Everybody needs to show respect to each others' ways and the cultural life that you get on this planet. Don't get caught up on 'I'm brown, black, white, red, blue, whatever.' You gotta ask, what were you called before 1492? All these names we're using now are just an illusion made to keep us fighting each other.
I'd like to see people pay attention to the science of hip hop. The knowledge part, the political side of what hip hop could do, or where hip hop is gonna go. I always say it's gonna become universal as we become a galactic union.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of understanding the deeper, political, and scientific aspects of hip hop culture.
Afrika Bambaataa highlights the need for people to recognize not only the artistic expression found in hip hop, but also its potential for political influence and knowledge dissemination. He envisions a future where hip hop transcends cultural boundaries, becoming universal as humanity evolves into a more interconnected and united species, reflecting his belief in its significant impact on society.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the influence of music on social movements, you could say, 'I'd like to see people pay attention to the science of hip hop, as Bambaataa points out its political potential.'
More from Afrika Bambaataa
All quotes →How you act, walk, look and talk is all part of Hip Hop culture. And the music is colorless. Hip Hop music is made from Black, brown, yellow, red and white.
I wear anything of culture, from the Earth or beyond. The whole planet is my shop.
A lot of times, when people say hip-hop, they don't know what they're talking about. They just think of the rappers. When you talk about hip-hop, you're talking about the whole culture and movement. You have to take the whole culture for what it is.
We also want to try and slow down all this foolishness that's going on between the East and West. We gotta understand that Hip Hop is now universal. Hip Hop is not East coast or West coast.
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