Use That Privilege in a Positive Way
White hip-hop stars should always use their platform for a positive purpose, specifically for educating other white people on the culture behind hip-hop and the existence of their own privilege. Becoming a hip-hop star is certainly no guarantee that a white person is even knowledgeable about hip-hop culture, but it does make that person a musician with incredible access to both Black and white communities. For example, Iggy Azalea, despite her debated level of skill in the rap game, now has a significant fan base in both the Black and white communities. That access to urban communities should give the star a new perspective on race in America and allow her to generate conversations throughout the white community about racial bias and prejudice in America. It’s part of the reason why some hip-hop stars were surprised to see the “Fancy” rapper remain silent following the deaths of unarmed Black teen Michael Brown and Staten Island father Eric Garner.
Accept Your Role as a Student
White hip-hop stars have to accept the fact that there will likely be a lot they need to learn about the culture, thus making them students of hip-hop. If white rappers continue to convince themselves that they don’t need to dive deeper into hip-hop’s history, they will never truly understand the frustrations many people in the hip-hop community have with the latest wave of white rappers.
