Hip Hop Having Heart Attacks...

Before I begin this post, I want to lift up in prayer Keith Elem, better known as Guru from the rap group GangStarr, who suffered a heart attack and is in a coma. If you are reading this, I ask that you, too, say a prayer on his behalf.

Reading the news of Guru's heart attack saddened me, but also sent me down memory lane...

I remember when hip-hop was young and vibrant—Run DMC and L.L. Cool J. I remember when hip-hop could dance all night—Digital Underground and Kid-n-Play. I remember when hip-hop was baby faces with audacious lyrics—Queen Latifah and Q-Tip. I remember when hip-hop was conscious—Public Enemy and Brand Nubian. I remember when hip-hop got into fights on the playground—KRS-One and MC Shan. I remember when hip-hop played together nicely—Native Tongues and Stop the Violence Movement. I remember when hip-hop was sensuous without being vulgar—Salt-n-Pepa and Big Daddy Kane. I remember when hip-hop just wanted to have fun—Heavy D and Kwame. I remember when hip-hop would get into trouble from time to time—fallen soldiers like Pac and Big. I remember when hip-hop was growing up.

But hip-hop having heart attacks? This is new. Hip-Hop isn't supposed to have heart attacks. Hip-Hop isn't supposed to have diabetes and high cholesterol and kidney stones and cancer. Really, hip-hop isn't supposed to remind me of my own aging, my own predisposition for disease, my own mortality.