Hip Hop And Its Impact On American Culture

“The hip-hop nation is an international, transnational, multiracial, multiethnic, multilingual community made up of individuals with diverse class, gender, and sexual identity.” (Marcyliena & Bennett, 178). Hip-hop was formed as a sort of communal bond that had African roots and was later transformed into a modern

I love everything about hip-hop during that time. The fashion style big chunky gold chains, and earrings, the clothes, the music, and the meaning behind a lot of the songs. Hip-hop music has developed over decades and has had a tremendous global impact on millions of people around the world. Hip-hop is a variety of things, it is rhythm, fashion, vocabulary, and many other things. Hip-hop has pave the way for so many young African American men and women to rise above their hardships.

Hip-Hop culture is often confused with the Hip-Hop genre. Hip-Hop as a culture is more than just the music, it is a way of life. Hip-Hop music as a genre has changed from being Rap to including Pop. Hip-Hop is an evolving culture, constantly changing as the older generation fades and the newer generation carries on the legacy along with incorporating it's new style. The new generation of Hip-Hop or rather Hip-Hop today focuses more on Partying, music, and Swag rather than the original elements: Deejaying, Emceeing, Graffiti, and B-Boy or break dancing. These elements are still seen in today's Hip-Hop but have adapted a new style.

It has been 30 years since Hip-Hop was first “introduced” to the world. Whether it be fashion or politics, this musical genre/culture plays a huge role in everyday life and has generated billions of dollars across the globe. In this paper I will be discussing when, where, and how Hip-Hop was created, “old school Hip-Hop, “Hip-Hop’s Golden Age”, “Hardcore rap” “Gangsta rap”, “G-Funk”, 21st century Hip-Hop, and how Hip-Hop affects society.

Hip-Hop music has been portrayed as bad or ignorant. Believe it or not, when it was first created in 1993 many Adults at that time believed it wouldn’t last very long. Some adults even believed it would be gone in a month or two; but boy were they wrong. Since that first year, the popularity of hip-hop music has increased dramatically because of pioneer artist such as Run-D.M.C., N.W.A., Grandmaster Flash, and the Beastie Boys.

Hip-Hop has an overwhelming influence on every race, but mostly a significant influence on the black community in America. Hip-Hop is more than music; it is a culture that many people in our society enhances. Over the past decades Hip-Hop has done more than just being a type of music everyone listens to; it also has influenced and uplifted America. Hip-Hop provides a platform for MC’s and rappers to express their opinion about society because not everyone on a day to day basis get the chance to express how they feel about society so they express it in music. Hip-Hop also gives the black community and other communities to express themselves as individuals because that's all some people live up to,music.

Hip Hop music’s origins lie in the Bronx, New York where its elements of DJ’ing, MC’ing, and dancing formed into the culture that we know today. In 2017, hip hop reached a milestone becoming the most dominant music genre in the United States, according to Nielsen’s US Music Year-End Report. This position was dominated by Rock music for years, however the vibrancy of the hip hop movement has become influential enough to bringing together the majority of America's music listeners. A musical force of nature, hip hop has infiltrated every medium from fashion, to movies, to commercials, and even theatre on Broadway. The power of hip hop is undeniable and it's a genre of music that hasn’t changed its image for a wider audience appeal. If anything,

Hip-Hop is influential in a handful of ways, it has been an influential transit that carried into American customs throughout the globe, it was a gateway to decrease race discrimination and changed the way youth led the future by providing new ways of expression. For the majority it has been a custom ever since

Hip-Hop is often mistaken solely as a genre or style of music, but it is more than that, it is an entire cultural movement born out of the ghettos of america where underprivileged and impoverished youth created a culture that would take not only America but the entire world by storm. Many people think of Hip-Hop as a historical phenomena that was created through a capitalistic economic system and a very racist government that was trying its best to segregate and oppress the minorities (mainly Black and Latino youth) in our country. DJ Kool Herc, a pioneer of hip hop music and hip-hop culture, could not have said it better when he said “Hip-hop is the voice of this generation. Even if you didn’t grow up in the Bronx in the ’70s, hip-hop is there for you. It has become a powerful force. Hip-hop binds all of these people, all of these nationalities, all over the world together” (Chang, Intro). Hip-Hop and Rap music have deep roots dating back from as early as the 15th and 16th century but since this culture and genre of music has made its way into the mainstream in the mid 1980’s and early 1990’s this culture has greatly impacted American society and nearly every part of the world. Due to the increased popularity of hip hop in the american culture, the corporate music industry has commercialized and capitalized off of this gaining popularity, which has diluted the content of the music changing the whole initial intention behind the music and

Hip-hop music talks about how if you work hard at what you want, then you can get it; it’s all about determination and having a goal. Hip-hop music also tells listeners to be confident and love who you are and what you do; it tells us to love ourselves, inside and out. It helps me learn to love myself, the way I look, my personality, and what I want to do. When I listen to my favorite hip-hop songs, it helps me relate to things going on in my life and it helps me through the good, and especially the bad. Sometimes I just listen to hip-hop to have a good time and to let go of my feelings. Hip-hop music has very good messages about wanting to just live life as it comes and to have fun, which is basically want I want to do with my life. Hip-hop is one of my favorite genres because of the messages it tells, how it helps me through life, and to have a good life by living however you feel like

Hip hop has been around for years and plays a big part in culture. For some it's the best way for them to express themselves which mean it doesn’t degrade society. Many will argue that hip hop is leading to deaths and kids not finishing school because they heard it in their favorite song. While others may disagree saying hip hop is a culture and it uplifts people that it’s something you turn too in your time of need. “Urban neighborhoods across the country feed off of the energy that hip-hop derives from due to the social connection that it has with many of its listeners” says Danielle B . While Deejay says “Not only has mainstream hip-hop promoted a lifestyle of materialism, it has also helped promote an ideology of misogyny and violence

Hip Hop’s recycling of musical equipment, its’ employment of bodily expressions, and its’ utilization of the environment make it very resourceful. It is one of the genres in music that stands out because of how diverse it is. Any form of music should be known by its’ own culture and this is a great example of it. Art is universal and open to all. Make your own art and dazzle the world like Hip Hop did.

As it was stated before, hip-hop became not only a genre of music, but a culture and a movement. People who listen to that music view themselves as more than fans. Hip hop is their life. “(…) the longevity of rap’s appeal for young people is firmly linked with the way in which rap can be used as a meaning of engaging with and expressing dissatisfaction at the more restrictive features of everyday life in globally diffuse social settings.” (Bennett, 2001, p. 89). As well as other cultures, Hip Hop has its foundational elements:

Hip-hop has had a notable impact on contemporary society. Today, hip-hop culture is popular in many parts of the world(Funk & Wagnalls). The youth today listens to rap, and hip-hop more than any other genre of music. When someone is rapping or singing about a specific topic the younger people then hear what they are saying or their opinions on different topics and begin to agree with what the artist is preaching about in their music. For instance, when Macklemore wrote his song “Same Love” it blew up.

Demonstrate the Importance of your Topic- Hip Hop Culture is a huge part of what makes American Culture. Recently Hip Hop music has surpassed Rock n’ Roll music and has become the most popular genre in music in the United States (Vibe Magazine). Hip Hop isn’t just music that people listen to. Hip Hop culture can be found in one’s clothing, language (slang), dancing, etc.