Top Five

Since it is Black History Month, I have to pay tribute to my beloved hip hop. Hip hop has done so much for black people, and now it moves people all over the world. Hip hop was the music of the people and now it is the music of all people. You see, feel, hear and touch hip hop everywhere now. My favorite example of this is the newly premiered ABC show, fresh off the boat. The oldest son in an Asian family that has spent most of their time in the United States in Washington DC moves to Orlando, FL and he uses hip hop to guide him through this transition among other things.

The elements of hip hop have evolved along with the culture. Most would say the foundation is laid on top of emceeing/MC’ing, breaking/freestyling, DJ’ing and graffiti art. Others would add knowledge/knowledge of self to the mix. KRS one in his song, “9 Elements” (2003) adds some more, like beatboxing, street fashion/looking fly, street language, and street entrepreneur realism.

Who knew that the quiet love affair that began when I was a child over restless nights where I tuned into the Stretch & Bobbito show on the radio would blow up like it has? I was raised by and alongside hip hop so it will always be a part of who I am. The knowledge element has expanded to the point where there are hip hop based education curriculums, hip hop centers within and out of major educational institutions across the country, and a hip hop archive based out of Harvard University. I could go on and on about the books written, the movies made, and all the other ways the culture has fully infiltrated this country and the world. If you don’t know, now you know!

I am proud to say I am Hip Hop and in celebration, just like Chris Rock’s movie Top Five, I will share mine. Well to be totally honest, I will share my Top 3; I must admit that positions four and five change for me all the time. These positions are usually filled with the likes of Kid Cudi, Kanye West, MC Lyte, Ice Cube, The Game, Biggie, Heavy D, Big Daddy Kane, Wiz Khalifa and J. Cole. Although my list only has solo MCs, I have lists for duos, and groups and could easily make them for graffiti artists, breakin crews, DJs, books and curriculum... The businesses and opportunities available now that have grown upon the foundation of hip hop are endless.

Are you ready for the Top 3?:
1. Nas
2. KRS one
3. Rakim

My favorite thing about hip hop is that the debate about the hottest MC, the hottest album, the hottest group never ends and now there are more debates, who the hottest entrepreneur who ever came out of hip hop? The hottest actor? The hottest mixtape? And so on and so on.