Music……..It’s that unifying thing that bonds folks together who don’t even know each other, but because of the mutual love in our souls for that particular song, certified strangers are in actuality friends who have not yet met each other. Hum? Ain’t that a beautiful thing?
The interesting thing about this phenomenon is that the very same song can mean so many different things to so many different people. That’s another amazing thought. It goes even deeper than that…..music is a very powerful instrument that can motivate an individual or an entire people who share the same culture, to do exceptional things. Really exceptional things!
Music has a special way of touching your soul in places that no person can touch, because that song can literally take you back to that place you were when that song was popular. It can remind you of that person you haven’t seen for decades. It can make you feel emotions that you thought were long gone and banished, but are now just as fresh as when you lived through it all because of a song.
Time doesn’t minimize the emotions that flood every fiber of your being once that song stirs up what was so hidden deep down in the inner recesses of your soul. The Black community today doesn’t really have that connectedness to each other, and one of the reasons are because our entire culture has been hijacked by the corporate interests, as a new culture has been created for us to absorb with deadly results. We see it every day around us, but the change has been so gradual that we in essence have become that live frog slowly cooking in the pot of water on the stove that is coming to a slow boil without even realizing that he will soon become a meal.
This is not the world that I grew up in, and the music that I was immersed in from back in the day is what I utilize to escape this madness! No, I’m not in denial of the work that must be done in our communities, but in order to maintain my motivation to make a difference in my community, I must go “back” to when my world practiced a bit more of the ideals that I think are lacking so much today. I do this through deep meditation and absorbing the music from those great days.
Art, music, literary works, film, and all things creative are needed so much, and are the lifeline and precursor strength and unity for all Black communities. Once tampered with, it can yield disastrous results to say the least. Isn’t it evident in the present day as we see a stark difference from when we grew up?
I will be turning 58 in August 2013. This places me in a very unique position as are so many others who are aware and conscious in this age group to be able to see how far off of the mark we have gone, and how important it is for us to bring back those quality thought provoking creations through the arts that speak truth to power.
I, in my own small way have committed myself to doing just that, as I challenge all artists, musicians, spoken word artists, playwrights, actors, and comedians to step up the message in your work while still maintaining your sense of individuality. This is important, because we as creative thinkers have more power to affect the community around us than we actually give ourselves credit for.
The so called “powers that be” may be able to control the thinking of the masses through their powerful media outlets, but singular artists who have banded together to bring a bold awareness to the people cannot be stopped as long as we remain uncompromised and unable to be sold out for a few dollars.
Understand that it is those of us who have the great talents that are most likely to be the people who are more of a threat to the oppressors of this world at this time and all throughout history. It is those who think outside of the box and see beyond the veil that has been pulled down over the eyes of the masses that will eventually see the light because of the collective work that we do as artists.
I’ve said it before on several other articles that I’ve written and I will briefly touch on it again to clarify my point. The downtrodden oppressed communities are the places where creativity will always be produced on a higher level because of the limitations of the amenities of the rich. We don’t have certain things in our poor communities, so what do we do? We go out and find a way to create something of a similar functionality. We find a way to get it!
When you see graffiti on walls in the hood, that’s really an example of the frustrations and passion coming out in an uncensored fashion. It’s a way of expressing feelings, and it’s also a way of escaping the pain of living a life that is surrounded by hopelessness and hurt. We find a way to get around the reality of living in the box. Also, it is those people who are the creative types that are the first to sound the drums for revolution and change.
So in order to continue to execute their deadly grip on the lives to which they suck the blood from like the leeches they are, the white man must find a way to discourage those downtrodden to not even consider developing their creative sides and forging forward. The money will be good because this is what they will use to hold you down, and after a time the revolutionary spirit from within will be diminished out of the fear of losing the few amenities that your oppressor has afforded you! Hum?
The white overseer knows that to banish those who beat the drums of revolution through their unique brand of creativity will leave a people without a common drumbeat to step in unison in their battle march. Without a unifying culture through music and the arts, we will be a people divided, hearing multiple confusing commands through a fraudulent culture created for our demise by our enemy.
This is a very serious thing, and because the beats sound good on these trashy ass songs, we suck it up without a second thought! But haven’t you heard of the term “sugar in the medicine?” Well in the case of our stolen hijacked culture it’s a case of sugar in the poison!
So if we have to reminisce and go back to a time when our creations were pure then so be it! If we have to rock some Marvin Gaye that raised our awareness in an ever changing world or play The Supremes so that our young girls can see what esteem building music sounds and feels like, then so be it also!
We can’t afford to go on this downward spiral anymore, and we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to stop it! The negative momentum has been proceeding without resistance, so it will take a concerted focused effort in order for us to bring it to a dead halt! Let’s bring our true culture back and enjoy the benefits that come from it – the love, the brother/sisterhood and the collective sense of community!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment