Q-Tip and T.I. Speak on Hip-Hop’s Cultural Legacy
by Staff Editor
Cultural authenticity has been a key talking point in hip-hop for the last few days. It came to a head when Azaelia Banks spoke out about Iggy Azalea’s role in hip-hop and got into a twitter war with Action Bronson which brought on responses from Solange Knowles and Q-Tip.
Q-Tip had now stepped in even more by reaching out to Iggy Azalea, via Twitter, to teach her about the history of hip-hop in America and it’s cultural significance.
T.I then responded to Q-Tip to offer a different stance on the issue and supported Iggy.
Check out all of the tweets below.
Bloggers! Journalists! People!
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA HipHop is a artistic and socio-political movement/culture that sprang from the disparate ghettos of NY in the early 70’s — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA Coming off the heels of the CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT and approaching the end of the Vietnam war it was a crossroads 4 America
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA specially for blacks in the US our neighborhoods were PROLIFERATED w/a rush of HEROINE — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA our school systems here in NY dungeon traps with light for learning
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA blk men some of whom didn’t return from tours of duty n the ones who did came w/war baggage (agent orange, addiction, ect..) — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA these men had families but due to these events and throw into the mix the public emasculation…
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA they proved to be handicapped parents. The surrogate parents? The STREETS — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA the streets of gangs, crimes, and the hustlers coddled us and swept us up
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA but! Being a spirited, rhythmic & expressive people music art dance outlined our existence — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA it proved a way for us to exhault to scream to dance to laugh and find OUR VOICE
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA we weren’t at the time skilled musicians as kids. We had records, turntables, ideas and INGENUITY — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA being natural chemist we took from whatever was availed to us and we created something mighty and special
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA we cut breakbeats back n forth we took a hybrid of Jamaican toasting along w/ radio jock rap( hank Spann, Gary Byrd, ect.) and — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA we put our rap down..
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA it was a neighborhood thing really. Black and Latino Kids were carving out their space and it became infectious — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA eventually Keith Cowboy coined the phrase hiphop . Yrs later the first rap record was recorded and now we r moving
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA but during these strides this country still had the monster of racism and racial insensitivity breathing and ruling — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA believe it or not young black n Latino lives specifically weren’t acknowledged in mainstream American culture unless Ofcourse..
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA the convo was abt gangs , being criminals or uneducated. And hey! Like I stated early our families were rushed our schools — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA sucked and we were left to put devices to survive
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA but HIPHOP showed that we had DEPTH, fire, and BRILLANCE — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA the music was undeniable! It moved from NY N became national and even GLOBAL
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA hiphop now was FOR EVERYBODY!! All of those who cld relate to the roots, the spirit, the history, the energy.. It reached YOU — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA it touched your spirit n took u up. We magnetized you! That’s what BRILLANCE does
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA now u are fulfilling your dreams … BUT! — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA you have to take into account the HISTORY as you move underneath the banner of hiphop. As I said before
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA hiphop is fun it’s vile it’s dance it’s traditional it’s light hearted but 1 thing it can never detach itself from — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA is being a SOCIO-Political movement. U may ask why … Well
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA once you are born black your existence I believe is joined with socio-political epitaph and philos — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA based on the tangled and treacherous history SLAVERY alone this is the case
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA it never leaves our conversation… Ever. WeAther in our universities our dinner tables our studios or jail cells — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA the effects still resononates with us. It hurts… We get emotional and angry and melancholy
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA did u know president Clinton was the ONLY PRESIDENT to apologize for it? — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA did u know that remnants of slavery exist today thru white privilege? When certain “niceties” r extended your way because of
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA how u look? Isn’t that crazy? I say this 2 say u are a hiphop artist who has the right 2 express herself however she wishes — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA this is not a chastisement this is not admonishment at ALL this is just one artist reaching to another hoping to spark insight
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA into the field you r in. I say this in the spirit of a hopeful healthy dialogue that maybe one day we can continue — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA I’ve been on twitter a long time and this will probably be my last series of tweets pretty much but
— QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
@IGGYAZALEA I’m Kool with it as long as I got to share this w u. Zzzzzzz’s up! Peace! — QTip (@QtipTheAbstract) December 20, 2014
Yes @IGGYAZALEA @QtipTheAbstract all these facts are true. This is useful info to absorb as U find yourself in da midst of several people
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
who U may not share many things in common with besides #HipHop. Understanding the plight assists U in knowing how to accept,respect…
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
& live in harmony even without a boatload of similarities.
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
Also what I think my big Bruh kinda left out is that OUR people (blacks in America,& HIPHOP) have had much less qualified White People
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
come along & manipulate our culture for their own pers gain. This lead to an almost incoherent overly defensive, paranoid sense of…
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
“All White People Wanna Steal Our Shit” mentality. Now as difficult as this is to believe…. We think all white people who do our shit…
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
gotta kiss our ass or we don’t like em!!! “Dey shady!!!” (Lol No pun intended) But me knowing U,Eminem,and a handful of other…
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
(just so happen to be) white people who were inspired by our culture allowed ME TO SEE, that not all white people out to steal our culture..
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
There are some that merely wish to contribute to it. And I’d be less than ME if I didn’t say that… If WE don’t allow u guys the same…
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
…rights & respect we KNOW WE DESERVE in other areas of humanity… WE’RE ALL JUST A BUNCH OF HYPOCRITES. AND THATS NOT HIP HOP!!!!
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
So in a nutshell, absorb da info…apply it where most useful,and above all KEEP SHINING,FOLLOW YOUR HEART,& STAY TRUE TO WHO U ARE!!!
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
I know u don’t deserve all da negative shit that comes your way. But like I’ve told u before, it just kinda comes wit da territory…
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
when u gain so much positive attn SO FAST! It all balances out. I know u been broke,hungry& disgusted before,so I know u know just like I do
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
It COULD BE A LOT WORSE. If dis all U gotta put up wit/sacrifice to earn our very above average lifestyles….
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014
#FUCK-IT-WE-UP-LIKE-A-MUUUFUCKA!!!! #HustleGangOvaErrrthang!
— T.I. (@Tip) December 22, 2014