Essence Still Battling Hip-Hop

By Quibian Salazar-Moreno

      A couple of years ago, Essence got fed up with the way hip-hop music in general was talking about and treating women. To combat the misogyny in the music, the magazine launched the Take Back the Music Campaign where they started calling out artists by name for the way talked about women. They also held a contest to find up and coming rappers who are more encouraging and uplifting towards women in their lyrics. This year, the contest returns looking for students between the ages of 15-18, who are unsigned, to write their best song and get a chance to be admitted into the 2007 Berklee 5-Week Summer Performance Program, with tuition and room paid for.

      “ESSENCE is pleased to partner with the Berklee College of Music once again to expose new voices in hip-hop that otherwise might not be heard, and give new talent the opportunity to develop through music education,” said Angela Burt-Murray, Essence editor-in-chief.

      The entries will be judged by Chuck D (legendary rapper, co-founder of Public Enemy), Spinderella (former Salt-N-Pepa DJ, co-host of the syndicated classic hip-hop radio show The Backspin), Jean Grae (rapper, songwriter, producer), Berklee professors Susan Kean Cattaneo (songwriting), Prince Charles Alexander (music production and engineering), Danielle Scott (ensemble), and student Ryan Williamson (contemporary writing and production  major, founder of Rykeyz Productions). For more information check out ESSENCE or BERKLEE.