Who Stole the Soul —The Weaponization of Hip Hop

A Historical & Sociological Perspective

I love Hip Hop and have for decades, and I fully understand how powerful it is as a major component of Black culture.  For Black people, Hip Hop is largely responsible for defining our self-image. Its largely responsible for determining who and what we value. It helps to establish our norms just as much or more than any other genre of music we presently consume. Hip Hop recently overtook rock and roll as the most engaged genre of music in America. 

There is no doubting its influence, especially its influence on those who it targets, Black people, especially young Black people. Irony is the fact that White kids are the majority consumers of Hip Hop. Population proportionality plays into this, but the truth is, White kids have always enjoyed the window seat that allows them that peek into what has come to be deemed “the ‘hood”. It provides them with a license to be Black without having to be Black. 

The goal of this book is to hopefully shed light on what I find to be important but not often discussed historical, sociological, and scientific concepts related to the powerful medium that is Hip Hop. We have an inherent responsibility to protect Black culture and to understand how our culture influences our young. Our culture is supposed to help nourish and cultivate us, not toxify, and destroy us. My hope is that the information contained within this book helps us to understand how Hip Hop culture is being manipulated and controlled in order to sustain our marginalization. More importantly, I hope the information serves as a springboard to more potent and sustained activism around the subject. No one can or will protect Black culture but Black people. Hip Hop is ours. 

I have infused a lot of pointed perspectives into this book on the subject of Hip Hop, not to disparage it or the current artists, but to help call awareness to our need to protect it. Hopefully, it will be viewed as constructive and coming from a place of love. I have been a lover of Hip Hop since I was 14 years old. I am a product of the genre. I do not see a lot of value in placing the bulk of the blame for hip hop’s current state on today’s rappers because I have never seen value in hammering kids with condescension. 

Yes, we need to hold our youth accountable the same way we hold the adults accountable who misrepresent us or our culture. It must be noted though that, as adults, we are collectively responsible for guiding our youth. Wherever they wind up is the result of what we have or haven’t done. It’s on the Black village to empower them. 

We have largely allowed American society to sculpt and mold our kids. Many wind up very rough around the edges while being cast out to society’s edges. We have left our youth exposed to be attacked psychologically, unshielded by the cultivation we’re responsible for imparting. The adults are fully complicit in whatever waywardness our kids exhibit. That maladjustment and misdirection is on us. The minds of our youth are being manipulated by mass media. The onus of protecting their minds is OUR responsibility.

Who Stole The Soul? is available now  on Amazon. For more information, visit Bernard Creamer’s website at statusKNO.com