Bow Wow believes it is time that an organization starts looking out for the well-being of rappers. He made his concerns known on Saturday (Jan. 14) when he fired off a tweet.

“Hip hop needs a board!” exclaimed Bow Wow as he used the NBA Players Association as a reference for the framework. He continued, “No different than the NBA [with] the players association. A committee that can set rules, keep things in control, and protect this thing we call hip hop! And have a retirement plan for the OG rappers. I hate seeing my heroes liquored out, no money, just washed.” It is unclear what moved him to make the remarks.

Here’s the thing — the committee that Mr. 106 & Park wants already exists. In July 2022, the Hip Hop Alliance was introduced. Its founders are some of the genre’s royalty: Chuck D, Kurtis Blow, KRS-One and Doug E. Fresh. The organization is the first of its kind. On its website, HHA boasts being a “strategic partnership that represents the needs and concerns of the hip hop and R&B workforce through advocacy, information, and service. We’re passionate about our mission to improve the working lives of creators.”

Membership is free and grants access to information about copyright laws, resources to recoup royalties, assistance with addiction and mental health, mentorship and more. Last February, the alliance even garnered the support of SAG-AFTRA, the famous union representing individuals in every facet of entertainment.

“Hip hop culture is the hottest scene in society today,” said “The Breaks” rapper Kurtis Blow in a statement. “Everyone around the globe is tuning in to listen to what hip hop has to say. We truly live in a hip hop generation. Rap music is the No. 1 streamed music on the planet. The agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the Hip Hop Alliance will bring many benefit options to the culture in the near future,” he added.

The partnership between the organizations was aimed at creating an equitable ecosystem for artists to thrive while creating music. “Together, we will protect and empower artists through collaborative educational efforts and collective legislative actions, like the FAIR Act, that will put an end to artists being trapped in record deals for far too long,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.

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