Yvonne Bynoe is author of the book, Stand and Deliver: Political Activism, Leadership and Hip Hop Culture

Q&A: Yvonne Bynoe

With pivotal, perhaps even historic, elections on the horizon, every vote will be a prized commodity in 2008. We asked Yvonne Bynoe, author, lecturer, and expert on the intersection of popular culture and politics, where the Hip Hop generation factors into America’s political landscape.

By Shawn Chollette, THE BLACK COLLEGIAN

TBC: It was feared that political mobilization among young African Americans would lose ground after the faddish way Sean Combs and others promoted the “Vote or Die” message during the 2004 presidential campaign. Six years later, is it safe to assume that this generation is indeed taking political/social activism seriously?

Y.B.: There have always been members of the Hip Hop generation that have understood the importance of political activism. In that respect nothing has changed. What continues to be problematic for this generation is that by and large, despite numerous get out the vote initiatives, and the variety of issues impacting them, young Blacks are still not voting in great numbers. Moreover, in general, the majority of younger voters still appear to be those in a collegiate environment. There has been less success in getting non-college young adults to vote.

Beyond the issue of voting, where the Hip Hop generation is indeed falling short is in the development of sustainable organizations that address their local, regional and national concerns. After nearly 20 years of so-called Hip Hop politics, there is still no organization or coalition that has garnered any measure of success in fielding political candidates, fundraising for issues or influencing legislation. Overall, Hip Hop politics has had little effect in changing public policies or improving the lives of young Black Americans.

How does the Hip Hop generation measure up to previous generations?

It is always challenging to compare one era to another, since myriad factors including social conventions and political circumstances affect the development and course of activism. However, past generations of younger Black Americans better realized the importance of activism and became involved in social and political movements. During these periods, young people knew that change was needed and knew that if they did not stand up nothing would be altered. SNCC was formed by college students, as was the majority of the early sit-ins, such as the one initiated by North Carolina AT&T students in 1960 at the Woolworth’s in Greensboro, NC. It was also college-aged students that took part in the Freedom Rides.

It would be silly to suggest that today’s young people simply copy the past. However, there seems to be less urgency today about making political and social change, and this is a mistake. We are no longer protesting legal segregation, but there remain inequities in numerous areas including, education, the criminal justice system, housing, healthcare and banking (car loans and home mortgages). Without the drive and commitment of those past young leaders, many of today’s young people probably would not be in college and would certainly not have the opportunities that await them after graduation. Today’s young people have to develop strategies that seek to resolve (through activism, voting and legislation), not just announce, issues concerning their communities.

Are young leaders effectively galvanizing their peers to affect politics? Are politicians taking notice?

Politicians really have not decided whether there is any value in the so-called Hip Hop vote. In the political realm, the only two metrics of importance are votes and money. At this juncture, Hip Hop generation citizens have not “shown and proved” in either category: They do not vote in great numbers, nor do they consistently raise money as an organized group. Politicians are willing to have superficial dialogues with younger voters, especially in the media, to show that they are hip, but it is doubtful that they are taking the concerns and interests of the Hip Hop generation seriously.

What is today’s generation failing to do in terms of political/social activism?

One of my key concerns around the lack of efficacy of so-called Hip Hop politics is the fact that it is unclear who it represents and what it stands for. Is Hip Hop politics multiracial and multigenerational, or is it primarily about Black and Brown folks, representing only 18-25 year olds? Similarly, what issues and policy positions does it advocate? I have heard that Hip Hop should be about everything from the prison industrial complex, juvenile justice, healthcare, education, political prisons and at least 10 other things. While the beauty of Hip Hop, as a cultural expression, is its inclusive nature, politically that same characteristic is a huge liability. The most successful political groups such as AARP, The Sierra Club, the NEA, La Raza, clearly articulate who they represent and/or what they stand for. Moreover, with a narrower focus, these political groups can develop and finance plans, and recruit expert staff whose chief goal is the actualization of the group’s mission.

This does not mean that there can be only one Hip Hop generation political organization, but it does mean that whatever organizations emerge have to be able to concisely articulate who their constituencies are and what their goals are. They also need staffs knowledgeable in the areas they are engaging in. In that regard, “Hip Hop” may not be the best descriptive term. Better names would reflect the group’s true demographics, its mission, rather than rely on a word that is so closely tied to controversial rap music lyrics and media images. For every young person who sees rap and Hip Hop as a positive, there are numerous older constituents and decision-makers, whom they need to work with, who will get bogged down in the perceived negatives–to the detriment of addressing key public policy and legislative concerns.

Perhaps it is also time to assess whether there is really a clear distinction between Hip Hop politics and Black politics. Issues that adversely affect young people affect the entire population; therefore, we need old heads and young heads on board. It seems the emphasis on Hip Hop politics has created a generational wedge that has weakened the abilities of younger and older citizens to come together and craft and implement a 21st century plan for social, political and cultural advancement.

What are some of the things they can do to improve in these areas?

Twenty-first century Black activists should rely less on one-time only events such as voter registration concerts and go back to the unglamorous basics of voter mobilization and education. This means door-to-door canvassing, regular community meetings to alert citizens about what is going on, holding candidate local forums, running for office (school board and city council), and ensuring that citizens register to vote and actually get to the polls on election day. Groups must be ready to send out fliers, make telephone calls, and send out emails and text messages reminding people to vote. Lack of transportation prevents a large number of people from voting. Another reason that many people do not vote is lack of information about polling sites and identification requirements for voters. Activists could coordinate rides to the polls and provide information to clear up confusion about where to go to vote and what documents, if any, voters need to bring with them to the polls. For college students, voting by absentee ballot has to be demystified and more aggressively promoted on campuses.

Find more about Yvonne Bynoe and her work on Hip Hop Politics at www.yvonnebynoe.com.

Shawn Chollette is a frequent contributor to THE BLACK COLLEGIAN. His article “New Orleans’ HBCUs Fight to Recover” appeared in the October 2006 issue