How Does Hip Hop Affect The Way Of Life

Hip-hop is an underground urban movement which emerged in the South Bronx, NY during the early 1970s. Hip-hop is composed of four basic elements; DJ-ing, emceeing (rapping), graffiti and style, and break dancing. These elements are how most people recognize hip-hop culture. Many other people think of hip-hop as just a music genre, but it is more than just a music genre. It is cultivating way of living, and several people fail to understand its true meaning. It originated as so much more than just art and entertainment. Hip-hop is the constantly evolving spirt and consciousness of urban youth that keeps recreating itself in a never-ending cycle (Global Awareness through Hip-Hop Culture Program). TIME magazine has even considered it the most important youth culture on the planet (time.com). It has, and continues to influence the young urban crowd through its music, style, and role models. Hip-hop has evolved throughout the years, and has made several changes to the music and dance, the style and clothing, and the influential roles. Both good and not so good. Nevertheless, hip-hop culture continues to influence people.

Hip-hop to many artists was a form of self-expression. Artist thrived in the beat and loved to create new sounds and rhythms. Hip-hop brought the Bronx of New

The history of hip hop is so revolutionary and has molded and altered over the years into something so “unique”. The music genius’ that paved the way for hip-hop would not be able to recognize what it has become today. There are many ways that the new hip-hop world has affected our society which involves fashion, rap lyrics, musicology, technology, crime, the way other races have accepted hip-hop, and sexuality. Of these, the newly unrecognizable music has dramatically altered our societies sexuality in a numerous amount of ways. The explicit lyrics and inappropriate music videos lead to influence the future of our society negatively.

“The thing about hip hop is that it’s from the underground ideas from the underbelly from people who have mostly been locked out, who have not been recognized.” (Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam Recordings). Hip hop was formed in the Bronx and ghettos of New York City during the 1970s. It began with African Americans and Latinos at block parties when technology and drum machines became available and affordable. Hip hop doesn’t stay the same and constantly changes with new elements being added to the four key elements which include MCing, rapping, DJing, scratching, break dancing, and graffiti.

Born on August 11, 1973 in Bronx, Hip Hop was the main gateway for the voice of African Americans to be heard and recognized. The art of Hip Hop wasn’t only limited to DJ’ing and rapping; the term hip-hop refers to a complex culture, which consist of four basic ingredients: deejaying, or “turntabling”; rapping, also known as “MCing” or “rhyming”; graffiti painting; and breakdancing or “breaking”.

Hip Hop Culture As I was growing up in the late 1970’s, it has always been common knowledge that hip hop music and its culture originated in the South Bronx section of New York City in the early 1970’s. Since this time, hip hop has become a multi-cultural fusion of many different contributions made by several ethnic groups like Caucasians, Asians, blacks, and Hispanics, to name just a few. Hip-hop has definitely exploded within many cultures and subcultures throughout the world and within the past decade or so; it has been getting widespread exposure. When hip-hop music and the whole culture of the movement first came onto the scene, it incorporated many different art forms. These art forms include deejaying [cuttin’ and scratchin’], emceeing or rapping, beatboxing, breakdancing, and graffiti art. In today’s society, hip hop still incorporates these different art forms, but it also includes the way you dress; the language or terminology you use; and the way you walk, act, and look. Hip-hop music on a whole has always been a form of self-expression – depicting a person’s lifestyle; their pain; their struggle; and the realities of street life. For some rappers or singers today in the hip-hop game, it’s still a form of self-expression. But for others, it’s all about the money, clothes, jewelry, or the “Bling-bling. Ka-ching. Ka-ching.” (Liu, Pg. 1) Since the early to mid 90’s, hip-hop has undergone so many changes that it has actually lost its culture. Hip-hop has become,

The beauty of hip hop is that it is malleable. It is not defined by strict boundaries but by multiple characteristics. Young artist J. Cole (2013) explains this best by stating in an interview, “I think there’s no rules [in rap]. You can say what you want. That’s your poetic license: to test people’s boundaries.” (p.1) The results of such malleability and the need to experiment within the unwritten boundaries of hip hop are the birth of different styles and sectors/scenes in America. These sectors are represented by the geographic location of the artists and the distinctive sounds and styles that the artists utilize. For years the genre of hip hop was found primarily in the United States in these particular scenes. In the past few years,

Hip-hop began in the streets of New York City 44 years ago to be exact. Hip-hop has gone though a lot of changes up until now. From what I have learned from watching a documentary on Netflix is that hip-hop consists of: rap, graffiti, break-dancing, and disc jockey. In this paper I will do my best to fully explain how rap became what it is today. The way it emerged in 1970’s.

Hip hop is a popular music genre which is listened worldwide. It has a large background starting from African Americans facing discrimination. It is now listened by many people, especially teenagers. Hip hop includes rapping and electronic backing and it has a major effect on society. Hip hop has positive and negative effects but the negatives outweigh the positives. Even though hip hop can be used to teach critical thinking and poetry, the effect of it causing an increase in crime rates, sexual activity, and drug use outweigh the positive effects. Hip hop has these effects because the music creates fantasies which appeals to teenagers. It allows teenagers to fantasize about things like fame and fortune.

Dating from since 1970 to today, hip-hop has experienced changes that many would consider degenerating to its culture. This also includes its negative reputation of gang relation, illegal drug activity, and malicious behavior. In today’s culture it is important to lead children toward a positive direction in life but the hip hop culture of today is not steering youth in that direction especially due to the fact that mostly young people listen to this genre. According to the statistics from Radio and Television Business Report, almost two thirds of its audience range between 18 and 34. Hip-hop has moved away from what it was supposed to be used for. This genre of music was supposed to be used to for personal expression and growth not to create negative images for the youth and encourage them to change their behaviors and beliefs. However, there are artists that keep it old school but it is less likely played on mainstream radio. Hip hop culture has the potential to help the youth follow their dreams and become better people it just needs to go back to its roots and bring those morals back up again.

In today’s generation there are many types of music. But a genre that stands out into day’s age is hip hop. This genre has become a major type of music that fluencies many people today.

Many people believe that Hip Hop is detrimental to society. I do believe that a lot of hip-hop culture revolves around negative things, whether it be objectification of women, violence, drugs, pimping, the care free lifestyle, now worrying about anyone but yourself, and being materialistic. All of that does not lead society in a good direction. And if you as a black person consider that to be you culture, that hip-hop is your culture, and the hip-hop you listen too predominantly promotes things such as violence rioting, and stealing, then to say that that culture is partially responsible for what is happening is correct. Before around the time my dad was growing up hip-hop was positive, then what starting happening is NWA (Niggas With Attitude) came out, and all these other groups that were just trying to “tell it how it is” or “tell it how it was” in their hood, constantly pushing violence, violence, and violence. This became much more acceptable. Anything that permeates the culture the way hip-hop has or the way movies have, they have an effect. Young people have taken on gangster mentalities like, do whatever you have to do to get by, if you have to sell drugs and murder then do what you have to do, and if someone disrespects then fight for respect. And all of this that you hear in music affects not only the black culture but also society as a whole, and if you do not believe that then I believe are delusional. No one person, no one group of music, no culture is

Hip Hop in the most popular genre of music between all African American communities, not just in America, but worldwide. Hip Hop has expanded itself into music, fashion, advertisement, movies, and it’s given many rappers, and those associated with the genre, the chance to influence their communities, societies and their culture in general, but commercial Hip Hop in the U.S. has branded Hip Hop in a negative way. (The Young and The Hip-Hop, Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem, 2012, Web, Oct. 27, 2014) This is all due to the negative imagery and negative lyrics like the term nigga, negative implications of Hip Hop include exploiting black adolescent girls, promoting unhealthy lifestyles, and implying that the open use of the word nigga is not harmful. Hip Hop has become a global phenomenon where it has evolved from a genre of music to a lifestyle for the African American community.

From the impoverished section of Bronx, New York arose a youth culture that spread throughout the community like wild fire. Within the gang-ridden, drug-infested streets, a depravation of creativity forced underprivileged African American youths onto the streets in search of an output for their imagination. It was within these streets that hip-hop appeared as the product of independence, self-realization, creativity, and pride.

Hip hop is also known as Rap music as it has come to be known – has faced various obstacles. Initially, rap was deemed a passing fad, a playful and ephemeral black cultural form that steamed off the musical energies of urban black teens