Hiphop is a menace. Right-wing pundits frequently blast rappers for
their lyrics, so-called black leaders spend their capital grumbling
about the work of black pop musicians, and Don Imus helped make hiphop
the hottest scapegoat since Willie Horton. What barely registers is the
fact that hiphop artists give back to their neighborhoods and cities
everyday, directly, in very real ways. The only laundry you don’t hear
aired out about hiphoppers is their community service.
While it shouldn’t be surprising that lots of Seattle-area MCs, DJs,
b-boys, and aerosol artists are deeply committed to community service,
you’d be forgiven if it were. Many only knew about DJ DV One’s
résumé of selfless service after his
high-profile assault case. Sportn’ Life Records’ co-CEO and rapper
D.Black—who himself has been described on more than one occasion
as a “gangsta rapper”—is in fact heavily involved in the Union
Gospel Mission, having worked in their middle-school program and now
looking to get involved with their high-school program.
Similarly, the socially aware raps of artists on local label Mass
Line Media are all buoyed by their very real presence in the community
centers and schools. “I’m not formally involved with any organizations
as far as that goes,” says MC Gabriel Teodros, who’s in area schools on
almost a weekly basis, performing as well as teaching songwriting and
recording to teens. “It’s real random for me. I’m in a different school
all the time talking to these kids. I wish I was at a single site
consistently.” Teodros also mentors kids in the Youth Speaks programs,
and records young up-and-coming MCs in his home for free.
“When Blue Scholars first started in like ’03, Saba and I both were
very involved in the campus thing,” Blue Scholars MC Geologic explains.
“Basic shit—volunteering, tutoring high-school kids. I got
involved with an organization called Anakbayan, doing things at the
Filipino Community Center—from ’03 to ’06, teaching high-school
kids everything from history to martial arts.” Geo officially left the
student-run Anakbayan, but along with other young artists and
professionals he is now in the Arts Kollective; through Bayan USA, an
alliance of progressive Filipino organizations, he is involved in
numerous nationally coordinated projects.
Over in Beacon Hill, Jefferson Community Center swarms with b-boys
and b-girls every Monday and Friday night, when South Seattle’s
globetrotting b-boy crew Massive Monkees gives free lessons to kids
from all over. “Massive is a group that by nature gives back to the
community, without worrying about the recognition,” explains manager
Benito Ybarra. “Back in the day, DVS Crew [the foundational 206 crew]
used to teach the kids, and we carry on that tradition.” Most of the
crew work in community centers, or exclusively as teachers of the
craft; classes are taught at the Vera Project, Velocity Dance Center,
and Mercer and Denny middle schools. On or around April 26—the
day the mayor declared Massive Monkees Day—MM have a citywide
throwdown, Seattle’s biggest b-boying event. Like many of their other
happenings, it’s a benefit and canned-food drive for Northwest Harvest.
Their global rep extends to their charity; they’ve traveled to London
two years running to perform at The Prince’s Trust Urban Music Festival
(whose proceeds go to programs for inner-city youth) and been flown out
as guests of honor to the prefecture of Kochi, Japan. As far as they’ve
come, they continue to fully give back to the community that birthed
them.
“There’re so many active artist-teachers out here,” says
Teodros. “I would say Seattle probably has to be number two at least
with all the hiphop cats here that are involved in teaching and
community building.”
Hiphop is not just the soundtrack to high-gloss ghetto nihilism that
50 Cent and Bill O’Reilly would have you believe (shocking, right?).
The music is inherently a product of its surroundings. It only makes
sense that its purveyors take care of the neighborhoods that provide
home and family and inspiration. With the right mentors guiding this
latest Generation Hiphop, the music can be more than just a means of
expression. Says Geo: “For some kids, honestly, the music is a fast
track to getting
actively involved.” 
G