When Will Mainstream Hip-Hop Learn From the Teacha?

When Will Mainstream Hip-Hop Learn From the Teacha?

      From the title of the Hip-Hop group, KRS-One (Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone,) to an admirable resume of civil service, including the establishment of the "Stop the Violence" Program, these artists knew the power of soulful jams. As some of the founding fathers of the genre, KRS-One demonstrated that the role of Hip-Hop was to educate others about the social and political conditions of poor urban America and to provide an outlet and feeling of significance to those suffering from injustices, such as urban decay and New York's "Stop and Frisk" Law, which allows NYPD to stop civilians simply on the grounds of "looking suspicious." With highly political music,  KRS-One galvanized conversation about what was up with the other side of NYC. With brazen, yet clever lyrics and dope beats, the masterminds told their side of history and current events, advancing in the industry, hoping that "stereotypes of a black male [would no longer be] misunderstood" ("Juicy," Notorious B.I.G.).

"Rap is something we do. Hip Hop is something we live!" -KRS-ONE

 One of the first MC's to merge Hip-Hop and Jamaican style music, KRS-ONE features funk roots, often sampling James Brown, with syncopated and danceable beats. Return of the Boom Bap is KRS-ONE's first solo album, and was produced by Dj Premier, Kid Capri, Showbiz, Norty Cotto, and Douglas Jones through Jive Records label in 1993. This album displays what some might call "real" Hip-Hop. With raw lyrics, KRS-ONE spits about the do or die struggle of living in the projects and surviving as a black male in the late 1980's and 90's. The style of the particular album, Boom Bap, consists of hard base drum and snapping snare. The beats of this style amplify the loud messages in the lyrics. Listen to some tracks and you'll start questionin' how well you know the city around you and the injustices that you may be unaware of. KRS-ONE proves synonymous with real Hip Hop. In this album, the rhyme master continues to deliver the straight forward, yet cleverly crafted lyrics that he is notorious for. We hear ya conscious rap loud and clear, Teacha. Give us more.

        For starters, the second track on the album entitled "Outta Here," underscores the significance of Hip-Hop at its origin. First developing in the Bronx, Hip Hop was a social and political response to racism and the municipal denial of public service. Poor urban youth fed up with the injustices said, "Fine, we'll throw a party." With societal limitations, some hoped it would be their ticket out of the hood and its perilous corners. This song is the epitome of those early concepts. The lyrics of the first verse describe Lawrence and his younger brother, Kenny going to these block parties "till the cops broke it up." Those that view Hip-Hop stereotypically often assert that "hood" music breeds hostility and aggression, which isn't necessarily true. This music evolved into a culture, creating a community, a psychological "youth center" to stand in for those that either didn't exist or were utterly run down. The fact that NYPD would breath such "centers" down is what truly stimulated anger, as KRS-ONE conveys. The rapper emphasizes the community-like nature of Hip Hop in verse three as he describes his relationships with other artists, such as Eric B. and Rakim. Continuing to flow, Teacha spits that he "used to watch that show 'I Dream of Jeanie'/ and dreamt about 'When will I be large like Whodini?" (Verse 2).  In the show I Dream of Jeannie, the protagonist, Captain Nelson, calls on Jeanie whenever he pleases and when he does, she grants his desires. Certainly, MCs and rappers hoped for an easier life, but unlike Captain Nelson, they were proactive in a way that they knew how, instead of relying on others. Free flowin' and dope beats gave this demographic a sense of purpose and a medium in which it could positively show off its talents when many people saw the individuals as data that rose a negative statistic. KRS-ONE represents, revealing his side of the story. In fact, the end of the verse says it all. 

"I had nothin' left and it was scary

So I dropped By All Means Necessary

Another Hip-Hop group that was a friend of me

Was a revolution called Public Enemy

It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back"

Right here KRS-ONE  shares that both he and PE believe that the purpose of this genre is to provide access out of impoverished neighborhoods, such as the South Bronx, where Teacha is from (RapGenius). 

      Sound of Da Police, perhaps one of the most popular tracks on the album, brings a more focused attention to the abusive forces of the NYPD. Before diving in to the lyrics, here's some info on the NYPD. According to a statement made by the force on its official website the role of the NYPD is as follows: 

"The misson of the New York City Police Department is to enhance the quality of life...in accordance with constitutional rights to enforce the laws, preserve the peace, reduce fear, and provide for a safe environment."

But how can New York bring peace to its streets when the city instates laws, such as "Stop and Frisk?"  The law was active in the late 80's and 90's, when KRS-ONE was at his peak, and is still active now. 

     

      The lyrics of this song shed light on the corruption of the police force, educating its listeners about the reality of boroughs, such as the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Harlem. The rapper calls out NYPD, "Are you really for peace and equality?/ Or when my car is hooked up, you know you want to follow me," but doesn't stop there. (Verse One). To KRS- ONE the NYPD's behavior is more than hypocritical. Teacha continues comparing police officers to overseers as he spits, "The overseer could stop you what you're doing/ the officer will you pull you over just when he's pursuing" (Verse Two). The native New Yorker spits truth. From several hundred years ago to present day America, Blacks and minority races have been slighted rights...obviously. Yet in present day America, when one would think America may have reached the status of country "for the people," he is a bit short. White authority continues to accost on the basis of race. Perhaps the most profound aspect of the song is the recording in the intro and between verses: "Whoop! Whoop! That's the sound of da police. Whoop! Whoop!/ That's da sound of da beast!" Through these easily dismissible lines, KRS-ONE reveals the deep association he has with police in general. When he hears sirens, he doesn't think about who the police may be protecting, or the danger some civilian on the street may be in, and worry in concern. Na! It's the white man doin' the do: taking advantage of the black man 'cus he feels like it, never required to pay any sort of reparation. History certainly proves his point. Take for instance, the Rodney King beating. Or how about recent in history, like May 2012 when 15 y/o Brittany Rowley was assaulted by NYPD because she matched the description of shoplifter that was black and had a pony tail. Teacha tellin' you to look up, boyeeee!!

     As discussed in Jay-Z's Decoded, a large aspect of the art of Hip Hop is restating what others have already said in a unique way. Many rappers have shared that Hip Hop saved their life. In the song, "Stop Frontin'," KRS-ONE re-presents the theme with his own flare. In the first lines of the song "hip hop will never die./ Despite the fact that I'm fly, I'm never dry". In his early career, critics deemed KRS-ONE as a mere fad. The rapper suggests that the passion and force of he and his Hip Hop brothers exude based on the importance the music serves in their lives will keep the industry going. He asserts that just because he looks like another gangsta, he ain't a poser that's about to let his light go out. He's always got rhymes in his back pocket. The supply will never run out, unlike the cash in his wallet. He defensively flows, "You want to know what my problem is, if you're curious?/ I take this Hip Hop shit too serious". The evident defensive tone may stem from the belittlement the genre receives. It's not just another kind of music, Hip Hop is a lifestyle. But KRS-ONE doesn't just talk the talk, nor does he front, like those he criticizes in the song. His lifetime philanthropic efforts, recognized in the 2008 BET Awards, reflect the swag in the way he walks the walk. Because Hip Hop is a social and political response, his many wonderful achievements give him the right to tell other rappers to "skip me when you dissin', skip me when you on an ego misson/ I blow up like nitroglycerin!" KRS-ONE not only did something about the violence he saw, but he also "come[s] to the party inconspicious" (Verse 4). He ain't into flexin' his nuts, which is a quality to value. 

    All in all, this album is a grand slam. Dimitri Ehlrich of Rolling Stone raved, "His raps combine cultural literacy, wild imagination and absurd wit with mad street flavor. KRS expresses ideas with such exuberance that the zany logic of some of his assertions goes down like candy-coated pills." An article from The Vibe stated that this album is "the second greatest comeback in hip-hop folklore after LL Cool J declared Mama Said Knock You Out (2012). The lyrics and beats on this album are spectacular, while the album as a whole progresses the Black Power Movement. Because KRS is so political and his lyrics differ from other political rap groups' violent lyrics, such as those of NWA, I thought I'd include an excerpt of an interview in which Teacha discusses war, leadership, and religion. Check it out y'all.