Press Action ::: If You Love Hip-Hop, Thank Ronald Reagan

Monday, June 07, 2004

If You Love Hip-Hop, Thank Ronald Reagan

By Micah Holmquist

The non-stop derision directed at President Ronald Reagan since he passed away on Saturday is the epitome of disgracefulness. All the liberal pundits want to talk about is Iran -Contra, the bombing of Libya, the invasion of Grenada, PATCO, Reagan honoring Nazis, his interesting relationship with “end times” theology, “the dark alliance” or “war crimes.” In an attempt to refute the fact that Ronald Reagan’s build-up of America’s armed forces destroyed the Soviet Bloc, an entity destined to fail, Frederic Jameson, Moshe Lewin and Lawrence S. Wittner appeared on all the news shows and in most of this nation’s newspapers to argue that the collapse of the Evil Empire stemmed from the internal dynamics of countries like the Soviet Union.

Even conservatives have gotten in on the act with some crying that President Reagan was an appeaser while Ann Coulter lashed out at him for appearing weak to the terrorists. Commenting on Miss Coulter’s diatribe, some posters at freerepublic.com went as far as to say President Reagan was responsible for September 11 and Saddam Hussein’s reign of terror in Iraq. “We could have stopped that a**hole but Bonzo was a coward,” dubyafansincemay232000 wrote.

“If it hadn’t been for his administration saying ketchup was a vegetable, Theresa Heinz Kerry wouldn’t have the money to fund Hanoi John’s campaign,” said repealthe22ndamendmentforrepublicanpresidents in another thread. “VOTE BUSH-CHENEY.”

Nobody wants to talk about tax cuts, how President Reagan was the great communicator who brilliantly used humor or even his distinguished background as a movie star, union boss, red baiter, spokesman for GE and governor of California. You would think that the Americans fattening themselves on Jelly Belly candies would appreciate how President Reagan brought this company to fame, but you would be mistaken.

It is important to remember the real Ronald Reagan. He was a simple man who believed in America and taught America to cast off the shackles of Vietnam and believe in itself again. He single-handedly defeated communism and was the original Harry Potter by supplying the magic necessary to make the Star Wars Missile Defense System work. It was Reagan who prayed that Henry’s Car Wash in Sarasota, Florida would update its cash registers to take advantage of new technology. And when Henry did, we knew God was blessing freedom.

Reagan’s influence extended to the arts. Miles Davis, Bill Hicks and Harvey Pekar all appeared on Late Night with David Letterman during President Reagan’s two terms in office. Jim Jarmusch and Spike Lee proved that film auteurs were not dead. Jean-Michel Basquiat and Matt Groening have both said that they would have given up creating pictures if not for the letters of encouragement President Reagan sent them from the White House.

The Clash broke up and Richard Pryor gave some of his last stand-up concerts during Reagan’s helm. Laurie Anderson, Sonic Youth and John Zorn became major figures in music. Sun Ra showed that he still had some gas left in the tank with “Nuclear War,” a joyous ode to the joys of what the Russkies would have felt if we had killed them all. Bruce Springsteen had a big hit with a song called “Born in the USA.” In interview after interview, the man they call the Boss said he would have given up making music if it hadn’t been for Reagan making him feel good again about soup kitchens and unemployed Vietnam vets.

Reagan’s influence on the popular culture is impossible to overstate, and nowhere is this more true than with regard to hip-hop. Before Reagan break dancing, graffiti art and rap music were “underground.” That changed because President Reagan knew that if you put enough of them in jail, they would come out swinging with something great that lifts the entire community up.

Before NWA hit the big time, the Gipper identified them as just the ticket for African Americans. In a meeting with the group’s original line-up, Reagan told the boys to steer clear of the more politicized rap pioneered by Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy. “White people don’t want to hear that Angela Davis/Black Panther material or Bomb Squad production,” Reagan said. “They want to hear about you fighting amongst yourselves with less jarring stuff underneath.”

I was riding horses with the president at his beloved ranch one day in early 1993 when he got a call about how well Dr. Dre’s album The Chronic was selling. “It remains morning in America,” Reagan said with a smile. “I expect big things from that Snoop Doggy Dog fellow and you’ll see the rebirth of Elvis if Dre ever finds a white boy with flow.”

Rap made millions off of white customers who wanted to hear black stories because of Reagan. The President saw an opportunity and wanted African Americans to treat their culture just as an immigrant from Mexico does, except, instead of food, he knew they should put out music.

I doubt that those “wiggers” down the street from you who dress and talk like they are fools will get this from the liberal mainstream news media establishment (Air America Radio, CNN, The New York Times, etc.) that feeds hip hop kids all their news, but they would be nothing if not for the leadership of one Ronald Reagan.

As we speak, Reagan is probably making many new friends up in heaven. He’s probably talked with General Custer about strategy and complimented Harry Truman on a job well done. I bet God has told him, “I knew you were something special when I allowed just the right bit of your father’s seed to cross with that special egg in your mother.”

Yes, Mr. Reagan, you were something special. It is because of you that we are free. It is because of you that we prosperous. It is because of you that we can still love America.

Micah Holmquist, editor of Irregular Thoughts and Links, is a Cadillac, Mich.-based writer.

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