drug infused and profane. I sure hope this is art imitating life and not the other way around.

Posted by: Wyatt Emmerich on Apr 14, 05 | 4:50 pm

Yall really need to stop hating what you don't understand. Hip Hop is an art and a culture and if you are not apart of it, then you CAN NOT understand it.

Posted by: Queen601 on Apr 14, 05 | 4:57 pm

Well maybe you can explain it to me.

Posted by: Wyatt Emmerich on Apr 14, 05 | 5:00 pm

This subject is covered in some depth on this thread:

http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=P5272_0_7_0_C

Regarding the negative aspects of hip-hop:

Rapper 50 Cent's life imitates his "art:" one member of his entourage apparently shoots another during a live radio interview that was, ironically enough, promoting 50 Cent's new album entitled "The Massacre."
http://www.chronicmagazine.com/public.php?page_id=513&level=1

Similar shooting incident involving rapper Lil' Kim (and her related perjury conviction) detailed in this article:
http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2005/03/18/Arts/lilkimconvicted050318.html

Al Sharpton wants the FCC to crack down on this garbage:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/03/24/sharpton.fcc.ap/index.html

Posted by: buckallred on Apr 14, 05 | 5:14 pm

It's sad that people judge before having all the information. All hip-hop is not garbage. as Queen stated earlier it is a lifestyle a culture created in the late 70's the encomapsses rapping, deejaying, breakdancing, and now I think beatboxing. Unfortunately you probably heard or was exposed to the more graphic side. And its even more unfortunate that CNN and other news outlets choose to highlight the negative instead of looking to the positive. I could easily say all country music is garbage or all classical music is garbage or all gospel music is garbage but thats clearly not the case. there's good and bad in EVERY genre of music.
Furthermore, a lot of these artists come impoverished backgrounds. A lot of them HAVE been shot, a lot of them HAVE sold drugs, A lot of them HAVE lead the lives they rap about. They are only reporting what they have been through. Just because YOU have been more fortunate or chose to go your way doesnt make any of us any better. Like Biggie Smalls AKA the Notorious B.I.G once said. "If I had worked at Mcdonalds I would have rapped about Big Macs and Fries. But I sold dope so that is what I knew and that is waht I rap about." It's all about your experiences

Posted by: trusip on Apr 14, 05 | 5:57 pm

I think its great what this Coalition is trying to do. My son has actually been to one of their meetings and says its a really positive thing. I wonder what the naysayers will have to say now?

Posted by: trusip on Apr 14, 05 | 5:59 pm

oh...and by the way wyatt... REAL LIFE is violent, drug infused, and profane...Just saw the news.

Posted by: trusip on Apr 14, 05 | 6:11 pm

I don't understand why we tolerate music that glorifies violence and misogyny.

Cheers,

TH

Posted by: Tom Head on Apr 14, 05 | 6:30 pm

I would like to point out that Wyatt said that and not everyone.

These lump generalizations are crazy.

Very well said trusip.

Posted by: emilyb on Apr 14, 05 | 6:52 pm

I think some rap/hip hop is very creative and compelling to listen to. But I find myself feeling guilty as I listen. I mean pornography is the same way. Sex is part of life. Pornography is titillating, but should we be glorifying it? No doubt large swaths of this genre has an upbeat, positive message and I'm not talking about that. But mcuh of the music is very negative. No doubt, it reflects reality. But does it reinforce a reality we want to change? If so, why are we giving Grammy's to artists who perpetuate stereotypes? I feel exactly the same way about certain hard rock and certain country songs (what's that 'hang em from the tree song' by Willie Nelson and how about Don't Fear the Reaper.) I mean just because it's "music" shouldn't mean we suspend our critical faculties and drool in awe. I don't care what genre of music it is. Any song glorifying sexism, drugs, violence and generally debasing humanity, promoting death should be called for what it is. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it probably is a duck.

Posted by: Wyatt Emmerich on Apr 14, 05 | 11:16 pm

Wyatt -

From what my son tells me, the reason we're all witnessing the darker side of hip hop now is because that's what the kids want to hear. It's entertainment to them. They don't mean for it to transfer into real life but more of an escape from their normal lives. I kind of feel the same way. Every genre of music has it's dark side.

Posted by: Black Man on Apr 15, 05 | 7:40 am

Granted 99 percent of the kids can make that distinction and use hip hop/rap as an entertaining escape mechanism, not unlike the general public embraces violent TV. But what about the tiny percent that is affected by it? That's what concerns me. By the way, I feel exactly the same way about TV violence as I do about violent rap music. Granted, we live in a free society and people can watch what they want, but I don't have to praise the stuff. I like my wife's attitude. She won't watch anything that has violence in it. It limitis her viewing, but she says "I don't want those images in my mind."

Posted by: Wyatt Emmerich on Apr 15, 05 | 8:34 am

Exactly Wyatt. f you don't want to watch it. Turn it off. If you don't want to hear it, change the dial. ETC. In reality there are those who do. So let them police themselves. Blame the media for the images in the news and in music. They are the ones who glorify it! But like I said...It's real life people. People get shot, war happens, people die, People have sex etc. STOP trying to shield these kids from the REAL world. We want them to be innocent NOT ignorant. And TH, take heed, no one is glorifying anything. IF you don't like it, don't listen. Listen to only what YOU, TH, want to listen to. That's your right as it is the right of everyone else to listen and view what they wish.

Posted by: trusip on Apr 15, 05 | 9:49 am

trusip, my interpretation of Tom Head was sarcasm. He was trying to point out that rap and hip hop are not the first types of music to create a kerfluffle from the, um, "elders" in the community. I figure any music listened to by anyone under 30 is supposed to annoy anyone over 40, so I don't worry about it. I'm too busy forcing my kids to listen to Sweet Honey in the Rock and the Indigo Girls, hoping to mold their tastes towards the kinder, gentler versions of music before they are teenagers to worry about what's going on in pop culture. I'd rather ignore it than fight it, since fighting only fuels it.

It's interesting to look back at things like Fairy Tales, in this context. They're pretty grim - and they confirm for kids that the world is a scary place, with witches tossing them into cauldrons and wolves trying to eat them. But they also show that there are ways to navigate through all of that, and come out of it all alive. This ain't a new phenomena. And that's my random thought of the day.

Posted by: kate on Apr 15, 05 | 10:15 am

Wyatt, a good place to start is the cover story we ran about the origins of hip-hop in February. Other posters make a good point: If all you're doing is focusing in on the bad points of rap (or country, or metal, or psychedelia ...) or any other kind of music, you're missing the point and engaging in a rather obvious logical fallacy. (The fallacy of the whole, or such. Someone help me out here with the name of it.)

I've said it repeatedly: there are negative aspects to hip-hop as there are to other types of music. But just painting the whole genre with one stroke is rather ignnorant, and certainly ain't gonna convince anybody (especially young folks) who don't already agree with you. And it makes you sound like an old fogey. ;-D

And, by the way, heed the Dalai Lama and lose the guilt. It just gets in the way of positive change. I've dealt with that one myself.

Posted by: ladd on Apr 15, 05 | 10:55 am

But what about the tiny percent that is affected by it? That's what concerns me.

And what concerns me is how "COPS" is on TV 3-4 a night glorifying how the POLICE kick down doors and hogtie young black men.

A damn rap record is the least of my worries. All the rappers are doing is regurgitating what they seen/hear/learn.

If you really want to have a riot on something...the TV MEDIA is the best candidate for that

Posted by: Black Man on Apr 15, 05 | 11:31 am

The thing that you dont understand Wyatt is that hip hop is the voice of the youth of this society. It is our instrument to revolt against that which we believe is not acceptable. Things that use to be, the music, the attitude, all that has changed with this generation. Back in the day do you think Tiger Woods would have been accepted as a Masters Cup winner. No he's too dark. Not that this is a racial thing...the point is that times have changed...attitudes have changed and so has the voice of the majority of citizens in this country. We do not think like our parents. To be honest with you, hip hop is not to be understood by the masses. Just those who live inside this community. We don't expect the Baby Boomers to understand Gen Xers. However we do expect respect, just as we respect you for listening to Blues songs that to us sound like old negro spirituals. We expect that you respect that we have a voice, we are the future and as pethetic as it is that you and others like attempt to keep us in this prehistroic state, yet and still we try to convience you that our goal is not to make everyone live the lives we live. We just expect that you allow us to live it. You see while you say because there is violence and sex in these songs our kids are going to belive this is acceptable and go out and partake in these activities. When in actually WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS ONLY ENTERTAINMENT. What you should be focusing on is the serial killers that get movie deals and these documentaries that air ever 9-11 rehashing the horrible antics of terrorists. You should be more concerned with the horrible school murders that these kids in these suburban neighborhoods are committing. Rap music is not the cause of this....sorry...but just as Kamikaze has stated parents need to parent and stop blaming everyone else for their inability to control their kids. There are bigger issues in the world people. Stop getting it twisted. We understand this culture, it is ours, let it alone. We got this.

Posted by: Queen601 on Apr 15, 05 | 2:20 pm

I already posted this on another thread but I can't help it... Johnny Cash shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die. Another time, he took a shot of cocaine and shot his woman down. Oh, wait... those were CHARACTERS in his songs. Was Johnny Cash a misogynistic violent thug? Gee, I don't know... I named one of my dogs after him, so I think you know where I stand.

"All collective judgements are wrong. Only racists make them." (Elie Wiesel)

Posted by: Scott Albert Johnson on Apr 18, 05 | 1:45 pm

Scott where you been all my life....great post!

Posted by: Queen601 on Apr 18, 05 | 4:07 pm