DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE: WE CAN LEARN FROM HIP-HOP

There are plenty of fools in the forefront of what most people would consider hip-hop. And this year, the media has made hip-hop the ultimate bad guy because of the actions of folks like Imus, Cam'ron, T.I. and Michael Vick. And for hip-hoppers like myself, who understand, realize, and harness the power and potential of hip-hop, we are outnumbered in trying to explain to the world that hip-hop isn't just what you see on television (and actually hardly ever is what you see on television).

Just to be certain that we're on the same page, the hip-hop I'm talking about is complex (Sorry MC Stupid). The hip-hop I'm talking about is into justice (Sorry MC Soldyoursoul). The hip-hop I'm talking about is artistic (Sorry MC Noskills). I may not know the hottest rapper on the radio, but best believe MyHipHop is alive and kicking snares.

Hip-hop culture has given me too much for me not to defend its honor. I've spent the last year and a half of my life documenting the power in hip-hop music because it was this aspect of the culture, this unique art form that spoke to me like nothing ever before. As I've matured, I've realized that we can all learn from the culture that grew from the concrete.

So I've collected, extracted, and explored words of wisdom and motivational mantras in my new book, THE MESSAGE: 100 LIFE LESSONS FROM HIP-HOP'S GREATEST SONGS (Thunder's Mouth/Running Press), which dropped October 25 and is available in bookstores and online. THE MESSAGE is named after the song performed by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five ("Don't push me, cause I'm close to the edge...) which many consider to be the first commercially successful socially conscious rap song and which happens to be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Despite Bill O'Reilly and his crew of crusaders looking to crucify hip-hop (shoot, if I was Bill I'd be threatened by the potential of hip-hop too), we can learn a plethora of lessons from the greatest hip-hop songs. THE MESSAGE explores a myriad of themes including spirituality, love, relationships, family dynamics, politics, career goals, and ambition. I fuse my personal experiences with the book's entries (some of which I've learned, some of which I'm learning and some of which I had to write into existence in my own life) to really show the impact that these lessons can have.

Each life lesson is aptly titled after a hip-hop song and THE MESSAGE includes a well-rounded selection of artists who've made meaningful songs, including folks like Public Enemy, Jay-Z, A Tribe Called Quest, Little Brother, Lauryn Hill, Common, Talib Kweli, Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, OutKast, Queen Latifah, 2Pac, Kanye West, LL Cool J, EPMD, Rakim, De La Soul, and Big L.

Here are just a few of the songs featured in THE MESSAGE:

"Friends" by Whodini
How many of us have them? I mean, really. How do we determine those closest to us and how do we feel when we realize that the number of people who truly support us may be a small, but vital group.

"God Made Me Funke" by Kool Moe Dee
We're all given special gifts, but many of us are scared to utilize our blessings to their fullest potential.

"Be A Father to Your Child" by Ed O.G. and Da Bulldogs
Fathers have to step up to the plate. And those of us, like myself, who weren't raised by our fathers, can't continue to allow that fact to affect our relationships and our future.

My goal in writing THE MESSAGE was to use the tools from hip-hop culture to empower my generation. Hip-hop is the language of our youth. It's a global culture. For those so quick to dismiss or give up on it, I extend the challenge for us to reclaim its power and use it for good in our communities. Why should we allow corporate interests/moneyhungryfools/ignorant media to define what hip-hop is, and allow that definition to be overwhelmingly negative?

There are tons of activists, writers, MCs, educators, who are representing hip-hop lovely. It's up to us to support those artists making meaningful art, those community advocates using the culture to affect change. If not, we risk losing one of the most powerful and influential cultures we've ever seen. Complaining about the dysfunctional aspects of rap music is one thing, but finding ways to use the culture for empowerment is a much more effective action plan.

As we approach hip-hop history month, which is only a few days away, I'll be highlighting other important hip-hop texts. I'll also be posting interviews that I've done with artists featured in THE MESSAGE like DMC, CL Smooth and MC Lyte who continue to pass along gems they've learned from hip-hop.

In the meantime, below is an excerpt from THE MESSAGE which is based on "It's Like That" from the legendary group, Run-D.M.C. You can also read other excerpts from THE MESSAGE here. To keep track of me and the book, visit www.feliciapride.com.

23. It's Like That

ARTIST: RUN-D.M.C.

ALBUM: RUN-D.M.C. (1984)

One of my favorite lines to explain something and nothing at the same time is, "It is what it is." I've adopted the statement into my rhetoric repertoire to explain the most obscure and significant facts of life.

"It is what it is" represents a variation of Run-D.M.C.'s "It's Like That." In the song, the kings of rock don't pretend to know the reasons behind the dilemmas of the world, but they acknowledge that these circumstances reflect our reality. Money is necessary. People eventually die. We make less than what we owe. "It's like that" is followed by "and that's the way it is."

There are many realities that we can't change, most notably race and nationality. We can't change where we're from or who our family is. Some things are fixed, and spending precious time debating the unchangeable is rarely productive.

I remember sitting on a publishing panel where a volleyed discussion took place about the fact that black writers have it harder than their white counterparts. It doesn't take a genius to present that argument. I had to chime in. Isn't it usually the case that people of color have a harder time in several aspects of American society? Shouldn't we spend time discussing how we can affect the consequences of those circumstances? I wished Run-D.M.C. would have rolled up, jumped on stage, and shouted their simple credo to the audience.

There's a tendency to stop the discussion at uncovering the reality instead of taking the necessary steps toward challenge and change. We get caught in the web of rhetoric, very similar to the "it is harder for a black writer" discussion, which had more roundabouts than Washington, DC, but didn't involve any action plans. Recognition is important, yes, but it is only a primer for change.

I will be a black female writer until the day I die. I know this fact will continue to present challenges, but if I wallow in the pond of my reality, I'll never swim toward the oceans where I can effect change. I should head toward the body of opportunity where I can insert one more black female perspective into mainstream media while simultaneously encouraging others to do the same.

My sister's reality is that she's a single mother. I probably spend more time than she does upset at the circumstances. She doesn't have time to indulge woulda, coulda, or shoulda. She's too focused on raising her daughter to be a star. I can't sit around bothered by the inevitable: my niece has to grow up in this crazy world whether I like it or not. It's my job to make it easier for her.

From the book The Message: 100 Life Lessons from Hip-Hop's Greatest Songs by Felicia Pride. Copyright 2007. Published by Thunder's Mouth Press, a member of the Perseus Books Group (www.perseusbooks.com). All rights reserved.