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Stand and Deliver: Political Activism, Leadership, and Hip Hop Culture
Hip Hop activism, a joining of a musical genre with political action, is a highly ambiguous term that encompasses a range of initiatives, from those that are genuinely attempting to affect public policy to largely self-promotional efforts that are more about getting media exposure for celebrities than addressing the cause they are allegedly representing.
For too long, Bynoe maintains, Black leaders have only been "Charismatic Leaders," and have largely functioned as "spokespersons" delivering complaints and exhortations to the White power structure. Bynoe is passionate about the need for a new generation of Black leadership and civic and political organizations to instead actively engage in a policy-centered relationship with the White power structure, not only in field of government but also in economics and media. This understanding, Bynoe argues, should be premised on the principle that political power comes from influence and influence comes from the ability to delivery (or deny) money, votes or both to a political candidate, legislator or political party; in the words of MC Lyte, all the rest is "chitter chatter".
For too long, Bynoe maintains, Black leaders have only been "Charismatic Leaders," and have largely functioned as "spokespersons" delivering complaints and exhortations to the White power structure. Bynoe is passionate about the need for a new generation of Black leadership and civic and political organizations to instead actively engage in a policy-centered relationship with the White power structure, not only in field of government but also in economics and media. This understanding, Bynoe argues, should be premised on the principle that political power comes from influence and influence comes from the ability to delivery (or deny) money, votes or both to a political candidate, legislator or political party; in the words of MC Lyte, all the rest is "chitter chatter".
150 pages, Paperback
First published March 25, 2004
About the author
Yvonne Bynoe
4 books1 followerYvonne Bynoe is an author and the editor of the motherhood anthology, Who’s Your Mama? The Unsung Voices of Women and Mothers (Soft Skull Press/Counterpoint Press). Foreword by Rebecca Walker.
At the core of Bynoe’s extensive writing on politics, culture and economics is the concept that people can be empowered, through education and information, to improve their circumstances. After becoming a working mother in 2004 she shifted her focus to how Hip Hop generation women were balancing their family and work obligations. Her exploration into how this generation of women were choosing to partner and parent led her to found SophisticatedWomanandMama.com, a company dedicated to supporting working mothers.
She is also the author of two books, The Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture (Greenwood Press) that chronicles the history of the genre and Stand & Deliver: Political Activism, Leadership and Hip Hop Culture (Softskull Press), which discusses civic participation. Bynoe’s writings have also appeared in several anthologies including: We Got Issues A Young Woman’s Guide to a Bold, Courageous and Empowered Life, ed. Rha Goddess and Jlove Calderon. Race and Resistance: African Americans in the 21st Century, ed. Herb Boyd, Rhythm & Business: The Political Economy of Black Music, ed. Norman Kelley and America Now : Short Reading from Recent Periodicals, ed. Robert Antwan. Her work has also appeared in the Washington Post, the Chicago Sun Times, TheRoot.com and AlterNet.org
She is a frequent speaker at colleges and universities as well as at professional association conferences throughout the country. She has provided political and cultural commentary for the National Public Radio (NPR) program, News & Notes. Bynoe’s straightforward analysis has garnered her praise from academics and average citizens. Acclaimed scholar, Manning Marable has called Bynoe “one of Hip Hop Culture’s most insightful observers.”
Bynoe was the co-founder and the former president of the Urban Think Tank Institute (2000-2004), a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating and engaging young adults about the issues that affect them as a means to facilitate new political leadership. She was also a speaker at the inaugural Hip Hop Political Convention that took place in 2004 in Newark, NJ. She was also a panelist at the historic Feminism and Hip Hop conference held at the University of Chicago in 2005
At the core of Bynoe’s extensive writing on politics, culture and economics is the concept that people can be empowered, through education and information, to improve their circumstances. After becoming a working mother in 2004 she shifted her focus to how Hip Hop generation women were balancing their family and work obligations. Her exploration into how this generation of women were choosing to partner and parent led her to found SophisticatedWomanandMama.com, a company dedicated to supporting working mothers.
She is also the author of two books, The Encyclopedia of Rap and Hip Hop Culture (Greenwood Press) that chronicles the history of the genre and Stand & Deliver: Political Activism, Leadership and Hip Hop Culture (Softskull Press), which discusses civic participation. Bynoe’s writings have also appeared in several anthologies including: We Got Issues A Young Woman’s Guide to a Bold, Courageous and Empowered Life, ed. Rha Goddess and Jlove Calderon. Race and Resistance: African Americans in the 21st Century, ed. Herb Boyd, Rhythm & Business: The Political Economy of Black Music, ed. Norman Kelley and America Now : Short Reading from Recent Periodicals, ed. Robert Antwan. Her work has also appeared in the Washington Post, the Chicago Sun Times, TheRoot.com and AlterNet.org
She is a frequent speaker at colleges and universities as well as at professional association conferences throughout the country. She has provided political and cultural commentary for the National Public Radio (NPR) program, News & Notes. Bynoe’s straightforward analysis has garnered her praise from academics and average citizens. Acclaimed scholar, Manning Marable has called Bynoe “one of Hip Hop Culture’s most insightful observers.”
Bynoe was the co-founder and the former president of the Urban Think Tank Institute (2000-2004), a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating and engaging young adults about the issues that affect them as a means to facilitate new political leadership. She was also a speaker at the inaugural Hip Hop Political Convention that took place in 2004 in Newark, NJ. She was also a panelist at the historic Feminism and Hip Hop conference held at the University of Chicago in 2005
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 21, 2011
The hype about 'raptivists' and a 'hip hop voting bloc' is more than over, but this book still has something to say about so-called leaders and black political agendas. The final chapters, about the business of hip hop and the issue of class, were especially good.
Overall, though, the book lacks coherency and there are a lot of typos and errors. Why didn't Soft Skull Press hire an editor?
Overall, though, the book lacks coherency and there are a lot of typos and errors. Why didn't Soft Skull Press hire an editor?
January 21, 2014
"Where hip hop seeks to define a specific group reality within society, politics seeks to define society in general. In basic terms, raising awareness about police brutality through a song is hip hop but actually motivating the masses to force changes in police department procedures or the laws to prosecute corrupt cops is politics."- Yvonne Bynoe
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews