A requiem to the streets: An act of kindness for the ghetto’s that raised me.
The anti-blackening is happening. In the recent weeks with the “YN” quarter zip & matcha trend and the loud utterance of “Fuck the Streets!” The streets and the inhabitants should be vastly put on notice. May these words be my own requiem to the streets. An act of remembrance of the United States Ghetto that raised me to be.
I could never be one to champion the phrase “Fuck the Streets”, because inherently I would then be saying fuck me and countless others who came before me who had no choice but to grow out of those streets. I could never say “Fuck the Streets” because the lessons from the streets grew so many great leaders. Essentially the streets have been the genesis for the styles and trends all over the world. Hip Hop came from the streets as a means to solve gang violence and enforce community awareness amongst the youth. Social movements such as the Black Panther Party, although lead by Huey P Newton who was a UCLA student, was a movement birthed in the streets of Oakland. The Black Panther Party was also responsible for the creation of countless social justice programs such as early childhood education programs and community breakfast programs that have been adopted and still used by the Federal and local Governments today. When you come to think of it. The streets, trends, thoughts and ideas from the inhabitants of the inner cities have been cultural fuel for not only America, but cultural fuel for the entire world.
I’ve spent my life as a participant, observer and student to these streets. It would take a knowing from the inside out to truly understand that the problem isn’t the problem of the streets nor in the streets. The problems arise from the outside influences that have in the last 30 + years, molded the mentality of the people in the streets. I often look to the people in my community who have been deeply afflicted and affected by poverty, drugs, poor education, red lining and countless other societal issues as a beaten down and bastardized brand of a people who used to be regal. A people so far removed from their original selves that now they even struggle to embody a slight essence of who they previously were. A brainwashed people. And this has been made this way by design.
In 1968 James Brown released “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” as a single on his “A Soulful Christmas” album which soon became an anthem for the Black Power movement and rang throughout the streets. At that time, although not completely universal, the vibe of the streets was Black Empowerment, love and community. A message which was necessary to instill a sense of pride in a people who had been for decades left without a battle cry.
The streets were our original social media outlets with Barbershops being the prehistoric message board of the day where information was either held or disseminated into the community. There may have not been screens, vlogs and blogs but still the street corner preacher held court and their followers listened. The problem was never the streets. The problem and or lack thereof is who has the power to influence the minds of the inhabitants of the streets.
Today, unfortunately, the people have lost control of the vibe and mentality of the streets. The streets have been hijacked by corporations with high aspirations to control the minds of Black youth and lead them to their destruction. The broadcasted culture through music and media is much like a weaponized psyop being used against the people who dance to the tune of their own death. Media corporations, record labels and greedy record executives create, champion and force more regulated, lyrical death dealers into the ears and minds of the people. And we keep eating that shit up. We’ve come a long way from where we were and seemingly, we have a long road of recovery yet to travel if we ever want to get this thing together. As a people.
Again, I can never say “Fuck the Streets” when most people of the streets are so lowly and disenfranchised that they can’t even see how they are being ‘Fucked by the Srteets”. Survival mode is a beast and a motherfucker. Let us “Empower the Streets” by helping to “Educate the Streets”. Our survival depends on us.
Each one teach one.
– BLAX
