For many years, critics of gangsta hip hop have argued that this genre of music has created a negative cultural movement. Among the areas where hip-hop has influenced negative culture is on sexuality. Sexuality especially among the African American youth has been negatively influenced by hip-hop music. It is unfortunate that African American, who are dominant in this genre, are the worst affected by this culture. It is important to note that most African American people in America are living under poor economic conditions. In addition, most of them face numerous challenges in their daily life. Some of the worst crimes committed in America are associated with black American. Furthermore, a large percentage of people living with HIV aids in America are blacks. In most of the gangsta videos, hip-hop artists highlight some of these problems. These motion pictures make use of images of black people hence appeal to many of the black and disadvantaged people in America.
A recent study conducted in major states of the united states where gangster hip-hop has deep roots revealed that black adolescents and other teenagers have higher sexual activities than other Americans. In addition, HIV prevalence in these states is high among the African American. However, one of the noticeable things among the youths is their attitude. It was found that many youths and adolescents in these regions have a similar attitude to the macho of hip-hop rappers. Their lifestyles are also consistent with the hip-hop culture. Additionally their philosophy is consistent with the gangster rap hip-hop which advocates for “getting it while you can” among other things.
One of the culture aspect that gangster hip-hop has influence is in the language. In many cases, most of the youth and adolescents use dirty language. Filthy words such as “hoe” and bitch are common among these generations. Use of slung language amongst American youths and adolescents has increased. In some incidence, it if difficult to understand what the youths or adolescents are saying. Although scholars many scholars have dedicated their time and resources in understating the influence of gangster rap hip-hop, few have had success. Many studies conducted in this area have failed to explain whether gangster rap music traits if hip-hop influences the adolescent or it simply depicting what is done in the society, there is enough evidence to support both ideas.
Gangsta rap culture has been in existence for more than 25 years. At the begging, it was meant to highlight the plight of the African American and other minorities. It combined aspects of African tradition, political, advocacy and lyrical fetishism. The use of graphic images and sometimes sexual explicit videos was meant to highlight challenges facing the youth and adolescents. As a technique to sell their music, this idea was a perfect one since many artists gained popularity around the world. However, these popularity and success led many youths to embrace the hip-hop as a culture because it reflected what they were.
The realistic approach to violence and other criminal activities in some of the gangster rap videos was meant to highlight the disparities that face African Americans. Gun and gang life is common among the African Americans. Unemployment and poorhouse holds are a norm too in most of the African Americans. However, through gangster rap, a culture has developed where adolescent view these poor lifestyles as an opportunity for economic and social empowerment. For many people living under such conditions and following the messages in gangster hip-hop music, represents a perfect way in which one can empower themselves and prosper in the country full of economic and racial prejudice.
Furthermore, many gangsta rap artist argue that the presence of violence and crime scenes in the videos is a continuation if of the American culture. Therefore, the society, and especially the youth must be taught about this culture. Therefore, this means that some lyrics are meant to influence some culture directly to their audience. Much violence and protest in many of the gangster rap videos can be attributed to the recent political unrest observed across parts of the United States. For instance, there has been a lot of gun violence observed across several states in the United States. Many youths and adolescent have used guns to shoot at their fellow colleagues. In addition, school shootings have increased over the recent past. Above all the recent demonstration by black resident of Ferguson city, Missouri is a true reflection of how gangster’s hip-hop has influence the society. The nature of demonstrations observed in this city demonstrates how deep the influence of gangsta hip-hop has been.
The debate on whether, gangster hip-hop influences culture or whether it is simply a reflection of the society will never end. However, the American society will continue to observe similar incidences as those highlighted in these lyrics. It is significant to note that gangsta rap hip-hop does not influence black American culture only; it also has an equal influence on other Americans. Drug use and gun violence are still observed across the major racial compositions in America.
Hip hop is a musical genre that was developed as a part of the hip hop culture. The hip hop music was divided into four key artistic elements namely rapping, scratching beatboxing and sampling. This type of music began in the 1970s in New York. Overtime, hip hop began to grow as time went by. It arose in the 1970s when the block parties became very popular in the city of New York. These block parties consisted of DJs who were tasked with the role of playing commonly known genres of music. Hip hop was greatly influenced by disco. The early days of the music were greatly characterized by the divisions between the detractors and the fans. In this case, Hip Hop had emerged as a consequence of watered down Europeanized disco music.
It was during the 1980s that all the key elements, as well as the techniques of hip hop, were being put in place. This period marked the diversification of hip hop since the genre developed more complicated styles. The diversification can be evidenced in tracks such as Grandmasters Flash. Hip hop came into being very influential in the 1990s. This was a period marked as the golden age. This period was cited as between the mid-1980s and the mid-1990s. It was characterized by its quality, diversity, influence and innovation. From the hip hop music, there were strong themes that emerged. For instance, some of these themes included the theme of africentricity as well as political militancy. The music during this period was experimental and at the same time the sampling was eclectic.
The golden era is known for its innovation. This implies that every single that was released reinvented the genre in accordance to the Rolling Stone. It was also during this time that there were so many groundbreaking albums being released. One other feature that made this period so great so the fact that nothing was unnatural. Everything was still under discovery; everything was still undergoing invention and innovation hence the emergency of new things in the hip hop industry. Writers such as William Jelani also accredited that the period was inaugurated by availability of stylistic innovations that came into existence.
The influence of hip hop over the wider American culture is quite precedent. It will be absurd for one to talk about American music and forget mentioning the black people and their black musical forms. However, one cannot talk about the black music without mentioning its edginess, rebelliousness. It is noticeable that edginess and rebelliousness ultimately appealed to the white community the same way it does to the black people. During this time, the white music was suffering from slumps from one period to the other hence forced the white people to embrace the culture of hip hop.
It was during this period that hip hop was used by the black community to spread and outlay their grievances to the general public and the government. It was stated that hip hop was considered to be the Black America’s CNN. CNN is characterized by the fact that it shows all sorts of news, may it be positive or negative. Therefore, just like CNN, hip hop was used to convey the message to the general public. Some of the artists used hip hop to convey a certain message. Even though most of the people expect hip hop to be overtly political, that cannot be the case because the society we will live in is so political. Therefore, art is used to reflect on some of the political actions that have been instigated against a particular group of people.
The 90s was the period where hip hop was at its peak. This was the time where the best hip hop artists existed. It was also the time where there was two groups of hip hop artists that kept on lashing out at each other. For instance, Tupac and Notorious BIG. These two artists used music to attack each other. They both ended up being killed because of the same issue.
Hip hop was used during that time to was used to confront acts of racism, urban poverty, as well as some sense of economic abandonment. Therefore, hip hop gave the young blacks a way with which they could express their frustrations as well as communicate them through hip hop. With the continued spread, it took over the local identity of their communities. With time hip hop climbed up the top of the music charts as it influenced several areas of culture right from education to advertising. The positioning of the rap music created an economic environment that made the rappers too adopt their commoditized negative images. As they embraced the negative images through their music, the whites, on the other hand, continued to accept the blacks’ negative images and considered them authentic blackness. The culture industry was, therefore, forced to raise the production of the negative form of rap music and hip hop. Therefore, the emergence of hip hop during the golden age indeed had a great impact on the society.
Works Cited
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