What makes a revolutionary Pan-Africanist perspective much different from the other takes is our focus on the complete and uncompromising liberation of the masses of African (Black) people scattered and suffering all over the world. Along with that, its our unapologetic centering of the continent of Africa under a revolution that brings a unified scientific socialist development in Africa, no matter what language we speak, what faith we practice or don’t practice, and where we were born.
For a large number of Africans in the U.S., Kendrick Lamar’s presentation during the Superbowl was inspirational. Most Africans see it this way because the mass collective struggle of the 1950s/60s has given way to the individualistic and idealistic approach to interpreting our place in the world we exist in today. In other words, most Africans in the U.S. see progress today as being measured based upon our individual abilities to advance within the capitalist system. Since the capitalist system exploits and oppresses the African masses, its obviously controlled by the forces who don’t want Africans to see it as the enemy it is. As a result, we are conditioned 24/7/365 to see our entire existence stemming from the existence of this system so anyone who has the appearance of rising within this society is viewed by many of us as defining success. Or, it can be said that we believe that our success is defined by the degree in which the system that oppresses us permits our accession within it.
Under these dysfunctional circumstances, when Africans in the U.S. participate in highly financed movies, television, sports, music, etc., its seen through these lenses. And, because of capitalism’s vicious exploitation of Africans every day, most Africans enjoy seeing images of themselves appearing to rise above the obstacles that prohibit so many of us from having any opportunities whatsoever.
So, with this context established, we have nothing negative to say about Kendrick Lamar’s presentation. We say that because we believe that the masses of people make history, not individuals. We also believe – as Ahmed Sekou Ture and Amilcar Cabral told us – culture is the tool of the oppressed to achieve their liberation. This means that culture belongs to the people, not individuals and certainly not celebrities who serve as court jesters for capitalism.
People can debate what Kendrick was trying to say or not trying to say all day, but our point here is that as long as the masses of African people are disorganized and disunified, the issue cannot be what these artists are doing or not doing. The issue has to be what the masses of our people are doing or not doing.
In the 1960s, when mass movements for African liberation were common all over the world, the level of consciousness reflected the energies of those movements. As a result, the artists were forced to raise their consciousness in order to be relevant to what people wanted to hear, see, etc. By the 1980s, when this individualistic, idealism became dominant, those same artists shifted gears and made art that reflected that reality. Examples of this in the U.S. is music made by artists like the Isley Brothers and James Brown in the 60s compared to the 80s. In the 60s, at the height of the mass struggle, James Brown was singing “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud!” The Isleys were singing “The Pride, Fight the Power”, and “Harvest to the World.” In the 1980s that same James Brown was singing “Living in America” and the Isleys were giving us “Between the Sheets.”
So, whether you liked Kendrick Lamar or not. Whether you thought what was said was relevant or not. Whatever the individual takes on this are, for those of us genuinely concerned and working for African liberation, the only relevant question is what will art look like when the masses of African people are organized? Until that happens, it can never be about Kendrick the individual or Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg the year before, etc., because without mass consciousness and movements, no matter how great the individual performances are, none of what’s presented sticks. In 2016, Beyonce led a Superbowl presentation that appeared to pay tribute to the Black Panther Party and Malcolm X. Two weeks after that Superbowl, its not as if thousands of people were inspired by her performance to join and/or start organizations that would carry on the work of those African organizations and individuals she represented on stage.
Unfortunately, it’s the same reality today. In another two weeks everyone will have pretty much forgotten whether Kendrick Lamar was making a statement about mass incarceration, against Trump, for reparations, whatever. And slim to none people will be inspired solely by his performance to dedicate their lives to this struggle designed to facilitate our collective forward progress.
The change we are fighting for will not happen through sound bite capitalist culture. And, unfortunately, Lamar is incorrect in saying during his presentation that “the revolution will be televised.” Revolutions are about mass engagement. Television stations set up and facilitated through the capitalist system will never air propaganda that promotes revolution just like the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) will never air a performance that has traction around a truly revolutionary message.
Again, this is no critic of Lamar. Whatever he tried or didn’t try, the onus is on us to get engaged to hold all of these artists accountable to the integrity and culture of the masses of our people. The culture belongs to us collectively. As Ture and Cabral said many times, our culture can never be an individual commodity to be bought and sold to the highest bidder.
Until enough of us understand our collective responsibility to advance our culture, and that the only real way to do that is by advancing our people against this capitalist system that continues to hold us down, all we will ever be left with is individualism. And, individualism has never in the history of human existence solved any collective problems. Next steps? Stop talking about what Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Donald Duck did or didn’t do and start talking about what you are going to do and then do it. If enough of us can see the importance of that collective approach to our liberation fight, the art produced will reflect that and then we really start to see for the first time what true African art and expression is supposed to look like.
For a large number of Africans in the U.S., Kendrick Lamar’s presentation during the Superbowl was inspirational. Most Africans see it this way because the mass collective struggle of the 1950s/60s has given way to the individualistic and idealistic approach to interpreting our place in the world we exist in today. In other words, most Africans in the U.S. see progress today as being measured based upon our individual abilities to advance within the capitalist system. Since the capitalist system exploits and oppresses the African masses, its obviously controlled by the forces who don’t want Africans to see it as the enemy it is. As a result, we are conditioned 24/7/365 to see our entire existence stemming from the existence of this system so anyone who has the appearance of rising within this society is viewed by many of us as defining success. Or, it can be said that we believe that our success is defined by the degree in which the system that oppresses us permits our accession within it.
Under these dysfunctional circumstances, when Africans in the U.S. participate in highly financed movies, television, sports, music, etc., its seen through these lenses. And, because of capitalism’s vicious exploitation of Africans every day, most Africans enjoy seeing images of themselves appearing to rise above the obstacles that prohibit so many of us from having any opportunities whatsoever.
So, with this context established, we have nothing negative to say about Kendrick Lamar’s presentation. We say that because we believe that the masses of people make history, not individuals. We also believe – as Ahmed Sekou Ture and Amilcar Cabral told us – culture is the tool of the oppressed to achieve their liberation. This means that culture belongs to the people, not individuals and certainly not celebrities who serve as court jesters for capitalism.
People can debate what Kendrick was trying to say or not trying to say all day, but our point here is that as long as the masses of African people are disorganized and disunified, the issue cannot be what these artists are doing or not doing. The issue has to be what the masses of our people are doing or not doing.
In the 1960s, when mass movements for African liberation were common all over the world, the level of consciousness reflected the energies of those movements. As a result, the artists were forced to raise their consciousness in order to be relevant to what people wanted to hear, see, etc. By the 1980s, when this individualistic, idealism became dominant, those same artists shifted gears and made art that reflected that reality. Examples of this in the U.S. is music made by artists like the Isley Brothers and James Brown in the 60s compared to the 80s. In the 60s, at the height of the mass struggle, James Brown was singing “Say it Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud!” The Isleys were singing “The Pride, Fight the Power”, and “Harvest to the World.” In the 1980s that same James Brown was singing “Living in America” and the Isleys were giving us “Between the Sheets.”
So, whether you liked Kendrick Lamar or not. Whether you thought what was said was relevant or not. Whatever the individual takes on this are, for those of us genuinely concerned and working for African liberation, the only relevant question is what will art look like when the masses of African people are organized? Until that happens, it can never be about Kendrick the individual or Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg the year before, etc., because without mass consciousness and movements, no matter how great the individual performances are, none of what’s presented sticks. In 2016, Beyonce led a Superbowl presentation that appeared to pay tribute to the Black Panther Party and Malcolm X. Two weeks after that Superbowl, its not as if thousands of people were inspired by her performance to join and/or start organizations that would carry on the work of those African organizations and individuals she represented on stage.
Unfortunately, it’s the same reality today. In another two weeks everyone will have pretty much forgotten whether Kendrick Lamar was making a statement about mass incarceration, against Trump, for reparations, whatever. And slim to none people will be inspired solely by his performance to dedicate their lives to this struggle designed to facilitate our collective forward progress.
The change we are fighting for will not happen through sound bite capitalist culture. And, unfortunately, Lamar is incorrect in saying during his presentation that “the revolution will be televised.” Revolutions are about mass engagement. Television stations set up and facilitated through the capitalist system will never air propaganda that promotes revolution just like the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) will never air a performance that has traction around a truly revolutionary message.
Again, this is no critic of Lamar. Whatever he tried or didn’t try, the onus is on us to get engaged to hold all of these artists accountable to the integrity and culture of the masses of our people. The culture belongs to us collectively. As Ture and Cabral said many times, our culture can never be an individual commodity to be bought and sold to the highest bidder.
Until enough of us understand our collective responsibility to advance our culture, and that the only real way to do that is by advancing our people against this capitalist system that continues to hold us down, all we will ever be left with is individualism. And, individualism has never in the history of human existence solved any collective problems. Next steps? Stop talking about what Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Donald Duck did or didn’t do and start talking about what you are going to do and then do it. If enough of us can see the importance of that collective approach to our liberation fight, the art produced will reflect that and then we really start to see for the first time what true African art and expression is supposed to look like.
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