In his new book, It's Bigger Than Hip Hop, the poet, author and filmmaker at the Fredric March Play Circle in the UW Memorial Union at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. In a interview conducted via email, Asante describes the inspirations for It's Bigger Than Hip Hop and the fluid process of researching and writing the book, recounts a formative childhood encounter with Public Enemy, outlines the consequences of the corporate hijacking of hip hop, describes his writing preferences as nocturnal and explains his admiration for both The Routledge Book of World Proverbs and Wisconsin Book Festival presenter Dave Zirin, author of A People's History of Sports in the United States.
The Daily Page: Where were you and what were you doing when you conceived It's Bigger Than Hip Hop?
Asante, Jr.: I believe that if you make an observation, you have an obligation. I was obliged to write this book based on the culmination of observations, conversations, research and experiences I've had. So what was I doing: I was observing.
As far as the title of the book, It's Bigger Than Hip Hop, comes from a Dead Prez song that I've always loved for its spirit of resistance against corporate cooptation of hip hop. So, that's been in my head for some time.
How did your concept for the book change between conception and publication?
The informal, freestyle interviews with other young people around the country really helped to shape the end product. Also, events like the Jena Six marches around the country became scenes and points of departure in the book.
Also, once I got into a rhythm, the approach became more rooted in creative non-fiction opposed to the more traditional non-fiction book.
What is your first memory of hip hop, and what was your reaction to it?
It may not be the first, but certainly one of the most vivid early hip hop memories came when I was in elementary school. I left school and was dropped off and my dad's office at Temple University where he taught and still teaches. When I entered the office my dad was surrounded by Public Enemy. All dressed in black leather jackets, Public Enemy embraced me and Chuck D became my hero forever. Ironically, I talked to him while writing this book and he's in my new film The Black Candle.
At what point did you recognize that corporate interests had taken hip hop astray?
One of the elements of hip hop is building (knowledge, wisdom and understanding). This element informs all of the others -- it's supposed to act as a base. When multi-national corporations began buying up independent hip hop labels, distribution expanded and the target audience changed from black and brown youth to suburban white kids. The white kids who became the primary consumers of tapes and CDs were far less interested in Black revolutionary music that, in many ways, threatened their existence. So, in the mainstream sense, the music changed dramatically. As one executive notes in Byron Hurt's film Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes, we went from Public Enemy (PE) to Bitches with Attitudes (BWA) within a year of the corporate takeover.
If hip-hop has been co-opted and exploited by old white guys, how can the post-hip hop generation take a lesson and protect itself against the same result?
The only thing we don't know about the future is the history we haven't learned yet. It's imperative to keep educating young folks about our culture. Sadly, a lot of the young people that hip hop was created for don't really understand it beyond what they hear on the radio or see on BET -- and that ain't it!
By the same token, what lessons might the post-hip hop generation take from the jazz and blues generations (many of whose members have likewise been co-opted and exploited by corporations and advertising executives)?
One way is by controlling and owning our own cultural productions. This is fundamental.
What kind of organizational structure do you foresee for the post-hip hop generation? Assuming the structure has some sort of hierarchy, who might emerge as its leaders?
I can't make those kind of assumptions or forecast.
Compared to hip-hop, can you quantify how much bigger the rising post-hip hop generation is going to be in terms of social, cultural and political impact and influence?,br> I start the book out with a quote from Frantz Fanon: "each generation, out of relative obscurity, must discover their mission and either fulfill or betray it." I can't quantify the size, but each generation has this choice.
To whom or what do you attribute your own capacity for critical thinking? At the back of the book, you've included quite a splendid bibliography and filmography. Why no discography?,br> Great point and idea. Perhaps in the paperback I can do that. I know one thing, though, a discography might be longer than the book! If It's Bigger Than Hip Hop Which other books -- whether included in your bibliography or not -- would you recommend as complements to It's Bigger Than Hip Hop? Your acknowledgements cite quite an impressive list of mentors and teachers: Maya Angelou, Mumia Abu-Jamal, bell hooks, Cornel West and more than a dozen other significant names. What advice would you offer to other members of the post-hip hop generation who might be seeking wisdom? How does your poetry serve your documentary filmmaking, and how does filmmaking serve your poetry? In terms of gratification, how does winning an award from the Academy of American Poets compare to having 500 Years Later win best documentary prizes from the Bridgetown, Harlem International and Pan African film festivals, and a Breaking the Chains award from UNESCO? How, when and where do you prefer to write? What was the last book you read that you would recommend to friends, and why are you recommending it? Among the other presenters at this year's Wisconsin Book Festival, who are you most eager to see?
At the root, my parents taught me to challenge assumptions not by simply telling me to do so, but showing me through their work as educator-activists.
We'd score one very long song featuring the founders and early pioneers of hip hop as well as the brothers and sisters who are keeping it alive today. There would be like 1,000 emcees on the track.
I'd recommend Can't Stop Won't Stop by Jeff Chang because it gives you a very in-depth historical understanding of the hip hop generation.
To talk to the elders -- they are our greatest resource.
All of the mediums I deal in (non-fiction, poetry, filmmaking, fiction) are languages. When ideas come to me, I ask myself, 'what's the best language to say this in?' Sometimes it's a poem, sometimes a novel, a film, etc. Knowing more than one language allows you to communicate with different groups.
What feels good is touching people in my community. Like when teachers or parents or young people see one of my films or read something I've written and it helps them. That's the most gratification. James Baldwin, who I quote a lot in the book, is someone who never received a major literary award in America. However, his community loved him. I love my community and it's gratifying to get that love back.
I love the night, from midnight to around 5 a.m. That's a time when there are less distractions from phone, email, etc. I usually work in my office/library. When I'm editing, I often go to coffee shops.
The Routledge Book of World Proverbs. It's beautiful to hear how cultures around the world interpret the world. It's really interesting and I just finished it this morning.
Dave Zirin. I dig his work around sports, race and politics. He's really dope and I look forward to hearing about A People's History of Sports.