October 17th, 2019
By – Willis Walker
So, the head culture? Really my dude? Well fortunately (or unfortunately), this isn’t about ‘Funk Pop’ collectables, wigs, fiends, or any kind of sexual act. This also isn’t about the sacred world of barbershops. This is about the conversations being had in the barbershop. To understand where ‘The Head Culture’ came from, we must go back in time and explore the backstory. Was the capital H in the title a simple typo? Well that depends on if I’m truly a ‘head’. Let’s see if I’m half as good at writing as I think I am. So grab your popcorn, ‘Swisher’, brew, wine, vegan shake, or whatever you’re into, and let’s begin.
“Long live the idols, may they never be your rivals. ‘Pac was like Jesus, Nas wrote the Bible. Now what you ‘bout to hear is a tale of glory and sin. No I.D. my mentor, now let the story begin.”
‘Let Nas Down’ by J Cole
In The Beginning…
I was born in December of ’85, a solid year and a half before the release of Eric B and Rakim’s legendary ‘Paid in Full’ album. Though the urban renaissance called Hip-Hop was already well established, it wouldn’t go on to be known as the worldwide phenomenon as we know it today until DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, a young West Philadelphia rapper by the name of Will Smith, won Hip Hop’s first Grammy Award for ‘Best Rap Performance’ in 1989. This captured the interest of listeners outside of the genre and marked its true rise to mainstream popularity. With it, the growing dominance of hardcore rap marked the beginning of the Iconic ‘Golden Age’ of Hip-Hop (cue dramatic boom bap beat).
My very first rap album was Nas’ ‘Illmatic’ and I ordered it from my grandma’s catalog in the summer of ’94. This was born out of curiosity of the men and women who looked like my family rhyming to bass heavy beats (thanks in part to A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘The Low End Theory’). Fairly oblivious to the violent and raunchy nature of hardcore rap, my grandma was okay with it. I was eight years old, and that was one of the coolest moments of my life. When the cd came in the mail, packaged between Michael Jackson’s ‘Dangerous’ and Boyz-II-Men’s ‘II’ album, I would accidentally stumble upon the arrival of a legend and the spark that ignited my interest in Hip-Hop.
An Aspiring Artist
Later that year, inspired by Nas’ intricate and poetic brand of lyricism, I wrote my first rhyme on a program called ‘Microsoft Works’ on my family’s brand new computer. Here’s a passage I still remember to this day:
“When I reign the lame, I put a change in the game. I rap to bring pain, every main I came to maintain…”
A Passage From My First Ever Rhyme
Yes, It was all the way ‘cringe-worthy’, braggadocious for no reason and barely made sense, but it was mine, and it was technically sound for an eight-year-old in the early to mid 90s. Over the years I would go on to become a student of the craft and adopt the moniker of ‘Intelek’. After founding my own rap group, joining a gospel rap group (more on that another time), dropping out of college, and finally purchasing studio equipment of my own, I was 22, a full grown adult with a part time job selling cell phones and a newborn daughter. My dream of becoming a famous rap artist had transitioned into a hobby, and I would go on to open up a storefront with my cousin in my hometown of Niagara Falls, NY.
A Growing Interest
As usual, it was an interesting time for Hip-Hop. People weren’t ready for Nas to name his album ‘Ni**er’, while Jay-Z had signed a massive deal with Live Nation. Lil Wayne was riding the high off of his massively successful Carter III album and Rick Ross was exposed as being a former corrections officer. He was also facing a lawsuit filed by DJ Vlad for assault. Kanye West would carve a new lane for the ‘Everyman Rapper’ after out-selling 50 Cent in their sales battle. He followed up with the sonically appealing ‘808s & Heartbreak’. This new lane allowed an unsuspecting Canadian actor to thrive, birthing arguably the most successful career in hip-hop history.
Though my priorities had changed, by 2010, my love for Hip-Hop had only grown stronger. While running our store front, my cousin and I would have daily conversations surrounding music and the black experience. Our store’s placement in a predominately Italian business district meant that we experienced a combination of love and discrimination. Too much of the latter meant that we were unable to thrive as we intended. After 2 years we decided to close the store, but continued our signature discourse over 12 packs of Heineken on Friday nights. This ignited my thorough and meticulous study of Hip-Hop history and what it meant for the black experience.
The Conception of The Head Culture
In 2018, I conceived the idea of a Hip-Hop oriented platform with a focus on thoughtful discourse and analysis. I believed that the lens through which Hip-Hop was portrayed had a limited scope. The Head Culture was founded to address that.
The Meaning Behind The Head Culture
“If you ask me, it doesn’t get more Hip-Hop than that.”
In September 2019, I put my thoughts to action and purchased theheadculture.com domain. I chose ‘The Head Culture’ as a play on the term ‘old head’ or ‘Hip-Hop head’, and because it had the added benefit of sharing an acronym with a popular substance that is near synonymous with the culture. In case you haven’t noticed, I chronicle my life based on key events in the culture. If you ask me, it doesn’t get more Hip-Hop than that.
My name is Willis Walker and I’m a Hip-Hop Head. You can find me on more articles such as this on blog.theheadculture.com and on social media. Also, feel free to join our new Facebook Group at facebook.com/groups/theheadculture. As for my cousin, his name is Derrick, and he provides all your party needs. If you’re in the Western New York area, check out https://www.bouncemania716.com/ for more info and tell him I sent you. With that said, peace and love, fellow Heads. Until the next time.
Disclaimer
The Head Culture does not endorse, promote, or recommend the use of any substance mentioned above. The mention of any substance is for the journalistic purpose of adding context to the premise of this article. Any substance consumed by a user is not the responsibility of The Head Culture or the author. Additionally, The mention of any substance is not a promotion, or endorsement, of any individuals mentioned above.