It is a blessing when remarkable people allow us to interview them. Those conversations are reflections of us both, that’s why it’s imperative that what we ask matters.
One of the people we were blessed to speak with was Hip Hop historian, One Peace Hip Hop Festival founder, and DJ Monk Matthaeus!
On August 11, 2023, DJ Monk will join Sixman and a lineup of great artists in Grand Rapids, MI for HIP HOP 50Th Anniversary Music Fest live at top-rated venue The Pyramid Scheme. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime event sponsored by WYCE Radio, NOXX and COOKIES GR, Wasted Brand Clothing, Debo Scotty (Power Moves Only), Vitale’s On Leonard, THIS ENT, and Feeding America (West Michigan).
With this cultural milestone in mind, we asked Monk THIS GOOD QUESTION: What excites you about celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and why is this milestone so culturally and socially important?
He answered, “Man, where do I begin? This year is important for more reasons than I will probably think of at the moment, but I’ll give you my thoughts as best I can.
Anyone who knows me knows how important Hip Hop culture is to me. I am Hip Hop. It is my identity. But the culture is rarely fully realized or understood, and I have mixed feelings about where the culture has gone and who claims to represent it.
What I mean by that last part is that Hip Hop is a culture. It is not rap music. Many believe that rap and rappers alone represent the culture, but it’s so much more. The “Hip Hop” that so many know today is a packaged pop culture product that formerly record companies and now media/entertainment conglomerates have hijacked to a point that is hard to swallow, and, in some cases, is unrecognizable.
Pieces of Hip Hop culture have been appropriated by so many outside of the culture to turn a profit or add a “cool” factor to their economic endeavors while mostly disregarding the aspects of Hip Hop that build community, improve mental health, and generally have a positive impact that leads to the greater good.
We are not celebrating 50 years of rap music this year. We are celebrating 50 years of a culture that was initially thought to be a fad developed by poor Black and Brown – and some White – youth in New York City. Yellow Benji helped to create the climate for creative change. The writers were writing before Kool Herc’s party on August 11, 1976. The DJs and B-boys/B-girls came before the rappers – as we know rappers today, and the philosophy of “Peace, Unity, Love, and Having Fun” was center.
Knowledge was the glue that held it all together and it was in the streets for the people by the people. We have gotten far from that beautiful storm that has influenced the entire youth culture of planet earth.
Fifty years later, I believe we should see this celebration as an opportunity. An opportunity to get back to basics and learn our history. Find ways to teach the youth coming up about their pioneers and why they started this culture in the first place. Thankfully, there are more of us older heads out here taking steps to do just that. I’m grateful to be nearly 50 years old and have this knowledge and experience to share with intentionality. I hope that as more in my age group with similar knowledge and experience of the culture move into seasoned positions of influence, we understand our responsibility and come correct.
So, to your question, why am I excited? I’m excited that I am still able to tell this story and live this culture in its authentic form. I’m excited to be able to answer this question for you in hopes my answer will spark some thought and desire to learn about our history. I’m excited to get on stage and rap August 11. I had a blast welding spray paint cans last weekend, I cannot wait to throw our all-elements One Peace Hip Hop Festival at M.L.K. Park on August 12, 2023, and I’m ready for our One of One Midwest Breakin’ Battle on August 13, 2023.
I’m ready to celebrate the whole culture next weekend just like I do all year ‘round every year.” | THIS ENT
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
