Hip hop has multiple branches of style and is a culture of these. This essay will examine Hip Hop from the point of view of the following three popular music scholars, Johnson, Jeffries and Smitherman. It will delve deeper into their understanding of what hip hop is and its relation to the different people that identify with its message and contents. It will also identify the history of Hip hop and its transition into popular music. In particular this essay will focus on what hip hop represents in the black community and how it can be used as a social movement against inequalities faced by them. This will then open up the discussion for the how this has influenced society, and the impact it has had in terms of race issues which hip hop itself often represents through music. Hip hop originated in the ghetto areas of New York during the 1970’s and is a mixture of DJ, MC, B boy and Beat boxing. In his studies of defining hip hop, Jeffries concluded that these mixtures of art forms do not define hip hop but rather that Hip hop itself is a culture of these elements. “Hip-hop is like a culture, it’s a voice for black people to be heard. Our own style, our own music” (Jeffries. 2011; 28). Jefferies identifies hip hop as a social movement, which stems from the concept of ‘collective identity’ (Jefferries.2011; 27). This can be defined as “an individual’s cognitive, moral and emotional connection with a broader community” (Polletta and Jasper. 2001; 84). Which relate to Smitherman’s views that hip hop is a celebration of black culture uniting these individual to form a collective community. (Smitherman. 1997; 20) .These Theorists generally accept that hip hop is culture and it’s the production of its creators and the individuals who consu... ... middle of paper ... ...all these aspects correlate with one another. That Hip hop is a cultural tool formed out of need to take a stance on the issues that relate with the black community. And that it’s a voice to relate and unite people who share the same struggles on which to advocate change. Works Cited Johnson, L. (2003). The Spirit is Willing and So Is the Flesh: The Queen in Hip Hop Culture. Smitherman, G. 1997. “‘The Chain Remain the Same’: Communicative Practices in the Hip Hop Nation.” Journal of Black Studies 29. Polletta, F., & Jasper, J. M. (2001). Collective identity and social movements. Annual review of Sociology, 283-305. Jeffries, M. P. (2011). Thug Life: Race, Gender, and the Meaning of Hip-hop. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Carlton Ridenhour, (1989) Fight the Power [Public Enemy]. Motown Records Owens, (1989) Ladies First [Queen Latifa]. Tommy Boy Records
Due to the significant role of blacks in the development and continuation of hip hop culture, hip hop is frequently described as a black culture with only occasional reference to class, age and gender qualifications for music (Rose 1994). While this might be so, historical accounts indicate that hip hop art forms did not begin entirely among African-Americans. In this regard, artists of Puerto-Rican and Afro-Caribbean
The main issue as it relates to black culture and is present in Kitwana’s book on the topic of white youth listening to hip-hop. The problem, in detail, is how the American youth are consuming hip-hop at a rate in which the merging of cultures is becoming more apparent. According to Kitwana, the reason for the interest of hip-hop is “not only hip-hop’s message of resistance to the status quo that young Americans find welcoming” but because of the hip-hop cultural movement that opened, “a new arena of public space…for young people to come together at local and national levels” (Kitwana, xiv). It seemed like it was by coming together that black culture has impacted the white youth as well as influencing them too. Hip-hop is essentially a subculture
Various events laid the frameworks for West Coast hip hop, way before the rise of West Coast rappers. In essence the Hip Hop culture has been highly censured in the education sector for its perceived negative influences in the lives of youth. As a result, education has disregarded a social force that has had a noteworthy part in the improvement of people’s characters. Today Hip Hop exists as a fundamental component of the soundtrack to a worldwide and corporate culture, however ingrained inside Hip Hop is the basic talk whereupon it was established. This debate is concealed underneath uncritical thought and corporate control, yet it is still
Imagine being at a concert shouting lyrics at the top of your lungs along beside hundreds of others who enjoy the same kind of taste of music as you do. The power of music connects people from all over the world. When it comes to music, people often express their views, opinions and their feelings. As of today, the combine genre Hip Hop/ R&B has taken over and is now the most popular genre. It became well known that it has entered in today’s fashion and the way we speak. Hip Hop is a form of art that can be express through rap songs, breakdancing, and graffiti art. It is a cultural movement that started in South Bronx, New York in the early 1970s in a home of DJ Kool Herc and the movement later spread across the entire borough.
Most people believe that they know what hip hop is. Yet, these same people are more familiar with rap music than hip hop. Rap music tends to b the music broadcasted on television and radio stations alike. Hip-Hop itself is relates to a culture and history of peoples. Hip-Hop tells the stories of people oppressed in urban ghettos in all cities, and it promotes change and a transition in those oppressed. Dr. Charles Pinckney author of The Influence of Hip Hop Culture on the Perceptions, Attitudes, Values and Lifestyles of African American College Students states that "Hip hop culture is a form of musical art in words and stories that describe critical messages that are spoken over music" (Pinckney). William Boone who has conducted research in hip hop best explains the phenomenon of Hip Hop as, " Art in "the hood". Hip Hop is the antitheses of economic discrimination and social alienation in Americas impoverished African American communities" (Boone).These origins of ...
Since the beginning of Hip-Hop, a cycle of retaining what was being portrayed and making it new again has occurred. Many of the things that goes on during different time periods are often linked directly back to Hip-Hop and many people might not notice. Every generation of Hip-Hop has evolved into a new form of progression as it has now become more a global culture. It has influenced elements that define our culture:things like: dancing, fashion, politics, and even music in other genres. Through this evolution, it has indeed changed the way the world has seen it. I intend to explain the evolution in full, from its early stages to the giant industry it has become.
“Hip-hop allows a kind of marriage between the rhetorical and the musical by means of some of the most amazing linguistic virtuosity we have seen in the English language. (West, 2008). Hip-hop first originated in the late 1970’s early 1980’s with animated, rhythmic bass and rhyming words. 1986-1991 was the golden era of hip hop artists such as Public Enemy. The term Hip-hop originated from an early New York rapper Lovebug Starkski. (Kunjufu 1993). The origins of rap are Black and Latino. (Dyson 2007). Hip hop has a lot more than music it has become a way to break barriers into becoming a way of culture for society. Hip-hop music gives youth a content and feeling to explore identity and voice amidst what is often the chaos of daily living. “Hip-hop is a highly dynamic culture whose very nature is change”
Hip hop has permeated popular culture in an unprecedented fashion. Because of its crossover appeal, it is a great unifier of diverse populations. Although created by black youth on the streets, hip hop's influence has become well received by a number of different races in this country. A large number of the rap and hip hop audience is non-black. It has gone from the fringes, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms. Because it has become the fastest growing music genre in the U.S., companies and corporate giants have used its appeal to capitalize on it. Although critics of rap music and hip hop seem to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language, this genre offers a new paradigm of what can be (Lewis, 1998.) The potential of this art form to mend ethnic relations is substantial. Hip hop has challenged the system in ways that have unified individuals across a rich ethnic spectrum. This art form was once considered a fad has kept going strong for more than three decades. Generations consisting of Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Asians have grown up immersed in hip-hop. Hip hop represents a realignment of America?s cultural aesthetics. Rap songs deliver a message, again and again, to keep it real. It has influenced young people of all races to search for excitement, artistic fulfillment, and a sense of identity by exploring the black underclass (Foreman, 2002). Though it is music, many people do not realize that it is much more than that. Hip hop is a form of art and culture, style, and language, and extension of commerce, and for many, a natural means of living. The purpose of this paper is to examine hip hop and its effect on American culture. Different aspects of hip hop will also be examined to shed some light that helps readers to what hip hop actually is. In order to see hip hop as a cultural influence we need to take a look at its history.
Black culture in our society has come to the point where it is allied with pop culture. The most popular music genres, slang terms, to dance forms it all comes from black culture. Hip hop emerged from black culture, becoming the soul of it that is seen in the media. Hip hop helped the black community by creating new ways of expressing themselves, from breakdance, graffiti, rap and other music, to slang. This culture was rooted in their tradition and created from something new. Hip hop created a new form of music that required the use of turn tables, ‘cuts’, loops, rhythm, rhyme, stories, and deep-rooted emotions, but also incorporated black oral forms of storytelling using communal authors.
Many rappers provide depictions of the struggles of daily life for urban youth. The oppression and marginalization of urban groups is a recurring and important theme. Rappers function as the primary voice and storyteller in hip hop(Todd, 2009). They depict images of their communities, voicing the struggles of the people. This allows these communities to feel what they have experienced matters. However, the artist’s genuineness is significant for the validation of the listener. If an rapper’s music does not portray the experience and identity of themselves, they may be seen as a “poser”. Selling out is a phenomenon when an artist compromises their morals and integrity for personal game, often times for money. Hip hop artists must be consistent with their everyday lives and their reputation as a
In Total Chaos, Jeff Chang references Harry Allen, a hip hop critic and self-proclaimed hip hop activist. Harry Allen compares the hip hop movement to the Big Bang and poses this complex question: “whether hip-hop is, in fact a closed universe-bound to recollapse, ultimately, in a fireball akin to its birth-or an open one, destined to expand forever, until it is cold, dark, and dead” (9). An often heard phase, “hip hop is dead,” refers to the high occurrence of gangster rap in mainstream hip hop. Today’s hip hop regularly features black youths posturing as rich thugs and indulging in expensive merchandise. The “hip hop is dead” perspective is based on the belief that hip hop was destined to become the model of youth resistance and social change. However, its political ambitions have yet to emerge, thus giving rise to hip hops’ criticisms. This essay will examine the past and present of hip hop in o...
This paper will reflect hip-hop and the music industry. It will give a glimpse into the history of hip-hop. It will show how hip-hop originated and how music has a huge influence on mainstream media. Urban America took fast to the new wave of music and how a person’s personal struggle in life and the street. This will show how the media glamorizes rappers and their celebrities to give a false view of the lifestyle.
Hip-hop’s greatest gift and its heaviest burden is its legacy of urban mythology. It will be remembered as that bittersweet moment when young black men captured the ears of America and defined themselves on their own terms in doing so, they raised a defiant middle finger to a history that shamed them with slavery, misrepresented them as coons and criminals and co-opted the best of their culture.
Imagine a world unaccompanied by culture, expression, individuality, or style. Visualize a world without any differences or creativity. Envision how that would look, dull, and boring, a world without Hip Hop, an evolving culture, including expression, individuality, and style all in one. As a result, the popularity of Hip Hop significantly increased, over the decades. Actually, “R&B and Hip Hop are now responsible for 25.1 % of all music consumption in the U.S” (McIntyre). This implies that Hip Hop is a dominant genre in today’s society, on the other hand, dominant in what the nation calls, life. Over the decades, Hip Hop has evolved through fashion, music, dance, and other innumerable avenues. For the most part, Hip Hop’s origins remain the
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