People young enough to do the “stanky leg” dance love H.E.R.
People young enough to do the “stanky leg” dance love H.E.R.
Those old enough to know who Souljah Boy references in his song "My Dougie" love H.E.R. (He’s talking about rapper Doug E. Fresh, for those who didn’t know.)
Those who love H.E.R. know that "Run’s House" isn’t the only thing that Joey “Rev. Run” Simmons is famous for.
All of these people and more can come together to enjoy the hip hop play "I Still Love H.E.R. (atributetohiphop)."
"H.E.R. (Hip-Hop in its Essence & Realness)," written by Wendell Tucker and choreographed by Jeremy Noah, is being shown at the Chicago Center for the Performing Arts, 777 N. Green, and is in its fourth year of production.
"H.E.R." is centered on Love 1, a fictitious radio personality played by Tucker, who is discouraged with the state of hip-hop and is broadcasting his last live show.
“Love 1 is semi-autobiographical. I went through a period during 2004-2005 where I was fed up. It was getting out of hand,” Tucker told the Defender. “50 Cent was on the come-up and there was a gangster mentality, with artists repeating what NWA said 15 years ago. This play was what brought back my love for hip hop. I did it as a tribute to hip hop, as I remember it.”
He cites Kanye West’s debut album, "The College Dropout," which was released around the time Tucker was feeling disenfranchised from hip hop-as “refreshing and a breath of fresh air. It was the first artistic album in years.”
______
In photo: The cast of Wendell Tucker’s "I Still Love H.E.R. (atributetohiphop)" perform a scene from the play. In the play, Love 1 (played by Tucker) and his co-host Deanna (played by Krysten Williams) discuss and debate the different issues facing hip hop, along with DJ Revelations (choreographer Jeremy Noah) taking the audience on a musical lesson through hip hop, letting the songs speak for themselves. (Photo courtesy of Theori Productions Inc.)
To read the rest of this article, subscribe to our digital or paper edition. For previous editions, contact us for details.
Copyright 2009 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
About Post Author
