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On this special day, it seems fitting to pay tribute to a man who raised awareness of the modern-day injustices of racism and bigotry. While he definitely was not a saint by any means, his impact was enormous.
Tupac Shakur was not simply one of the best rappers of his time, but a spokesman and a participating member of an oppressed, angry and disaffected youth. Much of his music was rejected by critics as 'gangsta rap', and rightfully so, but a good chunk of his music, in songs like "Letter to the President" and "Changes," brought the plight of the black community to a new generation in a format they could relate to. And, he made people think.
"Changes" - Tupac Shakur
Moreover, part of Tupac's genius was that he made his music, and more importantly his words, accessible to a much larger audience that included millions of white youth. He rapped about the struggles of blacks in America in modern times, from police brutality and institutional racism to the explosion of gangs, guns and drugs on the streets of the nation's cities.
Tupac did not only speak out against racism by whites, but he also called on blacks to make change because 'the old way wasn't working.'
We gotta make a change
it's time for us as a people to start making some changes
let's change the way we eat let's change the way we live
and let's change the way we treat each other
you see the old way wasn't working
so it's on us to do what we gotta do to survive
Tupac was very much an activist rapper and he received plenty of push back, ridicule and dismissal from many young black men and fellow rappers at the time. And Tupac seemed to play a line between the philosophies of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This may have broadened his appeal to a larger audience, but either way, people listened to Tupac, and people did make changes because of his influence, that lasts to this day. If Tupac Shakur were still alive, he would have been 37 years old. He was shot in Las Vegas in 1996 by a drive-by shooter and died six days later.
For the most part, Tupac never would have believed there would be a black president in his lifetime, had he lived. But that is what is so great about today. It plays right into the amazing progress we have made in a short time. For all the problems, there are triumphs happening all of the time. Yet for still too many black youth, these triumphs, even the triumph of a black president, are still faraway things in their daily lives.
Also in the song "Changes", Tupac saw the reality of a black president as "heaven sent" because it did not seem possible then, or in many ways, even two years ago when Obama set out on what many thought was an impossible dream.
and although it seems heaven sent
we ain't ready to see a black president
it ain't a secret don't conceal the fact
the penitentiary's packed and it's filled with blacks
Tupac, in his own legendary way, deserves some of the credit for helping make this day, January 20, 2009 happen because he was such an influential voice with a powerful message of social change. He helped further the discussion in a way that brought many whites and blacks together in mind, at least, and helped inch us all a little bit closer to the fulfillment of the American ideal - that all men are created equal and born with the unalienable right to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.
Today, we are a lot closer to fulfilling that promise - there's still a way to go - and it feels damn good.
And let us not forget that while we celebrate a historic leap forward in American experiment, we face troubled, if not dire, times. President Barack Obama did not win the presidency so America could 'feel good' about itself for its crimes and other injustices against blacks, he won because he is remarkably skilled in all of the ways that have the potential to reveal a great leader.
He won because he is the embodiment of the American Dream, the idea that no matter how different we may be we have common values that are consistent with the hopes of our forefathers. He won because he made his case about a new era for America, one in which most of us crave, in which we will get back on the right course and charter a new path into the future that could truly fulfill the promise of America, and to a larger extent, the world. And at the same time we need to save a planet in peril, save an entire economy from collapse and figure out a new agenda for two wars.
After at least six years of misery, mischief, mismanagement and 'mistakes' that have put America in a fragile situation, most people are ready to do away with old formulas and ideas that do not work and do things different. That is part of the equation that fueled Obama's amazing journey to the presidency.
If anyone can manage these multiple crisis', many people obviously feel President Obama can, of course with our help. Getting through adversity seems to be a common thread in his life, so it looks like we've got a good shot at getting it right - hopefully sooner than later.
Labels: Hip Hop, President Barack Obama, Tupac
(photo by the UK Telegraph)
Usually this blog is all about music. But we cannot let a transformational moment like November 4, 2008 pass without some words.
From every corner of the earth, people have reacted to the election of America's first black president, Barack Obama, with jubilation, hope and wonder. From Montreal to Beijing, Paris to Cairo, Kogelo to Baghdad and Tokyo to Buenos Aires, hundreds of millions of people know one thing today - a monumental, positive thing has happened in America that will change the course of history.
Most Americans, and people around the world, have never before witnessed such clear affirmation of the creed "all men are created equal" as the election of Barack Obama to the U.S. presidency.
When the elite colonists with their powdery wigs and feathered pens wrote those famous five words two centuries ago in the Declaration of Independence, they were wise to qualify their pronouncement with the words that followed; specifically, that all men "are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
The election of a black man to the presidency of the United States was likely never envisioned or conceived by the authors of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. But that is one of the great things about our imperfect, troubled and triumphant journey - we continue to work towards fulfilling the promise of America, and to a larger extent, humankind. Despite all of the barriers he, and we, knocked down along the way, Barack Obama was elected because he is exceptionally qualified for the job. Plain and simple.
Last evening before a crowd of tens of thousands of people in Chicago's Grant Park, President-elect Obama made it clear that America is the place where all dreams are possible:
"If there is anyone out there," he said, "who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer."
As President elect Obama made clear during his campaign, and again in his victory speech last evening, the days ahead will not be easy; "there will be setbacks and false starts," he said. Yet it is undeniable that Obama has ignited, in America and throughout the world, a new age of optimism, hope and inspiration rarely fulfilled in history.
After centuries of slavery, segregation, racism, hatred, fear and discrimination towards people of color, tens of millions of Americans said yes to a black president, and in turn, sent a clear message to the world: no matter who you are, what you look like or where you come from, if you work hard, uphold common values, do the right thing, and strive to make the world a better place, you can accomplish anything, including becoming president.
Obama's election to president is a calling to all people: live up to your potential, pursue your dreams, work together for common goals, help your neighbors, care for children and the earth, and stand up against hatred and injustice.
Like an echo from the past, the words of Martin Luther King Jr. 45 years ago, ring out more loudly now than ever before that we must not judge people by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
There is no question that President-elect Barack Obama is an extraordinary individual with a wonderful, smart wife, Michelle and two adorable young children. Anyone who has taken the time to learn about him in-depth and who has watched him over all these months can not reasonably dismiss his values and his fundamental belief that America is a great nation.
Barack Obama is a natural born leader and he has the opportunity to be a force that can change the world. Right now the world, starting with we Americans, need to change the way we do things, not just for the future of our children and the planet, but for ourselves.
Novemeber 4, 2008 and the election of Barack Obama as 44th president of the United States is a day etched into the minds of billions and a historic day that will be written into history in every language and culture on this planet for as long as there is human civilization.
It is a day that many people alive will remember for the rest of their lives. It is a time in history when we have the opportunity to come together as one world, one people for a common cause - to live in peace and prosperity without destroying our precious planet in the process.
The days that follow will test us all, and hopefully bring out the best in all of us. With so many people feeling hope again, the chances are good that great things are going to happen.
Labels: 44th U.S. President, President Barack Obama, Worldwide Reaction to Obama