Art and culture for a long time over the years has been expressed through forms such as music, lifestyles, beliefs, dressing among many other things that determine our day to day lives. Art and entertainment since time in memorial has formed part of our culture that has cut across many generations of different people from different places in the place world. With the increased globalization and innovations in the contemporary world, it has resulted to new forms of art and entertainment that have had a great influence and impact on a bigger number of the people, both old and young not only in the United States (US) but also other parts of the world. Art and entertainment has been appreciated in many parts of the world and it has been used since time in memorial to pass messages that educate community and society in general, praise messages or even criticize the current status in the respective part and times in the public. Generations and generations in the past people have had adifferent culture that was dominant during their times and days, that shaped in one way or the other the way they lived and did their things. Hip hop culture for instance in the recent times has been among the most influential culture that has cut across many people and influence in the world in different ways. My goal in this paper is to show how hip hop culture has influenced and impacted on other traditional cultural attributes that exist in the society especially in the recent times that hip hop has grown tremendously in the whole world.
The paper has first discussed the history and origin of hip hop culture. It then presents global view and perspective of hip hop culture, and later on presents the industries mostly affected by development and growth of hip hop culture as it is the contemporary times such as media, clothing, and music among others. Finally it has presented the drawbacks that result from such growth and concludes by giving personal opinion and views concerning the discussion and presentation.
Lewis (2009) in his article The Truth Behind Hip-Hop noted that the term hip hop has been coined and misunderstood by many to mean and relate only to rap music but this has been proved not to be exact and true. Hip hop culture entails a lot of details that in totality can describe the meaning and help people to understand hip hop in the current context. . Hip lovers and fun as well as scholars in art and cultural related subjects have described hip hop to include more than just rap music as it also include graffiti, break dancing, and beat boxing (Lewis,2009). It is also agreed as a general observation that hip hop keeps on evolving and new ideologies and symbols that related to it are ever changing day by day, and this in particular has been given out as among the reasons that has made hip hop culture stand the taste of time for a long time unlike other popular cultures of the times in the early days. Art and entertainment it is argued out that it has had a greater impact and influence on the society has been shaped in many sectors that include business, political and even social matters, and hip hop culture too has had the same touch and influence in the contemporary society as well.
In analysis of the growth and development of hip hop culture, it is asserted that it first was used to convey and pass messages of dissatisfaction with the way the minority groups and people in the society felt about the system an governance as well as the society in general that deprived them opportunity to develop and grow unlike other people in the society who mostly came from the middle and upper classes in the society (Watkins, 2005). Therefore, it was described by others as rebellious and critical in nature since it talked and addressed about many people had feared to speak about openly in the society that seemed to oppress a certain part of the society. Out of these, some people referred to it and termed it as an underground movement that addressed social and political gaps that existed in the society before it grew as an industry as it is viewed in the current times.
Understanding the history and growth of hip hop culture is noted as of great influence that determines how well one comprehends the myths and facts that have been attributed to the hip hop culture in general. It is asserted that in deed there has been a lot of misconceptions about what hip hop is and what it talks about and this has led it to receive many critics in relation to its influence to the majority of its followers who happen to youths that come from many regions and parts of the world. Hip hop growth and development has been attributed to three people who had an interest in music and entertainment in the city of New York. The three were DJ Hollywood, DJ Afrika Bambataa and Busy Bee Starski (Kitwana, 2005). In the early 1970s it is the year that historians have pointed out as the year that hip hop culture and style was conceived. By then, it was an idea that had little impact and influence in many people and less attention was given to it by that time. All it entailed by then was having parties at basement places in the city of New York, that were conducted in houses and homes as well as the street of New York. It is noted that that time the authorities both at state and federal departments hardly gave out permits that encouraged such kind of functions. At such parties and functions, it was characterized with funky beats that noted in many functions. Funky beats and rap music by the time were the main attributes that known and encouraged in hip hop culture.
Rap music by then it is pointed out that focused on black oral tradition of tonal semantics, narratives, Africanized syntax, playing the dozens among other forms that could express and communicate messages of discomfort and dissatisfaction in the happenings that were witnessed by then in the society (Rose, 2008). However from the late 1970s, it was observed that rap music as part of hip hop culture had started to attract and develop a wider audience and this was the turning point in the growth and development of hip hop culture as in the same time there was witnessed and evidenced growth in other form in hip hop culture such as graffiti and break dancing, that were described by some as poetry of the street. Due to the fact that it was mostly limited in streets and that most of the people who lived in streets and ghettos by then were black’s youth from African America origins, it made them the greatest and large participants who associated themselves and subscribed to hip hop culture by that time. This is the reason as to why rap music came to be known and described as music of the black youths in urban places that expressed themselves in a rhythmic form. For instance during this times, it was when Sugar Hill gang who are among the greatest founders of hip hop especially rap music produced their successful song known as “rappers delight”. Such success enabled the spread of the culture and influenced many people in US and many parts of the world that embraced and bought the idea of hip hop culture (Black, 2005). The following three decades realized a greatest development and change in hip hop culture that led to what it is seen and described in the present times. It turned out to among the largest multi billion industry in the world that has grown at after rate influencing millions and millions of people.
As a multibillion dollar industry as it described in the current times, it has shaped a lot of issues and factors as compared to the way it was done in the past in our society. It is imperative to note that at present times hip hop culture is a worldwide phenomenon that cuts across many regions and communities in the world. Hip hop at present days is experienced and practiced by people especially youths from different parts of the world, especially urban centers and cities in the world. There are a lot of similarities that is observed to those who subscribe to hip hop culture and it one goes to any part of the world, the possibility of realizing the stated statement is high. Whether one goes to Tokyo in Japan, London in the UK, New York or Los Angeles among many cities in the world, one would observe similar characteristics and behavior among people that observe hip hop culture (Rose, 2008). For instance the kind of dressing, music and drawings that relate and contribute to hip hop culture will be observed in this places. Hip hop culture is dominated by hip hop fashion such as baggy pants worn loosely, baseball caps, oversized rugby and polo shirts as well as expensive shoes.
This is observed across many places and cities of the world. Scholars and experts in conflict and ethnic studies have noted that hip culture has greatly contributed to world peace and promoted humanity since it does not conform itself to issues that ethnic related that have hindered love and spread of humanity. The main reason attributed to this is that hip hop culture especially rap music is mainly concerned with criticizing the society especially people in authority and power that fail to address important issues affecting them in the society (Kitwana, 2005). And this happens across many societies and people in the world, and this similarity in experience of such challenges ahs contributed to the growth and development of hip hop culture in the world. Just like poem and poetry in the ancient times was used to convey messages about developments in the society, so is rap music in the current times.
According to Rose (2008) in The hip hop wars: What we talk about when we talk about hip hop--and why it matters, it is asserted that growth and development of hip hop culture has shaped many things in the world today. Graffiti in general are artistic writings and drawings that have been used to convey certain messages that relate to specific issues. Those who contribute greatly to growth and development of hip hop culture especially through music have influence a great number of people in terms in terms followers. Unlike in the past times and other popular cultures, hip hop culture has determined the way business is done in the current times in the following ways. Hip hop funs and lovers define themselves through means such as dress code. Business men in such industries have exploited the advantage that has resulted due to hip hop culture and expanded their businesses (Watkins, 2005). Due to the fact that hip hop culture cuts across ethnic and tribal lines, and has been accepted worldwide, clothing industries have associated themselves with some of such artists and have realized tremendous growth in terms of sales and revenues developments. People have emulated their artists in many issues that they do, and business have capitalized on this opportunity brought by hip hop culture to determine and change for the better.
Music industries in general have been influenced to a great deal with the growth and development of hip hop culture. It is proved and asserted that in the present times hip hop music has contributed to almost a third of the total revenue that it is collected by players in the music industry. It is also confirmed that among the many genre of music that exist in the US, hip hop music notably rap is the fastest growing one, accounting for more than ten percent of the over fourteen billion music sales (Lewis,2009). As a result of such factual findings, it is observed that many producers and promoters in the music industry have shifted towards promotion and producing of hip hop related music. One reason given to the faster and greatest development of hip hop culture especially music is the increased invention and innovation of technology over the last decades that has allowed and enabled many people have a tastes of hip hop culture. Technology has enabled many people to access information and coincidentally, in the recent times that technology has grown and developed tremendously, it is the time that hip hop culture was growing and spreading in many parts of the world, and therefore it has contributed in a bigger portion to the spread of the hip hop culture (Rose, 2008).
Media house and industry has been influenced a great deal by the growth and development of hip hop culture in the world. Due to the millions of the people that subscribe to hip hop culture, it has made some of the media houses to focus and address only issues that target such fans. As a result, we have witnessed in the present times media houses that target and feature news and events about artists only in the hip hop culture and music. In the past, popular culture such as one experienced in the 70s characterized by Polyester and Bell bottoms cloth and jazz music, such artists did not command great influence and therefore media houses did not narrow down and focused on the specific issues as they do presently (Lewis, 2009). Both forms of media production including but not limited to print, audio and visual forms have been influenced directly and indirectly by hip hop culture in the present days and times.
Hip hop culture has promoted the development of slang language. Slang language as preferred language that most youths in urban centers and places use as their preferred language of communication that conforms to their hip hop culture. Hip hop fun and lovers it is asserted that they emulate and copy most of issues that their role models and culture requires out of them. Rap music for instance is involved in promoting the use of slang language since it is composed of in many times lines and rhymes that are well orchestrated to give a certain message. Such kind of language and messages used has been shared among many people who practice and believe in the hip hop culture. For instance, the word “nigger” was used in the past to describe people who were blacks of African American origin. But in the hip hop culture, the word is used to describe friends and as is used in a different t contexts as it was used during the ancient times. Today, the word is used across many people who come from different cultures to call and describe friends (Kitwana, 2005). They have added the new word to vocabularies that exist among hip hop funs and also it is used and given adifferent meaning unlike in the past. It is possible to witness and see hip hop fun and lover from Tokyo or Japan calling themselves or using that name to communicate and define their understanding in the hip hop culture set up.
It has also been observed that in the past before the phenomenon grew bigger as it is today, it was only attributed to black youths in the streets of American cities. However this observation has changed a great deal and presently from statistics and research data indicates that most people and consumers of hip hop music for example are whites and people from other races. Many people have tried to unearth and give the reasons as to why this development has happened so and it is claimed that it is mostly due to the message of critique about the happenings in the society that encouraged its spread and faster development. Rap music in early days was seen as an underground music that preached revolutions and spread the message of hate along racial lines, and therefore it was not tolerated and allowed to be produced during those early times (Black,2005). It was resisted by authorities and this resistance brought the curiosity among many people even to those who did not like the kind of such music and as a result it contributed to its faster spread among people of different races. Just like poetry allows one to see the other side and end of a coin, so is rap music which forms a great part of hip hope culture. People from different social classes and backgrounds looked at issues from different angles and therefore present different positions regarding an issue. This mostly was the message in rap music in that it highlighted the evils and wrongs that happen and occur in our society.
Despite the greatest influence that hip hop has had in the present times, it has also impacted and influenced other people negatively. Most critiques of hip hop culture and rap music in general have focused and majored on the harshness of the language used that in some instances have called for violence to realize desired changes in the society. Messages of sex and dirty language have also been observed is some of the rap songs that exist in the present times. It is also observed that some of the graffiti drawn is certain parts and places have contributed and promoted use of violence and weapons in certain parts of urban centers (Black, 2005). These have been the greatest challenges that have been associated with hip hop culture and hindered its further growth. Due to the enormous finance potential that has resulted from its growth, this has encouraged on the other rise and growth of gangs groups that mostly want to control the benefits that accrue from such culture and art form. Black (2005) in his piece Hip hop decoded: From its ancient origin to its modern day matrix stated that this has been the reason given in many gang groups that have come up in the present times and greatest rivalry that has been observed among such kind of groups. Historians have also noted that the influence that hip hop has had in the recent times is threatening the existence and possible threat of forgetting other kind of music such as Jazz, blues and reggae. They note that other forms of music and art have to be protected and preserved for the future generations. For instance, there was study conducted to determine the most popular genre of music among the youth and hip hop rap music was noted replace rock and roll.
It is imperative to note that hip hop culture is constantly changing and is dynamic and therefore what might be relevant today probably in a short while might be considered outdated and out of fashion. These constant changes in the attributes of hip hop have contributed to its growth and development. It has eliminated the boredom that could have resulted from continuous and repetitive processes that was realized in other popular cultures in the ancient times and limited their growth and development as it has happened with the current times with hip hop culture (Lewis, 2009). For almost five decades now hip hop culture has been growing bigger and bigger and has continued to witness and experience growth and development as well as expansion. The disparity realized in comparing hip hop culture to other popular cultures that existed in the past have made many scholars interested in unearthing the reasons to conduct studies and find out the reasons. Some have described hip hop culture as the spirit that connects the past and the present that also lays the path towards the future and therefore hip hop culture has been transformed into a living cultural movement. Even in institutions of worship such as churches that in most situations critiqued rap music and termed it as music of sinners that promote evil in the society, it has come to understand hip hop culture and realized that the movement is unstoppable. As a result, in the recent times, gospel rap music that conforms to hip hop culture is noted to be on the increase. This is true and clear example of how hip hop culture have revolutionized the society in general in the present times and continues to do so (Watkins, 2005).
In conclusion, it is indeed true that hip hop culture has greatest influence and impact in many parts of the society. It has made great strides that have tremendously affected the society unlike other popular cultures in the past that touched on many people lives in the whole world. It ought to be used positively in matters that will propel the society forward for instance in eliminating negative ethnicity that has brought many challenges to humanity. Negative usage of hip hop culture should be discouraged especially that promote hate crime, discrimination and homophobic situations.
References
Black, D. (2005). Hip hop decoded: From its ancient origin to its modern day matrix. New York: MOME Pub.
Kitwana, B. (2005). Why White Kids Love Hip Hop, More Than Acting Black, 53-57. Internet.
Lewis, G. C. (2009). The Truth Behind Hip-Hop, The Love of Money 127-135. Internet
Rose, T. (2008). The hip hop wars: What we talk about when we talk about hip hop--and why it matters. New York: BasicCivitas.
Watkins, S.C. (2005). Hip Hop Matters, Politics and Struggle for Hip Hop, part 2. Internet
