Legitimizing Hip-Hop: the Legacy of James Bernard

James Bernard, one of the co-founders of The Source magazine and a man who helped legitimize hip-hop to the world, has died. This loss hit those of us who truly love the culture of this musical style—one that finds its origins in the Bronx of the 1970s—especially hard.

Questlove, the drummer for The Roots and one of the foremost historians of rap music, paid tribute to Bernard on Instagram, writing: “His passion for music was legendary. A class act. James helped shepherd hip-hop from skepticism to seriousness, from novelty to culture. This loss hits deep for everyone who learned how to listen through his words.”

I was one of those people.

In 2018, I wrote a piece for The New York Times entitled “What The Source Taught Me.” In it, I discussed how the magazine did more than simply talk about the music it covered—it helped readers understand it. This was no small thing.

I was not in South Central L.A., so I did not witness what N.W.A. experienced that inspired them to declare “F**k the Police.” I was not in New York City, so I was unaware of what inspired Public Enemy to say “Fight the Power.” I was a Black boy in Oklahoma City who loved the music but did not understand its context. The Source helped me understand. James Bernard was behind the scenes, providing editorial guidance. In that sense, he helped me.

As co–editor-in-chief, Bernard ensured that the publication treated hip-hop as a serious cultural force. Under his direction, The Source became a haven for rap criticism and investigative journalism. Bernard once told Pitchfork, “We used to say every issue was like an album. We saw it as a work of art.” Public Enemy’s Chuck D called it “the bible of the hip-hop industry” in 1990—a phrase that became the magazine’s slogan.

Imagine my surprise when James Bernard, a legend in my mind, reached out to me after reading my words. He was kind to a fledgling Black writer who had been raised on his work. We remained friendly for years, until his death.

Many, who consider themselves rap fans, do not know who this man was; therefore, they do not know to commemorate his going to be with the ancestors. Yet they are inspired by him, even if they do not realize it.

James Bernard, rest in power. You were a giant, even if the world will not remember your name.

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