Angie Rose stops by Da Fixx for an in-depth discussion of the impact of Hip Hop in and on the culture and the world.  With the recent murder of Migos member Takeoff, Focus, Dice and Angie are deep diving into Hip Hop, what Tik Tok has shown us about the world and ponder where we go from here as a community. 

“The enemy is a choir director!” – Dice Gamble

“A lot of the Hip Hop that comes out literally almost brainwashes you.  There was music I would listen to if there was a fight.  Or if there was something that we had to do to be tough.  There was a certain song that you’d put on.  Or a certain type of music that you put on so you can get into that space.  And get in to that mindset.”  

Angie’s goal is to create as much music as she can.  Especially rap.  “The things that we’re seeing lately.  The amount of people that are dying, getting shot, getting robbed, it’s like we need to make a difference.  We need to speak and we need to do it in volumes.  I just want to influence people to see there’s another side and it doesn’t take away from the emotion and the feeling.  Hip Hop is beautiful.  It’s raw, it’s energetic, it’s gritty, it gives you all the feels.  But it doesn’t have to kill you!” 

Hip Hop and social media

More often than not in Hip Hop, the songs with the greatest impact come from a place of authenticity.  Whether it’s speaking from a place of pain or hope, the “classics” just hit different.  And even though social media has benefited the culture to some degree, it’s also taken.  More than it gave I would even argue.   

“Tik Tok is showing us how the world thinks.  You repeat something enough and the numbers show…everybody is gonna do it no matter what it is.  You see people doing the weirdest thing in the world because somebody else went viral doing it, in our country.”

“Social media is just a really bad mirror.  You’re looking at people that kinda look like you.  That kinda sound like you.  And then you’re like ‘well this is how I gotta be in order to make it.  I’ve gotta be this.  I’ve gotta be that.’  And it ruins the authenticity.  There are times I struggle with who I am.  But who do I wanna be?  And I speak to who I want to be so that I become.” 

This Angie says, is her most recent mandate from God.  “Write the music that you need to hear so that I can minister through you and to you.  I think that would change a lot, if we were not just speaking about who we are.  But speaking about who we want to be and who God can make us.”    

Hip Hop offstage

How do we as a community effect change in the real world?  “Let’s come together and find the strengths in our community.  Let’s curate a program in different communities that runs every week and let’s get youth together.  Use all the resources we have and let’s do something as a whole.”  Angie admits that it’s easier said than done, but our local church is a good start.  And at the same time, we’ve got to pour into our grown folk too. 

For everything Angie Rose, visit her website angierosemusik.com.  You can catch this wave weekday mornings at 6 est. on Holy Culture Radio Sirius XM Channel 154.  Are you following us on social media?  We outchea!  Go to Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter and leave a comment.  Let us know your thoughts on the episode.  We want to hear from you!