Hip-Hop: What's in a Name?

from NewsOne.com

Laugh/Riot: Wither the Hip-Hop Mayor
By Adam Mansbach

The name of Detroit's embattled mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, is seldom mentioned without the sobriquet "hip hop mayor." Kilpatrick coined the phrase on the campaign trail, swept into office on a wave of support from young voters. He has continued to evoke it ever since-as have his critics, who now appear to far outnumber any remaining supporters.

But what, really, does it mean to be a 'hip-hop mayor?' For that matter, what does it mean to be a hip-hop teacher, parent, or businessman?

This becomes an important question as 'hip-hop' is evoked to describe an ever-broadening range of activities, occupations, mindstates, and artistic endeavors. We have 'hip-hop novels' and 'hip-hop theater,' the 'Hip-Hop Political Convention' and even 'hip-hop churches.' In many cases, the tag is merely a marketing handle, an attempt to convince certain demographic groups to partake. Depending on the product and the context, these groups range from black urban adults to white suburban teenagers.

But 'hip-hop' can and should mean more. And redefining and reclaiming the term before it becomes meaningless is crucial.

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