IT SAVED US
By Rasheedah Carty
We piously chanted to please our gods and goddesses. We drummed elaborate messages that connected and continued village after village. We hummed from the bowels of death vessels when no words could express our anguish and anger. We sang dangerously coded songs while we sweat in hell fields and swamps. We belt gospels and moaned blues til we were “free.” Our words weaved beautiful, spiritual, painful, political meaning that we set to music so our dreams could flow. Music was our heartbeat. It saved us.
We strummed, blew, beat, our jazzy desire demanding the world to recognize our presence. Our Brothers and Sisters spoke words above percussion to convey the thoughts of our revolution. We crooned, belted, and harmonized love promises to slow and swift melodies and beats created from ugly despair and beautiful love. From our bottomless creativity, we began rapping circumstances to thumping bass and scratching vinyl.
We are the original--the most spiritual and powerful of all. We’ve mastered and seemingly dominated all music. So why aren’t we in control of our music? Why are we producing songs titled, “I’ll Beat That Bitch With A Bat,” “I Get Money,” and “Don’t Cum In Me?” (Shocking and disgusting, huh?) Where were we when the media brainwashed our youth and diminished our lives into violence, money, and sex. Somehow, we dropped the ball and didn’t teach them of our power. Subsequently, our wonderful art has been ravaged by opportunists who know and care nothing of it. Our demise is now being recorded in our music.
How can we use music to help save us again? How will we become independent and regain our power? We begin by teaching our people our rich culture and history; feeding them positive images and powerful knowledge; emphasizing the importance of unity and ownership. When we truly know and respect ourselves, we can use our power collectively. Working for people who don’t overstand or respect our art will not be tolerated. Selling our souls for money shall no longer be an option. We must create our own labels so our music can be expressed genuinely and positively. The soulless garbage fed to us while pockets are being fattened with our blood is unacceptable. Stop giving away our power and letting our music be exploited. Give independent labels and artists your support. Positive, independent music artists with good music do exist. Dynamic Certified represents on the West Coast (dynamiccertified.blogspot.com/). Viva Fidel represents in the Central Region (www.facebook.com/vivafidel). Khadafi Dub represents on the East Coast (www.facebook.com/khadafi.dubstep). All distinctively different sounds, yet undeniably connected through skill, creativity, and consciousness.
An African proverb says, “When the music changes, so does the dance.” Well right now, we need to change our dance to reclaim our music.
It is a shame that we have all these "Artists" but yet they all paint the same picture over and over. Money,Sex,Drugs,Girls,Guns and fashion.
ReplyDeleteThe ones who own these record labels know our true Power so they sign "artist" who love to brag about how "DUMB" their flow is. They've made idiotic behavior trendy amongst our culture. While those who offer positive material struggle to showcase their true "Art".
"How will we become independent and regain our power? We begin by teaching our people our rich culture and history; feeding them positive images and powerful knowledge; emphasizing the importance of unity and ownership"
"We are the original--the most spiritual and powerful of all"
Hopefully your words as well as others can spark that unity that our people need, and have knowledge be spread instead of suppressed.
Keep writing Keep Fighting