Last Wednesday SUAB held a hip-hop seminar in Stallings hosted by Professor Bryon Turman which divulged into the roots of Hip-hop with the goal of informing the students on the history of Hip-Hop and the difference it has from rap.

The night began with a presentation by Lasana Hotep, the Director of College Student Services and Multicultural Affairs at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, Arizona and an educator in hip-hop, themed “Ya’ Don’t Stop- History of the Hip-Hop-Movement.”  The event ended with a panel discussion that included Terence “TC” Muhammad and recording artist Swayze Jones, former A&T alumni.

Hotep opened his presentation by debunking the common belief that Rap and hip-hop are one in the same, which is not true. He stated that rap is only an element of Hip-Hop but it is more widespread and well known due to profitable market for it.

According to Afrika Bambaataa, an influential DJ from the Bronx who aided in the development of Hip-hop, has 5 elements: DJing, aerosol art B-Boying or ‘breaking’, emceeing’; which is the craft of rap, and knowledge.  Hip-hop itself has a ground root in African culture with sonic branches that incorporate Afro-Latina culture, jazz, soul, and R&B.

Hip-Hop also has political roots that extend from its beginning in the slums of the Bronx and described struggles of living in poverty infested areas. Hotep pointed out that hip-hop was heavily shaped by the trials and tribulations of its environment like the music we have today. Calling the environment we live in today the “Kardashian-twitter environment” he went on to discuss what he calls the ‘Seminal Figures’ of Hip-hop.

First he mentioned Clyde Campbell, known mostly as DJ Herc, who was the founder of hip-hop and the developer of the needle dropping technique. Then there was Afrika Bambaataa the creator of the Zulu Nation and the first person to coin the term ‘Hip-hop”. Lastly there was Joseph Salddler, better known as Grand Master Flash, an electrician who pioneered hip-hop Djing and created the Q-Button which allowed Djs toggle between each turn table.

Hotep emphasized that Djs created the “Foundation of the art of Hip-hop” by creating an environment for it to thrive in. Before hip-hop was mainstream, Djs funded the parties and events that allowed for it to be heard.

                  The panel discussion was lead by Professor Turman and discussed compelling issues in the rap and music industry. One of the questions the panel addressed was “What is the most pressing issue in Hip-hop?” Rapper Swayze Jones responded “Identity”, she said “Every image we see is intentional, documented, and researched…we agree with what we see and believe, but it’s not real.” Another question addressed the use of the ‘N-word’ and TC responded “It means death, it does not give life, don’t use it; it brings negativity” he continued on to say “It’s hard to kill your own brothers and sisters, but it is easy to kill [someone else]”

                  At the end of the evening, it was safe to say that most attendees had a better understanding of Hip-hop than they did before. When I asked Mackia Kanu, a sophomore civil engineering major from Silver Spring, Maryland about what her favorite part of the seminar was she said “The panel was insightful. They gave me a new outlook on actual hip-hop and not the image that these rappers today portray.”

                  To conclude the event thanks were given to our special guests and our alumni Swayze mentioned that she is working on a new album, which is dropping sometime this spring. To hear her music, you can YouTube SwayzeJonesMusic and to learn more about Lasana Hotep and his work, you can visit his site LasanaHotep.com.

• Stephanie Banaci, Contributor