By Tai Saint Louis

Only hours after expressing his outrage over Busta Rhymes’ controversial song “Arab Money,” Iraqi-born rapper The Narcicyst told AllHipHop.com that he received a personal phone call from Busta himself last night (December 8), apologizing for the misunderstanding created by the song.

According to Narcicyst, the two rappers spent nearly half an hour on the phone discussing Busta’s original intent in making the song, which the veteran rapper says was meant to pay homage to Arab culture.

The Narcicyst, whose family fled Iraq years ago after they were displaced by the political turmoil said he came to understand that there may have been a bigger culprit in Busta’s lyrical misstep.

“It was a thorough explanation and he was a very respectful man,” the Narcicyst told AllHipHop.com. “He explained to me his experience as an African-American man in the States and [it] seemed to me as an experience that I can correlate as an Arab being in the Middle East and having been displaced from my nation and seeing my country being bombarded in the media, being misrepresented.”

According to Narcicyst, Rhymes revealed that he didn’t purposely disrespect Arab culture and that representing it “in a positive light” was important to his fellow rapper.

“He also acknowledged that it was definitely something that spun out of control,” Narcicyst continued. “You know, when you put out a song, you can’t really put out an essay on why you put out the song. And it’s always hard to explain to the masses.”

While some YouTube posts of the song and/or video have already been removed from the popular website, there is no word on when or if the controversial song will be officially removed from rotation.

The song is already banned in the U.K., where award winning DJ Steve Sutherland was temporarily suspended by Galaxy FM, for playing the song.

As a result of Busta’s apology and The Narcicyst has also agreed to pull his response to the song, a track titled “The Real Arab Money.”

“This is an example of how two people can come together and create something bigger than them,” The Narcicyst concluded. “I’m a strong believer in truth and breaking stereotypes down and not allowing people to box you in. And this whole experience has been a huge eye opener for me. This is what Hip-Hop is about. Two brothers from another mother can come to a peaceful and just conclusion for all sides.”

Recently, someone inquired about what they thought were a series of blogs that I released on myspace and on other websites. At first I was confused until it dawned on me that I have never explained to anyone how I keep a journal, almost a book’s worth I would say, of personal stories that detail events in my life. These stories are written without the anger, pain, sadness or bitterness that often clouded my vision at the time that these things happen. I usually only release the politically charged ones to the public, because I am not in the habit of sharing personal stories about my life, unless it is with my inner circle that gets a chance to read some of the entries at times… However, the events of the past week have provided a reason for me to bring up a story about my youth. I pray that those who I am just as close to in mind, heart, spirit and Revolutionary cause may be able to understand and hopefully identify with.

I grew up in Harlem during a time when the Apollo had underground Rap acts performing there every weekend, when Morningside Park wasn’t a place where you wanted to be without a weapon, and where they used to fight pitbulls on the steps after dark. I can remember when to the West, Grant’s Tomb used to throw huge Jazz festivals, and they would incorporate upcoming Hip Hop acts as well. This was all during the era of struggling Black businesses, the sunset of redline district ratings, and what would become known as the golden age of Hip Hop. New York City was not the police state that it is now, and while some see the city’s past as a lawless criminal haven, there was a balance in the fact that there was more culture rather than a contrived tourist attraction that nets corporations money, but that threatens to remove much of the current population. All that said, I think it would naïve to think that just because all this is true, that the old New York was better. Because I couldn’t say that to someone who lost their child to gang violence, drug addiction, murder, or a bevy of other issues that used to claim so many more lives than they do now. However the problems haven’t gone away. They’ve simply been masked in many areas and increasing the prison population hasn’t resolved the fundamental problems of social imbalance that are the root cause of many of these issues.

I was very young and unable to articulate what I can now but I remember everything. As God has blessed me with one of the best memories out of the people I know. To remember things in detail is difficult for some people but when thoughts are ingrained into my mind, they can be recounted effortlessly. Even more so often I guess because I often wrote them down in detail as a child. As all children when I was young I got into my fair share of trouble, but much more so as a teen and a young adult than as an adolescent who was more concerned with just playing stickball, arcade games (remember those?), Street Football, and talking to girls in the neighborhood.

Behind the tomb of the 18th President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant, on 122nd Street in what is now gentrified West Harlem, there is a small park. The park extends from what would be 123rd street all the way to 125th where it ends and a bridge carries the remaining road parallel alongside the Westside Highway and above what was once was the empty meat market district. The park is has a paved path with a row of benches on its side leading up to a playground where for as long as I can remember a large diverse community of people gathered over the summer. Blacks, and Latinos, including Mexican’s, Puerto Rican’s and Dominican’s from the Harlem and the Washington Heights Community have traditionally set up BBQ’s and family picnics there. The entire area was then, and still is, littered during warmer days with people who allow their children to play together in the jungle gym and swing area. I remember watching people of all ethnicities having a good time there when I was young.

Across the street from the park there is a strip of sidewalk that follows the scene I just described towards a Bridge. Like a lonely admirer, the street never joins with the park but rather continues on it’s own as a path as it proceeds over the bridge up to 135th street.

On a summer day when I was about 13 years old, I was walking down this exact same path with three of the kids from around the way, Jay, Angel, and Mark. We were walking through the park, laughing, making jokes and just basically having fun. We we’re drunk or high or scheming on anyone, we didn’t harass any females, or spit on someone we thought looked at us wrong. We brought no cause to even notice us besides the faint laughter heard from a distance as we cracked jokes on one another. Usually we just walked through the picnic area to see if there were girls there or played stickball with one of our other homies Dominican Chris (RIP) who I shouted out on the "One Remix" at the end of Revolutionary Vol.2. On this one occasion we thought we’d walk back down the path opposite the park and go down a street called Tiemann to get to 125th. I saw the long open road that followed the park, turned to the fellas, and bet that I could beat any of them to the end of the road in a race. We went back and forth, talking shit for a minute, until finally, betting a quarter water and some 25 cent cookies on the winner of the race, we all took our mark and then we ripped down the street. Just some innocent kids enjoying a summer day running through a park. I remember seeing my lead come and go as the other competitors struggled to obtain lead and excel.

As we finished the race, (Angel beat us all), we slowed our run to a jog and then stopped to rest in front of a row of steps. But no sooner had we stopped running when another competitor who had obviously been watching our race very carefully joined our group. The police cruiser pulled up right next to us in what can only be described as an unhealthy speed to try and stop a car in front of anyone let alone children. It slightly came onto the curb but didn’t jump it completely. The cops barked for us to all "FREEZE!" I can remember feeling nervous at first and then all that fear subsiding because I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong at all. The cops then ordered us all to come to the car, and we all did so quietly and reluctantly, all of us except Angel. He backed away from them towards a set of stairs that led down to another street. The cops immediately asked us who we had robbed, they asked us what we took and where we had hidden it. "I didn’t steal anything," I answered back and was told to shut up. "The only reason niggers and spics run is when they’ve stole something" was the response the cop in the patrol car.

 had seen the cops rough people up before. There is a deli near my old apartment that for many years during the 90’s was a famous coke spot that everyone from college students, junkies and business people frequented. But those were drug dealers from the hood. In Hip Hop we glamorize the drug trade sometimes, but I always understood the harsh reality of that world. I saw cops rob drug dealers before and they beat down a few drunk people on the street who were talking reckless, but I hadn’t seen them talk to children like that. They came to my elementary school once, only a few years earlier, to talk to us abut safety and drugs. So while it wasn’t the first time I had seen or heard the police get physical or confrontational with people, it was the first time it was directed at me personally. There they were calling me a nigger and a spic and accusing me of stealing something when all we had done was what their kids did in their all white community 15 miles out of New York or in a Queens suburb, race each other in a fuckin’ park.

But that was just the half of it. When Angel came back, away from the steps they all of a sudden seemed interested more in him than of the rest of us. "What the fuck did you step back from us for?" they asked.

"Why’d you run away?"

They ordered him to come towards the car. When he obeyed, the cop who was riding shotgun grabbed him by the neck and yanked him halfway inside the vehicle, leaving his little feet dangling in the air.

The cop driving slapped him in the face and growled "what the fuck are you running for? What the fuck did you steal?"

We all watched in disgust and horror at the sight of our friend being mangled by these grown men with the power of life and death over us. They asked us how old we were and I clearly remember that we each went down the line saying, "13, 12, 14, 13" and I think back on it now, noting how small we must have really been in comparison to these police officers. He then asked Angel to give him his mother’s phone number to find out where he lived, he asked him over and over, and then one of them yelled at him "don’t lie to us!" He didn’t pose any threat to them in any way shape or form, and yet they felt the need to keep hitting him. They even pulled out the top of their nightstick and banged it against his head. We all started yelling about how we didn’t do anything and again they told us all to shut up. Finally, they then let him go and told us that if we didn’t steal anything and we weren’t guilty than we didn’t have anything to fear from the police.

We walked back to our block silently, but there was a quiet attitude in Angel that I hadn’t seen before, he was not just left without words, he seemed to be silent inside. He wasn’t as badly bruised as I thought he’d be.

He had a few marks and his face was red but there was something behind his face looked like it was broken…

I am going to leave that story at this point for now, and not go far into detail about explaining to my father how useless it was to look for their badge numbers or about how this was just beginning of my abusive relationship with NYPD, who only 3 years later pulled guns on me outside of an 86th street train station because they claimed my green jacket matched the description of a robbery suspect. I could really tell a whole chapter of these stories. Almost getting killed by cops, but by then I was already a criminal, which coincidentally doesn’t mean that a summary execution of me was in order.

Scooter Libby is a criminal, he broke the law, and so did Oliver North. But I’m sure if someone shot them both tomorrow that person wouldn’t be exempt of the charges because of the victim’s status. I watch people often implant these ideas in our mind to justify what happens to drug dealers, to thieves, to people that come from a community that is persecuted or to people whose politics are adverse to our own. We are media-trained to see ourselves as a threat, rather than the system as one. Perhaps that’s why even when the cops are of color they feel more threatened by a Black or Latino person. They feel like they’re less concerned with the consequences of doing this is in our communities vs. other places where they’d be more accountable for their actions by the governing council.

Who all need to be voted out by the way, immediately!

When I went to school the next day I talked to my classmates about my crazy weekend and I found shock and disbelief from some of the white students, those who came from a more affluent background but the few Black and Latino kids were more understanding and we even shared stories of their own with each other, but not with the rest of the class, we felt like they thought the police were their friends. Imagine that… Sharing stories about police brutality in 7th grade.

I know that it’s been a horrible week for anyone out there that was looking for some sort of justice in New York. Some of us hate marching. We’re tired of it. And many others wanted us to riot, as if destroying our own neighborhoods would do anything for us. Others talked about destroying other neighborhoods, rich white neighborhoods, as if that wouldn’t bring about the wholesale slaughter of our people. Some say that this would at least highlight the difference in the way police deal with people of color from the inner city vs. other communities. Some said blood needed to be shed, and that we must expect to incur losses, and we shouldn’t be squeamish and look ahead. But these are the same "hardcore activists" that have never seen bloodshed or violence the way I have. And if we are all for sacrificing lives on the altar of Revolution then the question to be asked is, if there was only one life to sacrifice to bring attention to this police state, and it was your son, or daughter or husband who was father to them both, would you give them up? I can guarantee that while the Bell family is happy to receive the love and support from the community and the help of so many organizations to expose police corruption and seek justice, that they would trade it all to have Sean Bell back… If I was them… I would too.

Sean Bell’s murder isn’t just about race. Although it is important to point out that that the idea that one cannot be prejudice against their own race is just ridiculous because there are glaring examples of it present in our everyday lives all the time. But I firmly believe this is much more about power. The power of a growing authoritarian state who will protect it’s praetorian guard at all costs, a city who values some lives over others, that doesn’t mind paying out as long as the PBA can spin the issues and use whatever legal maneuvering with a retiring judge to make the decisions it finds favorable. It is about the power of a government to torture or kill a human being and not have to answer to the people that its supposed to represent. If our only claim to democracy is the vote we somewhat take part in as a nation 25 times every century, and not the foundation of it’s institutions, then are we not truly a democracy in name only? But I am not here to preach to the choir, I actually presented this old journal entry of mine because I want to hear YOU SPEAK… We NEED to hear you speak.

I wanted to take this opportunity to make this an open forum for people from all walks of life, all races, sexes, religions, persuasions and ethnicities to speak on their experiences with police abuse. In response to the Sean Bell killing and various other issues facing this nation Other Revolutionaries and I are working on coming up with more proactive solutions to the problem s our communities are facing. Telling these stories is a way to communicate more with one another. Marches are good to show solidarity and display the numbers of a community but they are just one tool in the arsenal that we have available to us as a people. Communication is another, and as we search for non-traditional ways to battle the system, to take it beyond complaining and press conferences, as we take it beyond the predictable means of typical protest, a greater network is necessary to establish. We are not defenseless, we are not sheep, and we will not be placated "civilians" whose diversified skills and ability to structure ourselves with military organization will be allowed to go to waste. Networking is key. (Post it either here or join the network on www.myspace.com/immortaltechnique ) where this has already started.

Please feel free to post a personal account from you or your family’s experience with Police brutality, whether you are in NY, LA, Seattle, Toronto, Russia, China, Japan, The Middle East, Chicago, Jersey, Atlanta, Miami, The West Bank, Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, or somewhere off in Latin America, in the 3rd World, where the police are the military and they are 10 times worse towards the people. Write us here from everywhere…

While we keep fighting, I and other Rebels of all walks of life make moves. So I want to hear from you, to hear your experiences so that we can learn from them, speak to one another, and form a stronger alliance. People know me as a Rapper but I see that as I always have only piece of what I am, music is really just a small part of my life, it is only the beginning of what I have begun working on.

Communication is an essential component in all types of warfare, releasing this piece of my journal and asking for you to speak on stories of your own is part of a much larger action planned to increase Communications all while moving our other projects ahead…

R.I.P. Sean Bell.

But remember, that he will only Rest In Peace when we bring those that murdered him and the state which basically sanctioned his execution, to justice. We must be well- trained, disciplined, sober, vigilant and ready for action when it comes. We remember the many that fell before Sean, and those that are still to come because this will never stop unless we take action to stop it. We are taking action this is just the first step.

We are the people. We are the Revolution.

Respectfully Submitted,

Immortal Technique

Published by Davey D

Back in 1967, Harold Cruse wrote a groundbreaking book called "The Crisis of the Negro Intellectual," in which he dissed (critiqued) everyone from the Civil Rights people, the Black Nationalists to the Black Arts Movement. Today, the issues that Cruse raised are still as relevant as they were 40 years ago, only with a Hip Hop soundtrack.

Most serious Hip Hop historians mark 1988 as the official start of the "conscious" Hip Hop movement with the release of Public Enemy’s "It Takes a Nation to Hold us Back" followed by Boogie Down Production’s "By Any Means Necessary." To jack a lyric from KRS, "these two albums started consciousness in rap."

For a four year period, it seemed that the prophesied "revolution" was just around the corner and the dreams of "Huey P" were about to be realized at any moment. However, 20 years later, we see that the promised revolution never came, replaced by a devolution of not only Hip Hop but black culture, in general.

In our never ending quest to get back to rap’s "golden era" we have neglected to ask the fundamental question.

"What went wrong?"

Although, many look back at this period as "the good ol’ days, as it is said, "the good ol’ days weren’t always good," as the failures of that period set a precedent for the Hip Hop of today. So, it is important that we study this period because if you don’t understand the years 1988-1992, then you don’t understand Hip Hop.

One of the flaws of this period was the failure of the conscious Hip Hop community to stick with the political Black Nationalist principals on which it was founded. It can be argued that, although celebrated, the Native Tongue and other successive movements actually were a well marketed deviation from the more political messages of Public Enemy; creating a movement of hippies rather than freedom fighters. Also with the rising popularity of MTV Raps and its crossover appeal, conscious Hip Hop became more Hip Hop-centric than Afrocentric.

Also, even the most militant political Hip Hop artists refused to take a stand against the West Coast "gangsta invasion" with their visions of joint tours and collaborations under the universal banner of "Hip Hop" clouding their judgment. That is why "gangsta rap" spread like a plague because the conscious Hip Hop physicians refused to provide a cure. So we allowed the African "kings and queens" concept to spiral downward into a culture of niggas and bitches.

As scholars such as Harold Cruse and Kwame Ture have pointed out, the capitalist state has a way of absorbing all opposition by coercion or force, when necessary. So the force of "the system" was too strong for young black artists, many of whom just wanted to make music and move out of "the ghetto."

This is not to say, by any means, that this applies to all of them. There have always been those who have used culture as a means to an end and not an end to a means. Many of them found out the hard way the limits of "Hip Hop Nationalism" as a socio-political force.

Despite what power the conscious movement professed to have, it was unable to organize a defense for its casualties of war such as Professor Griff and, later, Sister Souljah. Also, although the Arsenio Hall show gave national exposure to many in the Hip Hop community, there was no mass movement of these same artists to defend him after his show was cancelled for having Min. Louis Farrakhan on the program. This is despite the fact that many artists were either quoting Min. Farrakhan in their lyrics or using his voice for samples.

As it was during the Harlem Renaissance, according to Cruse, there was still an over dependency on elements that were hostile to anything with Black Nationalist overtones. However, the roles of white leftist and Euro-Jewish influence (and in the early to mid 1900’s Communist) influence on black culture is too often a taboo subject where Hip Hop angels fear to tread. Some have even argued that the whole Harlem Renaissance was just a well financed ploy to divert attention from the Black Nationalist Movement of Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association.

While some of the blame for the failure of conscious Hip Hop must be put on the shoulders of the artists, some of, if not most of the blame must be put in the hands of the Afrocentric scholars and lecturers. Many of the scholars did not see the long term value of Hip Hop in the context of the "movement."

Also, as the case is today, many are more concerned with selling overpriced books and DVD’s and getting honorariums from college kids instead of organizing "the hood." While it was understandable before the popularity of the internet for them to claim that that was the only way to get their messages out, with the ‘net and and the various PDF files, youtube, podcasts, etc, there can only be one reason why these resources are not used to give critical information to the struggling masses of Afrikan people. The scholars and the rappers are both caught up in the tangled web of capitalism.

This brings us to where we are today where the "movement" for some has become just a marketing tool to pimp a record deal from a multi national corporation.

The main and possibly the most destructive difference between the conscious movement of 1988- 1992 and today is the "dumbing down" of black culture in an attempt to capture the "gangsta market." Therefore, the over reliance on gangsta themes and the glorification of the "thug/nigga" concept has made the current direction of Hip Hop more European than African. The fact is often ignored that anyone who chooses to conceptualize himself as a "nigga" can never pose a serious threat to the power structure because embedded in the "nigga" concept is a psychological dog collar that prevents the wearer from ever biting his master, despite how loud he may bark.

It must be noted that most of those who are most impressed with the gangsterism of conscious Hip Hop are the left wing and anarchist white college kids who are a cash cow, often financing their college tours and Hip Hop summits.

Also, the cloud of capitalism prevents the Hip Hop audience from seeing that, for the conscious artist, it is the record company, itself that is "ground zero" for  the battle for the minds of African people. But they rap about an external enemy when the internal, major enemy of Black Liberation is sitting in the boardroom two doors down from their recording studio.

In order for conscious Hip Hop and Hip Hop in general to survive, it must become what the system never really allowed it to be; a way to educate, inform and inspire Afrikan people to become involved in the betterment of their global communities.

To borrow from Kwame Ture, at the end of the day white people (even the most liberal) are fighting for power but black people are fighting for survival.

And we "gonna survive America!"

*Min. Paul Scott represents the Messianic Afrikan Nation. He can be reached at minpaulscottt@yahoo.com     
http://www.messianicafrikannation.com   

"Fight the Power," "Don’t Believe the Hype," "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" – these were anthems of emancipation, empowerment and education, a lyrical call to arms charged with the poetry of Gil Scott-Heron and the fury of Malcolm X.

Today, however, political hip hop in the United States is as dead as disco. Flip through any of the music channels and a horde of diamond-encrusted children flog you with crass, self-indulgent materialism, vanity-label perfumes and a shopping list of expensive pretty things you will never own.

The articulate activism that once defined the genre has all but disappeared, leaving in its place a grotesque serving of the worst kind of capitalism – a vain, vacuous, self-serving materialism where you either get rich or die trying. Little wonder, then, that one of American hip hop’s most successful sons, Nas, entitled his last album "Hip Hop is Dead."

But, then again, don’t believe the hype. Hip hop as a political medium is far from dead. Throughout Africa and across the Arab world it is thriving. In particular, young musical renegades from Algeria to Gaza have embraced the genre as an exciting new sociopolitical platform. The subculture of Palestinian hip hop is adeptly captured in Jackie Salloum’s critically acclaimed documentary, "Slingshot Hip Hop," which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, earlier this month. Salloum’s film profiles a number of home-grown hip-hop groups, including DAM, Palestinian Rapperz (PR), Arapeyat, Abeer, Mahmoud Shalabi and more.

Another group at the forefront of this musical intifada is Beirut’s latest hip-hop sensation, Katibe 5. Refugees straight outta Burj al-Barajneh, these five talented twenty-something MCs are the heirs of Public Enemy and its ilk. As artists who combine Arabic music, political activism, social commentary and, of course, hip hop, they are creating a fresh, dynamic form of political resistance.

Each member of Katibe 5 goes by his chosen nom de guerre. Nadir, or Moscow, is the group’s stern-faced, serious and solemn pragmatist. The affable Amro, aka C-4, boasts a confident, extroverted charisma that is nowhere near as menacing as his plastic-explosives nickname would suggest. Katibe 5’s resident graphic artist is Tarek "The Butcher" Jazzar. Bobo is quick-tongued and articulate, originally from Sierra Leone. And Yousri, known as Molotov – "Or Molo," he quips, "What name do you want? I’ve got plenty" – is the joker of the pack.

These eclectic characters have been recording music together since they were 15-year-old mates in a Burj al-Barajneh school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). "No, not a school exactly. It was a small prison," Bobo promptly clarifies.

The group recently signed a deal with Lebanon’s Incognito, an upstart record label and independent distributor associated with La CD-Theque, a record shop with branches near Sassine in Achrafieh and the American University of Beirut in Hamra.

"Like the name says, they’re not commercial," says Bobo. "They’re underground." Katibe 5’s first album, "Welcome, My Brother, to the Camps," is due to be released on Incognito in two weeks’ time.

The group’s music encompasses a variety of subjects, including the conditions of refugee life, corrupt humanitarian aid agencies and non-governmental organizations, Iraq, capitalism, Palestine, the 2007 conflict in Nahr al-Bared and relaxing on a Saturday night. Inspired by the older, more political generation of US hip-hop acts, Katibe 5 shares their same idealism.

"We’re the students of Public Enemy," says Bobo. "They succeeded in teaching people and we want to continue this. Our message is sociopolitical. You can’t separate the social from the political."

Chatting on the roof of the building in Burj al-Barajneh where Jazzar lives with his family, the members of Katibe 5 converse about politics, philosophy, literature and economics with the same passion and energy they put into their music.

"Have you read Nietzsche?" asks Moscow. "You like Frantz Fanon?" chimes Bobo. "What about Yukio Mishima?" adds Molo. "You don’t know Mishima? Kenzaburo Oe then? C’mon, man. You must read Mishima, Oe, all the Japanese writers, man. They’re good. They’re like this," Molo explains, holding his thumb and forefinger together to create an exact, precise point. "They give the wall its true image."

These well-read, fast-talking, wisecracking, chain-smoking refugees don’t present themselves as musicians but rather as Marxist revolutionaries – more PFLP than Notorious B.I.G.

"We are part of a revolution," says Moscow, "a musical revolution. It’s happening here and all over the world. We’re the adverb. We come before the verb. We’re preparing people for action," he says, a Che Guevara bracelet slipping out from under his sleeve to punctuate his revolutionary rhetoric.

Katibe 5 sees itself as being on a genuine musical mission to increase awareness, educate people and instigate global action and resistance.

"We want people to wake up and realize their rights and responsibilities. We want people to realize that companies are trying to control their behavior," says C-4.

The audience that Katibe 5 addresses doesn’t only reside in the refugee camps. The group expresses a Trotskyite solidarity for all of the world’s oppressed.

As Moscow explains Katibe 5’s aims, "We have a responsibility not just to reflect this life. We’re not just Palestinian refugees speaking about our problems, or our lives in the camps, because the problems we face are not only a Palestinian problem. All over the world there are people who are oppressed, people who are incarcerated, people who are suffering."

So what or who, in Katibe 5’s view, is the cause of this global suffering? "It’s the system, man," says Bobo

"The system" is a recurring bogeyman in Katibe 5’s music and ideology: a perceived, pervasive superstructure that keeps people ignorant, poor and backward.

"We’re fighting the system," Bobo expounds, "the system that makes people blind, and makes people ignore their rights and responsibilities.

"Look at hip hop," he adds. "The mainstream record companies want to say that hip hop is about cars, b****** and getting money. You should have this, you should have that. You should have a mobile phone because if you don’t have a mobile phone, you’re not a human. [But] hip hop’s not about that."

So what, exactly, is hip hop  about, then?

"Hip hop is a weapon for all oppressed people," says C-4.

"Hip hop is a movement," says Bobo. "It has always existed because hip hop is life. From the beginning there were always people living, people suffering. Hip hop is the art of talking, of expressing yourself. Lyrics are its base. You find it in poetry, essays and here in Arabic culture. It has existed from the beginning. As long as people are oppressed and incarcerated they will have something to say."

Illustrating their point, they start free-styling over the camp’s background beats: children playing, hammers hammering, the call to prayer coming from a nearby mosque and – this being last Sunday afternoon – the sounds of deadly riots in the Dahiyeh.

"Hip hop is based on the street and so it cannot be anything but political," says Bobo, satisfied with the clarification.

Perhaps it’s a reflection of their context, youth or political and musical influences but there is an ominous paranoia undercutting Katibe 5’s worldview, as well as an open acceptance of resistance by any means necessary.

"You know what, man?" C-4 warns. "They know what hip hop does to society and they want to kill it and stop its flow."

"You have to fight for your rights," adds Molo. "Peace means politics, politics means negotiations, negotiations are meant to sustain negotiations and not bring a solution. So I say, f*** negotiations, f*** politics and f*** peace."

Putting aside the philosophical musings and antagonistic worldview for a bit, what really counts is the music and, thankfully, Katibe 5’s debut album is good, good enough to give some merit to Katibe 5’s grand ideas and political pretensions.

The group’s sound – a mix of traditional Arabic melodies, rap, beat-boxing, poetry and sampled news footage – is in many ways unique. It’s a far cry from the majority of loved-up popular Arabic music and perhaps more importantly, it’s enjoyable to listen to. Think Public Enemy with an Arabic twist – loud, satirical, relevant and hard to ignore.

The contrasting voices and styles of the five members complement one another well, and they give the music variety and depth. To be sure, some songs are a little rough around the edges, but that is also part of the appeal. On track after track, Katibe 5’s sincerity, raw energy and youthful vigor carry their music. Furthermore, the group isn’t afraid to experiment. This gives them the potential to get bigger and better, and to receive the attention they deserve.

But ultimately, they couldn’t care less about what other people think. "All that matters is this," insists Molo. "Know your aim in life, do it and then die. There’s nothing else. Everything else is emptiness."

Cabo Verde is a collective of 10 islands off the west coast of
Africa. The language spoken is called criolo which is a pigeon language comprimised of Portuguese and west African dialects. The islands are located near the equator so the hot climate and beatiful land make for a future tourist hot spot. Beautiful people, beautiful music and katchupa on sunday… nuff said!

What is Hip Hop like in Cape Verde?
Hip Hop in Cape Verde is like Hip Hop everywhere. It is an ever growing culture which influences the youth which in turn influence the world. It continues to grow and change and
evolve into a powerful force used to connect the world thru music. It also offers big business opportunities and hope to youth from the street that someday they could be the next "big thing".

What were your first experiences with hip-hop? What made you gravitate towards hip-hop? Why hip-hop as opposed to other traditional or local music?

My first experience with hip hop came at an early age. I grew up with hip hop so I was around to see many stages of the culture. I guess Herbie Hancock’s dj was my first "WOW" experience when he was cutting and scratching on "Rock It", that was fresh and it was on tv. Even my dad liked some Herbie, but he definitely didn’t like NWA or Too Short… he actually hated rap which made me gravitate towards it even more. As long as my dad hated it… I was all about it, loud rap, graffitti, all of it. It made me want more and more because it was not accepted and I loved it. I also love traditional music from my country but that belongs to my dads generation. I grew up with Hip Hop, when hip hop was a baby, I was
a baby. It was supposed to be mine… it is.

Cape Verde has many forms of traditional music and several musical legends who have been successful in the global music market (Cesaria Evora, Tito Paris, Bana, Lura). Who are your musical inspirations?
My inspirations come from many genres and time periods as far as music is concerned… Bob Marley and the Wailers, Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, Curtis Mayfield, The Roots, Sam Cooke, Tropical Power, Tavares, Common, John Mayer, Philladelphia Hip Hop and Soul, Sade, New York City, Miles Davis, Luis Morais and my dad Carlos "Diamantino" Carvalho to name a few.
What issues do your people struggle with in your country?
In my countries, Cape Verde and USA, one of the biggest problems I see is identity crisis amongst youths and lack of proper role modeling. I am confident that the negative portrayal of hip hop culture and the over exposure of violence and materialism through media has a tremendous impact on society as a whole. The violence negatively inspires the youth to become overly aggressive and out of control. Cape Verde is traditionally a very respectful culture. The negative impact of gang culture and violently
charged music is making the next generation of youth uncontrollable. It will all get worse before it gets better.

What role does hip-hop play in dealing with/talking about these issues?
I feel that hip hop as a culture is dealing with and has been dealing with these issues for a long time. The problem is that this hip hop, the true spirit of hip hop, the healing power of hip hop is overshadowed by the more popular, negative energy put out by main stream record execs, labels and stations. Until more light is shined on more positive hip hop, the culture will continue to suffer.

Can hip-hop be used as a means for political transformation?
I know that hip hop can be used for political transformation. Music is a powerful weapon. It can sway people’s opinions about life in general. If enough people recite the truth through song, it could, would and will change the world

Hip-Hop has been around for over 30 years. Where do you see hip-hop heading on a global scale over the next 10 years?
Over the next ten years I can see people in power who have grown up with hip hop making some of the worlds major decisions. I can see a turning of the tides and a rise of more positive people creating positive music and really making a difference. I believe in our culture and I embrace it. Times are hard. Hip
Hop will play an important roll in the healing of many nations

Have you four every performed together before? What can people expect at the this year’s Trinity International Hip Hop Festival?
I have performed with Tem Blessed and Shokanti before. They are both full of energy and offer an amazingly insightful perspective on life and hip hop as a culture of growth and opportunity. Peace and Love. I can’t wait for the festival to be able to share some of my music and life with the world.

1. What was your first experience with hip-hop in your country?
 
My brother introduced me to Hip Hop when I was around 8.  It was the late eighties in Canada (do the math ha).  So, you know, it was P.E., N.W.A., LL Cool J, 2 Live Crew, Run DMC, that were really ‘mainstream’ and had made it across the border.  That’s the first stuff i remember listening to, that and a lil Roxanne Shante, The Real Roxanne, of course Maestro Fresh Wes (Canada!) at the time, Michee Mee.  There were others.  anyways. ya. that’s my first memory of Hip Hop. My brother bringing tapes home.  He used to kinda b-boy. it was cute.
 

2. What made you gravitate towards hip-hop?

It  was something I just remember being raised in or around since a young age.  Not like I was a kid in the Bronx in the 80s or anything like that, but from a young age Hip Hop was popular and around.  I probably gravitated towards it because everything my brother did was cool, and he loved hip hop.  And also because I was a writer, and the lyrics interested me. I dunno. It was just a natural progression really.  I didn’t choose it.  It chose me. 
 
 

3. As a female emcee, how has your gender shaped your experience with hip-hop? (positive & negative)

 For the longest time I didn’t allow gender to really directly impact my experience at all. This was easier in Canada, where people don’t make as big a deal about race/gender/class as they do in the states (respectfully… its true… i’ve lived in both places).  I think people were always a lil more surprised to see me rock… and rock well. I think people remembered me a lil easier ’cause of this.  But I never really had much negative experiences as a middle-eastern/Canadian/female emcee until quite recently.  I think I found it easy to get shows, and media coverage, and to be respected as an emcee with skill.  I find it a lot harder to be taken seriously by most A&R’s, or people in the industry with the power to finance projects and get my music out there.  They’ll tell me to come back when I’ve accomplished bla and bla and bla… and I believe them, and I do, and then when I do come back with all my "to do’s" crossed off, they come back with another excuse.  While my male counterparts who have only accomplished as much as I have, or less in some cases, get put on.  That happens a lot.  My peers in the field look at me and shake their head, like ‘we don’t understand why you don’t have a proper label deal’ or etc.  But I gave up on caring.  It’s not personal.  I just do me.  I Let Go.
 

4. You have toured throughout the world, how has your music been accepted differently in other countries?

It’s been accepted with open arms.  At least to the places my music has reached.  Still gotta reach Japan, and India, and other countries   But ya – I find anyone that gets there hands on my music across the Atlantic and Pacific generally are like, "WHY havn’t we heard of you before?!"  That’s not me being arrogant, that’s just the truth.  I love Australia, and Germany, and Switzerland, and South Africa, and Romania, and you name it for that fact.  They keep me doin’ what I’m doin’.  They tell me – by their responses – that I ain’t crazy to be doin this. 
 
 
5. Being someone whose lived both in the states and Canada how do the cultures differ? Is this difference represented in the music?

*Laughs*.  How much time we got?  In my humble opinion, and opinions differ on this subject, Canada and the U.S. are very different culturally from each other.  At least in my little world of Hip Hop.  In terms of music in Canada, we judge people moreso based on merit and skill than image and life story.  The packaging we could care less about, we respect the quality of the product.  In the U.S. (music Industry that is) I think it’s more about the packaging and marketing and image and hype than it is about actual quality or talent.  Thats how I see it.  That’s – once again – just my humble opinion. 
Culturally – we’d be here all day. lol.  Let’s just say this: Canada has issues.  Every country does.  But our issues concerning race/class/gender… pale in comparison to the U.S.  Living in the U.S. as shocked me into that realization.   That’s all I have to say about that (*smiles*) 
 
 
6. What issues do people struggle with in your country?

Well. Good question. We deal with poverty, we deal with racism, we deal specifically with ongoing aboriginal rights and issues, we deal with single-parent homes and gun violence and drug abuse and homelessness and much more.  I’ve been in the U.S. for the past few years, so I’m not up on the most timely news.  But what I will say, is in each of these areas that we struggle and the media hypes up and people protest about… we have it good compared to the U.S .   Whether that be poverty, racism, gun violence, homelessness, drug abuse, cost of education, you name it.  So that’s not to say that we don’t have issues.  It’s just to say that – Thank God – it could get a lot worse.  And hasn’t… yet.  I’m humbled, honored, and proud to be from Canada.
 

7. What role does hip-hop play in dealing with/talking about these issues?

 Hip Hop – or music in general, not just Hip Hop – has always been a forum for people to educate and discuss and express about issues that concern them.  So I think it goes without saying we have emcees up here that talk about issues in relation to us in Canada.  That’s just … obvious… to me.
As an example, I tour Canadian High Schools with The 411 Initiaitve for Change (www.whatsthe411.ca) , performing in a show about AIDS Awareness.  That’s just one little example.

8. Can hip-hop be used as a means for political transformation?
 
I think so. I think Hip Hop is a medium that young people will listen to, respect, mimic, admire.  So in that way, if young people’s heroes (ie. hip hop artists) decide to take on a certain political stance, then I’m sure it will follow suit that their listeners will become more informed about that stance or take on that stance as well.  1+1=2.  Am i over-simplifying the question? I hope not.  To me it’s obvious.  I am a part of an organization called "Apathy is Boring" ( www.apathyisboring.com) designed to encourage young people in Canada to become a part of the political process by voting.  The organization uses music as one way to involve the community in the political process.

9. How has hip-hop transformed your life?
 
Personally it’s given my life purpose.  That simple.  I’ve never really struggled with ‘why am I here, where am I going’ type questions.  (until quite recently, *laughs*, but that’s another story).  My whole life I knew why I was here and where I wanted to go.  And that was because of my involvement and talent in Hip Hop.  I still viewed school as essential… I got my degree for that reason.  But Hip Hop was always my Plan A. 
It has also transformed my life in the way it has allowed me to interact with people from all over the world.  It’d made me a global traveller, and due to that has opened my mind to many things in terms of religion, sexual orientation, race, you name it.  I am poor (by North American standards).  I would have never been able to travel to all these different places if it was for Hip Hop. I am so blessed. I wouldn’t be at TRINITY meeting y’all if it wasn’t for Hip Hop! :-p
You Know?!
(*smiles*)
 

10. Hip-Hop has been around for over 30 years. Where do you see hip-hop heading on a global scale over the next 10 years?

I hate this question. hehe. I’ll be honest with you. I don’t consider myself an authority on the subject, or someone who can predict the future. I will just say – like many other artistic and entertainment mediums – we will continue to grow, break the last man’s records, expand, morph, change, evolve.  It will never be what it once was.  I just suggest that anybody that considers themselves a Hip Hop Head to grow with it… ’cause it’s not standing still.

What was your first experience with hip-hop in your country?

My older brother was the first to introduce me to Hip-Hop. He had a tape with KRS One’s “the bridge is over” and I remember trying to memorize the words of that song. Hip-Hop spread like wild fire during the early 90’s. Everyone had the high tops haircuts and karl kani jeans back then. Some were even wearing bubble jackets in 90 degree weather. But when Public Enemy came to Ghana in 94’ for Panafest and did a free show at the stadium, that was when I knew I wanted to be a part of this culture.

What made you gravitate towards hip-hop?

The freedom of expression it gave people like me on a whole other continent. It was obvious these rappers were the outcast of society and they had found a voice through Hip-Hop to let the world know what they were going through. I was attracted to the possibility that one day I too will have an opportunity through Hip-Hop to let the world know about the struggles we were going through in Ghana.

Why hip-hop as opposed to other traditional or local music?

I have always loved our traditional music, being that I grew up playing the djembe in our local drum and dance troupes. I always found a way to add traditional music to my version of Hip-Hop. I guess the reason why I lean more towards Hip-Hop is that it has become the global form of communicating…almost like the lingua franca of the disenfranchised. I know I can go anywhere in the world and meet someone who does not speak English, Akan or Yuroba but speaks Hip-Hop fluently.

What issues do your people struggle with in your country?

Predatory loans from the likes of the World Bank and IMF who have successfully replaced the old colonial system. Structural adjustment plans which disregard our basic human needs in favor of globalization. Education that is not tailor made for our practical purpose therefore promoting extreme brain drain by our professionals. Corruption.

What role does hip-hop play in dealing with/talking about these issues?

Hip-Hop has helped shed some light on the reality on the ground. Through international artist touring more on the continent, media attention rises and hopefully through that some of these issues can be solved. Also local artist speaking about these issues in their rhymes goes a long way to educate the masses.

Can hip-hop be used as a means for political transformation?

Hip-Hop is political transformation by nature. We are all transformed by the power it has to uplift our intellect and educate us on basic human and civic rights.

Has hip-hop created a viable source of income for your people in your Country?

Absolutely, where I’m from we have found a way to flip Hip-Hop into our own using local languages and calling it Hip-Life. Many people have made a good living doing Hip-Life and hopefully many more will.

What are the biggest problems facing the hip-hop scene in your country?

The lack of much political content in our local music has always baffled me. For a people so disenfranchised, I’m always astounded by how much the party and bullsh*t theme has dominated our soundscape. I believe that more can be done to educate our people about their rights through the music.

What do rappers in your country feel the biggest problems facing hp-hop in the United States?

I think the over commercializing of the art is the biggest issue we see with our brothers and sisters in the United States. The blatant disrespect for the culture as a whole and women specifically. That is the sad reality of where Hip-Hop is today.

Hip-Hop has been around for over 30 years. Where do you see hip-hop heading on a global scale over the next 10 years?

I believe most of the influential artists who will dominate Hip-Hop in the next 10 years are going to be international artist. Akon is an example of where the art is going. The internet is another tool that will influence the next 10 years of Hip-Hop. Easy accessibility to music through file sharing will introduce the world to artist they would have never heard of. People are tired of the same old themes and will welcome some fresh concepts and ideas.