Hip-hop music has been
an integral part of the American culture since the 1970s. Hip-hop music, which
encompasses rapping (emceeing), disc jockeying (deejaying), break dancing, and
graffiti writing, has become so popular that American culture has adopted the
music in mainstream fashion and modern language. The conflict on whether hip-hop music is art
or poison has been continuous. Some
Americans support hip-hop as an essential art form, while others dispute that
hip-hop has harmful effects on the American culture. The culture associated
with the music has drastically changed. The marketing executives frequently
seek out the hip-hop artists for promotional purposes because of their
widespread audience. In today’s culture, hip-hop music affects the youth
population above all. Hip-hop music has negatively affected the American
culture, primarily the youth, by promoting illegal activities, violent
behavior, and sexual promiscuity. When asked how the present Hip-Hop music
differs from the past, DJ B-Hop stated, “Today’s Hip-Hop is, for the most part,
outrageous with all of the profanity and violence. I listen to people like
Notorious BIG, Run DMC, Doug-E Fresh, Slick Rick, and all of the other old
greats. I am not saying what rappers are doing these days are wrong because they
are giving the people what they want and they are making album sales, I am just
saying they could have went about it different way.” I agree with DJ B-Hop one hundred percent, I couldn’t
have said it any better myself. I also have developed a passion for old school
rappers, such as those stated by B-Hop. I would like if present rappers could
use more of their style of rapping. Life is not all about money, drugs and, “hoes”.
Statistically, most
young people purchase the music, and adopt the lifestyle portrayed in the
lyrics. Through television, music videos, and other visual media forms, hip-hop
artists are portraying negative stereotypes and acting in a manner that
promotes corruption. These negative messages condone the illegal use of
alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Hip-hop artists such as Lil Wayne and most
recently Future promotes usage and the sale of illegal substances.
Subsequently, the American youth imitates these artists because the wealth,
status, and lifestyle lure them in like a hypnotism spell. Acquiring the flashy
lifestyle sometimes pays a price not only to the individuals seeking it, but
the American society as well.
The adaptation of Hip
Hop internationally is not really different in each country. Although there
problems may be different, they have the common denominator of being powered by
the youth. Each Culture's youth has grabbed hold of the Western Hip Hop ideals
to create their own individuality in their own country. Also, Hip Hop seems to
flourish is poor societies. These artists have more heart felt words to speak
and genuine creativity because when you are brought up in such poor societal
conditions that is sometimes all you have to hold on to.
Hip Hop is proven to be
the voice of the people that may not be able to speak for themselves in
conventional ways. Globalization has allowed many people who would not have the
means to speak up and express themselves, to be able to take center stage. Many
believe that globalization will be the end of individuality and creativity.
This has been a theory that seems to fail when put up against Hip Hop
globalization. Hip Hop globalization has proven to hybridize communities and
music that in the end forms something that has never been seen before.
Globalization may prove that instead of making the world “flat”, it will create
new mountains and craters of creativity that were never imagined.
