• ICU Biography
  
• ICU Mission Statement
• Symbolism Behind the ICU Symbol
  

ICU Mission Statement: Ill Crew Universal is a worldwide Hip-Hop organization dedicated to the preservation, activism, empowerment, balance and unity of Hip-Hop culture expressed in all of its elements. ICU is a service to the Hip-Hop community, whose goal is to educate and network artists, activists, musicians and thinkers so as to enrich the Hip-Hop community by promoting positivity, humility, understanding, resourcefulness, interdependence, consciousness and progressive change in society. Preservation: Hip-Hop is as true and legitimate a culture as any, and like any culture, all it takes is but one generation to forget or distort what took decades to mold and cultivate. As humble representatives of the Hip-Hop culture, we at ICU believe that it is up to each and every individual Hip-Hop head to preserve the integrity of Hip-Hop and prevent our culture and history from being distorted by those who choose to exploit it to serve their material and corporate self-interests. ICU not only encourages the individual effort to preserve the Hip-Hop culture, but has also taken it upon itself to document and archive everything that IS Hip-Hop through Ill Crew University to counterbalance those who wish to falsely rewrite our history so as to debase and marginalize our influence and greater purpose in society. Activism: Hip-Hop was born out of the ashes of injustice and inequality, spreading throughout the globe as the adopted face and voice for people of every color in every nation who share the same common struggle. ICU stands to carry on the same message of peace, justice and equality that our revolutionary foremothers and fathers stood for. Furthermore, we stand for the peaceful and nonviolent mobilization and organization of Hip-Hop heads worldwide in the name of justice, peace and social equality for ALL in the face of those who wish to continue to oppress and exploit our brothers and sisters of all colors, creeds and faiths. Empowerment: In a society fueled by greed, competition, and the selfish exploitation of our natural and human resources, ICU stands to provide a practical vision of empowerment, interdependence, resourcefulness and cooperation for society, the Hip-Hop community and especially among fellow ICU members. This vision includes providing significant resources to empower ICU members in their respective projects and endeavors, as well as providing members an open outlet for creative and constructive expression through ICU. Balance: Polarization and the widening divide among differing beliefs and cultures continue to breed the very ignorance and misunderstanding that lead to much of society's shared suffering. Hip-Hop culture is not immune to this polarization and its negative effect on our fellow brothers and sisters. Rather than succumbing to the consequences of polarized thought and action, ICU stands for balance and mutual understanding of the points-of-view of others. Hip-Hop has reached so many people and so many cultures around the world that it has literally taken on a life of its own, adapting like water and infusing itself into entirely new environments and experiences. The result is a rich variety of styles and flavors within the global Hip-Hop culture, none of which are more or less Hip-Hop than the other. ICU sees it as our responsibility to encourage fellow Hip-Hop heads to value and appreciate the diversity of Hip-Hop, and to not distance ourselves to and prejudge that which we have yet to understand or appreciate... not just within Hip-Hop culture but among all cultures within the global society. Unity: There is nothing we do that does not affect the lives of others. Our very existence is a reflection of the effect our environment and our fellow brothers and sisters have had on us. Hip-Hop itself is a reflection of society as a whole. There is nothing society does that does not affect Hip-Hop, and there is nothing we do in the name of Hip-Hop that does not affect society as a whole. This understanding of our inherent interconnection and oneness allows us to realize the value of our actions and our example to Hip-Hop and to the world. ICU stands as an example of Unity, not just among the global Hip-Hop community but throughout all people worldwide regardless of ethnicity, gender, creed, beliefs, or lifestyle. Updated: 05/20/2005 Source: http://www.illcrew.org

Reference Links:

• http://www.illcrew.org
• http://www.hiphopculture.com
• http://www.illcrew.biz