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Hip Hop Culture Essay

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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. Hip-Hop started in the early 1970's by Clive Campbell, known as DJ Kool Herc, in Bronx, New York. He was born …show more content…

Bambaataa used Hip-Hop to positively influence gang life. Bambaataa believed the values of Hip-Hop were “peace, unity, love, and having fun” (hiphop.sh). The creation of Zulu Nation was a product of Bambaataa's quest to turn gang life into a positive aspect of the community. Zulu nation encompassed a group of “socially and politically aware rappers, B-boys (break dancers), Graffiti artists, and other people involved in the Hip-Hop culture” (hiphop.sh). Through DJ Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa Hip-Hop culture became defined as Deejaying, Emceeing, Graffiti, and Break dancing. Partying is defined as going out to clubs also known as clubbing. The club goers attend clubs that play Hip-Hop music and are usually mostly African Americans between the ages of 18 and 30. Some clubs have restriction on age and are only 21 and up, in order to freely serve alcohol. The Deejay holds a very important role in making a party live or poppin (fun, packed, or upbeat). Partying involves dancing at the club, getting wasted (becoming intoxicated), a social gathering, and a place to meet someone of the opposite sex. House parties have become less popular and clubs have become the new move (thing to do or plan, like on a weekend). The Deejay plays the same role as the older generation such that he still scratches and mixes (chops and screws) but with different equipment. “The only major difference with 80's Hip-Hop and today's is that we use our computers. We digitally chop and

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