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As the daughter of an African History professor and the mother of  Hip-hop MC, slam poet and painter Jason Graham (AKA Mosley Wotta), I cannot agree more strongly with the assertion that education is key when it comes to the understanding and appreciation of Hip-hop as an art form. Young musicians coming up need to understand the history of the music and pay respect to its roots.

My son, who is currently based in Bend, Oregon performs in all sorts of different venues from nightclubs and bars to middle schools and high schools, where he also teaches Hip-hop workshops to young people, with the emphasis on the Hip-hop tenets of "Peace, love, unity and having fun." He is a strong believer that creative energy must have an outlet or it becomes destructive. He encourages young people to "use what's around you to improve what's around you".

 Hip-hop has its deepest roots in African culture and every time we hear the rhythms and rhymes of Hip-hop, we are all connecting to that original source of energy and inspiration. Music is always evolving and changing. I am encouraged to know that the Portland Hip-hop culture is alive and thriving.

In the words of Gil Scott-Heron, "Seasons may change and feelings may change, but music remains and it heals you."

Heartfelt thanks for this wonderful interview and for the insightful comments of Cool Nutz and Luck-One Conscious,

Carolyn Graham Tsuneta

Bend, Oregon

posted 4 years, 2 months ago
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