More than four decades after Rap music has become a recorded medium and incredibly successful music genre, it has a union. Rap legends Chuck D and Kurtis Blow and their new organization the Hip Hop Alliance have teamed with SAG – AFTRA an organization which brings two great labor unions together: The Screen Actors Guild and The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

“Well, we are actually proud to announce the partnership with SAG-AFTRA and the Hip Hop Alliance” explained Blow, the Hip Hop Alliance Vice President, in an interview with AllHipHop. Blow said further that the two organizations aimed to “build a better future for future Hip Hop artists, and the entire music industry." Blow, who himself suffered heart disease and received a transplant recently, spoke further of the goals of the alliance.

“We want to join forces to promote fair wages, royalties and health and retirement benefits for all artists because they are in a bad way. Because of the pandemic everything is shut down and it is so difficult to make a living," he explained. The Hip-Hop Alliance also hopes to create fairness and prevent some of the exploitive recording contracts that the artists are currently in.

Other members of the Hip Hop Alliance include Chuck D. (President), Stevie D. and Khalil Lundy of The Force MD’s, Pebblee Poo, Alonzo Williams of The World Class Wreckin Cru, DLB of The Fearless 4 and the legendary D.J. Hollywood.