Hip Hop in America

For many years there has been this ongoing debate over hip hop, “is hip hop and rap the same” “is hip hop ruining our culture” “hip hop is black culture”. The truth, hip hop is a culture of itself. It is self expression and creativity. Hip hop is a lifestyle, something you live. It is a committment and way of thinking. Black culture and hip hop culture are not one in the same, rather two cultures that have integrated into one another and share many of the same characteristics. Hip hop is a part of black culture. Hip hop represents many of the views and concerns within black culture. Hip hop was a way for blacks to escape the troubles in their homes and neighborhoods.

When hip hop originated, it was a way to battle without actual violence. Whoever could spit the best rhyme would win the battle. Whoever could create the best beat would win the battle. Whoever could beatbox the best would win the battle. Hip hop was a home away from home. It is a bond between you and your friends. Hip hop was the truth, it is real people, real lives, real anger. Hip hop is that comfort zone of understanding.

Many people feel that hip hop is ruining black culture. That its sending the wrong message to our children. However, hip hop is not ruining our culture. We are ruining our culture with our negative thinking and one sided mentality. The portrayals displayed in the music industry and through the media is ruining our culture. The fancy cars, flashy jewelry, and constant arrests leads our children to believe thats what life is about. That those characteristics are what make them cool. You can not blame hip hop, a lifestyle,  for the picture that the mass media as a whole is depicting as the life. You can not blame hip hop for our own negligence as a people.

Many blame hip hop for the new vulgar, demaing music that we hear pumping out the radio speakers every day. But what you hear is rap, not hip hop. The rap industry makes a living by producing and selling vulgar, explicit music. Rap is expression, it is rebellion against the norms, it is activism in society. However, rap is not hip hop. It is not a lifestyle. Rap is an industry. It’s a compilation of artists that produce what sells. You can not blame a culture, a lifestyle for what an industry produces.

Hip hop will live on in the hearts and souls of the true believers. The one’s that know what hip hop really stands for, what it represents. I am hip hop, KRS One is hip hop, MC Lyte is hip hop. It’s what we breathe, what we live, what we stand for. No matter how much society tries to shuffle the blame for the countries major flaws, hip hop will never die. Music industries will change, beliefs will transform. But hip hop will live on as hip hop.

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