I was conceived in 1973
born in 1979
I was called emotion
strength, talent, freedom, expression
but my birth certificate said hip hop.
I weighed in at a furious five pounds
a fab five ounces.
born in the gritty heart of the Bronx, New York
they told me that when the doctor smacked me on the but
I swung back.
I told him that “my mamma said knock you out!”
See I was the love child of Jazz and Soul
Nephew of Funk
Younger brother of Disco
cousin to Rock & Roll
I went to school with Spoken word and Blues
I was cool like that.
As a kid I played with microphones and speakers
records and turntables
spray paint
when you were a kid you probably used cardboard boxes to build forts
well I unfolded them and stretched them out on the ground so I could
spin around on my head and dance.
I had my dad’s heart, his energy, his passion
I loved my dad Soul
I wanted to be just like him, you know
but the cooler version of course
Life was simple back then.
we were one big happy family.
Scene 1: Home
Characters:
Dad (Soul) – 30 something, slight beer belly, authoritative presence.
Mom (Jazz)- 30 something, laid back, sleek, slender, long slender dress with bell sleeves and flowing bottom.
Older brother (Disco)- 16/17 year old, afro, bell bottoms, tight button down shirt, arrogant, cocky, rebellious
Young Hip Hop- adidas track suit. observant, respectful, independent.
Home setting in the late 80’s, living room. Albums and a record player is the focal point.
Disco comes in the room singing “Staying alive” by the BGs. Strutting around the room.
Scene continues.
Soul: Where you think you going tonight Disco?
Disco: Dad, you know I gotta stay on the dance floor.
Soul: I know what goes on there Disco. In my day we had fun too but we knew where to draw the line.
Disco: Yall did the same thing. Yall just didn’t talk about it.
Jazz: Disco, don’t talk back to your dad. I brought you into this world. And Ill take you right back out.
(Young hip hop is seen rummaging through a box of records)
Young Hip Hop: Dad can you play this.
Soul: What you got there boy? OOOO. What you know about the Godfather of soul?
(Soul puts on the record and sings a James Brown song “Say it loud”)
I use to go through my dads records all the time.
I loved his grooves
He just made my head move, you know.
Its like he really meant what he was saying.
Listening to him helped me get to know him a little better.
Taught me things.
and like he always said:
Spotlight on Soul and young hip hop in the center of the stage
(In unison) “Son, I was honest, pure, and I never sold out.”
And I listened to him,
for a while.
It was a great life we had back then
My parents taught me how to be myself.
I had my own style.
My… A … didas shell toe shoes, fuzzy kangol hat, my Radio Raheem boombox on my shoulder, my kid and play high top fade.
Ya, couldn’t nobody say nothing to me! I was fresh! I was Dougie Fresh!
and I had something to say to the world, you know.
and they were going to hear me whether they liked it or not.
See, storytelling became my flow
I guess you could say I became somewhat of an urban griot
must have been pretty good tho.
see cause my words and flow got me a ticket to suburbia
but they told me that to fit in I would have to Walk this way
and Talk this way.
But I told them
They can get with this
or they can get with that.
and please don’t sweat the technique
I was growing up.
It was time for me to graduate from my old school
to my new school.
I was quiet at first.
None of the kids really knew who I was.
But I knew it was just a matter of time.
Scene 2: Suburban school in 1991
Characters:
13 year old Hip Hop:
Teacher:
Pop:
Rock:
Country:
R&B:
Extras:
Set in an English classroom. Classmates are Pop, Rock, Country, R&B
Hip Hop has to get up and tell a story for the class.
Scene starts with the teacher calling role. Each child raising their hand in response.
Teacher: Pop? Rock? Country? R&B? Hip Hop?
Ok class. Its presentation day.
Country, Come to the front of the class and read us the story you wrote.
Country: Yes Mam!
You can tell your ma I moved to Arkansas
Or you can tell your dog to bite my leg
Or tell your brother Cliff who’s fist can tell my lips
He never really liked me anyway
Oh tell your Aunt Louise, tell anything you please
Myself already knows that I’m okay
Oh you can tell my eyes to watch out for my mind
It might be walking out on me today
But don’t tell my heart, my achy breaky heart
I just don’t think it’d understand
And if you tell my heart, my achy breaky heart
He might blow up and kill this man
Ooo
Achy Breaky Heart, Billy Ray Cyrus
Teacher: Ok, ok, good, catchy…. nice ending…. kinda lost me at first, but good.
(R&B leans over to hip hop and comments)
R&B: Dude that was horrible!
(hip hop and R&B snicker while their teacher look on in disgust)
Teacher: Ok, Pop, its your turn.
Pop:
Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me
I think theyre o.k.
If they don’t give me proper credit
I just walk away
They can beg and they can plead
But they cant see the light, thats right
cause the boy with the cold hard cash
Is always mister right, cause we are
Living in a material world
And I am a material girl
You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl
Material Girl, Madonna
Teacher: Nice rhyme scheme, good presentation…. it lacked some substance….. maybe try writing with a little more depth.
(R&B and Hip Hop giggle)
Ok, hip hop, its your turn…
R&B: Ahh yea. What you know about my boy hip hop. Yall aint ready.
Once upon a time,
Not long ago,
Where people wore pajamas and lived life slow,
Where laws where stern and justice stood,
And people were behavin’ like they ought to – good,
There lived a little boy who was mislead
By another little boy,
And this is what he said:
“Me and you tike, we’re gonna make some cash”,
“Robbin’ old folks and makin’ the dash”,
They did the job,
Money came with ease,
But one couldn’t stop!
It’s like he had a disease,
He robbed another and another,
And a sister and a brother,
then tried to rob a man who was a D.T. undercover,
(Everyone applauds in amazement)
They loved it!
I knew they would.
I was popular!
I had em eating out of the palm of my hand.
Anything I said they would do.
Watch this, ill show you…
If yall wanna party like we do, If yall wanna party like us
let me hear you say ” Uh Ah, Uh Uh Ah”
…..
If yall wanna party like we do, If yall wanna party like us
let me hear you say ” Uh Ah, Uh Uh Ah”
…..
Now freeze!
Let me clear my throat!
see, Life was great
They loved me!
I, I thought they loved me.
I was telling them about how I grew up.
About my hard knock life
about how a rose could grow from the concrete
The whole time they were just entertained by me.
Thats all I was. Entertainment.
“Silly little hip hop is speaking his mind again”
They didn’t really take me seriously.
But,
I loved the attention so I kept right on doing it.
To make my stories more interesting I would exaggerate them a little.
just a little tho.
I started bragging about how much the girls loved me.
Told them that I could have one whenever I wanted.
My girl friends were offended.
They complained, but they didn’t go anywhere.
Even when I called them names they stayed with me.
I slowly turned them out.
Around the way girls to video hoes.
I just threw money and attention at them and there clothes flew off.
Just like that.
stupid girls!
see I got around.
One of them tried to claim I got her pregnant.
I told her that boy didn’t look nothing like me.
Besides
The last thing I needed was a somebody looking up to me.
calling me a role model.
So I kept it moving
started getting into a little trouble
I was in a gang,
selling crack music to the kids
It was all about the benjamins then.
you know, the cream
that dolla dolla bill yall.
but you know what they say.
more money more problems.
It was all fun and games until the cops told me to
put my hand were their eyes could see.
My mind was playing tricks on me.
I actually thought that
if I ruled the world…
that it would be a better place.
Sad to say,
my world was about to come crashing down.
Scene 3: Drive by
Characters:
17 year old Hip Hop
17 year old R&B
Spotlight on 2 characters. Nothing else visible.
While walking down the street laughing and talking
Hip Hop: Who knew we would make it this far man. We aint never gon stop!
R&B: ya ya, for shizzle my nizzle.
Hip Hop: R&B, didn’t I tell you to stop acting hard, thats not you. Ill be me and you be you.
R&B: Got it! Ill be you and you be you. Got it hommie!
Hip Hop: you know what. never-mind.
R&B: yo, hip hop, who is that in that car?
Lights flash to mimic gunshots
Sound Effects:
Gun shots
Sirens
News Anchor
Heart Monitor (continues to play underneath following monologue)
I was on life support for a while,
holding on to what was left of me.
I tried to deny
but I couldnt escape my destiny
But it was inevitable.
I was slip ping away.
Getting worse by the day.
words started getting unintelligible,
no substance!
I was nothing
Still visible
but in a coma
still had visitation
for the ones that couldn’t let go, but.
“Were loosing him, were loosing him”
Final Beep
transition: the band plays Nas “Hip Hop is Dead”
It was over.
How could I have been so stupid.
Its so hard to look back and see how much I could have accomplished.
I wanted to change the world.
I had the talent.
Instead I got caught up in the hype.
Popularity.
Money.
I spoke my mind but I lost my heart.
If I could only get one chance to go back and get it right.
Just One more chance!
for Life… after Death.
Lights come up on Christian Hip Hop on center stage with his head down.
Thats my boy up there.
Chris.
O, Im sorry, Christian hip hop
Ya, I know what your thinking. I finally claimed him.
Crazy boy, wanted to be like his daddy so bad.
but i dont want him to be like me.
He is his own man now.
Son, always remember.
“Stay honest, pure, and never sell out”
My Life in Rhyme 
Tough. “I spoke my mind but I lost my heart” – these words should be reverberating in the minds of all those who loved hip-hop when it was a novelty before it mutated into the sham it is now. Cheers to you Mr. Playwright – this was Awesome!