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A Hip Hop Manifesto©

From: THE INNER CULTURAL EXCHANGE INSTITUTE

WORDS ARE THE TRUE POWER OF

HIP HOP

…And God said: let there be light…
The Torah of Moses

…In the beginning was the word…
The Gospel of Jesus

…Read! In the name of your Lord who created…
The Qur’an of Muhammad

HISTORIC TRADITIONS:

Contrary to public perception and or popular opinion the above three traditions are in fact the very foundation upon which rest both the problems and solutions to what has become the greatest political, military and social crisis mankind faces today. The world can no longer remain indifferent (silent) to and or ignorant (in denial) about the reality of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions and their decedents Zionism, Democracy and Islamic Shari a. The 21stCentury and its dazzling array of technology has blinded the world to the reality that WORDS and the response of people to them, written, spoken etc. have just as much power. Just as in the beginning, so throughout this march of human history it is and will remain the ‘Power of Words’ that lead people bind them, unite them, and or sever them. It is through the power of words that laws are established boundaries and national borders are fixed, people are set free or enslaved, wars are declared and the peace is made. It is the sound each human makes at birth and the cry of every soul at death. Words are the most powerful of human expressions. And today no other group of people on the face of the earth has the ear of the human family through the power of words, speech and has captured the hearts and minds the very souls of the masses of humanity like the Culture of Hip Hop.

The history of what we call Western Civilization has at its very roots the above three traditions and unbeknownst to most of those in the culture the true reality of these same traditions (political and social) and their overwhelming influences of each and every one of our lives. The Judeo/Christian twist of the 10 Commandments of Moses is the foundation upon which rest the entire judicial and legal system in Western Civilization. The Christian tradition’ render unto Cesar that which is Cesar’s and unto God that which is God’s’ lay the seeds of what we in the West call secularism, the separation of church and state. From these
Traditions evolved the foundation of the Constitution of this country. WORDS! Words spoken by humans that forever altered the destiny of mankind.

WORDS-HUMAN RESPONSE-MOVEMENTS:

History tells us that mere words alone however eloquent and or soul stirring, all too often have fallen on deaf ears. History also teaches us that words that galvanize the masses of people often plant the seeds that spark Movements and it is these shifts in human thinking that translate into Movements that alter and change the course of history. History and the echo of spoken words (ETERNAL TRUTHS) have left a lasting impact on the course and destiny of mankind. From Moses’ cry of ‘let my people go’ we have witness the continued struggle of oppressed people for thousands of years. Jesus said: ‘no greater love that this, that a person gives his life for his brother’. Today the world calls suicide side bombers. Muhammad said: NO GOD but ONE GOD and the forces of idolatry (money, fame, lust, power etc.) still wage war against this most profound of all truths. And so to our passage into history is not unlike those before us. The 20thCentury has added its VOICE to the march of human development. We’ve heard the voice of a diverse group of people here in America and across the globe the past 100 years and it has altered, changed and touch all of our lives no matter race, gender or economic standing. Perhaps no two forces greater than the Communist movement in Russia and the Nazi movement in Germany altered the geo/political landscape of the world these past 100yrs. and so to the collapse of both. While here in America the Civil Rights movement and the Feminist movement forever changes the political and social fabric of this country. Each found its VOICE in human speech as a reaction to social conditions, and each galvanized the masses into a shift in the “COLLECTIVE COUNCIOUSNESS” the collective thinking, collective approach to change. Social, political and economic movements that challenged confronted and ultimately replaced existing status quo. The voice of the masses ALWAYS begins with the words of a few.

THE CROSSROADS AND HIP HOP CULTURE:

Just as the two most influential political and social movements of the past 50yrs. here in America the Civil Rights and Feminist movements faced a crossroads in direction and approach so too the “ Movement of Hip Hop “ as a social and political force has reached a crossroads. For the culture to view the recent Presidential Elections as anything more than a response to the Cult of Personality in relation to Hip Hop as a MOVEMENT is a joke. As there exist to date no fundamental measurable growth and or directional movement in the culture (no national or international vision). And if Hip Hop is to evolve into a Movement of real social and political reform, then Hip Hop too must under go a “collective shift” in consciousness, thinking and approach. This shift can only take place once we separate the “IMAGE of HIP HOP from the VOICE”. The future of Hip Hop as a social and political Movement lies in understanding the past (the roots) and how the VOICE became a slave to a manufactured Image.

The past 25yrs. in the evolution of Hip Hop ‘consciousness’ has saw no greater shift in directional content than that of corporate and individual materialism over pure social and political expressionism. What began as a voice for social and political dissent (urban political, social and economic stagnation) has succumbed to naked materialism and unchecked immorality. The door to this disintegration in content and message was open when Corp. America (The Image Maker) saw an opportunity to make huge amounts of money as the market for those ‘tales from the HOOD’ captured Johnny and lil-Suzie’s attention in suburban white America.
Once the Fresh Prince proved ‘SAFE’ i.e. entertaining and profitable “IMAGE OVER CONTENT” became the blue print. And what is true of all great social movements so too in Hip Hop. The established order (record industry and corp. America) could never accurately predict its next ‘shift’ and hip hop’s next shift took a violent and addictive turn in expression and image. Gangster Rap (glorification of non-conformist behavior as a direct result of spiritual and moral degeneration) was and remains the most addictive social drug of American youth. It is but an offspring of the larger societies overall spiritual and moral collapse. (President-Elect Obama recently spoke of reclaiming America’s Moral Stature) This IMAGE of the THUG had become the new hero in American folklore. The late 80’s and throughout the 90’s saw ‘tales from the hood’ become reality T.V. shows on local late night news and Corp. America made Billions selling , promoting , and repackaging that IMAGE. What Tupac and Biggie did economically for Hip Hop can never be fully understood by the masses, (new heroes for mass consumption). What corporate America did too Tupac and Biggie may go down as the biggest economic PIMP PLAY in human history even bigger than the African/Euro slave trade. Before they made money ‘off of you’, now you pay’em to enslave you morally, spiritually, politically, socially and economically.
Before you WORSHIPED HIS IMAGE (Eurocentric interpretations of reality), now he has ‘SOLD’ you on the worship of your own.

WHAT YOU DON’T “SEE”/WORSHIP:

The culture needs to understand this Eternal Truth. The ACCEPTANCE of and ‘willing submission to’ an ‘imposed life style’, way of life governed by and obedience to rules, laws, customs, traditions of permissible and impermissible etc. that goes against fundamental Human Nature and Moral Conscience is in fact WORSHIP. The masses worship an Image i.e. life style and this image(this life style) has established Moral and Ethical STANDARDS approved and accepted as proper and correct by us, What we SEE as representative of Hip Hop culture millions of our youth and young adults are being taught is a morally and ethically acceptable life style. There exists no balance or counter weight to this IMPOSED life style. Modern day IDOLATY has replaced spirituality and any moral value systems. THIS IS WORSHIP. Silence total and absolute in the face of this CALL to the worship of this IMAGE (LIFE STYLE) is proof of a people’s willing submission. What we see, promote, support, inculcate in our lives, allow our children and youth to idolize, our home environments to nurture, that which we imamate in our speech, dress mannerism etc. That which reflects our social and interpersonal relationships THIS IS WORSHIP. “ Have you seen a person who has taken his/her own vain desires as a God?”

The Image Maker has seduced the masses in Hip Hop Culture into the Glorification and Worship of Images (A LIFE STYLE) that appeals to human desires which promote moral and spiritual destruction. “REALITY” has been defined for the people in direct proportion to their decent into moral and spiritual Self-destruction. When 11 and 12 year old sons ask their father’s to go to strip clubs for birthday presents, when 9 and 10 year old little girls wear thongs beneath hip hugger jeans and we think its cute. When sexual intercourse and its many suggestive layers becomes the visual narcotic used to seduce the youth and strip them of their moral decency. When alcohol and drug usage are promoted as socially acceptable, pushed literally as ‘being cool to do’. When ‘REALITY’ says: gun toting and senseless violence are the normal problem solving solutions. When prison sentences are glorified as rites of passage and the drug game is the aspired to choice of career occupation. When womanhood is defined as mutable childbirths before one finishes high school. When poverty and literacy are ‘CHOICES’ made “COLLECTIVELY” for us(from forces outside the Culture).When death is no longer an end to life but a legacy of a generation of lives cut short. One must ask; who taught you this? Who has said to you: this is REALITY? “ There are those whose SPEECH BORDERS on MAGIC”.

No human form of expression is more powerful than the Spoken Word. The ESSENCE of Hip Hop
from its inception has been rhythmic manipulation of the Spoken Words. The Power of verbal communication and its effects on people is incomparable to any other human expression. “ WORDS’” that can and do uplift the human sprit are WORDS that can also debase its very nature. Human speech has the capacity to at once generate the highest of human emotions(love) as well as the lowest of human sicknesses(hate). Words have freed the human soul and enslaved body, mind and soul. Human emotions find there truest expression in WORDS, while our mental and psychological perceptions (the ‘I’ and ‘me’ we SEE ourselves as) are made-up “CREATED” from WORDS. The world we see and the reality we call ‘LIFE’ are defined by the words. Each and every human characteristic has ‘WORDS’ that define it. Love, hate, family, friendship, trust, loyalty, justice, injustice, freedom, slavery, poverty and wealth. God, good, evil. Righteousness, unrighteousness, life and death. War, peace, right, wrong, light, darkness, beauty, ugliness. “ WORDS’” words that can and do possess the POWER to LIVE to come to life through human expressions. And it is through this human expression also that words seduce, charm, enchant, dazzle, mesmerize, captivate, enthrall and in some cases enrapture. All of the above Hip Hop has cast over the masses through SPOKEN WORDS, most call it an ART FORM what most don’t know is there are many “ ART FORMS” that use spoken words. And: THERE ARE THOSE WHOSE SPEECH BOARDES ON MAGIC.

The ‘MARRIAGE’ of spoken(lyrical)words and melody are what we call in Hip Hop Rap Music(the most profound influence in all of hip hop’s cultural expressions). This marriage has TRANSFORMED Western Popular Culture, socially, politically, and economically. And it is this same transformative power in Hip Hop that has spawned a World-Wide following. The HIP HOP CULTURE: music, fashion, business investment, activism, educational study, innovations in entertainment, trends in marketing, the arts, literature, film etc. All these are the by-product of the movement, culture, consciousness we call Hip Hop. Millions of people all over the world embrace the Hip Hop life style as an alternative to traditional life styles, and whether or not we chose to SEE it as such the fact , the unquestionable TRUTH remains. The acceptance of and ‘Willing Submission to’ an IMPOSED LIFE style that goes against human nature and moral conscience IS worship.

WHAT YOU DON’T “KNOW”/ SLAVERY:

Slavery is generally defined as the suppression and or capture of a people or person physically or mentally against their will. Most of us view freedom as the opposite of the above two (2) conditions. And most of us likewise have absolutely no idea nor can we conceptualize slavery of ‘The Human Will’. Physical freedom has never been an obstacle to slavery of the will (ex. Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism). As a matter of fact physical freedom as ‘DEFINED’ by Western Civilization and feed to the masses is the ‘KEY’ to mental, emotional and psychologically slavery. How so? At its base level, it’s most primitive nature; humans have three (3) overwhelming primary natural drives (desires). Hunger, shelter and physical gratification. Most humans never evolve beyond ‘seeking satisfaction’ of these three human desires, not on a conscious level. All other human development with the exception of ONE (1) can be traced back to one of these three primary human desires. Money, wealth, careers, jobs, family, relationships, politics, class struggles, societal structure, education, science etc. Power, fame and misfortune the entire spectrum of human endeavors springs from these three (3) primary Natural Drives. Simply put: control the satisfaction of these natural drives by “DEFINING HUMAN ENDEVORS WHICH SPRING FROM THEM” and the acceptance of these ‘DEFINITIONS’ slowly kills the human WILL to seek its TRUE IDENITY. ‘Hip Hop’ as defined by the Image Makers is slowly killing the ‘Human Will’ to SEEK its TRUE IDENITY in millions of people all over the world. ‘Hip Hop Culture’ as defined by the Image Maker feeds and promotes, sells and ‘IMPOSES’ on the masses a way of life(life style) that appeals to and satisfies those primary ‘Base Levels of Human Existence’. At its core this culture thrives because it destroys and suppresses at an early age in adolescence (8 to 12yrs.)And young adulthood (13 to 17yrs.)any chance for the GROWTH of ‘MORAL CONSCIOUSNESS or any sense of a BALANCED HUMAN NATURE’ What hip hop culture claims as ‘IDENITY’ in reality is submission(self-imposed) to IMAGES ‘IMPOSED’ on it through satisfaction of its desires. Money, fame, power, the illusion of control of one’s destiny have all been DEFINED not by the Culture( Conscious expression of the human will) but by those who TRULY made, make and control the Culture. The masses ‘FOLLOW’ chase, enrich and pay HOMAGE to, WORSHIP the Image of Hip Hop. The few ‘PROJECT’ and act out these Images and as so many like to say “ eat off the GAME” while the Image Makers continue to ‘SEE’ the big picture. How WORDS and the people’s response to them create movements in human development and in turn shape and alter the course and destiny of human history.

HIP HOP CULTURE A GLOBAL APPROACH IN THE 21stCENTRUY:

Center stage in world affairs (as opposed to Hip Hop’s existence which is a micros in the affairs of global Human Development) at the dawning of the 21stCentury are three(3) Cultural Traditions that have ROOTS in the three(3) Major Religious Faiths of the world, the Jewish, the Christian and Islamic faiths. Fundamentally the only remaining civilizations of any Geo/Political significance as we enter the 21st century are Western Civilization and Islamic Civilization. The most powerful and influential people of the Western block are the United States of America and Israel. The apparent claim to the leadership of the Islamic block is what Western Civilization has labeled Islamic Fundamentalism. As an aside, Communism as seen in China has a cancer call Capitalism (recent economic problems here in America point to many inherent defects in the Capitalist system) and the developing Euro-Union is in decline morally and spiritually and will be faced with tremendous Immigrations issues in the coming decades. The continued development of Western Civilization and Islamic Civilization as World Civilizations depends TOTALLY on how each of them remains TRUE to its “TRADITIONS”. The growth and development of Hip Hop Culture and here we mean the masses of people(once a SHIFT in CONSCIOUSNESS and THINKING takes place) into a GLOBAL MOVEMENT of true and significant geo/political influence rest in ‘ALLEGENCE’ to one of the above traditions. No matter how you do the math, when stripped naked and exposed in the ‘Light of History’ what drives each of theses traditions is their unquestionable belief (view of REALITY) in their traditions and BELIEF in their “GOD GIVEN RIGHT” to be the LEADERS (GOD’S CHOSEN RULERS of MANKIND ON EARTH).This is the heart and soul of what America and its leaders ‘BELIEVE’ about what they call Democracy.(see Barak Obama’s election night speech) The supreme reality of Israel is rooted in their ‘BELIEF’ as being the “CHOSEN PEOPLE of GOD” i.e. Jews v. Gentiles. All else in Jewish life flows from this REALITY. While the Islamic Tradition holds that none and nothing (No Governmental system, Nationalities, Human inspired way of life) is to be worshiped. followed, obeyed and or submitted to but GOD and the only acceptable way of life for mankind is TOTAL and COMPLETE SUBMISSION (ISLAM) to GOD. What we see in the world(no matter what we may call it or define it as) today is a struggle ideologically(war of WORDS or IDEAS) that has been ongoing for over 2000yrs. that has pitted these three(3) traditions against each other. The stakes being “RULERSHIP over the HUMAN FAMILY”. We can label Culture, Governments, Societies, Civilizations anything we like but the TRUTH, the REALITY of the Movement of Human Development since the dawn of Human Civilization has and always will have at its CORE this struggle for ruler ship on earth. This point of fact(world VIEW of human development) is non-debatable, to counter claim shows either ignorance and or continued attempts to ‘enslave’ the masses with falsehood, lies, definitions of reality as a TOOL to enslave i.e. His-Story, in one’s efforts to maintain control over the “ WILL of the Masses” in their search and struggle for true identity. And if we can keep it 100, don’t say S---! We done heard it all before, that’s the problem. It’s ALWAYS YOUR VERSION of His-Story and not the TRUTH of what really happened and more importantly what’s REALLY happening NOW! (see recent economic problems).

Without doubt the most eye opening event to reawaken the ‘CONSCIOUSNESS’ of the masses to this struggle as we enter the 21st century, were the events of Sept.11th,2001 and the subsequent War on Terrorism. What is more tragic than the event itself is the world and Hip Hop’s return to self imposed ‘SLEEP’ regarding this historic Shift in the realignment of the Players in this on going ‘WAR of CIVILIZATIONS’. Absent the cosmetic displays of outrage, horror, grief and the almost Broadway like produced tributes. The 9/11 ‘attaches’ were processed by the masses(worldwide in Hip Hop) and responded to in the same desensitized manor as the genocidal ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Rwanda in the mid-90’s. The mass starvations in Africa in the 80’s, the continuing worldwide HIV pandemic, Darfur and the list go on and on. Death, war, terrorism senseless killing etc, as programmed to us, has been “DEFINED” as valueless (of no benefit to us and so of no real concern) in our never ending quest to satisfy our PRIMARY HUMAN DESIRES (hunger, shelter. personal gratification). And so that part of our Human Nature that NORMALLY would rebel, revolt, and fight against such an assault against Human Dignity. Accepts, submits to, and remains SILENT about it and this SILENCE of “INACTION” is in an of itself a programmed response. It’s called Collective Condoning of an Action through SILENCE as SILENCE is a CHOICE too. When the masses of people however good their intentions remain inactive towards open social evil and injustice they then become a bigger problem than the acts themselves. The crossroads Hip Hop faces as we spoke of before has to do with the Culture making a historic ‘SHIFT’ in response to and activism involving greater issues, and global affairs with an eye towards historic consequences,(as one leader recently put it A DEFINNING MOMENT). The last few years have witness a growing dissatisfaction within the Hip Hop Culture. With the redundant messages and images of thugged out drug slinging’ gun popping, money stacking, Christial sipping, ghetto fab living, dime piece d---- sucking, Iced out sittin’ on dubs riddin’. Pimp, playa’ and Ho’s claiming, fake azz gansta’ portraying laced over slamin’ beats…message of reality, of what’s REAL. Listen-up NIGGA’!!!

We THANK YOU for your efforts, your hard work and your sacrifices. We feel your losses and we applauded your successes. You have POSITIONED THE MOVEMENT to step onto the BIGGEST STAGE of all; your VOICE now has reached a WORLDWIDE EAR. The DOORS are open to an unimaginable opportunity to affect and change the course of Human History. We “SEE” what you never saw, we “KNOW” what you were never taught and we have waited and prayed for this moment our whole lives

“YOU ARE THE BEST PEOPLE EVER RAISED UP FOR MANKIND”.

Every great Movement in human history achieved success through the committed efforts of the offspring’s of Adam (simply put: HUMANS MAKE HISTORY). The ruler ship over Mankind was a TRUST given to his seed in Abraham. (All three (3) traditions confirm this reality) and we are the BEST PEOPLE EVER RAISED UP FOR MANKIND, We are the TRUE VOICE of HIP HOP, we are the real future of the Hip Hop Movement and the future begins NOW!

THE FUTURE OF HIP HOP: It Always Begins And Ends With War

Change is inevitable in any movement and so too resistance to change. The forces that control the direction and definition of Hip-Hop as a Culture will be the first to resist any change as they stand to lose more so than the individual players involved. Nonetheless, change has appeared on the Hip Hop scene and the BATTLE for the very SOUL of the Culture has begun.*see notes. Very few people leave a legacy as endearing, a message as profound and lasting impressions on the WHOLE of HUMANITY as have these five (5) illustrious individuals. No greater WORDS were spoken by greater men. No reaction from the masses of humanity was ever recorded from words or works of greater men. No names remain embedded in the hearts and minds and on the lips of generations upon generations of humans as these rare souls. And finally, no people or persons in the history of human development has altered, shaped and made HISTORY as these have:

Say: We believe in that which was reveled to NOAH, ABRAHAM, MOSES, JESUS and MUHAMMAD…

Western Civilization has open the 21st Century with a “CALL” to humanity to approve of and support their belief in the principles and establishment of Democracy as the only ‘rule of governing’ mankind (see Bushes 2002 State of the Union address) As a subculture within the larger American Society Hip Hop has by choice in its silence given allegiance to Western Civilization attempts to seek ‘ruler ship’ over the human family. The 2008 Presidential Election and the election of Barak Obama as the first African American(with family and historic ties to ISLAM) becoming President now opens-up a Cultural Door unprecedented in American/Western Civilizations history. The dynamics of this historic ‘SHIFT in THINKING’ here in America will be discussed in depth in our second (2) discourse. We say here and now however, that your SILENCE neither speaks for us nor does your Image represent us. We say that the very foundation upon which Democracy rest the separation of Moral, Ethical and Spiritual affairs from the affairs of STATE are principles that the Culture of Hip Hop would OUT-RIGHT REJECT(if the dynamics and there subsequent results were Truly Understood by the masses in the Culture). As the Belief and the Truth of the doctrine of Secularism, the separateness of the Creator from the affairs of HIS creatures is Immoral, and contrary to Human Nature.

“Wars Always Begin With WORDS”

The most dominate Culture in America today is Hip Hop culture. And yet Hip Hop Culture is also the weakest voice in the affairs of American governance. The last Presidential Election (2004) clearly manifested this weakness. Some have credited Bush’s reelection to a ‘Moral Shift’ in the countries collective response to global affairs.*see religion & politics This years elections have less to do with Moral Reform in young people and more to do with the ‘Marketing of Personalities’ and the true effects Image and the selling of an Image in Hip Hop as it shapes and defines its direction and growth.(more in our second(2) discourse).If in fact Moral factors did play a role in the 2004 elections as the Culture was unable to deliver John Kerry a victory are we to assume they played a factor in this years elections? If that be the case, what does this ‘shift’ in Moral Consciousness’ say about the Moral State of Hip Hop and where does Hip Hop as a Culture in fact stand morally?

Suffice to say Morality is best defined as generally accepted standards of Right and wrong, Character and or Conduct. Viewed in this light Hip Hop Culture’s moral position greatly differs from that of the larger society.*see notes And one may go so far as to say that Hip Hop’s Moral position “Clashes” with the larger society. Perhaps their ‘differences’ are nowhere more evident than Hip Hop’s “IDOLARTY” with regard to its Image’s (what the World SEES Hip Hop as ). And it is here that the first (1) battle for the soul of Hip Hop Culture will be fought. In the upcoming months through the gracious efforts of print, radio, cable, internet media and many other sincerely concerned organizations. We will continue our efforts to challenge, confront and SHAKE-UP the lethargy that has stagnated and threatens to kill the health and productive movement towards serious reform in the Culture. Our stated purpose will remain committed throughout, that being positioning the Culture to evolve into a Movement and a Platform from which a serious and effective message can resonate in our efforts to remove the tools of enslavement of the Human Will in its pursuit of its true identity.

THE ICE INSTITUTE

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