Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1467606
sagaftra.org | Spring 2022 | SAGAFTRA 55 ra p F rom its earliest beginnings at New York block parties in the 1970s and airplay on U.S. radio stations in the 198 0s to its Golden ra" in the 1990s and beyond, hip-hop has become a global genre, with listeners and aspiring artists the world over. And with its noticeale inuence on fashion, advertising, television shows, films and many other facets of our culture, it only seems right that November 2021 ecame the first oservance of ational Hip-Hop History Month. Theres no dout that hip-hop has come a long way ut while the genre and its sound continue to thrive with every generation, the same isn't always true for its artists. For every success story, there are many more tales of woe involving eloitative usiness practices and missing or lost earnings. For rap pioneers and members urtis low and huc , those stories rove the necessity of unions or them and many other union singers and recording artists, union representation has been integral to their continued success as industry creatives. When first joined ATA ac in , was following the instructions of my roducers who understood why should join never new anything aout a union efore started recording, said low ut noticed a change in the way things were handled The recording usiness was being] monitored and held accountale Still, desite the enefits and rotections afforded to raers through union memershi, many remain unaware of the resources availale to them thers may not even be aware that their work maes them eligile to join Longtime performers in the rap community are taing the first ste to remedy the situation y forming the Hip-Hop Alliance. The alliance was founded y low, huc and longtime SAATA roadcast memer and veteran radio ersonality octor o ee As a nonrofit organiation under the nited oalition for umanity, the A seeks to promote fair wages and royalties and health enefits for artists within the hiho and community And ecause raers now nothing is better than great minds coming together for a great cause, one of the HHA's most ulic acts has een to announce its artnershi with SAATA or SAATA, aiding, educating and empowering artists is always a top priority. And although significant resources have been ut toward those goals in recent years, the HHA rings a uniue knowledge of the music industry and its inner workings, as well as establishes interpersonal relationships with current and ucoming talent Said Lee, Too often, artists are signing contracts for ragging rights ut educating artists aout their agreements with laels, roducers, agents and managers is the first step in empowering them to protect their livelihoods and futures Added huc , There is strength in numers, and ig numers also mean advancements in the art form. Hip-hop artists] are treated like high schoolers] y the ig institutions when, in fact, a large numer of our fols are etween and f we join together and show our strength in numers, those institutions will have no choice ut to tae us seriously SAATA and the A are also woring to ensure that union recording artists understand the health care enefits available to them. eing a union memer ecame eneficial when realied had ualified — CHUCK D " T HE R E IS ST R ENG T H IN NUMBE R S , AND BIG NUMBE R S ALSO MEAN ADVANC EMENT S IN T HE A R T FO R M." SAG -AF T R A's newest par tner ship stands to chang e the g ame for r ap ar tists . Opposite, hip-hop legend and recording artist member Nas performs at the ••th Grammy Awards on April •.