Rap*s New Generation

The writing was on the wall.

The New Generation arrived with a mic in one hand, a yes, yes, Y’all on their lips, and two turntables and speakers set to spin. Hip Hop wasn’t just a music revolution but a political movement.

It was a wealth-building system. Anyone with the skills could cash in. The movement created fashion moguls and black-owned media companies, leading to a presidency. Although he wasn’t a rap artist, the U.S. President was a product of that new generation—one who made his way to the White House in 2008.

The movement created several African-American multi-millionaires and America’s first two Black billionaires, Shelia and Bob Johnson, cofounders of Black Entertainment Television cable station.

And to think, mostly everyone outside of the black community said Hip Hop was a fad and, like disco, it would fade. What they didn’t know was that Disco is a genre of music.

Hip Hop is culture.