PHOTOCRED JavierE
The annual ADCOLOR Conference kicked off last night (Thursday 11/17) with an exciting keynote discussion, “50 Years and Rising: Celebrating Five Decades of Hip-Hop’s Evolution From Subculture to THE Culture,” presented by Cashmere.Monks. The panel featured incredible speakers including Nas, GRAMMY-Award winning rap legend and Mass Appeal partner; Peter Bittenbender, Mass Appeal CEO, Entrepreneur, Mass Appeal; and Ryan Ford, President & Chief Creative Officer, Cashmere (Moderator).
“50 Years and Rising” touched on a number of relevant topics in hip-hop and its impact on culture, with notable topics such as:
- Why brands feel like they can’t speak to the “new face of America”
- Nas: “People still don’t get it, and it leaves artists like me to create dialogue… be the middle person, and bridge that gap”
- The impact and importance of women in hip-hop
- Nas: “Hip hop has been male dominated for a long time… doors are opening slowly, and should be opening faster.”
- The responsibility in the room for the culture, after a recent uncontrollable outbreak of violence and deaths among notable hip hop artists
- Nas: “It’s important for the younger generation to realize that it’s not easy to come out of the neighborhoods they might have come from… The younger generation needs to know that they are now an important person to this world; you have to survive, and cut off old habits. It doesn’t make you soft if you don’t hang in the ‘hood.”
- Nas: “I don’t know how we get that message out to the younger generation of artists, that we have to be more responsible… there should be rules and guidelines of how to be a hip hop artist. It has to happen, otherwise we’re going to hear about something in another week.”
- Nas: “Artists need a team of people around them that are experienced professionals… you can’t wait for the record company to care, we have to care about our future.”
- What can be expected from the HipHop50 Platform in 2023
- Bittenbender: “Live experiences all next year, from park jams – the essence of hip hop – to paying tribute to the past, present and future of hip hop. There will also be an incredible multi-night celebration of hip hop culture with one of the greatest groups in hip hop backing it, at a legendary venue in NY.”
- What’s missing from brands and artists
- Bittenbender: “I think they are missing consistency… Hip hop has had to rebrand over and over and over, so it won’t always be that easy and overnight.
© 2022, Seth "Digital Crates" Barmash. All rights reserved.
