“Our history is locked away in colonial museums, and the names, origin, and race are changed to destroy the innocent. This critical component of the systematic destruction of Black folk is of life and death importance to the Culture Bandits.” Del Jones -War Correspondent
What is a Bandit?
A robber or outlaw who lives by stealing the property of others, typically operating in a lawless manner.
The beautiful culture of African people has been stolen and exploited for centuries. It literally occurs every day, all day, all across the planet. It is being done at such an accelerated pace that we have accepted its normalcy in our everyday lives and have no collective counterattack.
I became aware of Cultural Banditry when I met and became a student of the teachings of Brother Del Jones-Nana Kuntu! Brother Del Loved Black people unapologetically, unashamedly, and unconditionally!
I am most humbled and honored to write this article because if there was no Del Jones, there would be no Khabyr Hadas. SCOOP USA was the home of Del Jones’ column for over a decade. I remember intently reading his articles as I developed my views of the African world and community.
After reading his book Culture Bandits, I invited him to speak at a Black Empowerment Program in West Philadelphia. The members of our organization, U.F.S., and those in attendance were honored to hear his powerful message. He went into detail about how Black music was stolen by Europeans and others. He made us aware that the blood, sweat, and tears put into the music industry have benefitted others more than the actual artist.
After reading Culture Bandits (Volume 1), my scope on media, radio, television, and movies became more critical and analytical. In Culture Bandits, Del Jones journeyed into the white supremacist rape of our musical culture. He explained how they have to subvert our culture to continue to subjugate us. He also explains that these interpretations damage our progress, confuse our direction, and destroy our mental and social equilibrium.
Brothers and sisters, there are hundreds of white artists around the world who have stolen and exploited our culture. Countless white musical artists have accumulated millions of dollars off the banditry of our music. People like Elvis Pressley, Kenny-G, Michael Bolton, October London, Tina Marie, Joss Stone, Bobby Caldwell, Robin Thicke, Hall and Oates, Adele, Christine Aguilera, KC and the Sunshine Band, Michael McDonald, and Tom Jones.
In my opinion, white rappers such as Eminem, Beastie Boys, and Kid Rock are indeed Culture Bandits who have greatly profited from Black music.
Every day, we can witness Cultural Banditry within the commercials of conglomerate corporations. White corporations use Black music to promote their products and services on a continual cycle. Sisters and brothers, take a minute to conceptualize and analyze this fact. Seldom do I view television, but as a teacher, there are programs that my students indulge in that can become teaching moments. I recently reviewed (4) commercials that advertised white-owned products using tunes and theme music from notable Black artists. The artists were Biggie Smalls, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind and Fire, and Sam and Dave. As the iconic song ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’ was playing, numerous images of happy Europeans rushing to take hot Starbucks coffee to waiting friends vividly raced across the screen. “Wow!”
Our brother Del Jones was given the name of the ‘War Correspondent’. He made us aware of the Holocaust that we have endured and still have to fight against. He was a Black man who guarded the African village and kept a clear, undaunted watch. Del Jones fought hard to make sure our culture was preserved and protected. He named the Culture Bandits that boldly and strategically stole from our beautiful African culture. He made sure that we knew what rightfully belonged to our people and that we should be organized and prepared to protect it.
Del Jones and his brother Deke kept our information and glorious history available for anyone who seeks the truth. The Know Thyself Bookstore (located at 52nd and Larchwood) was an oasis for the upliftment of the consciousness of our people. Brother Del Jones was also the founder and publisher of ‘The Eye of the Storm Newspaper.’ This weekly publication reported frontline correspondence of African battles, triumphs, and victories throughout the Black diaspora.
Del Jones was also a strong Black activist who stood on the front line in many just and righteous causes affecting African people and communities.
When Temple University fired the brilliant historian, Professor Yosef Ben-Jochannan, from the Pan-African Studies Department, Del Jones, who was a student, writer, and musician, led a major public protest against the university. Del Jones stated that “Black students at Temple University are under siege because Temple cannot stand the truth that Dr. Ben teaches. By firing radical Black professors like Dr. Ben-Jochannan, the university is attempting to defang and ultimately abolish the department altogether.”
My organization, U.F.S., and other dedicated West Philadelphia residents stood side-by-side with Del Jones as he spearheaded the movement to rename Black Oak Park to Malcolm X Park in 1992. Long before greedy city politicians and Black media outlets claimed victory, Del Jones, the ancestors, and an organized, uncompromising coalition of our people ‘re-named’ the designated area to Malcolm X Park!
Our brother Del Jones-Nana Kunta transitioned with the Ancestor in 2006. He earned his Associate Degree from the school of Hard Knocks, his B.S. in organizing in the streets and the campuses of Philadelphia, and his masters in dissecting the media’s distortions, lies, and half-truths and kicking it out to the people. And his PhD is for surviving–to run it down another day.
Khabyr Hadas is a Pan-African educator, author, and Garveyite khabyrhadas@gmail.com.
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