LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Friday, February 15, 2008

Black History Month - HipHop Nation - Barack Obama

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ANzUxL8qknY

It knocks me out. I may not be sure why, but I think its power has something to do with those historic video clip images interpersed with today's HipHop nation.

And the beats of course.

As well as Master P selling 'history.'

Which tends to confirm my suspicion that there's a terrible hunger out there for history, from people who have been denied it for so long -- such as most of us in this country.

Love, C.

2 comments:

Graeme said...

I like the message, but others have done it so much better than Master P. When I was in high school he was rapping about killing people and being a "gangsta"

In my high school (Cando, ND) we were taught history by the football coach. Needless to say, it wasn't very good.


Talib Kweli
makes good socially conscious hip hop.

Foxessa said...

I know Master P.'s rep all too well.

He is NOT a nice person, which is another level to this vid, it seems.

OTOH, I also know all too well the environment out of which comes, and environment designed deliberately, you would think, to produce all these Master P.s, that came into being post the vicious anti-integration wars in New Orleans. And wars they were, and once the white population lost, they did everything they could to destroy to the public school system, and every other public works-institution. You might conclude they succeeded.

This is NOT to excuse him, you understand.

But this is what's been going on all over the country.

Once an institution's exclusivity re whites and poc is breached, that institution no longer is valued by the elite that had it to itself. You saw it happen first in education and social work, then in medicine, and now in law.

Love, C.