South Bronx Street to Be Named for Big Pun?

Last month fans, friends and family of Big Pun gathered in the South Bronx to bring attention to their efforts to have a neighborhood street renamed in honor of the late great rapper.

If approved by the city, 163rd Street and Rogers Place would consequently become Big Pun Place, territory that is already marked with a giant mural of Pun.

Now, while I can admit that Big Pun is probably one of the single most talented lyricists and rappers that Hiphop has ever come across, I can also admit that I don't think that's a good enough reason to have a street named after him.

This goes beyond the allegations that Pun was a wife beater; allegations levied and later backed up by his widow, Liza Rios, who has shared video footage and other proof of Pun's violence against her.

There are literally tons of Bronx Hiphoppers -- including plenty of pioneers -- who have actually done plenty of good for their communities over the past two decades.

Aside from penning and spitting lyrics in the most complex of rhyme schemes, Pun's next best attributes were all scourges of minority communities worldwide: obesity, misogyny, gun violence, materialism, and [over]use of the "N word," which is doubly offensive considering Pun is not African-American.**

Why not name a street after KRS-One, who continues to exude positivity since his debut in 1986?

What about Kool Herc? After all, he is the DJ largely credited with creating Hiphop, and the building in which he is said to have created Hiphop has been turned into a national landmark. So why not name a street in Soundview after him?

Afrika Bambaataa's 1982 single Planet Rock is still a great musical influence for many Hiphop producers, and he is the founding father of the Universal Zulu Nation, a group that took neighborhood gang members and channeled their negative energy to use it for positive means in the community. This group, through one common cause -- Hiphop -- is thriving and continues to unite DJs, rappers, dancers and artists around the world.

The list of other viable candidates to have Bronx streets named for them is a lengthy one; one that down the road might very well include Big Pun. But right now there are others more deserving of consideration before Pun, and that's no knock on him at all. If we're going to honor Pun, we have to honor everything about him, not just his rhyming abilities.

However, if you disagree, you can sign the petition HERE for the street to be renamed.

** This is not to excuse black rappers using the N word to no end. With that said, in my opinion there is only one ethnic group deserving of using this word, and that is the group of folks who it was originally aimed at. It makes no sense for other ethnic groups to fling this word around casually when the history of that word is not their own. More on this later.

Hiphop Needs a Union!

Once again a health-related setback strikes a Hiphop legend, and once again said legend has neither health benefits nor enough money to foot the expensive cost for the requisite health care.

And, of course, once again, the wealthiest of the wealthy rappers turn a deaf ear to the plight of their primary predecessor, DJ Kool Herc, the man who is largely credited for creating Hiphop music.

According to this article, Herc is suffering from kidney stones and needs surgery to correct the ailment and to help ease the pain and suffering that he says he's been in for months.

The article goes on to say that he has at least $10,000 in existing medical bills, and surgery will only add to that figure.

Arguably, without Herc, there is a chance that rap music may not have ever existed, let alone achieved the global dominance that it is currently and has been enjoying for some time now.

Considering the fact that Jay-Z, Diddy and other wealthy individuals who have made the bulk of their fortunes on the back of Hiphop earned [at least] ten times Herc's current hospital bill while they slept last night, it is mind boggling that they have not stepped up to the plate and offered in part to foot the bill.

Jay bragged on wax about being one of the first to donate money after the Columbine and 9/11 tragedies.

Diddy is the man behind Daddy House, his charitable organization that has founded a number of social programs.

The Beastie Boys, who also came to prominence by using Hiphop to boost their careers to superstardom, know first-hand about having to deal with health problems in an industry that does not extend health benefits to their workers.

Where are they now and why won't they help to pay for Herc's bills and then some?

Hiphop is still reeling from the losses of two major talents who also could have used the help of health benefits during the months leading up to their ultimate health-related demises.

Unfortunately Hiphop is just a microcosm of the rest of the world where the rich stay rich by ignoring opportunities for them to give back to those who paved the way for their success.

Because Hiphop is such a young genre both in age and spirit, we are just now recently seeing its artists fall victim to more and more health-related maladies that have plagued the rest of the world for centuries.

Who knows? If Hiphop had a union with full benefits a doctor could have diagnosed and treated Big Pun and helped prevent the heart attack that caused his undoing.

The possibilities are endless.

I won't get into the whole Obamacare debate but it is truly amazing how many other countries see health care as a basic human right while America refuses to consider a universal, free health care system for its tax-paying citizens.

All it would take is one prominent, wealthy rapper to make a sizable donation and challenge his peers to do the same to help fund Herc's hospital bills and I'm sure money would come flooding in. But, because cash rules, that will never happen.

To put things in their proper perspective, upstart rapper Wiz Khalifa openly admits he spends $10,000 per month buying high grade marijuana.

Rick Ross and Diddy recently "spent" in excess of $1 million in a single night at the King of Diamonds strip club in Miami, "making it rain" by throwing endless amounts of bills into the crowd.

But no one has $10,000 for Herc?

If you're in New York City tonight you can be part of the solution by attending a fundraiser at Sutra, and donations should be sent to:

Kool Herc Productions
PO Box 20472
Huntington Station, NY 11746

PayPal payments can be sent to Kool Herc's sister at cindycambell1@aol.com.

Get well soon, Herc.