HipHopForChange works to create a more positive image of hip hop
on February 22, 2016
You listen to hip hop music on the radio, but do you stop to listen, really listen, to the words? That is the question that local rapper and activist Khafre Jay poses to his students.
Jay runs a non-profit in Oakland called HipHopForChange Inc. His goal is to create a more positive image of hip hop that does not reinforce the stereotypical images perpetuated by the mainstream music industry. “We’re trying to put our real image out there, so people can see our real culture, instead of making stereotypical tropes of our culture to entertain themselves with,” Jay said. “Those tropes that criminalize our black and brown youth.”
His organization runs a K-12 educational program in Oakland schools where they teach kids about the history of hip hop, eventually having them writing their own lyrics that reflect their lives. “We teach kids about the history and tradition of hip hop, where it comes from and how it’s really been taken away from us,” he says.
Jay also works with local rappers to give them a platform to share their stories and make a living. “We have shows to support local hip hop artists who aren’t going to be on the radio, and who won’t open for Lil Wayne when he comes out here,” he said. “Artists who reflect the collective conscience of hip hop.”
2 Comments
Oakland North welcomes comments from our readers, but we ask users to keep all discussion civil and on-topic. Comments post automatically without review from our staff, but we reserve the right to delete material that is libelous, a personal attack, or spam. We request that commenters consistently use the same login name. Comments from the same user posted under multiple aliases may be deleted. Oakland North assumes no liability for comments posted to the site and no endorsement is implied; commenters are solely responsible for their own content.
Oakland North
Oakland North is an online news service produced by students at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and covering Oakland, California. Our goals are to improve local coverage, innovate with digital media, and listen to you–about the issues that concern you and the reporting you’d like to see in your community. Please send news tips to: oaklandnorthstaff@gmail.com.
Hiphopforchange is having our 2nd Annual Women’s Empowerment show March 5th at Starline Social Club with CMG of Conscious Daughters and Pam The Funkstress of The Coup!!!!
HipHopForChange is Having our 3rd year anniversary party April 2nd at Starline Social Club MLK and W. Grand Oakland