We Are Hip Hop Theater
This means we need to do three things. Learn the history. Understand the history. Respect the history.
1. Learn the History
I was at a BART station in San Francisco talking to someone who liked my Rhymes Over Beats hat. I explained we are a hip hop theater collective. They said they loved hip hop and asked who we were working with.
I mentioned some names, and they said, “what about…” and named some more people. Some I knew, like NWA. Some I didn’t. When I googled them I realized they were all West Coast guys. The people we were working with are all East Coast.
Since then I’ve made it a goal to learn as much about the wide variety and history of hip hop as I can, and I’ve learned so much. Now I listen to a wide range of hip hop.
It’s something we all should do. If you know someone we should be working with, let us know.
2. Understand the History
Hip hop music grew out of a culture of oppression. The reason it was born and grew was that it gave voice to the people who were oppressed.
Some groups were oppressed more than others. If you are young, poor, black and female, you have the worst of it. But everyone not in the 99% has some of it. You understand it, the oppression, by making sure that you don’t contribute to it. If you see something that is wrong, say something.
Be a part of the solution, not the problem.
3. Respect the History
You respect the history by supporting the present.
Too often we don’t do anything unless it’s free. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say, “I’ll come if you give me a ticket.”
To paraphrase a famous clown, “This collective don’t play that.”
We always buy tickets whenever we go see something. Not that we won’t accept a discount, or a free ticket if it’s offered, but we always assume we’re paying full price. And we try to see as much as we can.
If you are doing something let us know. We will try to be there to support you, as we hope that you will support us.