Does Nostalgia make us forget reality?

Thought provoking discussions always get the good ole intellectual wheels turning. In response to the great Zondra Hughes' piece about 80's culture, I wanted to revisit a theory that some of my "preacher" friends and I debate all the time. Of course this perspective isn't new but it's my spin on how the good and evil of the entertainment industry can be both influential and detrimental to youth culture. In particular "African American" youth. Let's consider the account that Matthew chapter 13 gives us. I developed my wheat and tare theory from Jesus' account of good and evil from a cultural standpoint. It reads as follows...24 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”Nostalgia can be a healthy ally for black folks because our history, culture, and idenity has been stolen, misunderstood, and vilified. Nostalgia can be equally decieving because it can bring dishonest reflection that forgets the perils of that particular time in history. If we compare black history to the story of Cain and Abel one could hear the blood of our mothers and fathers crying from the ground. Our presence in the cultural fabric of America is forgotten causing many to believe that we aren't really that important to the cultural identity of America. Jazz, Blues, and Rock were born in the heart of the Juke Joints of the South but became cultural gold in the hands of whites. Hip Hop is different. Our generation produced yet another cultural phenomna that took the world by storm. It gave black hispanic and a select few of white youth an outlet to express themselves in a world that viewed black and latino culture as theirs for the taking. It's like the 15th century all over again. Explorers claimed land in the name of European countries before they murdered the natives of this land we call America. Can we name any black rockers besides Lenny Kravitz? Hip Hop emerged from the slums of the East Coast and hasn't necessarily experienced a takeover from the standpoint of artistry. Sure we've had white MC's like Third Bass, The Beastie Boys and Eminem but largely black MC's have dominated the game. (Vanilla Ice Doesn't count sorry) The innocence of Hip Hop was planted by a generation of ignored teenagers but the evil of materialism, covetousness, violence, and youthful indiscretions was planted at the same time.The 80's saw the artistry of Hip Hop emerge as a force to be reckoned with. Record companies wanted to dismiss it initially because they new it could give a different voice to a lost generation of black people who traded in their protest signs for mortgages in the suburbs. The wheat and tare theory applies to the 21st century because we all know the story of how Run DMC's collaboration with Aerosmith launched hip hop into the mainstream. We all can remember how MC Hammer paved the way for hip hop artist to be a commercial success. The 21st century has produced more opportunity for black people in entertainment but the evil residue that it leaves behind is as equally inspiring as it is disturbing. So shouldn't we do what the scriptures suggest? In verse 29, the master says that when the harvest was ready that he would seperate the evil from the good. I think we can all agree that the harvest is ripe in hip hop. Let's throw most of this garbage in the fire that is impersonating the true essence of hip hop.Misogny, materalism, violence, sexism and ignorance have replaced the voice of activism, education, healthy fun, and expression. When its time to expose hypocrite preachers we are quick to gather a lynch mob but when Snoop Dog talks about Cripping while he raises his kids in the burbs no one calls him out. Does Frank Lucas' benevolence at Thanksgiving compensate for him destroying the millions of families in Harlem and abroad? These are conversations that we need to have. I'm all for parents being responsible for their children but if a nuclear bomb was left in the street while innocent children were playing in the neighborhood then who should we as a society hold accountable? COMMUNITY is what can curve the evil that has been produced in the genere we call hip hop. Today's hip hop is like Stripe from the 1983 block buster Gremlins. Gizmo (real hip hop) is hiding in the closet because most of the "artist" of the 21st century are running amonk.We've taken on a different value system that isn't consistent with the history of black people in America. To a degree we are all guilty of being sellouts because we fail to demand more from the artist that makes us dance. So before you buy your next record ask yourself some key questions. Is this song consistent with how I want to raise my children. Is this song consistent with the values that I believe in? Of course I know that there will never be a Utopia in this life but at least it creates the diversity in a genere that so desperately needs it. The female MC is all but disappeared. Public Enemy was once mainstream but Dead Prez is now considered to dangerous among industry executives. Intellectual hip hop is now deemed as underground. I've never been to a bon fire but I'd attend one for the first time if their was someone organizing a CD burning party of all of these wack rappers posing as MC's...Let's take hip hop back as consumers.

Thanks for reading..

Peace