“Ice Cube … What about the kids? What about the muthafuckin’, kids?” — Little Boy from Amerikkka’s Most Wanted, Ice Cube

What about the kids? We blame them for society going down the drain … Elders are afraid of the youth … They are poised to be the most underachieving generation of all. I hold the parents and elders responsible, personally. But that’s a bigger, more complex conversation. To simplify the conversation, the real deal is that young people are in need of some real leadership like few times that I can even remember reading about. The Great Depression, the U.S. Slavery Era and even as recent as The ’80s Crack Era … now these were some monumentally crappy times to be a kid or even alive at all for that matter, but today the challenges are a bit more subtle and more widely accepted as normal. Today we face the double-edged swords of technology, prescription drugs and parents who have somehow managed to lose the art of parenting … and a shoulder shrug is often the response. As a result, the hip-hop generation and youth in general are being medicated, incarcerated and playa hated on a scale that should embarrass e’rbody!

206 Zulu

With all that young people deal with, it is important to celebrate and support organizations like The Universal Zulu Nation who actively participate in the lives of our youth. This week and next week, The Zulu Nation’s Seattle/Puget Sound Chapter, 206 Zulu, will make special visits to both Green Hill and Maple Lane Schools in Lewis and Thurston Counties, respectively. As part of The Gateways for Incarcerated Youth Foundation’s Cultural Evenings Series, 206 Zulu will perform for and speak with the incarcerated youth at the two juvenile institutions. This is such an important event for hip-hop. Coming from an environment that consumed people, their dreams and talent with drugs, gangs and negative forces in addition to the effort to criminalize hip-hop by so-called artists who don’t know any better, it is an immense pleasure and honor to bear witness to efforts like 206 Zulu’s. Celebrating or even at the very least rapping about criminal lifestyles like that is what qualifies one to be a part of hip-hop culture is inaccurate and a misrepresentation — hip-hop is much more. Hip-hop is about spirit, positive over negative and making a way out of now way — and that is what 206 Zulu represents. Check’em out at www.206zulu.com.

SHOW, OHS & 40z …!!!

So, there are some good events forthcoming to The 25360 area if you claim to LOVE hip-hop. Forever and a day it seemed that there was always this floating question in hip-hop circles about who is the gay rapper. As homophobia still graces the planet and certainly the machismo-ready elements of hip-hop, there is still room for diversity, and if you support the GLBT community and/or are curious about its relationship to hip-hop, check out the Queer Hip-Hop Show at The Evergreen State College Friday, Feb. 13. The show features Katastrophe, The Athens Boys Choir, Team Gina and Last Offence rockin’ the crowd. Should be interesting … It’s cool that people can be who they want to be and don’t have to hide it. Also, coming soon to the home of the Mighty Geoducks’ campus thanks to Hip-Hop Congress and TESC’s Black Student Union is the return of M-1 of Dead Prez Feb. 19 as he speaks — doesn’t perform — speaks. Hint, hint … in case you are a complete “nobody” or innocently missed the news by some chance, Dead Prez performed at The Evergreen State College on St. Valentine’s Day 2008, wherein after the performances an outburst of straight wildness ended with some students arrested, a police car upended and Dead Prez up outta there. Safe to say, M-1 giving a speech should be a bit more reserved than a performance, but more importantly it presents an opportunity to discuss last year’s events and hear his philosophy and potent ideas on social justice and the African/African-American condition.

Winners Train, Losers Complain … Do Yo’ Thang!!!

Peace & Love
 
Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. is an editor, writer, artist and producer. A graduate of Washington State University and graduate student at The Evergreen State College, he writes and edits the Pacific Northwest section of OZONE Magazine and hosts and produces Live From I-5 Radio (since ’89) every Friday at 3 p.m. on KAOS 89.3 FM (www.kaosradio.org) in Olympia.