Contributed by Saron Dier on 6/15/07

The last couple of months, I’ve been going on a lot of job interviews. I had a couple for President of the United States, CEO of all economy, ruler of the universe…yunno…Average joe jobs for an average joe jobber.

Not that it has anything to do with it, but hip hop is my love…I mean seriously! If you cut me open, my heart would probably be a turntable that pumps Krylon paint…I could breakdance before I was able to walk, beatbox before I could talk, and rap before I could rhyme.

But I got a dilemma. On every single job interview I go to I get the question, “so, what do you like to do?”

I cant tell them I used to cut class to go to freestyle ciphers, (although I know A LOT of people who’ve cut work to play golf) I can’t say I think graffiti is an art (at least without getting into a debate about vandalism). I can’t say I like Method Man or Eazy E.

I can’t say hip hop in corporate America!

That’s like telling your grandmother you like “wild sex parties”, or havin your church heads catch you at the porno store!

In the age where employers make decisions based on what you have on your Myspace page (I caught my manager doing a kegstand - i got dirt on you doggie!!!) how do you think corporate America perceives hip hop?

I don’t even want to know: Misconstrued, misunderstood, and mishandled. Violent, misogynistic, uneducated, bullet riddled, drug addicted, etc..x ..Every time a rapper breathes wrong, my involvement with hip hop takes my place on the corporate ladder down so many notches.

IS THIS ASSESSMENT OF HIP HOP IN CORPORATE AMERICA JUSTIFIDED?

Let’s start with ourselves though. Is it hip hop’s fault? Is it the baggy jeans, gold teeth, timberlands, hoodies, tough guy gun talk, paint spraying/ LP defacing/ breakdance circling that’s intimidating? Is it our fault for bringing up non-PC issues in a supposedly PC workplace? Is it the fickle “shine…spend it till it’s gone” *c/o Cash Money* mentality that is synonymous with hip hop culture scaring the 401k crowd away?

Or is it the fear that hip hop’s new found wealth, ultimate hustler attitude, revolutionary thinking and a direct pipeline into mainstream culture (and the power to change it) give fear that corporate America’s “old money” could be encroached upon by those who were purposely denied?

Or is it the inability to break everyone’s conscious out of this straitlaced, conservative way of thinking that denies this talent to corporate America? Does the same bullheaded conservative thinking that propels Bill Ford Sr. to not fire Matt Millen as GM of the Lions, the same bullheaded thinking that outlaws hairstyles, clothing, or anything else related to hip hop in the workplace?

Why can’t corporate America look toward the positives? Like the fact that hip hoppers have displayed tenacity, optimism and an iron will in keeping the movement alive in a time where trends fleet in and out faster than a Twista song. - Why not look toward the fact that in less than a quarter century hip hop has managed to change world culture and American society?

What about how hip hop has changed the way that products are marketed (i.e. the $5 per Big Mac fiasco a while back)? Why not use the lessons that hip hop has taught us to improve Corporate America? In fact, that gives me an idea!!!

IF I RULED THE WORLD

When I hire for my company, Awesomeness Inc, I will hire all b-boys/b-girls. Not only does it take talent, creativity, effort, practice, passion, and determination to be a great hip hopper - you have to do that shit being given NOTHING!

For example, emcees are specialists in communicating their point, EXPERTS in selling themselves, masters of organization, and excellent social analysts. And don’t even talk about competitiveness. I’ve worked around corporate types, studied around engi-nerding types. There is no one more competitive and proud of their work than the hip hopper.

Most people who don’t know hip hop would tell me you’re insane if you think a whole culture could be based off motherfuckers spinnin on cardboard or stealing power to light up the park. What they don’t understand is that this creativity, this ingenuity which acts as the fuel behind the culture is the same creativity and ingenuity that has fueled the American economy. If corporate America understands that, anyone who participated in hip hop would be immediately appointed CEO of these companies. True story!

My company would be awesome. We’d post record profits every year, and take over lesser companies. Our dress code would Adidas shell toes and track jackets. We’d have breakdancing competitions to see who keeps their jobs!!! Then we’d fly off in a rocket ship. Sorry. My imagination is too much.

STUFF TO THINK ABOUT

Questions to ponder: Was it always like this? Has hip hop always had a negative connotation to people outside the culture? Can it ever change? Will the media ever present a balanced and fair view of hip hop and culture? Who stole my pipe??? But the most important question to ask. What am I gonna do about it?

My goal in my corporate job search is to find a company that accepts me in all my emceeing glory. A company that understands that I’m gonna skip the golf outing to go crate digging. A company that understands that I’m the best at what I do professionally, and that hip hop is just a part of me. And if there is no company that does this, then all y’all best watch out for Awesomeness Inc!

RELATED CONTENT

• • T.I.: ‘Worry About Bush, Not Hip Hop’

  • Indiana U Students Form First Hip-Hop Frat [allhiphop.com]

  • Hostages taken at Clinton campaign office [cnn.com]

  • HHW Announces Hollywood Honors & Movie Awards

  • Jeff Chang And KRS Beef Up the Discussion