KRS-One has recruited fellow Hip Hop legends Slick Rick and Big Daddy Kane for a new promo video promoting The Hip Hop Alliance, a non-profit organization promoting fair wages, fair royalties and strong health and retirement benefits for artists in the Hip Hop and R&B community.
Shared via Instagram on Tuesday (July 26), KRS-One begins with, “Welcome to The Hip Hop Alliance. Hip Hop’s first official union. We fighting for rights!” Meanwhile, Kane and Slick Rick simply flex for the camera with the latter rocking his signature Africa chain and the former looking suave as always.
From there, KRS-One spits, “Who really looking out for the artists?/Everybody knows the music industry is heartless.” He goes into further detail in the caption with, “Shout out to those who work behind the scenes to make Hip Hop Happen! Managers, Artists, Agents, Engineers and Producers, what is the retirement plan, healthcare plan, and fare commission standards for us? What is a fare wage for what we do within ‘Hip Hop’ as an industry?
“Those that drive and assist artists, those that protect artists, those that promote the show, and those that sell merchandise, among other roles and responsibilities that make Hip Hop happen; Who speaks for us? What brings dignity and respect to the work that we do?
He continued, “Answer. The Hip Hop Alliance! With the knowledge, the skill, and the power of our collective voice, there is no reason why we cannot protect ourselves and our future! Find out more @thehiphopalliance.”
Chuck D and Kurtis Blow serve as both the president and vice-president of The Hip Hop Alliance, respectively. “The Breaks” OG is truly humbled by the opportunity to help his fellow artists.
“It is truly a blessing , for the first time in history, we have the opportunity for a Hip Hop Union,” he tells HipHopDX. “We are on a mission to enable the culture to live their lives more abundantly while eradicating the injustices and inequality that have plagued our creators.”
Quavo Lands Starring Role In Action-Thriller Movie From 'Die Hard' Writer
In February, SAG-AFTRA and the Hip Hop Alliance, an affiliate of the United Coalition for Humanity, joined forces to educate artists, lawmakers and the media about the challenges record labels and studios often create for artists.
“Chuck D and I have been working on this Hip Hop Alliance ever since 2007,” Blow told DX at the time. “Finally, we got it done. Thank you to everyone involved. Hip Hop culture is the hottest scene in society today. Everyone around the globe is tuning in to listen to what Hip Hop has to say.
“We truly live in a Hip Hop generation. Rap music is the No. 1 streamed music on the planet. The agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the Hip Hop Alliance will bring many benefit options to the culture in the near future. Caring for people will save lives like SAG-AFTRA did for me.”
with you all the way on this one. believe me home boy prince charles the next in line you know what i’m saying.
its called ascap bmi geez how hard is it to put a percentage up for health care / retirement? every other chain buy land done. not feeling sorry for these idiots who blow thru millions then complain about being broke, you can blow your first, 2nd but by the 3rd time comes and you still crying broke it aint the system its you. everyone been know the first deal usually sucks
I agree with you about the hip hop artists who blow through the millions of dollars they accumulated. However, ASCAP has probably failed to fight for the other talented hip hop artists (who don’t go pop to make millions) to have health care, minimum wage, etc. Otherwise, why would Chuck D and them be pushing for this?
if you can buy a 100K chain n a 200K car multiple times you can buy your own health insurance if you can spend millions on drugs, bottles, n clothes you can buy your own health insurance, no ones paying under minimum wage on a record deal if you get a 50K advance duh gota recoup them the breaks if you blow it all instead of stack half thats on you, these GROWN adults not kids take some responsibility or drop down to your knees n swallow for your 15 minutes
Bruh, ASCAP and BMI are simply the vehicles that provide the payment of your royalties and the tracking publishing. Millions???? It seems that you are a little out of touch on the matter, but happy to stay in your ignorance (and are working to disinform everyone else). It sounds like you are perfectly fine with the artists that bring so much of what you love and value (music), but choose to actively campaign against their wellbeing and their efforts to have a bigger voice against the record companies that have had an unequitable share of the pie, and they look protect those that are coming into music and make sure that they can provide for their families. You can choose uplift what brings you joy and adds to your world, or you can keep doing what you are doing are tear down the efforts to make their worlds better and then later state “theirs no good music out there, I remember when hip hop was good…” Build or Destroy, what are you doing?
not my fault i can waive a par of lexus keys infront of someone begging to be famous to sign a bad deal, james prince told cats to read underground lawyer 30 years ago, master p recced another books about the industry, everyone KNOWS the artists of the past got screwed over but they dont care they still signed the deal so its on them, i havent bought or supported an album in 20+ years why? so some bald white executive gets 9 n the artists gets 1 lol no one cares about these penny a stream junkies music free far as im concerned like biggie said ups is hiring
Im alright over here
This would only deter record companies to f with u.
Hopefully, this alliance also stops the bullshit comin out lately
we need people to understand that hip hop is music – media and record companies want people to think hip hop is what happens to poor black people like it’s a disease and they make money off recycling. but in KRS era when folks bought records music was valued and he knows we are going to see those times in the future. when that happens he wants hip hop to have unified standards of finance and accounting – health insurance and retirement plans are all part of it
You’re right. The intent was much more than what it has become. But it’s because it has been running very tightly close to the streets. So some of the genre has bled into the negative side. And unfortunately, it has more appeal than other forms of hiphop nowadays
Hip hop going corporate!! Beware, I’m telling you. There’s plusses and minuses here