More and more often fans and critics are getting the sense that hip-hop, like Occupiers would say about the government, is no longer about We The People. Separate business affairs are closely linked with rappers’ words, and those with sponsors or corporate interests fill their albums with blatant product placement. That’s all fine as a form of escapist entertainment, and the formula’s worked for years now, but in times of economic hardship it can come across as a slap in the face to those for which inventing swag, popping bottles, putting supermodels in the cab and renting out hospital floors is not an option.
Thankfully, groups (albeit aging groups) like Public Enemy are still around to kick us back to reality.
The reality is that, while the American Dream has led a select few out of the slums and straight to the often-sought-after Tony Montana status, life remains fairly shitty for a lot of people. Especially in Los Angeles’s East Side, where the broke and bummed-out Hollywood rejects inevitably wander to join numerous others in desperate or unlucky situations.
In order to cast a light on the huge homeless population in Los Angeles’s Skid Row District— especially those affected by the city’s recent housing crisis— Public Enemy has organized a free concert, dubbed “Operation Skid Row Music Festival.“ The festival is scheduled to take place TODAY (1/15/12) on the corner of 5th and Gladys Ave. in Downtown Los Angeles. The concert is FREE, and it features recognizable names in the hip-hop scene such as Kurupt (from The Dogg Pound) and Nipsey Hussle. Other performers include Freestyle Fellowship, YO YO, XClan, Mellow Man Ace and the ZZYZZX, King T, Rapper’s Rapp Group, Sir Jinx and General Population, Stilztik Jonz, JAHI, Arise Roots, The Real McCoy, Skid Row Flowing, Drummers, Joses Song, Linda Harris, Big Mack, OG Kid Frost, L.A. Possee, and the Egyptian Lover.
Although the festival features mainly old-school and underground acts, it’s nice to see hip-hop taking a step back towards its revolutionary and activist roots. According to Billboard, the concert will benefit the Los Angeles Community Action Network, “an organization assisting Central City East’s homeless by providing low-income families with stable housing.” The show is free, so it’s unclear where that benefit money will be coming from (bring a few dollars for donation if you’ve got it. you are getting the chance to see Public Enemy).
It’s great to see Chuck D and Flava Flav still out Fighting The Power in 2012. YEAAAAH BOYEEE!
