The Importance Of Hip Hop Culture To Students At Virginia Union University Conference

Since its conception, hip hop has been a very necessary and influential art form in the way that it gives a voice to people who would normally not have one. The fact that it was often the sole voice for a marginalized community meant that the genre has often shouldered the “burden of being a genuine political force.” Hip hop’s role in addressing the concerns of urban Black Americans has led people to refer to it as “CNN for Black people.” However, in recent times, the commercialization of the genre (and growing popularity with white audiences) has generated a lot of criticism from many who feel that the essence of hip hop is being destroyed and it does not have as much of a meaningful effect on dispossessed Black youth as it used to have.

As a cultural perspective Hip Hop has had an overwhelming influence on the black community. Hip Hop is more than just music is a culture. Hip Hop is a formed of communication through lyrics. It has helped individuals speak up for generations and provide a voice for their people as well send a message. Additionally, Hip Hop culture can as well be viewed as a response to the socio-economic issues that spawned in the black community. It was done through the power of musical expression.

Mr. McBride, you claim that “I missed the most cultural event in my lifetime” (paragraph #6). This is true as you did miss a very important, life changing event. With listening to hip hop, and understanding the meaning, you could have had a better social based life. You also claim that “hip hop remains an enigma, a clarion call, a cry of ‘I am’ from the youth of the world” (paragraph #8). This is also completely true because hip hop has become a very popular type of music, and spreads the message of the current world problems. When you say “The instruments change, but the message is the same” (paragraph #11), you claim that the style of music can change a little bit, but the message will be just as meaningful and powerful. I also think that although hip hop can have many different kinds of beat, rhythm, and sound to it, they will always share a real world problem that is powerful and meaningful. For example, a lot of the hip hop music are about racism, reminding us that racism still exists today, and that it is still a very big problem and controversy. Mr. McBride, you want the adults to get more involved with hip hop, and really understand it’s message as hip hop becomes a very influential, social part of our lives. Your article was incredibly powerful, and you have proved your opinions and thoughts, and influenced the readers using powerful examples and personal

When reflecting on my experiences and knowledge of popular culture, I arrived with a number of remarkable questions and concerns:

Revered for narrating the realities of America’s abandoned inner-cities, Hip Hop has long been the triumphant voice of impoverished communities. Conceived on crack-riddled corners where curious kids crowded around ciphers, standing amidst killers, hustlers and honest locals alike – rap rewarded trapped souls with hope. As each hour extended a survivalist existence, it was the talented street storytellers who added clarity and context to their complex condition. Commonly silenced and ignored by high society, a culture was cultivated that empowered poor and disadvantaged people to aspire for more with a belief in attaining it. Emerging from a niche art form into a fascinating global genre, Hip Hop ushered these treacherous truths into the scope of mainstream America in a way that deactivated the dangers, while celebrating its many coveted nuances.

Do you remember a time, during which hip hop music was a voice against African American oppression? Honestly, it is hard to tell nowadays. Even though hip hop was a concept coined my American artists, it is rooted in many cultures among different nations. It is one of the only nationalistic movements that have not lost its fundamental heritage throughout the test of time. Hip hop music has always been a voice for the voiceless, but in the past decade, the music genre has declined into commercialism. While these mainstream artists are cashing in their paychecks, young, talented artists, like the SaveMoney Crew are reinstating the consciousness in rap that has been missing for some time now. I believe that the majority of mainstream rap has changed for the worse because rappers are largely making music about meaningless things like extravagant purchases, hard core drugs, and sexual exploits, instead of using their position and influence to advocate against police brutality, discrimination, and the struggles inherent in a life of poverty like the underground movement spearheaded by the Savemoney Crew and other young, socially conscious rappers.

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

We all know that Hip Hop’s audience has expanded past our inner city youths. Hip Hop concerts are a melting pot of races, cultures and ethnicities enjoying music. “Hip-hop is as popular among youth in Europe as it is in many parts of the world and has had an active if relatively small underground scene since the early 1980s.” writes

You’re standing in a crowd amongst thousands of fans at an Eminem concert, people from all over, shoulder to shoulder in a massive stadium, singing along every word of their favorite song for hours. People from all over are connected to each other through the power of music. When it comes to music, the life experiences, inspiration, and current events play a tremendously significant role. Hip hop is a form of art which can be expressed through rap songs, break-dancing, and graffiti art. The culture has become so popular that it has entered today’s fashion and modern language. Hip hop music is an extremely large part of today’s generation and a global genre, which influences the generation all over the world.

Hip-Hop Culture and race have had a complicated relationship in the past two decades. It has been commonly referred to as “black music” and a reflection of black culture. However, recent studies done by the Mediamark Research Inc. showed that 60% of rap music buyers are white. With the emergence of white, Latino, Asian, and other rappers with diverse backgrounds on the Hip Hop scene it is important recognize the changing color of the genre and the stereotype it holds as “black music”. Black culture has also been subject to appropriation because of the popularization of Hip-hop music. However, much of the discourse on the topic confuses cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation, and states that hip-hop music is strictly for African Americans or that it doesn’t belong to anyone at all. Hip-Hop is a black art form that transcends cultural boundaries and can be appreciated through the lenses of different cultures as long as those who enjoy it acknowledge its roots. The genre’s growing number of non-black rappers is not due to the appropriation of the genre by other cultures but as an expansion of it due to it’s growing popularity across the world.

In your essay, “Hip Hop Planet” you discuss the roots of hip hop and how it impacts our world. I recognize your personal experiences and the challenges you faced within the genre may have driven you to write this piece. It was stated that hip hop is a great influence in our world. In another instance, you explain the message hip hop is sending and how we must to appreciate it. The motivation for this essay seems to be to educate people who don’t understand or respect hip hop’s role in our society and how it is drawing awareness, like a moth to a flame, to poverty and racial issues that hip hop has helped eliminate.

Hip Hop culture has come from a inner city expression of life to a multi-billion dollar business. At the beginning of the new millennium it was the top selling genre in the pop charts. It had influences not only on music, but on fashion, film, television, and print. In 2004 Hip Hop celebrated its 30th year anniversary. It wasn’t big for the fact that it was still kicking. It was big because the once Black/Brown inner city culture had grown into a multi-billion dollar global phenomenon (Reeves). Hip Hop culture has provided a platform for all walks of life to speak their mind. Over the past 36 years it has provided us with both entertainment and controversy alike and had a huge impact on our nation’s history. `

Hip-Hop is a cultural movement that emerged from the dilapidated South Bronx, New York in the early 1970’s. The area’s mostly African American and Puerto Rican residents originated this uniquely American musical genre and culture that over the past four decades has developed into a global sensation impacting the formation of youth culture around the world. The South Bronx was a whirlpool of political, social, and economic upheaval in the years leading up to the inception of Hip-Hop. The early part of the 1970’s found many African American and Hispanic communities desperately seeking relief from the poverty, drug, and crime epidemics engulfing the gang dominated neighborhoods. Hip-Hop proved to be successful as both a creative outlet for

Hip Hop music became one of the primary constructive outlets for Black Americans to release their thoughts, pain, and anguish about the injustices and mistreatments of Black people. Even though most of the pioneers in Hip-Hop either were not born in America or are 2nd generation immigrants that proves that common oppression can lead to unity. The fact that that these individuals were impoverished and felt marginalized is what brought them together and lead to the culture today. Deep rooted racism in the United States kept the genre of music suppressed for a while before it was allowed to even be played on the airwaves. Now, in 2011, the main consumers of byproducts of hip hop are White Americans.

Hip- hop has become a phenomenon throughout youth culture. Many believed hip-hop was only a phase of music like disco, but as the genre continued to expand and evolve, it became clear that hip-hop was here to stay. (History of hip- hop: past, present, future) Hip- hop is made up of 2 main elements, DJing and rapping. DJ is short for disc jockey, which is a person who usually uses turntables to make music, and rapping is talking and chanting in an easy and familiar manner. (Hip-Hop: A Short History) In writing this research paper, I will explain the most impactful years of hip-hop, and the events surrounding them, starting from 1979, when Sugarhill Gang released “Rappers Delight”.