Nassau, The Bahamas… With November 12 marking the 35th anniversary of Hip Hop, the founder of the Bahamas Hip Hop Fest and multi-award winning artiste, Manifest, is challenging all persons affiliated with the genre to join The Cause and create a positive sound and image worthy for youngsters to emulate.
"Once upon a time, people expressed themselves without cussing and calling each other derogatory names," he said during a statement that was released worldwide. "Nowadays, men greet each other with what once considered taboo or offensive – calling each other the 'n' word and dog and stuff. Women tell you straight up they are the baddest 'b' word and try to see who can have the baddest boyfriend or baby daddy and allow themselves to be showcased like meat because of what they see in music videos."
Manifest, born Lavard Parks, says that in the decade that he's been an artist, producer and CEO of his label Dunamus Soundz, he has only released work that can be played in front of anyone anywhere, because he knows that long after he is gone, his legacy will be remembered.
"If I die tonight, my baby Jojo will be able to put in my albums and hear clean music that expresses tough times, good times, positive vibes and a focused mentality," he said. "He will pick up any magazine and see his dad without drugs and liquor and want to live up to that standard. We in the hip hop industry have failed the generation that followed us and grew up on our music. We want to get respect when we don't respect ourselves. Instead of talking dirty about somebody's mother, sister and daughter, we strip her down and spit out lyrics about what kind of you know what she is. How do we expect kids to respect the law when we are singing about shooting cops, smoking, throwing back forties and such? How do expect people to respect themselves when we keep telling them that cars, cash, sex and drugs is the way to go. You can't blame people who dress and listen to hip hop to be boxed as a trouble maker or have a red flag in the air when they come into stores. They expect what we've been delivering through the media without apologies."
According to Manifest, as celebrations to mark Hip Hop history month erupt globally, The Cause is a challenge that focuses on reclaiming the generation of  disillusioned hip hoppers who are conforming to a lifestyle portrayed in mainstream media as the 'hip hop way of life'.
"Smoking, drinking 40's, gun toting, stripping and promiscuity, cars, cash, overconfident men, under-confident women and this blatant disrespect for the law of the land and the law of God is not hip hop," says Manifest. "We need to put an end to all of this negativity and stereotype associated with hip hop and start providing these lost kids with a serious dose of hip hope. With The Cause, we challenge all artists – music, graphic, writers, etc – to create at least one positive piece or song in any upcoming project. We will have a unified logo to say that they supported the cause and we are going to the top to endorse such products. But right now, the easiest way is for anyone interested in joining is to hit us up on Facebook on my Manifest page or The Cause. We plan to come together collectively in the near future. So stay tuned because this is way bigger than an individual person, genre or artform."
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Arthia A. Nixon
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