( ENSPIRE Music ) Hip-Hop Culture is In Danger of Straying Too Far Away From its Original Purpose
ENSPIRE Contributor: Matthew Carbonell
Hip-Hop has been one of the most popular cultures since its birth fifty years ago in the Bronx. But, as Hip-Hop culture grew it slowly became afflicted with the violence and crime culture, almost to where the two cultures could be interchangeable. That’s what concerns Tandy Weems, Hip-Hop Music Industry Executive and Creator of the 2024 World Hip-Hop Awards. Tandy Weems is a respected professional and thought leader with over 25 years in the Hip-Hop entertainment business.
Tandy’s extensive resume mirrors the history of Hip-Hop. She has collaborated and worked alongside many iconic figures in the industry, including Mike Tyson, Notorious BIG, Faith Evans, Main Source, Wu-Tang, Mary J Blige, Dru-Hill, and more. Now she is producing the first global Hip-Hop Awards show dubbed, The World Hip Hop Awards or WHHA.
The WHHA’s mission is to preserve the history, integrity, and legacy of Hip-Hop culture. It dares to position itself to be the most sought-after award in hip-hop entertainment. Through the WHHA, Tandy hopes to not only honor artists who uphold the true essence of Hip-Hop but also to reeducate the world on authentic Hip-Hop culture. A culture that is used to honor community, family, artistic freedom, and excellence. On top of this, Tandy Weems shared her thoughts on the current state of Hip-Hop culture.
Can you talk about how Hip-Hop came to be and what the culture was like in its early years?
Back ”in the day” Hip-Hop music and culture were not motivated by money and fame. We were motivated by artistic excellence, creativity, community, and having fun. We could create a trillion-dollar worldwide enterprise and culture without a dime because of those values. We had many magazines, marketing companies, booking agents, record labels, clothing lines, etc. ALL created by us, for us, and at one time – all owned by us. But, like with most other things around us, the money, love, and worship of Hip-Hop has corrupted it.
This corruption allowed those with no love for us or the culture to separate the music from its foundation – the communities that created it and shaped the culture. This is what we are witnessing today. It wasn’t until I heard about what was happening to Hip-Hop and the dissatisfaction with the biases in current Hip-Hop awards shows – that the memory of the WHHA came back to me after nearly 10 years. I wrote the WHHA when I assisted Mark Pitts, who is now President of RCA Records, in managing Notorious BIG, Faith Evans, and Changing Faces. Luckily, I protected it legally and put it away all that time.
The idea of bringing the WHHA back came to me when Jada Pinkett voiced her concern over the current culture. After Will Smith did not get an award, she felt he was deserving, she said “Begging for acknowledgment or even asking diminishes dignity and diminishes power, and we are a powerful people and let’s not forget it and let us do us differently!”.
How different would you say the culture is today if it differs at all? Is there any trace of what Hip-Hop originally was still left?
The difference is today there is no culture of Hip-Hop, not in America. You see more of that overseas. Here we have only spin-offs of the music Trap, Gangster, Murder Music, Mumble rap etc. With the rhythm and soul removed and the beats slowed down to a crawl, it’s anyone’s game now. However, there are still a handful in the mainstream that still do it for the culture and for the art.
Not only that, but there are many independent artists here in the US and around the world that still honor the true essence of Hip-Hop music culture. The WHHA is a platform to celebrate artists signed or independent who uphold these principles. This event will inspire and encourage an exciting worldwide renaissance in the culture that will be a “brand new flavor in the ears” for us and the culture.
How do you think this affliction with violence and crime culture affects the youth or other cultures for that matter, like those in Asia who are beginning to pick up hip-hop culture?
I ask you, what were the effects of crack cocaine being placed and sold in our communities? It caused death, gang violence, and massive incarceration of young black males. All of that added to the destruction of black families and communities for decades to come. Now I ask, do you see any difference between that travesty to what this music is doing right now to our communities?
Same results, different method. The same record companies promoting this ”music” here are now opening the same labels overseas all over the world to market this to the youth. Many countries are pushing back and not allowing this marketing to their youth. This includes China, Russia, and Dubai.
Unfortunately, some are copying the same gangster, violence, sex music, and images overseas as well. Last year two black African rappers were murdered. This is why the WHHA is so important. To bring the music back to the original culture and balance.
What was it like working with people like the Notorious BIG or Wu-Tang and would you say there are artists today who exemplify the artists of before?
Those were the best of times for the black community! There are almost no words to express those times. Our community was united in being our best selves, creative, and genius. Wu-tang ignited a new level of excellence in the Hip-Hop community for all to inspire. Many artists did. That was the challenge, not how much money or cars you had.
Working with Mark Pitts at ByStorm was like reaching the mountaintop and seeing that there were still more mountains to climb because WE were creating miracles. Because WE were creating mountains. Notorious was one of the best to pick up a mic and especially a pen, Many others were too. Their wordplay is still the best even today. There is no comparison between those lyrics back then and today’s lyrics. We lost a lot with Notorious’ and Pac’s death; it changed the entire culture.
I see the culture in artists like Kanye, Wu-Tang, Papoose, Redman and Method Man, NAS, M.O.P, Tech N9ne, Kendrick Lamar, Jadakiss, many independent artists overseas, and more. What else do these artists have in common? Millions of views on YouTube but you don’t hear them on the radio… isn’t that odd?
What exactly can the WHHA do to help preserve Hip-Hop culture so that people can remember it was about community, family, artistic freedom, and excellence?
The WHHA is more than just an awards ceremony, the 2024 WHHA will be a platform to educate, re-educate, and re-introduce the world to the true essence of Hip-Hop culture. A culture that encompasses family, community, education, artistic excellence, personal excellence, and having fun. It is a true celebration of Hip-Hop music and culture never seen before on any stage and pledges to be unbiased, inclusive, unapologetic, committed to recognizing unparalleled artistic excellence, and 100% Hip-Hop!
The Black community will be reminded of our influence on the world and take pride in that. It’s something our children and community needs to see and understand once again. It’s not that we are banning any form of expression, we just aim to balance the voices. Make it so that not just one voice or sound dominates the community and culture.
It will include awe-inspiring showcases, introductions, appearances, and performances in various languages and styles. The WHHA is a call to action from those who feel the need for another lane that allows Hip-Hop to be free to grow. It aims to bring the current market to a new understanding of music and culture. It’s for those who LOVE Hip-Hop but don’t resonate with the current business model.
We must bring the music back to the culture it was founded on to stop these killings and incarceration of young black males. To stop the marketing of death, pornographic images, guns, and gangs as black culture and Hip-Hop. It is not Hip-Hop. The first step is to evaluate the minds within our community, music is a powerful energy and the Hip-Hop culture brought communities together once before so Hip-Hop can do it again. That is what the WHHA is.
While Hip-Hop music and culture have begun to have negative associations with crime and violence, it doesn’t change what the culture was supposed to be about. It wasn’t something to be digested for a week and then forgotten once the next track came out. It was revolutionary, life-changing, LIFE SAVING. But regrettably, the impact of that has diminished over the years. However, thanks to the 2024 World Hip-Hop Awards, things are starting to look up for a culture rich, not in money or cars, but in community and love.
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