Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Dwyane Wade & LeBron James Showed Their Respect for a Hip Hop Icon: Martin Luther King, Jr

The King's Speech

Some quick thoughts on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Martin Luther King, Jr...

I hate the fact the NBA plays games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but at least the HEAT didn't play. Even though they weren't on the court, Dr. King was on the players' minds. Dwyane Wade tweeted his thoughts.


LeBron James tweeted his own thoughts about Dr. King in September when he visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington D.C. and reiterated his appreciation for the good reverend doctor on the holiday.

In DC at the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial #thegreatestleader on Twitpic
@KingJames: In DC at the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial #thegreatestleader


Hopefully, this Hip Hop generation of NBA players like Wade and LeBron will break down the Black Wall of Silence and negotiate a provision for "no games on MLK Day" in the next collective bargaining agreement to honor the holiday for this Hip Hop icon.

Most people don't hear the phrase "Hip Hop Icon" associated with Martin Luther King, Jr. very often, but in The Gospel of Hip Hop by KRS-ONE he is referred to as the King of Hip Hop. The Teacha explained why.
"Nowhere else in the World is the King's Dream so accurately expressed as within Hip Hop. Nowhere else in the World is there an international culture that is truly home to all races, classes, ethnicities and religious beliefs without prejudice other than Hip Hop... Nowhere else in the World is a person truly judged by the 'content of their character' as opposed to the 'color of their skin' than within Hip Hop... The King stated: Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. New York is where Hip Hop began culturally in the 1970s."

KRS-ONE spends 17 pages explaining the connection between Dr. King and Hip Hop but you get the point. With such a strong connection between Hip Hop and MLK Jr., it made sense to celebrate the holiday in a venue that honored that connection: the Azucarera NYC Gallery in Harlem.


Check out some of the dope graffiti art in the gallery that honors the King of Hip Hop.

Broken Dreams

Lock My Body, Can't Trap My Mind

Street Dreamers

Death of a King

Dreamers

Tears of a King

I Am A Man

JamesTOP with his signature piece

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