Bow Wow thinks rapper needs to unionise to “protect this thing called hip-hop” and preserve the well-being of artists. Taking to Twitter, the rapper wrote: “Hip hop needs a board!”
Using the NBA Players Association as a reference point, Bow Wow continued: “No different than the NBA [with] the players association. A committee that can set rules, keep things in control, and protect this thing we call hip hop! And have a retirement plan for the OG rappers. I hate seeing my heroes liquored out, no money, just washed.”
It turns out the industry might already be one step ahead. In July 2022, the Hip Hop Alliance was launched, an organisation founded by genre pioneers Chuck D, Kurtis Blow, KRS-One and Doug E. Fresh.
The first of its kind, the HA is a “strategic partnership that represents the needs and concerns of the hip hop and R&B workforce through advocacy, information, and service. We’re passionate about our mission to improve the working lives of creators.”
Those looking to join the alliance will be pleased to know that membership is free. Members are granted access to copyright law information, resources to accept and recoup royalties, and assistance with addiction and mental health issues.
In a recent statement, Kurtis Blow said: “Hip-hop culture is the hottest scene in society today. Everyone around the globe is tuning in to listen to what hip hop has to say. We truly live in a hip-hop generation. Rap music is the No. 1 streamed music on the planet.
“The agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the Hip Hop Alliance will bring many benefit options to the culture in the near future,” he concluded. You can learn more about the HA’s mission here.
