backyard enterprises: Read It

TO SLAVES WHO AIN’T HEARD
by Ron Mc

Galveston, Texas became the bomb spot for the hip hop community. As Freaknik in the A.T.L. lost its popularity, the beaches in the big state attracted black collage spring breakers. In addition to goin’ to peep the stout joints and country boys, many go to slang their cd’s, sell t-shirts and network. But Galveston is much more than the party place to be. It’s the birth place of the Black independence day: Juneteenth!

America is big on ceremony, and even bigger on its stand for freedom. So as a nation that’s ‘bout it when it comes to justice, why is there no government initiated recognition of the end of slavery? Others have designated times to reenact the Civil War. They proudly rep the confederate flag and defend it in their period gear. Then leave the reenactment to display that defeated flag in there southern communities. But they never acknowledged the reason why the war had to be fought.

Well in the Dirty, in the Black community and in the spirit of Hip Hop we need to know the bloodiest battle on U.S. soil was about slavery. According to Frederick Douglas “Juneteenth should be more important to Black people than the 4th of July because when the Declaration of Independence was signed, the words did not apply to Black people."

The man who was called to spread the word that blacks were free was not a Beastie Boy song: “Paul Revere.” It was a Union General named Gordon Grainger. Two years, six months and eighteen days went by before the word came. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. Grainger read Executive Order #3 which stated, “all slaves are free” on June 19, 1865.

Information from The Witte Museum in San Antonio gives reasons why it took so long. It speculates that other dispatchers were killed, government officials refused to obey the President’s order, or that they didn’t know. And it seems as if the black community in general, and the dirty region in particular, are always given reasons why there’s a digital divide, why there’s no trickle in trickle down policies, or why there’s potholes in the hood.

Charles A. Taylor, an award winning writer, explains in his book Juneteenth A Celebration of Freedom how this happening is an opportunity to get yo’ mind right for the future as well as commemorate the end of slavery. And he also states how this lil party in the dirty has become a worldwide symbol for freedom.

Across the world, country and through out the south parties are popped off, concerts are crunked out and a gang of peeps get their grub on. But this dedication to independence is more than fun and games. As the event gains popularity it also becomes more twisted. It is cause to celebrate, but it’s also a call to action. It is a challenege to the formally inslaved to grow strong in their freedom.

Some have reduced Junteenth to a mere “get yo’ party on” moment. Particapanants and promoters alike have a responsibility to educate themselves and others as to what the event is all about. It is one thing to say that you are no longer a slave. But it is another thing to say you are free.

To the slaves who ain’t heard…
We don’t have to work for less than we are worth. During slavery blacks didn’t get paid but had 100% employment for mas’ah. So we should have enough value to work to pay for ourselves.

To the slaves who ain’t heard…
We don’t have to wait for someone to order us around. After slavery some blacks went back to mas’ah because they were afraid to make decisions for their lives. We should not be scared to move according to our own desires and needs.

To the slaves who ain’t heard…
We don’t have to depend on the scraps thrown our way. Before slavery blacks discovered mathamatics, created written language and acknowledged God. We can find or create our own resourses. And we can even name it Hip Hop.

To the slaves who ain’t heard…
…we free.

06-05

TUPAC VS. BIGGIE
By Ron Mc

The deaths of two of Hip Hop’s icons in the late 90’s began an eternal debate that Arkansas participated in
by Ron Mc

The end of May saw the first Hip Hop discussion in a series from Backyard Enterprises. They hosted “Tupac Vs. Biggie” at DHS STUDIOS 9700 on Rodney Parham Road in Little Rock, AR. Part of the proceeds went toward the Backyard / Craig James Award.

The unsolved murders of Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (Notorious BIG) sent shock waves through the hood. And the men’s spirits still haunt the psyche of true heads everywhere.

The night began with opposing sides randomly debating their points while completing a survey to a backdrop of alternating Pac and Big music. As the volume of the debaters escalated, Ron Mc called for a ceasefire and made some announcements and prepared the crowd for the beginning of the discussion.

Everyone took a seat and then Ron Mc popped it off with the first question: how did the two men begin their careers? But the real action kicked in with the fourth question asked: which rapper had the best presence as an artist? That’s when you either had to buck or duck because the words were flying.

One participant said, “Biggie was a commercial product but Tupac was his own man….he didn’t have to have an image because he was real.” Another participant explained, “B.I.G. could put words together like no other and always represented for the big dude. You could be fat or ugly but because Biggie was fly you could be fly.” A voice range out, “Tupac outshined him on every level. Big couldn’t even be murdered as dramatic as Pac.” “Biggie became king because his first album went multi-platinum, while Tupac’s fame took three albums,” was a heated response.

There was something close to a consensus which developed. The Notorious Big was a rap artist who hadn’t had an opportunity to fully mature musically but was a th’owed mc from jump. And Tupac Shakur showed the depth and width of Hip Hop in a way like no one else before him.

The event concluded with a poetic tribute and the crowd united in reciting both Tupac and Biggie songs. They danced and spoke the lyrics while the tracks alternated from one rapper to the other. Pac and Big fans alike acknowledged the talent of the two who was taken too soon from the Hip Hop community, and appreciated the two who will forever be young.

06-05-06

HAVIN’ THANGS
by RON Mc

My cousin Milt (short for Milton) first introduced me to the sound of Hip Hop. I would dub all the radio scratch and mix tapes he got from Cali. He had two turntables and a gang of vinyl. And those album covers introduced me to the look of Hip Hop. And even then it was ‘bout havin’ thangs. Run DMC draped with stone cold gold necklaces, bright white Adidis and the trademark black brims. (They are the reason I wear my belt buckle to the side today.)

I used to break dance to the joint “It’s Like That” from their ‘83 LP. Run kicked it off with: “Money is the key to end all your woes / Your ups and downs your highs and your lows…” And you’ll find a theme of finance and luxury through most of Run’s lyrics through the years.

Of course it wasn’t called “bling,” but havin’ thangs was definitely part of the brag rappers rhymed. If I had soul like Rakim I could “show my rings and my fat gold chain” or be like Slick Rick and sport two, three, even four finger rings and hella herringbones and ropes. On the west coast at 6 in the mornin’ you had Ice T saying, “Life has no meaning and money is king.”

But not until the southern rapper B.G. (former Cash Money artist from New Orleans) was there a catch phrase for the concept of wealth and access that’s rapped about. The year was ’99; the song was “Bling Bling.”

Then you had the sports world followin’ suit with the L.A. Lakers spellin’ the words “bling bling” with diamonds in the design of their 2 Thou championship ring. Academia assimilated “bling” when the Oxford English Dictionary added it as a new term in ‘03. Even the literary world got on the bandwagon with the ‘04 novel by Erica Kennedy entitled “Bling.”

Since the beginning of rap there has been an element of “bling.” Rappers have always boasted ’bout havin’ thangs. Whether you pump it or dump it, know that some mc’s that flow ‘bout “bling” can now actually own that “bling.”

08-05

HOW CAN THE “A” GET PLAY
By Ron Mc

It is not hard to realize that the only state in the central southern region that has not had a major rap act is Arkansas. Missouri has Nelly. Tennessee has 8 Ball & MJG. Louisiana has Master P. Mississippi has David Banner. And Texas has dominated recently with acts like Bun B.

But Arkansas cannot seem to penetrate the major music market. The underground scene is left scratchin’ it’s head lookin’ for the reasons why. The Hip Hop scene in the Rock just didn’t start poppin’ off this mornin’.

Rap acts here in the state have truly been grindin’ at least since the late 80’s and early 90’s. DJ Lloyd was makin’ tapes before e’rybody and they mama started rappin’. Wolfe Street started sellin’ out the trunk before a lot of the majors were yellin’ “throw yo’ set up.” And The Backyard performed and pushed their product all over the area.

All of this was happenin’ as the nation and world watched Bill Clinton win the presidency in ‘92. The eyes were on The “A” State but no body saw us. No body saw the Hip Hop community. No body looked for the talent and tenacity that bubbled beneath the surface.

What they did notice was the fact that gang activity was increasin’ at alarmin’ rates. While the 490 Click and Take IV made moves in the streets, HBO filmed the documentary “Banging in Little Rock” in ’93. All the rappin’ footage must have been left on the editor’s floor.

They (the watchers) followed the rise and reine of the Arkansas Razorback NCAA Basketball Champions in ’94. But they missed the ones on the ball in the rap game. They missed Pup Dog Records which was the first record label that endeavored to repped the Rock to the whole nation. They observed that we lived in one of the nation’s deadliest places to live but overlooked 5th most Dangerous.

It seems as though the “A” State has reached a glass ceiling. We have produced talent, put out product, performed and paid pounds of dues. So I have to ask, “How do we make enough noise to get the music biz and nation's attention?” The question on the other side of the coin would be, “What if they never come?”

12-08-05