Stop the Violence Movement
Encyclopedia
The Stop the Violence Movement was begun by rapper KRS-One
in 1989 in response to violence in the hip hop
and African American
communities.
In 1988, during a concert by Boogie Down Productions
and Public Enemy, a young fan was killed in a fight. The killing occurred shortly after Scott La Rock
, a founding member of Boogie Down Productions, was killed in a shooting. KRS-One responded to these tragedies by forming the Stop the Violence Movement, to advance a vision of hip hop that would restore hip hop's "original principles" to the music industry. Composed of some of the biggest stars in contemporary East Coast hip hop
, the movement released a single, "Self Destruction", in 1989, with all proceeds going to the National Urban League
. A music video was created, and a VHS
cassette entitled Overcoming Self-Destruction - The Making of the Self-Destruction Video was also released.
"Self-Destruction" was produced by KRS-One and D-Nice
of Boogie Down Productions (Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad is credited as an associate producer), and featured:
The song samples
"You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight" by The JB's.
, The Game
, Nelly
, Redman
, AWOL One, 2mex, Rah Diggah, Lil' AJ, Ne-Yo
, Talib Kweli
, Method Man
, Styles P
, Busta Rhymes
, Fat Joe
, Cassidy, Wise Intelligent, Rakaa, MC Lyte
, 50 Cent
, and various others. Recording of the track took place in LA
from February 7 to February 9.
, Syleena Johnson
, Phil G, Crucial Conflict
, Kenny Bogus, Straw and Pugz Atomz.
DJ Kay Slay
also produced a version of Self Destruction that samples the original more heavily. It features MC's; Sheek Louch, Busta Rhymes, Papoose, Bun B, Uncle Murda & Jay Rock.
Another version was made by a group of MC's from Jersey City, this version is extremely similar to the original, it even mimics the flow of the original MC's.
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
in 1989 in response to violence in the hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
and African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
communities.
In 1988, during a concert by Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions
Boogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
and Public Enemy, a young fan was killed in a fight. The killing occurred shortly after Scott La Rock
Scott La Rock
Scott "La Rock" Sterling was the original DJ of the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions.-BDP:Sterling, a social worker, met rapper KRS-One in 1986 at the Franklin Men's Shelter in the Bronx where KRS lived. The pair, together with DJ D-Nice, formed Boogie Down Productions...
, a founding member of Boogie Down Productions, was killed in a shooting. KRS-One responded to these tragedies by forming the Stop the Violence Movement, to advance a vision of hip hop that would restore hip hop's "original principles" to the music industry. Composed of some of the biggest stars in contemporary East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City, USA during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the East Coast...
, the movement released a single, "Self Destruction", in 1989, with all proceeds going to the National Urban League
National Urban League
The National Urban League , formerly known as the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, is a nonpartisan civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of African Americans and against racial discrimination in the United States. It is the oldest and largest...
. A music video was created, and a VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
cassette entitled Overcoming Self-Destruction - The Making of the Self-Destruction Video was also released.
"Self-Destruction" was produced by KRS-One and D-Nice
D-Nice
D-Nice is the stage name of discjockey, beatboxer, rapper, producer and photographer who began his career in the mid-1980s with the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions.-Career:...
of Boogie Down Productions (Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad is credited as an associate producer), and featured:
- Boogie Down ProductionsBoogie Down ProductionsBoogie Down Productions was a hip hop group that was originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, months after the release of BDP's debut album, Criminal Minded. The name of the group, Boogie Down, derives from a nickname for the...
(KRS-OneKRS-OneLawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
, D-NiceD-NiceD-Nice is the stage name of discjockey, beatboxer, rapper, producer and photographer who began his career in the mid-1980s with the hip hop group Boogie Down Productions.-Career:...
& Ms. MelodieMs. MelodieMs. Melodie was an emcee married to KRS-One in 1988, and was associated with his group Boogie Down Productions until the couple's divorce in 1992....
) - StetsasonicStetsasonicStetsasonic was an American hip hop group formed in 1979 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is remembered as one of the first hip hop crews to use a live band, and the group's positive, uplifting lyrics made it forerunners of alternative hip hop and jazz hip...
(Delite, Daddy-O, Wise & FrukwanFrukwanFrukwan Sun-Star Allah-Bey is a Moorish American hip hop musician. He is best known as The Gatekeeper from the hip hop group Gravediggaz and was a member of the pioneering hip hop band Stetsasonic.- Early life :...
) - Kool Moe DeeKool Moe DeeMohandas Dewese , better known as Kool Moe Dee, is an American Hip Hop MC prominent in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. He was born in Manhattan, New York...
- MC LyteMC LyteMC Lyte is an American rapper who first gained fame in the late-1980s becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock.-Early life:...
- Doug E. FreshDoug E. FreshDouglas E. Davis , better known by the stage name Doug E. Fresh, is an American rapper, record producer, and beat boxer, also known as the Human Beat Box...
- Just-IceJust-IceJust-Ice A former bouncer at punk clubs, Ice was one of the first of the New York MCs to embrace hardcore rap, and when he burst out of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, as Just-Ice, he gained instant notoriety. Muscle-bound, tattooed, aggressive—he resembled Mike Tyson in more than just looks—and with a...
- Heavy D
- Public Enemy (Chuck DChuck DCarlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...
& Flavor FlavFlavor FlavWilliam Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
)
The song samples
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
"You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight" by The JB's.
"Self-Construction" (Self-Destruction 2008)
KRS-One relaunched the campaign to record a 2008 version of the song titled "Self-Construction", with the contribution of over 55 artists, including David BannerDavid Banner
Lavell Crump , better known by his stage name David Banner, is an American rapper, record producer and occasional actor. Banner was born in Jackson, Mississippi and graduated from Southern University. He started his music career as a member of the rap duo, Crooked Lettaz before going solo in 2000...
, The Game
The Game (rapper)
Jayceon Terrell Taylor , better known by his stage name Game, formerly The Game, is an American rapper and actor. As a member of G-Unit, he rose to fame in 2005 with the success of his debut album, The Documentary, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations...
, Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, Redman
Redman
Reginald "Reggie" Noble , better known by his stage name Redman, is an American MC, rapper, DJ, record producer and actor. He came to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label. He is also well known for his collaborations with Method Man, including their starring roles in films and...
, AWOL One, 2mex, Rah Diggah, Lil' AJ, Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, Method Man
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
, Styles P
Styles P
David Styles better known by his stage name, Styles P, is an American rapper, author, and entrepreneur. He is prominently known as a member of Hip Hop group The LOX and is also a part of the Ruff Ryders hip-hop group, and in addition has released multiple albums and mixtapes as a solo...
, Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...
, Fat Joe
Fat Joe
Joseph Antonio Cartagena , better known by his stage name Fat Joe, is an American rapper, CEO of Terror Squad Entertainment, and member of musical groups D.I.T.C. and Terror Squad....
, Cassidy, Wise Intelligent, Rakaa, MC Lyte
MC Lyte
MC Lyte is an American rapper who first gained fame in the late-1980s becoming the first solo female rapper to release a full album with 1988's critically acclaimed Lyte as a Rock.-Early life:...
, 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
, and various others. Recording of the track took place in LA
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
from February 7 to February 9.
Self-Destruction 2009
KRS-One once again relaunched his campaign in the late 2008 in order to provide his new years resolution. This version includes TwistaTwista
Carl Terrell Mitchell , better known by his stage name Twista, is an American rapper. He is known for once holding the title of fastest rapper in the world according to Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to pronounce 598 syllables in 55 seconds...
, Syleena Johnson
Syleena Johnson
Syleena Johnson is a Grammy award-nominated American R&B and soul singer-songwriter and actress.-Biography:...
, Phil G, Crucial Conflict
Crucial Conflict
Crucial Conflict is a Chicago hip hop group best known for its 1996 single "Hay" and "Scummy" . The members of Crucial Conflict are Coldhard, Wildstyle, Kilo, and Never. They frequently collaborate with fellow Chicago rappers Do or Die and Twista...
, Kenny Bogus, Straw and Pugz Atomz.
DJ Kay Slay
DJ Kay Slay
DJ Kay Slay is an American hip hop deejay. He was referred to by the New York Times as "Hip Hop's One-Man Ministry of Insults". He has sold 350,000 copies of his two official albums.-Early life:...
also produced a version of Self Destruction that samples the original more heavily. It features MC's; Sheek Louch, Busta Rhymes, Papoose, Bun B, Uncle Murda & Jay Rock.
Another version was made by a group of MC's from Jersey City, this version is extremely similar to the original, it even mimics the flow of the original MC's.
External links
- Recording of "Self-Construction", 2008
-
- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-violence/137524232995461
-