Flip It: Young Bleed's "Betta than the Last Time" and Hip Hop Pedagogy

I wanted to post this song on my facebook wall, but I hesitated because of the Maya that it is immersed in. It is a Maya that is expressed differently then the Maya of the people in my life now. But I know something of both social-economic and cultural outlooks--Young Bleeds and maybe yours. I believe that as activists, educators, thinkers and healers, we must take responsibility for our learning, which affects our ability to excel in our work, and become aware of our obstacles in right thinking and communication. This is necessary in order to actually create change in the communities that we service. That is what, a moment ago, I had to do in order to post this song and entry. “Nobody will understand.” I thought. “They’ll probably get stuck and turn back after hearing dude say “nigga, nigga, nigga” the first few seconds into the song.” I continued, “They’ll turn back from the lesson of this song, saying, “This is ignorant. This is not right”, in the myriad ways that they do. Some will say, “The word “nigga” is wrong”, others may respond, “This is not conscious Hip Hop. I only listen to conscious Hip Hop and if it ain’t conscious it betta be hot like Jay Z or like Weezy.” And so I cranked it louder and moved on, disregarding the urge to share this song.

I cranked (that’s DC for bumped or turned up the volume of in a show of respect and interest… LOL I won’t write like the Urban Dictionary.) and respected this song when I was about 13, 14 and 15. Young Bleed spoke to what I saw around me. He represented and presented, I thought, the way I had to think and to be, in order to get out of my condition—poverty/the hood. Through his music he told me that it takes a winner mentality/paradigm, a low tolerance for bullshit, conviction and a bit of swag. And so this song became my mantra. It was a chant that strengthened my resolve to rise out of a misguided geographical space (the ghetto) and a misguided mentality (one assumed by too many of our youth). Sure, it has its issues, he’s speaking from the condition, he’s speaking to the condition and yet, he’s speaking more. Listen. In comparison to a lot of the Hip Hop available then, it was clean and it was truth. Shit! What I’m really trying to say is that it was not P Diddy! The calm in his delivery and the dexterity of his lyrical skills was like that of a master teacher or a sensei. The brother has some positive vibrations. And so I studied him thought for thought. And I see how his wisdom has affected me along the walk. He has much to do with getting me along on my life path today. If I ever meet him, I’ll say Thank You Teacher.

And yet, despite my profound love, understanding and appreciation for this teacher, I was fearful. I was too afraid to acknowledge the validity of my own experience. But Fuck that. That’s not Hip Hop. I almost abandoned the idea of thinking it through, but Anu said, “Hey, can you write a blog entry for Virtual Hip Hop” I was like “Yooooo.” (I never say that I only write that. DC heads, you know I’m more thorough.) I’m lying but my point is that it clicked. The solution became clear. Or was it presented? I decided to write an article that introduces and reveals a bit about the meaning and significance of Hip Hop Pedagogy as well as the pedagogical possibilities of artist Young Bleed’s “Betta then the Last Time”. This version is based solely on my thoughts and experiences with the song as well as the scope of the analysis that I have presently arrived at. I have some things to reread and research before this is complete, but for now…

Thank you for reading. The sketch is pasted below. Be sure to love and be blessed.
In Peace, Jamila

There are many things that can be taught using “Betta Then The Last Time”. Two that come to mind and that I will identify frameworks for teaching, include the “Law Of Attraction” which is also known as the “Law of Abundance” and Social Justice Education. Social Justice Education utilizes tools, strategies and material from Sociology, Ethnic and Gender Studies, Urban Studies and Psychology, Economics as well as other branches of the discipline. Teaching the law of Abundance also requires that we delve into an interdisciplinary, complex and exciting world of thought. I’m personally more inclined to teach these kinds of lessons together but I realize that folk differ in their thinking, beliefs and work.

But I should clarify that I would not use this song as a teaching tool with all communities of students. Use your best judgment.

The Sketch
Social Justice Education

“I had to quit my fuckin job at the grocery store, cause I’ll be damned if I fall for the Okie doke”

Young Bleed is communicating that he refused to endure the humiliation of working a minimum wage job. He is communication that in order to go for the "okie doke" he would have to deny his intelligence as well as his understanding regarding what takes place in establishments that rely on minimum wage labor. Students from low-income communities will most likely be able to relate to this sentiment. One could open up a dialogue about the way that minimum wage staff is treated and the stereotypes attached to people who work in these positions. These stereotypes include the assumption that these people are not intelligent, that they lack a get up and go attitude and that if they only adopted one they could pull themselves up by the bootstrap. This would be an excellent point to introduce the concept of the “bootstrap” as it relates to Booker T Washington and W.E.B Dubois as well as other historical examples of its being purported and criticized. Students can also examine theories of how classist and racist stereotypes stem from Capitalist thinking.

It is stunning to observe the unemployment rates of young black men in urban communities, and increasingly suburban communities as poor Black Americans are being pushed out of the inner city to the city’s outskirts because of new economic developments and restructuring that do not include this community. Growing up I realized that practically all of the young Black Men I knew, and there were some women as well, from the ages of 15-28, facilitated there own underground economy because of their exclusion from the mainstream. This economy is known as the Drug Game.

“Man why yall wanna take the world from a nigga who ain’t got shit yet, but hella game to put the shit into effect”

This is a very profound observation. Although Young Bleed is speaking to “haters” he is making reference to a system of inequalities. This would be an excellent place to teach students about various inequalities in a historical context where Brown vs. Board, Jim Crow and other events, laws and moments can be analyzed. Students can also engage this through a psychological lens as well as a structural by studying systems of hateful thinking such as sexism, racism and homophobia.

Students can examine how the structural and psychological keep certain people locked out of the mainstream where better resources and life chances are available. They can then discuss how some of the most brilliant minds in these communities exercise their brilliance, THEIR ABSOLUTE BRILLIANCE, in other sectors of society such as the Drug Game therefore being tunneled into prison. Imprisoned Kingpins know for their mental dexterity in the realms of mathematics and organization as well as former Drug Game participants such as Jay Z can be studied in order to reveal this point. This would be an excellent place to teach students about the Prison Industrial Complex. Here they can analyze the concept of “useless bodies”.

The Sketch
Law of Abundance/Law of Attraction

“So I keeps my mind on knockin shit off the hinges”

The law of abundance purports that our thoughts are powerful. Our paradigm greatly determines the circumstances of our lives because we attract and repel things based on the vibrations emitted by our thoughts. By directing your attention to thoughts you invite things into your experience. Therefore by focusing on “knockin shit off the hinges” one invites the experience of ingenuity and success into their lives.
This concept is well known and practiced by successful people who realize the power of their minds in determining performance and outcome. A positive mindset yields positive results. It is a task of the will to direct consciousness sifting through what is allowed into it. We must be conscious of our consciousness in order to achieve this, stepping outside of ourselves to as objectively as possible study our thoughts. Which thoughts frequent your mind the most? Are they useful? Or are they thoughts that sabotage? This ability to direct consciousness must be strengthened through mental exercise, especially meditation.

“Being mad at the world ain’t the thing to be, but it seems the world makes me feel it’s the thing for me.”

You are in control. Your circumstances do not determine your actions or reactions. You do! There is a saying in Hip Hop, “Flip it”. It means to “make a dollar out of fifteen cents” it means to “flip the script”. Too many of us direct ourselves in life by scripts written by someone else. Too many of us do the expected living clichéd unfertile lives. It is uncreative to react with anger to things that are supposed to bring us anger. It is unimaginative to react with fear to things that are supposed to bring us fear. It is passive, boring and demonstrates a lack of will power and innovation on the part of the person who merely sticks to the script. Why not welcome these types of experiences understanding them as opportunity to learn, grow and strengthen ones mental capacity and ability to stay peace. Inner Peace is what brings solutions and results, not fear, stress, anger and anxiety. The lesson is in the challenge. Rise above the challenge and KNOW that you can. The mind is a microcosm of the universe. Respect its creative ability. No doubt.