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Session “Hip Hop: What it is and what it’s not”
Source: urban america news
Author: urban america news

A Hip Hop cultural symposium was held on Friday May 14, at the Miami Beach Convention Center. It was coordinated by a group of Black professionals who work in the area of Tourism and Entertainment called the Miami Beach Black Host Committee (MBBHC) and sponsored by the City of Miami Beach, The City of Miami Beach, The City of Miami Beach Police Department and The City of Miami Police Department. The event was both in response to a police book found by the Source Magazine which contained lists of Rap Artists who were to be tracked and followed while vacationing in Miami and to prepare for Memorial Day’s Hip Hop vacationers. The goal as stated by the MBBHC’s press release said they wish “to inform, educate and enhance relations between law enforcement, Hip Hop industry and the community”. The event was held in two sessions.

The afternoon session entitled “Hip Hop: What it is and what it’s not” was really about the accusations of Police Profiling of Hip Hop artists. On the panel was Chief Donald Delucca (Miami Beach Police), David Mays( Owner of the SOURCE Magazine), Uncle Luke (Rap Artist), Cedric Muhammad (Police Profiling activist), Speedy Legs, Henry Crespo (Chair of the MBBHC) and some other police officials. Dave Mays started off by saying that he saw a police book with names of rap artists and crimes they have committed which he said that this was all the evidence he needed to believe that the Police in Miami planned to harass Hip Hop artists. Chief Delucca said that he has seen no such book. He said that if a book like that did exist he would throw it away. The panel discussed a few other subjects and talked about the Hip Hop culture of Miami. It was a good event but, I just thought that not enough people were present from the community. The possibility of such a book had gotten the attention of King Downing who is the National Coordinator of the Campaign against racial profiling from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union). The panel was not clear why Hip Hop artists would be selectively targeted. A question that was asked why artists were possible being targeted because they were Rich, Black, Rap Artist or ex-cons was never answered. It should be something that we all should be mindful of because Cedric Muhammad said that he thinks Police Profiling is influenced by parties outside of the Police department and the Hip Hop community.

The morning session was closed to the public and was a training session for Police Officers educating them on the origins of Hip Hop, The concept of crews vs. gangs, artist travel and crews, the concept of race and marketing territory and changing the perception of the police of Hip Hop Culture. With an audience of about 45 police officers the information was received with enthusiasm. Some officers said that programs like these should be conducted in each precinct. This was especially important because with over 200,000 people expected for this Memorial Day weekend officers from areas as far away areas like Davie, Plantation and Westin which are not as racially diverse still use police dogs to control young Black youth. This was a good program and Miami is lucky to be able to even be able to have the Chief of Police address the Hip Hop community. In other Cities like New Jersey where police profiling has become a problem, organizations of social change like the NAACP had to get involved in order for changes to be made. Everyone knows about Cincinnati, Ohio where police profiling recently received national exposure on 60 Minutes. I really hope this program works because police profiling of Hip Hop artists and the overall relationship between police and the Hip Hop Community is changing people’s feelings about coming to Miami and having fun. Hip Hoppers are becoming more active in the issues that affect them and their communities. Events like this and others will be the focal point of the National Hip Hop Political Convention coming up later on this month in Newark, New Jersey. Since Hip Hop has such an influence on American culture maybe it can have an effect on some the negative elements of American culture.