Paolo Aligada Paul Lopez Humanities 9/22/10 Hip Hop: A Medium ...

Paolo Aligada
Paul Lopez
Humanities
9/22/10
Hip Hop: A Medium for Expression
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Hip hop has had a huge cultural impact on the world today. It is more than just a music
genre; there is a whole culture that has grown from it. It has become a huge influence on urban
society, entertainment, and fashion. Hip hop first emerged in the 1970s and was influenced by
music styles like funk and disco. The most original type of hip hop music could be distinguished
by the isolation of “breaks” in the beats and incorporating different techniques like mixing,
scratching, and beat juggling. A form of singing came out of hip hop, it was called sampling or
toasting, a style that came from the West Indies. This is where MC’s created lyrics that utilized
smooth rhymes and flowed well with the rhythm of the beat. This was later referred to as
rapping. Rappers and hip hop artists rapped about various different matters. Some rapped about
stories, others about random ideas purely for fun, but another topic they rapped about were social
issues. Some would consider hip hop to be a kind of folk music, “Folk music is often billed as
‘the voice of the people,’ a label that can also apply to hip hop. Folk music defines generations,
fuels protest and calls attention to injustice while celebrating ordinary life; hip hop does this as
well”(Hall). Rappers used hip hop as a way to voice their opinions to their audiences. They
revealed their views on the government, life in the ghetto, and racism. Later on, hip hop turned
into the rebellious type of music that was also critical of social concerns. This became known as
socially conscious hip hop. Socially conscious hip hop gives people a way to express their views
on culture and society. Hip hop created a huge influence on urban culture, from the feel of the
beats to the spray paint on the streets.

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Hip hop originated in New York City, more specifically in the Bronx. It began to come
into the spotlight during the 1970s. There was a large African American and Afro-Caribbean
community in the Bronx, so a lot of the influence on hip hop came from there. It was mostly the
youth culture that was involved with it. This community and culture introduced a lot of new and
contemporary ideas into the community, like getting out of the streets and turning toward non-
violent, non-illegal activities. This made the originality of hip hop all the more unique. Hip hop
started to get popular when DJ’s hosted block parties and numerous people would flock toward
the buildings with the thumping music. DJ’s used these gatherings as a way for kids to get out of
the streets and give them a way to express themselves without resulting to gangs and violence;
basically a place where they could get away. This was one of the first reasons why hip hop
started.
Some DJ’s that were considered the forefathers of hip hop were: DJ Clive “Kool Herc”
Campbell, Afrika Bambaataa, and Grandmaster Flash. They were the originators; their influences
drew a structure for the hip hop culture. Afrika Bambaataa was a key figure, he established the
“Four Elements of Hip Hop” which consisted of MCing, DJing, B-boying, and graffiti writing.
MCing is when people “sing” in rhymes that go with the rhythm of the music. This is known as
sampling, or later referred to as rapping. DJing (Disc Jockeying) are the people who make the
music by mixing songs and adding their own style to the beat like scratching, and “juggling.” B-
boying (break-dancing), the B standing for break, is the physical art branch of hip hop. The term
Break-dancing came from the “breaks” and isolations that were in the songs DJ plays. They
used the “break” as an opportunity to hit hard with their dance moves. Graffiti writing and street
art became the visual art section of hip hop. Graffiti writers would go out and put up their art in
public places like subways and empty walls. “Tagging” later emerged out of graffiti where

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people would write their tagging name on various places. These pillars became the foundation of
hip hop culture.
Hip hop did not just appear out of nowhere into the urban scene, but rather the music
evolved from older styles of music like funk and disco. James Brown is even considered a part
of the hip hop ancestry. What inspired people toward the hip hop culture was the opportunity to
get out of the streets, forget about the hard lives they had, and just be able to have fun and
express themselves. A large component to the popularity of hip hop was social class. The
majority of the people involved in the hip hop movement when it started back in the 70s were
mainly lower class, Black Americans. Living in the Bronx, it gave them something that they
could relate to and be a part of. You don’t need to fall under a certain category. It’s something
that does not discriminate.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s more and more immigrants moved into New York;
Irish, Jewish, and Italian communities developed. However more and more diversity began to
appear in New York with the rise of the Great migration, African Americans moving north from
the south, and the Harlem Renassaince. Afro-Carribean and Hispanic communities also began to
form in New York. The Bronx became the third-most-densely-populated county in the United
States. After the Great Depression, the Bronx went through hard times in recovery. In the
1950s, the once middle class county turned to a lower class area. Through the 1970s, living in
these urban ghettos were hard. It was very easy for young people to get involved in gangs and
violence as a way to feel wanted and accepted, but there were better ways of being someone than
resorting to violence. DJ Clive “Kool Herc” Campbell, an immigrant from Jamaica began to
host block parties where hundreds of people would come and he would play his beats loud for
the whole neighborhood to hear. The parties would be filled with dancing, which was where

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break-dancing was born. There were a lot of non-violent competition between MC’s, DJ’s, and
b-boys. Hip hop became a way for the youth culture to express themselves through dance, music
and art. It was a way for people to get away from the streets, forget about their hardships, and
basically have a good time. It is probably safe to say that this is where hip hop began to bloom.
Hip hop is definitely one of the fastest growing social movements in history; only 40
years ago beats were being played on private sound systems, now it is a worldwide phenomenon.
“Its influence on western society is far reaching and hip hop is often referred to as a
‘culture’”(Smith). Hip hop culture is seen everywhere, from entertainment, to fashion, to
language. Hip hop has now become implanted in western culture, more specifically in the
United States. By the 1980s, hip hop and rap was booming across the nation. One song that is
said to have introduced the world to rap was “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang. This
was an important event in hip hop history, this placed hip hop in the world spotlight. Hip hop
and rap just kept growing and growing in popularity. MC’s were later referred to as rappers, and
they rapped about a wide variety of issues. However hip hop was no longer just for having fun
and dancing around, it turned into a way of expressing their views and opinions on cultural
issues like the life in the ghetto, government/the police, and gangs.
Hip Hop culture when resolutely cultivated, potentially serves as a redemptive
artistic and intellectual vantage point from which the socio-politically oppressed,
the culturally marginalized . . . the globally dispossessed, the racially outcast . . .
the wretched of the earth . . . can critically engage an oppressive society (Stover).
This is considered socially conscious hip hop. This was mostly articulated through graffiti and
rapping. One of the earliest examples of socially conscious hip hop was the song “The Message”
by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. This song demonstrated how life was to live in the
lower class, the ghetto, and dealing with the police. This was a turning point in hip hop. The

lyrics that artists use can have a great influence on its audience. “Gangsta” rap emerged as a
huge sub genre from hip hop. This style of rap consisted of explicit language, promoting of
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violence, and rebelling against police. N.W.A. was an example of this. The youth who listen to
this music are given the idea that this kind of lifestyle is cool; being in a gang is how you become
someone. It is ironic how hip hop was originally made to give people a way to escape the gang
life and it headed back in the direction that it was trying to avoid. Afrika Bambaataa was the
founder of the organization the Zulu Nations, a hip hop awareness group. Their mission to help
lead gangsters out of lives of crime for positive change. However people do whatever they want.
The hip hop culture is very contemporary and has some controversy. “Hip hop is still an infant.
It’s not accepted by a lot of people.....It’s a scapegoat for a lot of people”(Campbell “DJ Kool
Herc”). The violent lyrics used in hip hop is probably the reason for censorship on a lot of hip
hop albums and also why people shun hip hop. They usually affiliate it with gangsters, violence
and profanity.
Hip hop has had many effects on society. Being a music genre, whatever they sing or rap
about are straight into the minds of the audience. Some researchers believe that hip hop and the
violent lyrics that is in it may have a relation to the rising crime rates in cities. According to
recent youth violence statistics done by the Josephson Institute:
• Large cities claim that 72% of their school violence is attributable to gang activity.
• Between 1986 and 1992, the total number of children killed by firearms rose by 144
percent.

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• From 1985 to 1993, murders committed by people over age 25 dropped 20 percent; but
they increased 65 percent among 18- to 24-year-olds and increased 165 percent among
14- to 17-year-olds.
The research suggests that the link between hip hop and violence is not coincidental. As
hip hop music grew in popularity, the crime rate grew as well. However not all hip hop must
have a negative influence. The kids who listen to these artists can also see them as role models.
“Many hip hop artists did not come from privileged backgrounds but showcase to youth that they
can achieve their goals”(Hall). There are many artists who want to promote good and positive
meaning through their music such as the Fresh Prince of Bel-air, and The Sugar hill Gang. This
genre has many sides and aspects to it.
Hip hop has been around for a good while now and its effects on society have been
plenty. Society has been greatly influenced by this movement. It is resembled through the urban
culture. It is seen through demeanor, fashion, music and dance. Hip hop all in all is a medium
for expression. Whether it be to show off style, or speak out on heated issues. Overall hip hop is
very unique in comparison to other social movements. It wasn’t so much to fight against the
norm or rebel against higher powers, it was simply a way to escape from the hardships of the
world and express individuality. It can’t be denied that hip hop has had its non-reputable sides,
but when you look at the big picture, people did it with a passion that can’t be described.
Whether it be rapping, dancing, or spray painting a piece of wall, hip hop will be around for a
long time to come.

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