IS PRO BLACK DEAD
should it be resurrected
“too black too strong ,too black too strong”
Those were the first words out the mouth of one of hip hop most outspoken voice that was the leader of the group that put revolution to the genre that gave a more “ let’s talk black” sound with a image that made sure they was consequential with how they provide voice with subjects that America wasn’t ready to hear. Public Enemy was the name of the group and “it takes a nation of millions to hold us back” was the album
Since then other artists of the musical revolution, that was birthed out the impoverished streets of the Bronx New York, burst out with lyrics that spoke on black pride, black man being god , black woman being the earth, Knowledge Reigning Supreme.
Long before that though, there were a movement based out of Oakland California called the black panther party that didn’t shy away from holding guns and standing with such robustness, even law enforcements stood in awe of such strength they witnessed that didn’t play that turn the other cheek hooray.
the 70s had shows that showed black families striving to live up to the criteria of what success is about even if they wasn’t always welcome to join the assemble. Songs like I’m black and I’m proud, I’ll take you there, gave such sound that spoke of the soul in glamorous fashion.
Slowly but surely, the sound that spoke of good wealth, empowerment, revolution, with instruments that made the body move with rhythm, and the shows that had story lines that didn’t hesitate to put it out there, started to get swept under the rug.
I remember a few years ago, I attended an open mic in New York and this gifted voice went onstage and did a piece on Amiri Baraka who was a controversial writer and performer of poetry and essays, who had knowledge that was too much for the sensitive eardrums.
The performer was so much releasing of how much of a role model Baraka was and how much of a impact Baraka made through his poetry, and how we need to get back to loving blackness more than we are. Well the gifted young man got a very light applause, as if to say who cares if you still admire icons that was so revolution. who cares if you still wanna teach history public schools still making sure gets neglected, who cares social injustice is still taking place and letting more privileged individuals go free and still can carry a gun at that.
Check this out though, I see other nationalities like latino, Mexicans, Chinese, West Indians, and white privileged light skinned folks have no shame in exhaling their thoughts and feel about history that pertains to the beings they so seem to worship. their language seems more welcolme and even encouraged.
“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against”.
Malcolm X
So does this discourage those of us that still like to speak history that be of the neglected, that still wanna have pro black manners without being seen as over radical, that still have vision of opening businesses, organizations, and education facilities that teaches nothing but history that pertains to cultures that inspired meanings that gave uplifting to those that suppose to accept ridicule and just try to overcome.
My answer: by no means.
As a brown skinned man who still gotta watch every move I make, who still gotta accept being followed by security in store, who still gotta gotta be careful not to make another black man angry (85% of African American male victims of homicide are by the hands of African American males), and so on and so on.
If you have no shame in learning and walking the beauty thats history involving chocolate covered skinded people then here are some suggestions
- READ BOOKS
“The autobiography of an ex- colored man” is a book written by James Weldon Johnson who is the creator of the black national anthem. His biracial heritage had him believe he was as white as his school age peers but discrimination showed its ugly face nonetheless.
“the invisible man” is a story of a lonely, nameless black man who is forever belittled and spends so much of his energy protecting himself from powers that be. like many of his race he is cast aside so much he’s invisible in tne eyes of power.
2. LISTEN TO AUDIO MATERIAL FROM PRO BLACK SOULS
Amiri Baracka, the last poets, public enemy, mos def, kendrick Lamar are just some of the talented artists both past and present that dont hesitate to exhale lyrics, poems, choruses that speaks and teach about the times that knowing who we were and still are shouldnt be just a quick tag.
3.DONT TOTALLY DEPEND ON MAINSTREAM MEDIA
The news, the music you hear zillion times a day, the newspapers and so forth, is only gonna show and tell one side that has the conservative views that be unjust to the ones that still in the name of protest, building, and leading to a better tomorrow. so yes having a open mind to the many literature, arts, authors, organizations, that goes all out to give hope to whats seen as hopeless is a definite if you feel HIS story is getting too much glory. thanks to todays tech. just by googling or youtubing terms like: black artists with a message, will get you a number of voices that has the wisdom to share and make sure you have no guilt in loving your brown complexion.
