Why AARP is Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop

As a girl raised in Brooklyn, New York; I grew up on hip-hop. It is an honor to celebrate the 50-year milestone this year and salute the significant impact hip-hop has had over the years throughout the world.

Hip-hop has been the voice for many who did not feel their voices were being heard. This is where hip-hop and AARP share common ground - the ability to elevate voices that are not heard nearly enough. At AARP Georgia, we know that the longer you live, the more you need a wise friend, fierce defender, and trusted voice.

As we celebrate the 50-year milestone, AARP wants to ensure we are all ready for the next milestone – retirement. 65 years ago, AARP’s founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus discovered a former teacher living in a chicken coup, she understood the need for establishing a retirement fund - and it is still important for us to talk about this today.

Retirement statistics are startling:

▪ 54% of pre-retirees say they have no idea how much they’ll need to retire.
▪ Less than 7 percent of retirees today have steady income.
▪ Eighty-three percent of African American seniors lack the retirement assets they need to last the remainder of their lifetime.

How can AARP work to change these statistics?

As Snoop Dog’s lyrics state, “let’s put our mind on our money, and our money on our mind.” Yes, we must keep money in the forefront of our minds to have the ability to live a life that is financially secure during our golden years.

At AARP we are a “boots on the ground” organization. We are here to help. AARP is much more than just membership.

With over 38 million members, AARP continues to fight to secure Social Security for the long term as seventy-two percent of this country depends on a portion of these funds for their livelihood during retirement. The average Social Security benefits for a 65+ Georgia family are about $18,320 per year, while average spending totals $21,000 per year for food, utilities, and health care. Social Security is a supplemental plan not a retirement plan. Americans cannot solely rely on Social Security anymore.

In Georgia, AARP supports the creation of a public-private retirement savings partnership that allows Georgia workers to save their own money for the future. Today, more than half of the Georgia private-sector workers don’t have access to retirement-savings accounts at work-especially those employed by small businesses. Georgia is a leader in entrepreneurship and Atlanta has the highest rate of Black-owned small businesses in the U.S. at 7.4%. What does that mean? Typically, small businesses mean non-traditional jobs where employees do not have access to traditional retirement plans. The days of Pensions are gone.
 
In addition, AARP is a hub for information and resources. We provide free tools and guides to help individuals manage their money, plan for retirement, maximize their social security claims for better financial health and peace of mind. 

Retirement Calculator – calculates a personal snapshot of how much retirement income you need from your savings, 401(k), Social Security benefits, etc.

Social Security Calculator – provides an estimate of your Social Security benefits.

Money Mapping – create a clear financial plan
 
These are only a glimpse of AARP’s day-to-day efforts and resources available to help empower people and prepare them for retirement.

AARP will continue to be an advocate for the 50+ and provide resources to build healthy money habits and access to non-traditional retirement plans – so everyone can celebrate the retirement milestone and live their best lives during their golden years.

We all salute the Hip Hop industry and its 50 years of impact on the music, culture, and its substantial contribution to the overall economy.