What 2020 Taught The Culture: Hip Hop Shined In The Midst Of Chaos
By: Prince Hakeem
The world entered into last year with declarations of 20/20 vision, manifestation, and success going into the new decade. While well-intentioned, those hopes and wishes soon turned into strive, anxiety and despair in the month of March. Looking back in hindsight, many would argue that this shift happened seemingly overnight.
However, when the first confirmed cases of the coronavirus emerged in the US and abroad, no one was prepared for what lied ahead the rest of 2020. Including a global pandemic, infrastructure lockdowns, economic upheaval, police brutality, political/election chaos, and mental health crisis, it’s safe to say that 2020 was just not it. And as with everything 2020 had touched, the culture was not immune to it’s wrath. The black community was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, the music industry came to a halt with the stoppage of live performances and tours, and state-sponsored violence and systemic racism took center stage.
While the knee-jerk reaction is to forget 2020 even happened, that honestly would be a disservice. Just as we’ve always implored ourselves to look for the beneficial lessons and take aways going into previous new years, there’s an opportunity to do the same despite the ugliness of 2020. The black community still managed to be at the forefront of pop and internet culture, music, social injustice, and political activism. These events and lessons speak to the innovative nature, resilience and power of the culture.
Black People Turn Lemons Into Lemonade. Remember That.
The Black Community has always found a way to turn the lemons society throws at them into lemonade. Throughout history black people have had a unique experience pivoting through hardship and problems to find solutions in order to better their circumstances. From hip-hop starting with kids in Brooklyn, New York creating music from the break beats over drum breaks in songs as an outlet for cultural expression and mobility to today’s artists using online platforms to create innovative virtual experiences such as Quarantine Radio and Versuz. It was no different in the face of a pandemic. A surge in online businesses and entrepreneurship across many fields and interests was significant in 2020. Lesson being that when faced with adversity, lean into it and learn how adapt and change.
The Plight/Revolution is Mainstream
With 2020 being the year of social and racial reckoning, we’ve seen that the fight is no longer just at the grassroots level. Protesting and political activism are no longer frowned upon by society as it was in the 1960’s. The plight has been fully embraced. Companies across many fields and industries within America have joined in the chorus of Black Lives Matter making financial support to marginalized and disenfranchised groups top priority.
Pepsi announced a five-year, $400 million initiative to increase black managerial representation by 30%. They also plan on doubling business with Black-owned suppliers. Bank of America pledged a 4-year $1 billion dollar commitment towards economic opportunities in communities of color. Netflix announced back on June 30 that they would allot 2% of its cash holdings into financial institutions which “directly support Black communities in the U.S.” It started with an initial investment of $25 million towards black financial institutions serving low income communities.
While it’s coming across as just a step above being lip service and surface level, seeing private and public institutions empower initiatives to dismantle systemic racism, economic inequality, and government sponsored brutality clearly demonstrate the power of the down trodden’s voice.
Black Culture Moves Culture
Black culture is the culture. Period.
Look no father than the way in which the black community at large mobilizes on social media.
When the music industry came a halt with it’s concerts, festivals, and tours being cancelled, artists were clamoring for a way to provide music and entertainment for fans throughout the year. Then came Versuz. When producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland started a hit-for-hit battle over instrumental beats, it soon evolved into a celebration of the culture. Versuz became a success with audiences turning out memorable hit-for-hit battles with some of the most beloved musical artists.
We next saw social media action in response to the George Floyd protest. Music insiders Jamila Thomas and Brianna Agyeman disrupted labels and streaming platforms with their #TheShowMustBePaused initiative. This lead to Blackout Tuesday, which later led to reflection and better action. From Black Twitter, to the popularization of AAVE terms, black creators on tik tok making new challenges to the latest hip-hop records, and most recently the viral engagement and networking on the new Clubhouse app, black social media users start and move everything that is popular culture for the wider audience.
Women in Hip Hop Are For Real
If there’s one thing 2020 has taught us is that female rappers and MC’s are a force to be reckoned with. They are not just a seasonal trend. They are here to stay and are looking to lead the charge in music “on their own terms”. Artists like Megan thee Stallion and Doja Cat enjoyed a prosperous 2020 with Billboard chart topping hits like “Say So”, “WAP”, and “Savage Remix”respectively. In fact it was four black women—Nicki Minaj alongside Doja Cat on "Say So" and Beyoncé alongside Megan Thee Stallion on "Savage" —who occupied the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 for a historic two-week span. This nabbed Nicki, Doja and Megan their first No. 1s. ”Say So” also became the first single by two female rappers to reach the top of the chart. Mulatto finally came of age right in front of our eyes and had a breakout year herself.
City Girls had the summer on lock being as nasty and sultry as they want to be, making no apologies for it. Alabama rapper CHIKA went from viral IG sensation to a bonafide rising star with the debut of well received “Industry Games” debut. I could go on, but in short, the ladies in hip-hop, rap, and R&B owned 2020. Let us hopefully get to a place in 2021 where we don't see “female rappers” as a separate or subpart dichotomy within music and culture. Given the dominant year many of them had, let’s pay them more respect by just seeing them as rappers.
Rappers Need To Stop Being Their Own Worst Enemies
Closer towards the end of 2020, we saw a lot of rappers find themselves in precarious and dangerous situations which caused trouble for many. From getting jammed up with the FBI to several losing their lives due to gun violence and substance abuse, many young rappers, in more ways than not, have become their own worst enemies. While the lesson behind this growing epidemic isn't as black and white, there are some immediate takeaways to help navigate the problem.
Many look to scapegoat and place blame at the feet of sensationalist media such as DJ Vlad and Academics, but this anger is misplaced. It’s for the rapper to become wise enough to not incriminate themselves in interviews or on social media. Staying away from negative past influences and seeking professional help for the mental illnesses many suffer from is clearly a step in the right direction as well.
You Never Give Up
While 2020 has taken a lot away from many us, it’s also given us several valuable lessons to reflect upon and embrace if we choose to. Appreciate what and who you still have. Given that last year stopped a lot of movement and plans, learning to slow down and find happiness in simple things can go a long way. Lean on one another and do not be afraid to ask for help because we all are going through it. So we need each other now more than ever.. Do not underestimate taking moments to isolate yourself to do the internal work essential to personal growth. In 2021 let’s embrace doing the heart work being more valuable than doing hard work.
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