Kondji Mlimwengu

What Does “The Culture” Matter if We Don’t Defend it?

Essentially Melle Mel made an accurate statement that many other emcees agree with but are too scared to make publicly for fear of this kind of backlash.

I don’t think he should have been made to apologize. Mel is a pioneer of Hip-Hop, one of the literal forefathers of Hip-Hop. He was doing his thing before “the industry”, before the commercialization and gentrification of hip-hop. He was doing this before companies like Billboard, MTV, Rolling Stones-companies ran by white men- purchased Hip-Hop then told us that a white man was the GOAT.

Eminem is a talented emcee sure but it’d be dishonest and delusional to say that him being a white man plays no role in his prestige in Hip-Hop. Like no disrespect intended but Eminem would be Royce Da 5’9 if he wasn’t a white man.

I feel like we like to act like Hip-hop is some kind of oasis- shielded away from the rest of the world- where the rules, laws, biases and oppressive systems of society don’t apply. It’s the opposite. Hip-Hop is a direct reflection of the society we live in and all of its systems of oppression. Under this colonial-capitalist system that we live under, white men run the world. And as long as these companies, labels, streaming services etc. determine who we listen to, white men are gonna run hip-hop too.

“Back in the days, when I was young

I’m not a kid anymore

But some days, I sit and wish I was a kid again”

- Ahmad

Philadelphia, 2021

Forward Ever

Backwards Never

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Old Havana, Cuba

“Hush now, don’t explain

Just say you’ll remain”

- Nina Simone

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“She was the perfect verse

Over a tight beat”

“My feet is my only carriage...”

- Bob Marley

“... In the beginning, I was not a political person at all. I had no interest in the struggle. My life at the time had been such a mess and I was so unhappy with myself. One day I saw MOVE demonstrating in front of a police precinct and I was just struck. It wasn’t necessarily what they were saying but the way they were talking and these were women, powerful women. I had never seen a woman get on a bullhorn in front of all these people and the police and talk so confident and assertive. This is what drew me to them”

- Janine Africa, 2019

Janine Africa was one of 9 MOVE members who (in an effort by the city of Philadelphia to destroy the MOVE organization) was framed for the murder of a cop and imprisoned in the year 1978. They were routinely beaten, tortured, poisoned and made subject to the most inhumane living conditions all in attempt to break them.They were told that if they renounced their beliefs, they’d be released. They refused and so they remained imprisoned, enduring all manner of brutal treatment for over 40 years. As of 2019, Janine has been released and remains committed- mind, body and soul to the struggle to liberate all black and oppressed people.

On a move!

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“...My energy just couldn’t stop dancing.

I was caught up in the music of struggle

and i wanted to dance”

- Assata Shakur

“Triumph

In spite of,

In defiance of”

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Where is the Victory?

What exactly is the victory here and whose victory is it? Is it ours? His? Googles? This is the same company that changed its logo to commemorate the invention of the PANCAKE but didn’t deem the emancipation of slavery legitimate enough to salute.

So who’s victory is it? Is it the boys? He might get a nice check sure but he’ll likely not produce anything remotely radical or militant again- not while on the payroll of the company that didn’t give a dam about Juneteenth.

Google is just trying to co-opt his talent and put him to work for them while snagging some “woke” points and securing their invite to the cookout along the way. This is a purely strategic move on the part of google. It’s not benevolent, the boy didn’t “open googles eyes”, it’s purely strategic.

Companies have historically sustained themselves off of the talent/ genius of black people while actively working against the interests of black people (i.e. investing billions of dollars into institutions which oppress us within the U.S. and abroad).

Accepting a job from the oppressor isn’t a remedy for oppression. You’ve only allowed yourself and your talents to be used to further the agenda of the racist. In the same way, accepting a job from, lending your genius to, and allowing your income to be dependent on a company which didn’t deem the end of slavery as worthy of acknowledgment is not a feat to be celebrated.

On June 19th, on the anniversary of our emancipation from chattel slavery, all eyes were on this boy and his talent. All eyes were on this boy and his commitment to acknowledge and celebrate our history where google deemed it unworthy. He could have teamed with other young, black, ingenious minds and built on top of his google design- perhaps our own google, perhaps our own internet. Possibilities were endless and have always been endless when it’s come black minds banding together to create in the interests of ourselves instead of our oppressor.

Nobody was more aware of this than Google so they made sure that they plucked him up from whatever trajectory he was on. They made sure that they continued the oppressor’s tradition of syphoning black genius and creative ability from the black community. They ensured that if this boy were to produce anything again, it’d be under the banner of, in the name of, and furthering the interests of Google.

In many ways, despite our Juneteenth celebration, the tradition of black talent and ability being sold off to the highest white bidder has remained fundamentally unchanged. Just like the quickest, easiest, “safest” way for an enslaved black person to provide food and shelter for himself and his family was to submit his body and abilities to the will of Massa (vs. attempting to escape and living the rest of his life on the run), the same is true today. In the face of abject poverty and the inability of many of us to sufficiently feed, clothe and house ourselves, a check from the oppressor in exchange for our talent, ability and brainpower is very tempting.

We are at a point where “success” in and of itself is measured by the oppressor’s willingness to use our talent and abilities to further his agenda- and the check he’s willing to write us for our exploitation.

We’re told to go to college, graduate then allow our talents and abilities to be used in the interests of the first oppressive, imperialist company to write us a fat check. We’re told that as athletes, musicians, or other creatives that we haven’t achieved success in our field at all until our talents have been seized upon and used to further the interests of the first oppressive, imperialist company to write us a fat check.

What is the difference between listing your credentials, talents and achievements on a resumé for Google, Apple or other potential employers and having your speed, your physical prowess- your “credentials”- shouted from an auction block for potential buyers? Potential Massas? In both instances, we are allowing our immense talent and ability to create to be sold off to the highest bidder, against the interests of black people.

Any offer of employment by the oppressor is not an indicator of his benevolence and dam sure not his “wokeness”. It is confirmation of his fear of your potential to create YOUR OWN institution, your own business, your own google independent of him and his agenda.

We as a people must get off the auction block and apply our collective genius toward the creation of our own institutions and the strengthening of our own independent economy. “Success” for black people will no longer be measured by the the pay-off the oppressor is willing to offer us to apply our talents to the strengthening of billion dollar imperialist institutions but by the degree to which our talents have contributed to the fortifying and political and economic upliftment of the black community.

For more Black Magic💫