There was some buzz around Rhymefest’s freshman effort. Kanye and Common are due to put out new releases within the year. So, maybe the region will finally get the musical attention it is due.
I took a trip to what is left of the industrial heart of the states to talk to some emerging emcees from the Midwest: Phillip Morris, a local Chicago emcee, Angel reppin’ for St Paul/Minneapolis and Main Event an emcee from Lexington, KY but has been holdin’ in down in Flint, MI.
Dynamic: So Mr. Morris I take it you grew up in Chicago, how has the city changed through the years?
Phillip Morris: Well, this city is still very segregated. Not only in terms of locations, but people's attitudes as well. There is still a lot of cliques and a lot of hating going on in this city. You would think that it would improve with time, but I haven't really noticed a substantial difference in people's attitudes. The hip-hop scene became really strong, but you can see signs that it's starting to dwindle. A lot of long-standing events have ended up getting shut down due to the fact that people don't know how to respect the venues that cater to hip-hop and respect hip-hop enough to act properly at a show. As far as how the city looks, there's a lot more condos being built and lot more gentrification going on, that's for sure. But unfortunately, you only see certain parts of the city being beautified while others just get a nice police camera thrown on the corner. I drive through the neighborhood that I grew up in, and it still looks the same as it did when I moved out 15 years ago: plenty of liquor stores and plenty of churches. The only difference is that now there are plenty of cameras as well.
Dynamic: Angel, what changes have you seen in the St. Paul/Minneapolis neighborhoods?
Angel: Gang bangers are getting younger. Gangs are recruiting younger kids. Parents are getting younger. But more citizens are getting involved in work to solve these issues. Organizations are starting to want to work with youth to create positive environments instead of just looking for ways to contain them. Also The Twin Cities Latino population is growing. There are many more Latino owned businesses now then before. Voices against immigration laws and raids are being amplified.
Dynamic: So a lot of people know about Flint, MI and the exporting of industrial jobs mainly the auto and steel industries; the Midwest is pretty hungry right now. What real changes in the cities did you experience?
Main Event: When I got to Flint the city was in the process of firing the mayor and the state was about to take over. Since then, schools and rec centers have been closed, more young men and women had been murdered, more police have been hired, more jobs have left, and the city was announced number three on the most dangerous cities in America list. These are the kind of things you hear about when people talk about Flint. But Flint also has some of the best Cultural Centers, the public Library was voted top library in the country.
Dynamic: What did you experience in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area that made you want to become an emcee?
Angel: Music is powerful. Music organizes people, breaking down boundaries and uniting. There were a lot of things in my neighborhood I felt were in desperate need of change. Money and street rep seems more important then our communities. Hip-hop is a powerful tool. I’ve been in love with it since I was introduced to it. I feel as an emcee it’s easier for me to communicate my concerns to young people. It’s almost like they hear it more.
Dynamic: There is a lot of commentary in your music, in a time when many folks are still focusing on the negative aspects of hip-hop. What is important about making music like yours?
Phillip Morris: I think music like this is important because it's extremely positive. Even though I'm discussing a lot of negative facets of this society, my goal is to try to educate so that people can try to work towards a positive outcome. And when I'm not speaking out about political issues, I'm creating tracks that really try to push the envelope of rhyme patterns and subject matter, in an attempt to not only make great music, but also to stray as far from the norm as I can. I try to be as original as possible with it!
Dynamic: On your LP Directors Cut, you sample many movies that add commentary about hip-hop and Blacks folks in general. What points were you trying to get across when sampling Cedric the Entertainer’s monologue in Be Cool?
Main Event: Ah man, that’s one of my favorite skits. Black people are the reason this country is so successful. Sadly, we are the largest consumers by far and were the ones who did all the manual labor for this country to be in the position of power it is currently in. Hip Hop is the wealth of the nation right now. Commercials. Sports. Cartoons. Movies. You name it—hip-hop is in it. They can’t deny it. They’re making billions of dollars off our neighborhood tradition.
Dynamic: One of my favorite cuts is “The Nightmare before Christmas.” In this track you say “Fuck the system, we need to rage against it, so I hope this word play is convincing.” Is one of your missions as an emcee to aid to the development of resistance?
Phillip Morris: It didn't start out that way for me, originally I started emceeing just so I could feel like I had a voice, and I could get my point of view across. As I continued emceeing, and began to get a following, I started realizing how much power we have as artists. So yes, doing my part in developing resistance, that has definitely become one of my missions. There's so many aspects of this society that are unjust. People neglect to notice them unless it directly effects their comfort zone. It's like we've lost our compassion and replaced it with indifference. Plus this country is totally run on fear, so naturally, the majority of us are scared to speak out about the unfair aspects of it because they are either scared of the repercussions, or they believe that they can't make a difference. I think we all should be doing our part to try to change the things we don't like about this society, so I try to address it as much as possible in my work.
Dynamic: In your track “Make it thru” you say “Media got us looking like clowns in a fun house, all for the funds now,” what are you addressing in this line, and even more that track?
Main Event: That line was about how we as a people are portrayed in the media. We either killing, playing sports, rapping, or committing crime. That’s how we are portrayed by the BIG media. You know, the ones with the real money. For someone who doesn’t have consistent interaction with black folks, what they see on tv and hear on the radio is their “black experience”. And we look like fools famle! We snapping our fingers, dancing, treating our women like shit, fighting over shoes, all on the tv man. It’s bad enough when you look stupid, its 1000 times worse when the whole world is watching. It’s the Truman Show all over again. The track as a whole was my apology to the youth for adult ignorance; and a form of guidance thru the world that we created.
Dynamic: Many emcees say hip-hop is the CNN of the streets, but many tracks on the radio paint the reality of the hood as something to celebrate. You do something different. Why?
Angel: As much as we try to ignore the real struggle, the downfall of our people, the lack of community and political involvement, it still exists. Blinding people with the glory of money, diamonds and big rims divides our army. If we as a people combined forces instead of fighting one another, if we woke up to see the bigger picture instead of what is being portrayed and unite as a people, we would build an empire filled with strong leaders.
Dynamic: What does Hip Hop do for you?
Phillip Morris: Hip Hop gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside. Nah, for real, hip hop does quite a bit for me. Once I became an active part of the hip hop community, it gave me a whole new sense of purpose. I finally felt like I was where I belonged. Hip Hop has enabled me to say what I want, and not hold back as I previously did. Hip Hop has connected me with scores of interesting people from various parts of the country, and overseas, who have given me so many different perspectives on various topics. Plus it's a way for me to vent, and channel anger and frustration into creating something positive, ya know? It also gives me a way to reach people, and have my point of view heard by a wide audience. It's so amazing to me, thinking that someone in Denmark is bumping my album right now. Hip Hop has become my release, I don't feel complete if I don't write, or work on a beat, or do something relating to making music everyday. Hip Hop has caused me to lose sleep many a night! But I love it. Hip Hop has brought me into my element.
Angel: Not only does Hip Hop help me organize and get my message across but it created a healthy environment for me. I come from struggle and if it wasn’t for Hip Hop I don’t know where I would be in life. It’s a way to conduct change. It is away for me to express what I’m Observing in my surroundings. The continuous strive of those closest to me makes me grateful for Hip Hop and it’s place in my life. It keeps me motivated and gives me a sense of purpose.
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