Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations

October 12, 2007

Title: Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations
Artist: Cornel West & BMWMB
Label: Hidden Beach
Catalog No: HBF00001
Date: 2007

In 1982, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five released “The Message,” a landmark song that addressed the day to day struggles of inner city life. “The Message” gave audiences a glimpse of the potential discursive quality intrinsic to hip-hop. In Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations, Dr. Cornel West reminds the audience of the inherent properties of hip-hop as a medium for sociopolitical discourse. Dr. West is Professor of Religious Studies at Princeton University as well as the former Director of African American Studies. He is a pragmatic orator, progressive scholar, prolific philosopher, and author of several books including Race Matters (1993) and Democracy Matters (2004). Together with his co-producers, brother Clifton West and good friend Mike Daily (the Black Men Who Mean Business, or BMWMB), Dr. West explores themes of revelation, journey and conclusions contextualized in post 9/11 America. Supporting Dr. West on Never Forget are some of today’s top hip-hop/R&B/soul artists, including Talib Kwali, KRS-1, Jill Scott, Andre 3000, Prince, and M1 (Dead Prez).

Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations contains 14 tracks along with two bonus tracks. Unlike Dr. West’s first CD, Sketches of My Culture (2001), which was primarily spoken word, Never Forget adds the flavor and expertise of the celebrity all-star cast. The content of the CD addresses a myriad of current issues including race, gender, police brutality, government corruption and poverty. Several notable tracks are “Bushonomics” with Talib Kwali, “Mr. President” with KRS-1 and M1, and “America (400 Years)” with Iriz, Lucky Witherspoon, Black Thought, and Rah Digga. True to himself, Dr. West drops knowledge on several spoken word tracks including “911″ and “The N Word.” On “911″ Dr. West suggests that 9/11 gave white America a glimpse of what it is like to be black in America. He asks all Americans to follow the example of African Americans in dealing with the changes since 9/11, citing the strength and dignity of Emmett Till’s mother during the funeral of her murdered son. “The N Word” is a twelve minute engaging conversation between PBS commentator Tavis Smiley, Dr. West and Georgetown University professor Dr. Michael Eric Dyson as they debate use of the “N” word. Dr. West calls for a moratorium against the word as it has been appropriated and commodified internationally. Dyson, on the other hand, believes that the word is contextual and that African Americans must elevate the word to represent its meaning of struggle and oppression.

Never Forget is distributed by Hidden Beach, an independent record label that specializes in Neo-Soul, R&B, and Nu-Jazz. Additional information about Hidden Beach, including interviews with Dr. West, can be found on their website. Cover art for Never Forget is a photo taken from the British National Archives of captive African children, taken illegally after the abolishment of slavery, on the Dutch HMS Daphie in 1868. This picture is a striking image that reminds us that injustice still exists. The insert includes images of black America and a photo of Dr. West “conducting” class with his hands high in the air, depicting him as a conductor of knowledge. Dr. West’s message is clear, that in a time when hip-hop has been commercialized and conscripted by corporate commodification, it is indeed time to bring the message back to hip-hop.

Posted by Heather O’Sullivan

Filed under: Rap and Hip-Hop