Most people believe that RAP music began with the Sugar Hill Gang. Or that it started sometime in the Late 70's. It actually started in a schoolyard belonging to the Central Branch Primary School in Kingston Jamaica, in the very early sixties. A group of young men began speaking in poetic rhymes to one another and soon a large group surrounded them and it stayed in the school yards for a while.
A few years later a musical rivalry began with one 'Prince Buster' and another singer 'Derrick Morgan'. these two started the first partially RAP records with the songs "Judge Dread" and 'Silence in the Court.' By 1970 Rap music was going full blast in Jamaica, with artist such as Hugh Roy, I-Roy, and Big Youth who had the hit 'Hit the Road Jack'. Full recognition of the art form however would not come until the Black man in America (real Jews) put his hand to it.
Enter the Sugar Hill Gang. So far Jamaicans only rapped about having a good time and dancing. Sugar hill took it up to another level and even to the 'Hotel, Holiday Inn' and the penchant of our people for dancing and having a good time, put Rap on the map [musical that is] to stay permanently. The beats from Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five in the tunes "White Lines" and "It's a Jungle" showed our enemies that RAP had the ability to not only make our people dance but could open up awareness and be used to make us think and question the daily oppression of the Black male and his woman.
On the American side Rap music also came to be known as hip hop. It was expected to fade away as a little fad but the sales of Rap music began to increase more and more. After the Sugar Hill Gang and before Grand Master Flash there was Bizmarkee and 'Nobody beats the Biz'. There has been many a D.J. and rapper who rose to prominence and legendary status in the black community as RAP music began to become a mainstay in the black community.
There was M.C. hammer, Doug E Fresh, EPMD, Rakim, Melle Melle of Grandmaster Flash and of course I would be remiss not to mention DJ Cool Herc and his pioneering feats during the early days of hip hop Rap. RAP or hip hop whatever term was preferred then was first originated by our 'African for-bearers' who told stories aided with the beats of drums in the background.
From the Caribbean to the shores of America it has always been a black thing. Whites bought out Motown and black creativity and control was lost temporarily, and we certainly were not into country and western music the pet love of the oppressor. Enter Rap music or hip hop, something that we related to that was our own. Allegedly started in the 'Boogie Down Bronx', the floodgates of creativity opened up as the musical genius and talent of many of our youth blossomed via this musical genre.
Then along came KRS One and Scott la Rock telling stories bordering on what was happening in our daily life, similar to the rap song 'Don't push me close to the edge'. Rap reaching it's peak was when Public Enemy came on the scene. Chuck D. was brilliant and unapologetic in addressing the issues facing the black communities in every urban area all across the land, and was instrumental in inspiring many to become rappers. The militancy of Chuck D's rap was not lost upon the whites who controlled the industry.
Sensing that perhaps the former slaves might come to grips with reality and build a unity, they then employed rappers who took to the Willie lynch philosophy and began to push that kind of music out. Soon there was the inevitable 'beef' among RAP artist's and the east coast west coast north and south brouhaha was in full swing. The NWA[niggas with attitude] came out swinging in either direction in a free for all against all. Ezee E (Eric Williams was soon killed,) Ice Cube sold out his passion to make money.
Despite the interjection of hostilities within the Rap genre hope was still evident for the uplifting of our peoples psyche by some artists. Chuck D and the Public Enemy were slowly being phased out with less playing time on the radio as the masters of programming and mass hypnosis began to pump, slowly at first, the I got more than you, she's a bitch type music to our unsuspecting young, who were not briefed on the history of their fore-parents nor even tasted the hostility of the word nigger from the mouth of the whites who enslaved their parents.
Just as this programming was to take effect though, along came two of the most polarizing rappers to hit the scene. Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls. As the topics they rapped about bordered between Public Enemy's social topics KRS One's look at what's happening and Sugar Hill's man woman relationships, the programmers somehow got to engage both their camps into a divide and conquer scenario.
Tupac, born in prison to a mother dedicated to the freedom of her people by any means necessary,had the potential to awaken many of the youth and draw them away from the nonsense of bigger wheels, smoke more dope and disrespect the black woman crap, that he was deemed as a threat. The Boule society the black branch of the skull and bones, orchestrated his death along with that of Biggie Smalls.
Their deaths not only served as a sacrifice to Baphomet, (another of the names of Satan- used by the entertainment industry), but as also a warning to all other artist who wished to advance or stay alive in the business. Rappers like Sean Carter[Jay Z] and Kanye West, having sold their souls to the devil to stay afloat in that dog eat dog environs. One of the architects of these killings Dr Dre was recently rewarded with a billion dollar reward, and no wonder, his 'beats' also contributes to the death of many an African American.
Consider also that since artist's such as Ludacris, L.L.Cool J, Lil Wayne and T.I. all contribute to spreading disrespect to the black woman, and surprisingly these young girls jump up and down to these songs oblivious to their self respect or knowledge of themselves. Consider also that positive educational rap that point out the ills of society barely make sales, whilst songs disrespecting our women by Lil Wayne and others purportedly make millions, including songs about killing one another, smoking and selling dope, and who got the better ride, most bling, and is willing to sex some willing star struck chick and turn her out, seems to be the rage. Why? Because that is what the programmers have instructed the Radio stations and paper media to hype and advertise.
The consciousness of RAP music almost died. Then along came rappers such as Che Gavara and Major Scorpion. These rappers have shunned the mainstream studios to keep their creative control pure, and the contents of their messages undiluted by the powers that be. To my readers who have been with me thus far, all I can ask is that you listen to these two artists, from two different sides of the spectrum though they maybe, yet as you see the titles and hear the words of the Brother Che Gavara you will see that consciousness in rap music is being reborn right before your ears and eyes.
Now once those of us who have not been lulled to sleep can alert more like minded persons like ourselves the music of Che Gavara can be our social calling, as we build a foundation that will sooner or later cause the mindset of the hypnotized to awaken from that deep sleep, and the Mighty Nation that we once were, will be again in the sight of the Creator, when the term "that dude's my niggah" will no longer be acceptable to Kings, and Queens will no longer settle for being addressed as bitches. When we can look down upon those who had us oppressed, and rejoice at being free, really really FREE. So until next time, live well, be happy, make love, we bid you Peace.
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