Dr. Cornel West | Hip Hop Blog

By Martin James Friday, December 30th, 2011

Cornel West continued to be one of the more respected members of the Civil Rights generation with considerable influence within the hip hop community. His willingness to provide a voice for many African Americans as it pertains to political matters has made him one of the most sought-after speakers in the country and he's a regular fixture on political talk shows and panels.

West drew some criticism in 2011 for his outspoken disapproval of President Barack Obama, but West's position has been echoed by many in the hip hop community, including rappers Lupe Fiasco and Chuck D. West referred to the president as "a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats."

He was also critical of Washington's new Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial. saying that King would want a revolution--not a memorial.

But West's activity in 2011 was not limited to incendiary interviews. He actually joined Lupe Fiasco at Los Angeles' Youth Leadership Institute to discuss hip hop and forming strong community ties. And he has also recorded and appeared live with the D.C.-based hip hop band that shares his name--The Cornel West Theory.