During the month of February, in honor of celebrating Black History Month, Norfolk State University schedules cultural events for each day of the month. This year, I attended an event hosted by FACE IT. Students from the FACE IT organization on campus introduced themselves and briefly discussed their involvement with FACE IT. The purpose of the organization is to promote mental wellness, diminish the power of stigma, and develop individuals through knowledge. The theme of the event was Hip-hop and how it has and presently serves as a form of expression and survival for African Americans.
The images representing the four elements of Hip-Hop were displayed. The fifth element, the lyricist was missing, yet mentioned for those unaware. The context of the discussion amongst the guest panelist and students questioned the idea of African Americans in the time of war. T
...he topics of collectivism and orality were covered in textbook of this course and were highly discussed during the external event. The concept of collectivism was discussed during the event as being synonymous with cultural involvement, an example the Black Lives Matter movement. Chapter 2 of the textbook for this course, discussed the concept of orality and its relation to Hip-Hop. The textbook included an insert examining contemporary issues highlighting the West African origins of Hip-Hop to the Bronx (Belgrave & Allison, 2014). The art of storytelling was and still an influence and major factor in the culture of African Americans.
The music video, The Message, by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was viewed alongside the lyrics provided. After watching the video, discussions spanning from the streets of inner cities across the United States to other
countries around the world where other Blacks are experiencing the same situations, was very interesting to me. That was my first time opening my lens beyond the scope of U.S. racial issues. As well, recognizing just how inclusive the song is of collective voices within the struggle. I grew up listening to the song and learning all the words. I was too young to fully understand the angst being vividly depicted through the song. I was too busy trying to learn how to move like Ozone and Turbo from the movie “Breakin.”
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the insight, knowledge, and experiences from the guest on the panel. Moreover, I enjoyed being able to combine my passion and relationship with Hip-Hop to history, sociology, and psychology, specifically African American psychology.
