Daniel Thomsen English Professor O’Shaughnessy May 14, 2015 Hip Hop: A Whole New View There are a lot of trends in today’s generation that are new and have never been seen before. Social media is a huge one. However, there is a specific aspect of our generation that started from the generation before us. This is a huge part of the culture of young adults today and means a lot to many teens. That part of the culture is music. Music has this weird way of bringing together people from all walks of life. Music sensation, Rihanna, has her own song titled “Please Don’t Stop the Music”, which talks about how music gets people grooving. Within the music category, the focus will be hip hop and the culture of hip hop. Many people believe that hip …show more content…
For example, it is found that eighty percent of the rap music that is currently on the top ten lists around the world contains violence. They glorify the acts of beating up another person, or even worse shooting them. Looking like someone who just got released from prison in their eyes is a good thing. However, what these people do not realize, is that this is the best way these artists know how to express themselves. “Although rap music and hip hop are often used interchangeably, rap is only one of (at least) four elements of hip hop” (Moore, 2008). The other three components of hip hop culture are: DJ-ing, breakdancing, and visual/graffiti art, however the aspect most people focus on is the musical aspect. It really is just like any other form of music, where an artist uses that style of music to express themselves. The common notion is that hip-hop music also seems to glorify is that what matters most when looking for a good woman is what her body looks like. This is why there are so many teenagers who have eating disorders or other emotional problems. But today, there are many artists of this genre that care about what women are like deeper than just a physical attraction. For example, Tupac Shakur’s song “Keep Ya Head Up” is a song telling women how important they are to our society, telling men to treat women with respect, and most importantly, keep your head up. “You know what makes me unhappy (what’s that), when brothas make babies, and leave a young mother
The misogynistic treatment of women in commercialized rap has become a widespread phenomenon which as a result has become commonly accepted by majority of the individuals in society. Rappers, in general, nowadays use women in their videos in a way which is both derogatory and exploiting. Black men in today’s society, especially in the entertainment industry, do not see women as their equals; rather they objectify them as being nothing more than sex objects. People in the Hip Hop industry do not believe that sexism and misogyny is as big of a deal as racism, thus they push this issue to the side by simply ignoring it and learning to accept it. This misogynistic portrayal of women is ruining the image if Hip Hop as both an industry and a form of expressive art. However, instead of taking action against this atrocity, many women simply believe that the images of women and their portrayal in rap videos does not represent nor refer to them as an individual and the type of woman they truly are. By being silent these women are allowing themselves to be victimized by the men of not only the Hip Hop industry but also general society. By not having a say in this matter of the false classification and portrayal of women, they are voluntarily allowing men to do whatever they please to do so, in any given time and with any approach they feel is necessary. They do not
Even though, hip-hop is viewed as primarily of promoting negative message, however, it has reveled the pain behind the lyrics. “Hip hop music, had for over three and half decades, delivered a resounding message of freedom of expression, unity, peace, and protest against social injustices”. (Anderson & Jackson) As hip-hop continues to grow it has continued to remain a strong influential social impact. Hip-hop created a way for many individuals to express themselves on controversial issues seen throughout society.
The misunderstood subculture of music that many have come to know as “hip-hop” is given a critical examination by James McBride in his essay Hip-Hop Planet. McBride provides the reader with direct insight into the influence that hip-hop music has played in his life, as well as the lives of the American society. From the capitalist freedom that hip-hop music embodies to the disjointed families that plague this country, McBride explains that hip-hop music has a place for everyone. The implications that he presents in this essay about hip-hop music suggest that this movement symbolizes and encapsulates the struggle of various individual on
Hip Hop was birthed in the neighborhood, where young people gathered in parks, on playgrounds, and neighborhood street corners, to verbalize poetry over spontaneous sounds and adopted melodies. Hip Hop was not just the music; it was also a way for the young to show their skills in break dancing, gymnastic dance style that was valued, and athleticism over choreographed fluidity. Hip hop was also fashion such as: hats, jackets, gold chains, and name-brand sneakers. Hip Hop was a form of graffiti, to a new way of expression that engaged spray paint on the subway walls as the canvas. In addition, today’s hip hop have changed as where the DJ was once is now the producer as the key music maker, and the park is now a studio.
It’s a culture that has gotten so big that its influence can be seen everywhere from movies, commercials, and even pop songs. “We live in a popularity contest now,” says the rapper Chuck Inglish. The genre has become so recognized to the point of over saturation, in addition the music industry has monopolized the radio to dumb down the masses with homogenous rap songs made by a handful of people. So it’s up to the listener to “Put our money where our ears want to be,” and support fresh, creative, and unique hip hop. If the listeners become intent with such sub standard expectations, then the authenticity of Hip Hop will die
Hip-Hop isn’t just four elements combined within a culture, it is also “ a way of life, a language, a fashion, a set of values, and a unique perspective” (Efrem 2), the hip-hop basic and sub-elements have a strong impact in the American society mainly on its
Hip hop and rap as a musical genre is a very controversial subject for nearly everyone. Its influences are powerful, both positive and negative. There are many positive influences of hip hop, and a few examples are the breaking down of cultural barriers, the economic impact, and political awareness of pressing and urgent issues. Though there are many positive influences, there are many negative influences as well. Some of the more heated debates of the negative influences of hip hop are that it glorifies violence, and the fact that the music sexualizes women and degrades them as well. Attached to the negative outlook on hip hop, there are also many stereotypes assumed by society towards this type of culture
In order to prove that the Hip-Hop culture’s beliefs and goals have changed, I am mostly going to rely heavily on the culture’s music. Hip-Hop music has been the voice of the Hip-Hop culture since the beginning. It has been an outlet for those in the Hip-Hop culture to vent. To understand the changes in beliefs for the culture of Hip-Hop I must first distinguish what the original beliefs were. Then I must look at Hip-Hop music now to compare and contrast. This must be done using mostly first hand knowledge. This will give an actual inside look on the culture and eliminate preconception, lies or concealment.
Doug E. Fresh, a popular beat-boxer in rap music today, has been quoted saying, “Hip-hop is supposed to uplift and create, to educate people on a larger level and to make a change.” Although this is the original intention of hip-hop music, public opinion currently holds the opposite view. Since the 1970’s musical artists have changed the face of hip-hop and rap and worldwide, people – mostly teens—have been striving to emulate certain artists and their lyrics, which has created negative stereotypes for hip-hop music and also for those who choose to listen to it. With vulgar lyrics referencing drugs, alcohol, sex, and aggression, it’s no wonder these stereotypes exist. However, is music really the direct cause of how teens act,
During my first semester as a freshman at Winthrop University, I attended a global cultural event entitled “Hip Hop Makes Me Feel Pt. 3: A Different World.” This was an event that consisted of a young panel who were either influenced by hip-hop or they were currently involved in a career that revolves around the culture of hip-hop. During the duration of this event, we discussed the influences of hip-hop in today's society and how it impacts the youth of this generation. The emcee opened the program by asking each of the young panelists, when did they first fall in love with hip-hop? I really appreciated this global event because it encouraged me to discover why I fell in love with the cultivation and history of hip-hop, implemented the importance
Though rap started out as a force for positive social change, popular subgenres of hip-hop such as "gangsta rap" have since eroded much of the art form's value to society. Impressionable young people are negatively affected by rappers' obsession with guns, drugs, sex, and material possessions. Since record companies do not seem to care about negative content as long as it sells albums, parents should assume a greater role in regulating their children's listening habits. Hip-Hop is the proclamation that young people are independent and intolerant of what they consider to be adult society, which they frequently view as hypocritical.
When it comes to hip hop music and hip hop culture all together, it can have many influences on people who like the culture of hip hop. His may be from the clothes that are worn and even the lyrics a specific hip hop artist says in his or her music. But one group of people, in my opinion, that hip hop culture influences the most is the youth. Now see the youth are at the age where they look for guidance and wait for someone to tell them how things should go and what things should go. Now when you put hip hop culture together with the seeking guidance of the youth you have positives and negatives. Believe it or not the youth could also be
Hip-hop also promotes the accumulation symbols of success and being able to get them fast. When guys prance around with their obscene "bling," they try and show their worthiness to the opposite gender. Materialism becomes the most important thing for winning sexual conquests. Another is showing one's thug factor through braided hair, baggy clothes, ghetto language and street reputation. Many clear examples showing racist comments are in the hundreds of songs written by rappers and song writers every year.
Music has inspired and touched the lives of many aspiring hip-hop artists which makes it one of the most influential characters in America culture. Hip-hop has become one of the most vital, and profitable, forces in popular culture. Rap music is an international art form and is regularly heard in advertising including radio and television. Hip hop beats have influenced popular music genres from rock to jazz to reggae. The fashions, styles, and attitude of hip-hop have been adopted by America’s commercial culture industries and by youths from all cultural backgrounds. I predicted that hip hop music is here to stay because that 's only way they can convey their story without being arrested. Is here to stay because, the same inadequate education, inequality among poor people, Injustice and police brutality that hip hop music is talking about is still exist in American today.
Many think that the appeal of rap music, commonly portrayed with blatant sex, gratuitous violence, countless firearms, copious amounts of drugs, and stacks of seemingly endless money, is somewhat irrelevant or foolish. But you can’t ignore the fact that many other genres of music do the same thing. Many old rock and roll songs referenced illegal drugs, other rock songs frequently refer to violence and other crimes of the sort, and modern pop frequently talks about love, sometimes in a very explicit way. Even some operas and classical compositions were written to portray the stories of star-crossed lovers, killing everyone who tried to refute their love. But hip-hop can be more than this. Looking at songs such as “1-800” by Logic once again, or “I’m sorry” by Joyner Lucas, both of these songs include the very emotional topic of suicide. Rap can express any meaning other musical genres can. This also helps us see, there really isn’t any musical hierarchy, requisites, or requirements in general. As Saito Garrick states on Quora.com, that music cannot be defined, and those who try to are foolish. (5) According to diccionary.com music is “an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color” (4) And according to vocabulary.com music is “ is the pleasing sound created by voices or instruments following some tonal structure” (3) These two definitions seem to clearly match the attributes of hip-hop music that I’ve