David E. Robinson, III: It is deplorable to turn a composition of our great Black composers into a hip-hop "novelty."

David E. Robinson, III

Barbara Wright-Pryor forwards this message on the Chicago Sinfonietta from David E. Robinson, III:

It is deplorable to turn a composition of our great Black composers into a hip-hop "novelty." The soul and richness of the music is better in its original, classic form. I arrange hip-hop music for my youth orchestra, but only hip-hop music. My students already think that I am behind the times because the hip-hop medley I attached to a 1986 tune, "Word-Up" were tunes from about four or five years ago. We need to continue to promote the music of Black orchestral composers in its original forms so that audiences can appreciate it.. I wonder if this hip-hop "version" was the idea of some dance school of children where they do not learn ballet (there are plenty of those dance programs everywhere). 

Sincerely,
David E. Robinson, III

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