Traditional hip-hop lyrics about guns, women and homophobia are about to face a new competitor in the race for young Americans' hearts and minds.

Princeton religious professor Cornel West has released an album designed to counter rap's negative image, with major names like KRS-One and Levert participating.

"We need to respectfully challenge [rappers] on the issues of misogyny and homophobia," says West.

"You can hear that on the album, too. Quit bashing gay brothers and lesbian sisters. Quit this domestic violence."

The album, Never Forget: A Journey of Revelation, is West's attempt to use hip-hop as a positive social force, he says.

The album features the professor's lectures delivered with musical support from Andre 3000, Gerald Levert, Jill Scott, Killer Mike and KRS-One. Topics covered include the war in Iraq, homophobia, corporate power and September 11th.

The first two singles set to be released are Dear Mr. Man, featuring Prince, and incendiary Bushonomics, with Talib Kweli.

"We know that misogyny is shot through the culture," West told USA Today.

"It's in country. It's in rhythm and blues. It's in the White House, and it's on Wall Street. So you can't just single out the hip-hop artists and have them bearing the burden for the whole culture.

"On the other hand, Snoop Dogg is just as accountable as anybody else."

Cornel West is currently advising presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

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Khalil Amani   |Registered71.229.195.xxx |04-11-2007 14:31:11 Khalil Amani's book "Hip-Hop Homophobes... Reppin’ homo-hop as a straight man is revolutionary, in light of the homophobia in hip-hop. It is also eye-raising and the cause for speculation about one’s sexuality—mine! But I’m not too concerned about that. I’m more concerned about the TRUTH! What is the truth? The truth is that homophobia is the result of a 3,000 year old religious pogrom that the world has bought—hook, line, and sinker!—A big-ass lie that we are forever cosigning in the name of our masculinity and heterosexuality. I don’t care who your favorite rapper is and how much money they’ve got and how many records they sell—If they rap homophobic lyrics they are as ignorant and uninformed and brainwashed and indoctrinated and misinformed and culturally repressed as the day is long! You see, I’m a real hip-hop head! I say “real” hip-hop head because a lot of y’all say you’re hip-hop but then go on and try to define what “real” hip-hop is. All of it is REAL hip-hop—from the wackest MC you’ve ever heard to the dopest MC you’ve ever heard! From the grimiest underground rapper to the most radio-friendly pop rapper! It’s all hip-hop! I’m Ancient School meets Old School meets New School meets Homo School! Ancient school? Yeah! Everybody wanna talk about those South Bronx rappers and the advent of rap/hip-hop with Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash and them! But let me hip you young cats and catettes to ANCIENT SCHOOL RAP. I’m 47 years old. I go back to the original rappers—the progenitors of this rap shyt! Who am I talking about? THE LAST POETS! I was ten years old in 1970 when them niccas came out with When The Revolution Comes, Niggers Are Scared of Revolution, Black Thighs, etc. What you know ‘bout dat? These brothas were rapping before many of you were born! Yeah, I here you! Rappers have this mentality that once you turn 30ish you should stop rapping, as though you have to be physically in shape like an athlete. Ever seen Fat Joe and Rick Ross? Got Jay-Z rapping, “30 is the new 20.” Phuck that! Listen up all you young niccas! THE LAST POETS started all this rap shyt! Respect the architects! When you were an embryo in your mother’s womb—while you were yet an unborn fetus—when you were a snotty-nosed bebe kid, these brothas were laying the foundation and groundwork for what would become known as “rap/hip-hop.” So stop hatin’ on the ancient and old school cats. ‘Cause guess what? One day you will be an old school rapper to a younger generation! Just keep living. It is from their innovations in which you rappers eat. The word “rap” is not a new word, exclusive to the hip-hop generation! “Rap” has been a part of the ‘hoodman’s lexicon for many years. Ever heard of H Rap Brown—the activist? How about Jack “The Rapper” a.k.a. Joseph Gibson (R.I.P.), the pioneer of black radio? We used to lay a “rap game” on a girl in the ‘70s. Check out movies like Superfly and The Mack and many other ‘70s “Blaxploitation” movies and you will freely hear the word “rap” being used as an expression for talking or running game on a woman. Can ya dig it baby? The Last Poets were rappers in the purest form—without drum machines, 808s, synthesizers, sampling and heavy bass lines. THE LAST POETS were poets, rappers, spoken-word artists and activists. If you claim to be hip-hop you need their album in your crate. I’ve got mine! And yes, the Last Poets were bitten by the cultural homophobia bug too when they rapped, “When the revolution comes …faggots won’t be so funny then.” Ever heard of Gil Scott-Heron? The next innovator of rap music. Gil Scott-Heron is considered by many as the “Godfather of Rap.” In 1971 he dropped Pieces of a Man. His most famous song off that album, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1971) has been bitten by the likes of Elvis Costello, Public Enemy, Prince, Common, KRS-One, Wu-Tang Clan, Bobby Brown, Cee-lo Green, Damian Marley, Jamiroquai and even Apple computers used Heron’s famous social statement, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. That’s what rap is about—REVOLUTION! Go back and check your rap history pimpin’! THE LAST POETS, GIL SCOTT-HERON, THE WATTS POETS, Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), Haki Madhubuti, Sonja Sanchez, Nikki Giovanni—these brothas and sistas were doin’ it big back in the day! Out of that Movement birthed the likes of Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Caz, Kurtis Blow and Sugar Hill Gang (the first nationally recognized rap group ca. 1979). They say “real recognize real.” Rap music is not an island! Rap music follows one continuous vein that originated from the African Griot storytellers right on down to sista Sojourner Truth who rapped, Ain’t I A Woman? to W.E.B. Dubois’ Talented Tenth to Malcolm X’s The Ballot or the Bullet to Martin Luther King’s I Have A Dream to The Last Poets/Gil Scott-Heron’s When T... Reply | Quote 0   0

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