0
0
Marcus Garvey’s African Nationalism pt. 2 is an effort to ignite a worldwide awareness to return Blacks to their African roots. All over the world, true Hiphoppas are setting aside the crimester image of the exploitative music industry. Many now deliver a conscious message of Afrocentrism, Garvey-ism, Pan African-ism, the Five Percenters, the Universal Zulu Nation and Nubian-ism. Yes, we are not past the “ism” years. Those ideas remain in our core essence and creed. We seek to inspire the community even as we live in a world that has gone asunder. We live in a time of extreme violence and disrespect which is an indication of selfishness
REHASHING THE TRADITIONS & VALUES
The traditional values of marriage are ravished by self-justified finger pointers who advise women to walk away at their spouse’s slightest misstep. We see children being raised without family discipline, often without a concept of their knowledge of self, community, culture or tradition. Men abandon their homes. The lack of independent entrepreneurship has left many disenfranchised. We see a steep rise in black on black crime knowing gangsta rap was necessary for a post-segregation, post-Brown Vs. Board generation that had to assert its determination to fight back.
We see a steep rise in black on black crime knowing gangsta rap was necessary for a post-segregation, post-Brown Vs. Board generation that…”
Indeed the community has come full circle. We’ve seen, and now it’s time to conquer. Marcus Garvey would be proud to welcome an opportunity to develop Africa. As long as it does not necessitate that natives forgo the core of their old values, restrain traditions deemed non-current, overly westernize or reveal profound African hush-hush from secret societies, or compromise her intellectual artistry then we are on a sustainable path to progress. Whether federal or confederal, perhaps we can now facilitate Garvey’s dream of African Nationalism with the Pan African ambition of a United Africa. Plus for that this generation educates itself disciplines itself and embraces the culture and moral values.
THE BLACK STAR LINER
Besides, Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey, Bishop Desmond Tutu and other African trailblazers like Sekou Toure, Dr. Siaka Stevens and William R. Tolbert Jr. [who founded the Minor River Union or made their nations member states of the Organization of African Unity] have laid the foundation for this platform to be built upon. Alas if it weren’t for us, the unwelcome nobodies, many western locals wouldn’t know anything about the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS]. Perhaps the tireless unnoticed push from no-name journalists, bloggers, activists, magazine publishers, independent websites and newspaper columnists have finally hit home.
Today CNN reports on the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone as the world rallies against Joseph Kony and the capture of innocent schoolgirls in Nigeria. I can still remember when many Westerners knew or cared little about nothing about West Africa except for negative stereotypes. But not today; only a few do not know about Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Mali, Benin or Togo anymore. The world is getting to know Romarong! The masses have heard the message. Moreover, it is up to us to reaffirm the true essence by putting our creed in our art. *
