Abstract
Sociology is one of the most interesting fields for because it focuses on the crucial aspects that affect the welfare of the society and the world at large. Sociology tends to create a link between the emergence of different cultures and the reason behind their existence. Cultural diversity is a fact that affects the entire world and this is as a result of the emergence of new norms and values in the societal setting. Cultural diversity in the United States of America is one of the current issues which is being focused on. The emergence of new cultural values in the country has led to the embracing of new values and norms in the society. Cultural diversity comes in the same line fashion. Different cultures in the world have different styles as far as fashion is concerned. This is the reason why different people will associate a particular style of fashion to a particular culture. On this note, the hip hop culture in the United States of America is one that has developed over the past decade. This culture is as a result of young people in the streets who formulate their norms and values in the societal setting. This group of young people comes with a particular sense of fashion which acts as a distinguishing factor from the other members of the society. The style of fashion of the people embracing the hip hop culture acts as a sense of identity and belonging. This culture is mostly associated with the African-American group of people in the United States of America. However, over the past few years the hip hop culture has gained popularity hence attracting people from other socio-cultural backgrounds. Currently, 75% of the people embracing the hip hop culture are the whites (Reese, 2000). This shows that the growth rate of the culture is rapid and hence appreciated in different parts of the country.
Annotated bibliography
Burkina NYC, THE HISTORY OF HIP HOP, Retrieved on August 27, 2011
This article focuses on the origin of hip hop and some of the factors which led to its emergence. The article also focuses on the social groups which majorly contributed to the emergence of hip and these were the Latino and African-Americans. The article focuses on the past characteristics of the hip hop culture such as rap music amongst other factors.
Chang, J. and Herc, K. (2005). Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation.
New York: Macmillan
Chang’s book focuses on the hip hop generation and its roots as well. The book talks about the advancements in the culture. The book gives reasons as to why the culture is not about to end any time soon.
Ebenezer, B. (2004). "Review: Global Hip Hop: Beats and Rhymes-The Nu World Cult".
Afropop Worldwide. World Music Productions. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
This article has its focus on the popularity of the hip hop culture in the different societal settings. It also highlights on some of the aspects which have made the culture one of the most famous in the world.
Daniel, B. and Innocent, K. The Commodification of Hip Hop,
http://www.ilovepwnage.com/video.php?v=MjM2MDY=
Daniel tends to show the transformations that have taken place in the hip hop culture and the modifications that are taking place on the culture in the world. These modifications have changed its image and its impact to the society.
Ernest, M. and Duncan, A,J. (2003). "Promoting Academic Literacy with Urban Youth Through
Engaging Hip Hop Culture". Pg. 10. 2003.
This article has focused on the positive aspect of the hip hop culture. The main issue discussed is on the role that hip hop has had on promoting academic literacy amongst the American’s young generation.
Paul, E. (2009), How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, Chicago Review Press.
The book’s highlight is on the characteristics of the hip hop culture. Rap is one of the common characteristics of the culture hence why it has been discussed from an in depth point of view.
Kitwana, B. (2005). Why White Kids Love Hip Hop: Wangstas, Wiggers, Wannabes, and the
New Reality of Race in America, New York: Basic Civitas Books.
The author has tried to focus on the multicultural dimensions of hip hop. This is the reason why the culture is spreading to the Whites in the United States of America. Currently, 75% of hip hop supporters are whites.
Lauren, B. (2009). "Hip to the Game – Dance World vs. Music Industry, The Battle for Hip
Hop’s Legacy". Movmnt Magazine. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
This article has discussed hip hop from a movement point of view. It has also discussed on the efforts that have been made to make it a legacy and a force to be reckoned in the world of dance and music.
Reese, R. FROM THE FRINGE: THE HIP HOP CULTURE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS,
Popular Culture Review, volume XI, no.2, Summer 2000
Reese has showed that hip hop has a direct impact on ethnicity in the societal setting. The culture has promoted good relations amongst people from different ethnic groups and hence should be advocated in different parts of the world.
Robert, C. (2008). "The World's Most Local Pop Music Goes International", The Village Voice,
May 7, 2002. Retrieved on Apr 16, 2008.
Robert has tried to show how hip hop has maneuvered to get to the international scene. This culture has been established in different parts of the world with the aim of promoting the music and dance industry.
The hip hop culture is a form of artistic as well as musical expression that developed from the African-Americans and Latino communities in the United States of America (Burkina, 2011). This culture has had adverse effects on the culture and fashion of other interest groups in the country. The hip hop culture has over the years been associated with violence and drug abuse in the streets (Ebenezer, 2004). This therefore has negatively influenced the culture of some members of the society and especially the youth. Most of the artist of rap and hip hop are depicted to be violent and this is evidenced by the kind of language mostly used in the music (Chang, 2005). This is a culture that acts as a vice to the well being of the society. Efforts of changing this negative attitude of the hip hop culture and transforming it to a culture that would be beneficial to the society should be put in place.
The hip hop culture has been associated with gangs and this has therefore influenced the gang culture in the United States of America. Most young people will form gangs as a sense of identity. These gangs will execute different activities some of which will have adverse effects of the peace and welfare of the society. A good example of a hip hop gang is the Klu Klax Klan. This hip hop gang influenced a significant percentage of young people in the United States of America to join gangs whose goals were not established under moral grounds (Ernest, 2003). These influences should be eliminated by only creating a positive attitude of the rap and hip hop culture.
Despite the negative influence that the hip hop culture has had to the society, efforts of changing the previously tainted image of the culture are being made (Paul, 2009). This is by the use of hip hop as a way of educating young people in the society. The culture is slowly permeating the corporate world as has been observed by some corporate companies who have used it as a way of advertising. Companies such as Coca Cola, Nike, Apple Inc. and McDonald’s amongst other companies have played a major role in creating a positive image of hip hop. The previously negative image of the culture has slowly changed and the society is in a better state (Kitwana, 2005). In this case, hip hop has advocated for an entrepreneurial culture amongst the young people in the country. The entrepreneurial aspect of the hip hop culture is slowly establishing its roots as some of the artistes are living proof that the culture is their source of livelihood.
In regards to fashion, the hip hop culture has had some significant impact on the fashion trends not only in the United States of America but the world at large (Lauren, 2009). In the past few years, the hip hop fashion style was that of wearing masks, bandanas and hoods. This fashion style has been widely associated to thug life hence the reason why the members of the culture have to hide behind the masks. At some point, more that 50% of young people in the country embraced this fashion. As this fashion takes over, then different styling companies get into the business of manufacturing such clothes because of the wide market. Young people will adopt the fashion styles of their hip hop icons because they will want to feel as if they are indeed the hip hop icons. This sense of style is not appreciated in the corporate and most of these young people are not able to secure employment in the corporate companies because their image is not up to the expectations of these companies.
As the fashion trends in the world of hip hop and the society continues to change, the hip hop culture seems to be taking a different turn in the world of fashion. This has been evidenced by the fact that some of the hip hop artists are now depicting a much more presentable style of fashion compared to the previous thug life style. Some of the hip hop icons are now seen to perform in elegant suits and this is a commendable turn. Young people just as usual will now change their style of fashion to what they are seeing from these hip hop artists. This style of fashion is one that has enabled the artists to be absorbed into the corporate world. A good image is slowly coming into play as a result of the image presentation of these artists. Different members of the society have appreciated this turn of events in the hip hop culture as it has had a positive impact on most young people in the country. The hip hop culture should try and advocate bringing up morally upright members of the society.
In the past decades, the hip hop culture was associated with a cheap sense style of fashion (Reese, 2000). This was because its origin was from the streets and not many people especially from the higher levels of the economy appreciated it. This impression has however been changed as hip has changed this because current the style of hip hop is known to be one of the most expensive. The hip hop artists are seen to be wearing designer clothes such as Gucci, Luis Viton and Sean John amongst others. This has promoted an elegant sense of style of fashion amongst the young members of the society. This styles shows that hip hop is a rewarding culture if embraced and viewed from a positive perspective (Robert, 2008). These designer clothes lines have therefore been in a position to market their products and increased their sales. This has been due to the publicity of their designer clothes by the hip hop icons. The hip hop culture has therefore been a way through which competition has increased greatly in the designer clothes lines.
Conclusion
If observed from a positive point of view, the hip hop culture can be of great benefits to the society and the world at large. This would only be possible by changing the misconception that people have concerning the culture. The misconception of crime, violence and drug abuse should be eliminated from the world of hip hop because it is one of the fastest emerging cultures in the world. With this knowledge, efforts on how it should be used to influence culture and fashion in a positive way should be made. Young people are the ones prone to the impacts of hip hop whether negative or positive. Hip hop artists should try and change the tainted image that was associated to hip hop in the past. Once this is done then the culture will be worth the welfare of the society.
Reference:
Burkina NYC, (2011). THE HISTORY OF HIP HOP, Retrieved on August 27, 2011
Chang, J. and Herc, K. (2005). Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop
Generation. New York: Macmillan
Daniel, B. and Innocent, K. The Commodification of Hip Hop,
http://www.ilovepwnage.com/video.php?v=MjM2MDY=
Ebenezer, B. (2004). "Review: Global Hip Hop: Beats and Rhymes-The Nu World Cult".
Afropop Worldwide. World Music Productions. Retrieved 2008-04-18.
Ernest, M. and Duncan, A,J. (2003). "Promoting Academic Literacy with Urban Youth Through
Engaging Hip Hop Culture". Pg. 10. 2003.
Paul, E. (2009), How to Rap: The Art & Science of the Hip-Hop MC, Chicago Review Press.
Kitwana, B. (2005). Why White Kids Love Hip Hop: Wangstas, Wiggers, Wannabes, and the
New Reality of Race in America, New York: Basic Civitas Books.
Lauren, B. (2009). "Hip to the Game – Dance World vs. Music Industry, The Battle for Hip
Hop’s Legacy". Movmnt Magazine. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
Reese, R. (2000). FROM THE FRINGE: THE HIP HOP CULTURE AND ETHNIC
RELATIONS, Popular Culture Review, volume XI, no.2, Summer 2000
Robert, C. (2008). "The World's Most Local Pop Music Goes International", The Village Voice,
May 7, 2002. Retrieved on Apr 16, 2008.
