Author Larry Boatright, also known as M.C. El Bee in the hip-hop community, talks about the birth and propagation of hip-hop in the 1970s and 1980s in his biography "A Gangsta'z Tale Hip-Hop in Da '70s: Invisible Legends of Hip-Hop".
Hi, my name is the legendary M.C. El Bee. I'm one of the first breakdancers in the history of hip hop, one of the first street MC's in the history of hip hop. Also one of the pioneers of hip hop during the 1970's out of the Bronx. I'm also the author of the acclaimed book, A Gangsta'z Tale Hip-Hop in Da 70s. I'm talking today on the topic of knowledge, knowledge regarding in hip hop. I think that the knowledge in hip hop has been lost at the true pioneers of hip hop needs to be reinstituted in today's society. I think a lot of these young kids, if you ask them about Grandmaster Flash, Grandmaster Kool Herc or Theodore Kuskalore, whom they called the Grand Wizzard today, I think that they would not know who they are and I think that these pioneers should be in the mental state of the young individuals in which are grown up today. Speaking of that, hip hop has been lost. The true essence of hip hop, the foundation of hip hop has been lost in which those principles, in which we used to instill in our music and stuff like that, opposed to today, the music in which you hear today which seems to be mindless, not really much of an effort in order to make half of the songs they make today. It's no consciousness to it. It doesn't uplift anything, you know what I mean? It just tears down and I think that the knowledge of hip hop needs to be restored. And that's my take on knowledge and peace.
Last Updated: September 10, 2021
