Can't Stop Won't Stop

by Donal Davis

This weeks reading from Chang’s Can’t Stop Won’t Stop took a very interesting approach in examining the emergence of the three primary aspects of hip hop culture.  The discussion of Dj’s and Mc’s followed by that of the evolution of the Break dance and the explosion of Graffiti in the Bronx and surrounding areas was intriguing.  The discussion in the book inspired me to watch the movie Beat Street with my children.  It was amazing to me how the film captured their attention.  Usually when I attempt to share some media that I grew up with they are less than impressed, but this movie kept their attention, and made them engage in the dialogue.  They wanted Spit to pay for defiling the work of another artist.  They bought into the concept of the rogue artist.  They bought into the concept of the emerging dancer and Dj. 

Simply stated, they identified with the characters in a way that few other movies and shows from that era have been able to make them do.  This fact lead me to the following thought.

It seems true, as Chang states that revolutions in youth culture are cyclic and occur approximately every five years, but there seems to be something about hip hop that captures the essence of youth.  The rebellion.  The emergence.  The  bold defiance of authority and identity struggles amongst ones peers.  There are things about hip hop culture that transcend baggy jeans, torn jackets, or even jeggins.  There is a captivating quality involved in hip hop that seems to have distilled what it means to be youthful.  It is something similar to what Rock n Roll once had, but hip hop seems to have an even stronger concentration.

My children listen to various types of music, including hip hop, they look at me as though I’m some old weird dude, when I listen to my 80’s and 90’s era east coast rap.  They sometimes will ask, Oh Dad who’s that using so and so’s beat, at which point I must inform them that no that beat was first used by Rakim, who actually got it from Eric B who sampled X,Y, and Z to make it.  They usually seem to dismiss my history lesson and move on, but I feel that they may have a different perspective after having experienced Beat Street.

I also had a strong response and impression regarding the discussion of nommo as an afrocentric collection of rhetorical devices.  From the lecture, I actually came away with the impression that nommo had collected and based many of the devices of tradition on African American preachers.  This upset me because I found it patently ridiculous that one could call something Afrocentric based upon decidedly European traditions and practices, even if they had been adapted by African Americans.  I strongly disagree with the idea that something is Afrocentric because black people in America do it.  I have a strong opinion that African Americans are a culturally orphaned people.  There is a great amount of discussion regarding what is the best way for African Americans to identify themselves culturally.  I was pleased that upon reading the actual essay that the principles of nommo are based on some examples of African oral traditions.  The essay’s of the post African Griot was perhaps the most interesting example.  I think in order to examine a subject from and Afrocentric perspective the basis of the examination must originate from pre-slavery Africa, and not African Americans, or post slavery Africa.