Why can't Hip Hop be high culture, Boris?

You won't find me saying this a lot but for once I think I might just agree with Boris Johnson. Today he has called for an end to young people being talked down to and patronised by government arts programmes and for a greater emphasis on high culture not Hip Hop culture.

It's a noble ambition and not one without merit. No matter what segment of society you come from broadening your horizons is rarely a bad idea. Boris feels that too much money is spent on more street level art programmes than on trying to get young people into the traditional art forms. You might describe it as, ballet instead of breaking, Gauguin instead of graffiti and Bach over breakbeats (actually that might sound good).

The point that Johnson has missed is that all this would be fine if anyone felt that it was a choice between equals. It's not. Hip Hop and its culture have consistently been rubbished by the media and the establishment for decades. Not so long ago Johnson's own party leader was making a name for himself amongst heads for blaming Hip Hop for knife crime. Hip Hop has done its time as the politicians whipping boy of choice for all of society's ills.

In reality the culture as a whole and most likely its popularity will not be affected too heavily by Johnson's removal of funding. Although no doubt there will be some artists that suffer.

Many government funded productions often seek to capture a wider audience than traditional Hip Hop heads. It is this slight that is most damaging and all too familiar. Rightly or wrongly it will be perceived by many as further stripping Hip Hop culture of its legitimacy and will most likely only serve to alienate the very audience Boris Johnson aims to capture.

To think I was so close to agreeing with you there Boris. Better luck next time.

Image by minifig on flickr