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Hip-hop is many things. It is a genre of music as much as a statement and culture. It was defined differently by different people. Now I will try to understand it myself.
The hip-hop generation appeared in the late 1970s. It was a new genre of music created by the DJs of Bronx (“Making a Name” 67). They based it on the soul, gospel, and other music of the time. It attracted dancers and partying people from all over the city to the new night clubs and open air concerts. They were attracted by the new music which had never been heard. DJs removed everything people did not like too much. They created beats of pure breaks – the most exciting groovy parts of soul and funk songs. That gave birth to b-boying. Today we know that dance as breakdance. But the hip-hop quickly became a statement. It was created in a violent era. The seventies were full of racial conflict and gang activities. At one point, music became popular enough to connect people better than gangs did. The violence did not stop, but more energy was spent on creating instead of fighting. And hip-hop as a center part of the culture of the poor in that era started to get political. The artists gathered crowds which were not afraid to state their dislike for the government. It also attracted protesting youth. Graffiti artists were an important part of the new culture. The hip-hop itself never became really political, but the other genres created by it were trying to make a statement.
The style quickly gave birth to rap at the beginning of the 1980s. The rap music used the same instruments and beats but was more focused on politics. The artists of the genre were more aggressive and protested police violence and discrimination. The gangsta rap created in California was especially famous for its loud critique of the society (Kelley 185). While rap is a variation of hip-hop in the music sense, it is very different as a culture. Rappers often glorify violence and crime. They view it as a way to fight the system and injustice.
In my understanding, the hip-hop culture is a way of non-violent protest. It allowed poor and discriminated members of society to express themselves instead of joining gangs. It created an atmosphere which brought people of different generations together. The practices of hip-hop like huge parties, dancing, and street art helped prevent the violence and reduce crime. The generation of that time needed these things to help them fight the injustice of the government. When your homes are being destroyed by the builders or the black people are openly discriminated, the communities need something to keep them together (“Necropolis” 8). In my understanding, that was the point of hip-hop. To help people stand against all of the bad things happening around them.
There are a lot of definitions of hip-hop. It was described as a music genre, culture or even movement. All of those things are a part of what hip-hop really was. It was a way for people to make themselves heard without violence. Nowadays, the hip-hop is still about making statements. However, now it is more mainstream, and many artists only say to be protesting while they make millions thanks to their music and no longer really follow the ideals of the 1970s.
Works Cited
Chang, Jeff. “Making a Name.” Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2005. 67-85. Print.
Chang, Jeff. “Necropolis.” Can’t Stop Won’t Stop. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2005. 7-19. Print.
Kelley, Robin. “Kickin’ Reality, Kickin’ Ballistics.” Race Rebels. New York, NY: The Free Press, 1994. 183-227.
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