NY-based graffiti artist James Top interviews Philadelphia street art legend Darryl ‘Cornbread’ McCray.
Photo: Denise Clay-Murray

The Fourth Annual Hip Hop Cultural Summit focused on the ways that art and activism intersect through an art form that has often prided itself on that confluence.

By Denise Clay-Murray

While hip-hop may have gotten its start at a house party in a basement in the South Bronx, it always had an element of activism within it.

On Saturday, the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington was the setting for an exploration of that activism as part of the Fourth Annual Hip-Hop Cultural Summit.

This year’s keynote speaker was Chuck D, whose group Public Enemy is still encouraging people to fight the power.

The day-long exploration of the culture and what it means at a time when America is at a crossroads also showcased the museum’s exhibit, “Art As Activism: Walls of Resistance”, which was curated by Trenton, New Jersey-based mural artist Leon Rainbow and features 18 artists, including Philadelphia’s own Darryl “Cornbread” McCray. Cornbread, the man whose street art inspired the city’s Mural Arts Program, also gave a talk during the summit.

It was a day for the culture, Iz Balleto, cultural program manager for the Delaware Art Museum, said.

“We are proud to represent all five elements of hip hop through the lens of activism and give our community the opportunity to learn directly from the people who helped build the culture,” he said.

Trenton-based mural artist and curator of the “Wall of Resistance: Art As Activism” exhibit, Leon Rainbow (2nd from left) with a few of his fans.
Photo: Denise Clay-Murray

In a talkback moderated by Chuck Creekmur, co-founder of AllHipHop.com, Chuck D talked about a variety of things ranging from the impact of technology on not only the culture of hip-hop, but culture overall, to understanding how to navigate the current political climate by realizing not only what game you’re playing, but whom you are playing it with.

One of the ways people have traditionally been able to figure these things out is by using their imaginations. Growing up, using your imagination was encouraged more than it is now, Chuck said. Because such things as imagination, reading comprehension and the ability to express oneself through the written word were considered important, you had to make an effort to do those things, he said.

But now, since we’ve all become “screenagers” of all ages, imagination has become a commodity. And the results haven’t always been positive.

“Today, imagination is given to you, and many cases right now, imagination is sold to you,” Chuck D said. “Now you have people out there that know that their futures are probably going to be invested in buying themselves back on the screen. Art was something that I held on to [in order to]entertain myself. These things used to kind of be encouraged in the ‘60s and the ‘70s, and the removal of these things turned us into a different state.”

Right now, because of how technology has impacted messaging through the arts, people have to figure out how to navigate art versus commerce, Chuck D said. Part of the reason why hip-hop was able to have the impact it did from an activism standpoint was because that dichotomy wasn’t so stark.

The art is important. That’s the bottom line.

“Why put pressure on your art?,” he said. “In art, you can’t get to a million unless you satisfy one. I’ve studied and grew up in the art. People used to always say, ‘Yeah, you doing that art s*%*, like, you know they don’t get famous till they die.’ I used to always hear that, and that’s true. Your art, number one, should satisfy yourself. You can’t put pressure on your art.”

For Zachariah “T.H.E. Harden,” a West Philadelphia-based MC that also served as host for the day, the summit fulfilled a need for people like himself, people who believe that hip-hop is more than just a musical art form.

“It helped me with my hip-hop fix,” he said. “Hip-hop is my religion. That’s my culture. That’s what I follow. This event was everything I needed it to be. To the B Girls and B Boys breaking to DJ Supreme on the wheels doing a turntablism “TED Talk,”what more could you want?”

DJ Supreme speaks to audiences about ‘turntablism.’
Photo: Denise Clay-Murray

“We need to get our spark back for activism, especially in hip hop,” Harden continued. “That’s why Cornbread the Legend was here. That’s why Chuck D. was here. I think we needed this.”

In addition to a dance battle, a cipher featuring multiple MCs, and a day-long DJ set/turntable talk from DJ Supreme, the summit was the setting for Peace Week Delaware’s annual “Superheroes For Peace” awards. These awards, which honor people who are working in the community to bring peace to the community, are the culmination of Peace Week Delaware, a weeklong effort commemorating the cause of peace.

The Hip-Hop Cultural Summit was sponsored by the Center for Interventional Pain & Spine, the Arsht-Cannon Fund, TD Charitable Foundation, AEG International, AllHipHop.com, Guerrilla Republik, Peace Week, Stop the Violence Coalition, Inc., and Wilmington City Council.

“Art As Activism: Walls of Resistance”, will be on display at the Delaware Museum of Art, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, until Sunday, Oct. 25. The museum is open from 10am-4pm Wednesdays through Sundays. Tickets are $18 for general admission, $16 for senior citizens, $7 for college students with valid ID, and $6 for young people aged 7-18. Admission is free for young people aged 6 and under.

For more information, visit: www.delart.org.