Legendary photographer Chi Modu has included the piece Aaron B Jackson and Jan Tompkins created for the Tupac Project in his incredible Uncategorized exhibit at Pori Art Museum in Finland.
In May 2011, Aaron B. Jackson and Jan Tompkins participated in the Tupac Project, created by photographer Chi Modu. Using a photo taken by Chi of rapper Tupac Shakur, digital artist Jan added the poem A Dear John Letter to Hip-Hop by Aaron to create a multi-media piece that is currently on display in the Pori Art Museum as part of Chi’s amazing Uncategorized exhibit.
Below is the poem in its entirety.
A Dear John Letter To Hip-Hop
Dear Hip-Hop,
I’m sorry I’m not saying this to your face
It’s just that lately you’ve been scaring me
I wish I could say it’s not you but me,
But,
It’s definitely you
You’ve changed
Gone deranged
Rearranged
In a way that is making me feel increasingly
Strange
I mean 5o cents is good for pocket change
But what are you really trying to say hip-hop
Stop
Don’t talk
Let me reflect on the poetry
You once were
Holding a hairbrush
Microphone
Rhyming with Rakim
And KRS-one
Really hip-hop
How could you cheat on me with Lil’ Jon and Cash Money
Funny
There isn’t that much money where we come from
Just machines tapping out drums
But some of us were to broke
So we made the music with our mouths
Now it’s just about the bizz
That dollar,
Dollar
Bill y’all
Holler for a thrill y’all
You need to slow down with Brand Nubian
Or just chill
With EPMD
Stop copying fallen legends
Re-releasing their remix
So Diddy
Can keep from being a relic
I mean bling-bling is the sound of locks on an apartment door
Can’t we talk about that hip-hop?
Stop
We can’t talk
Communication is gone
I’m severing this relationship
Because now it’s just time to move on.