According to Wikipedia, “Hip hop is a modern sub culture that originated in the 1970s in the inner city Africa American communities of New York City. The four pillars of hip hop culture are MCing, DJing, break-dancing, and graffiti writing. Some other elements include beat boxing, hip-hop fashion and slang. Since hip hop emerged in the south Bronx hip hop has spread around the world.

Jamaican born DJ Clive “kool Herc” Campbell is credited as being highly influential in the pioneering stage of hip hop music, in the Bronx, after moving to New York at the age of thirteen. Clive created the blueprint for the hip hop music and culture by building upon the Jamaican traditional of boasting impromptu poetry and saving over the music, which he witness as a youth in Jamaica.”

Hip hop music makes me feel happy when I'm listening to it. Its like I escape into my own world when its just me, raving to my tunes. Hip hop has an effect on me because I feel that I can relate to some of the issues that the artists have been through in their life. A lot of people may think that its a person just saying random stuff that just pop out of their mouths but to me it has a meaning and I am able to understand it. If even I'm having a bad day, I always know that hip hop music can cheer me up. I love what they do, and I aspirate to be like them; a strong individual, who knows how to look after her self and works hard in life to achieve the best of my abilities, to make something of my life. This music makes me feel better about myself as it makes me think that there are other people that are struggling just like you and I'm not the only one in this world. I feel that I connect with the artist, that I share a passion that nooone can take away. I transform from being Sasha, and into them.

LL Cool J grew up in Queens, New York. His parents divorces when he was four years old. He was raised by his grandparents. He started rapping at the age of nice in his youth. LL Cool performances in the church choir, at the same time he used to delivery newspaper. At 16, he decided to sent off his music to various record companies such as def jam recording.

Family life was very hard for him, as living with grandparents he was always around younger people. This was the kick start that made him be determined to exactly do something with his life.

Rapping, according to wikipedia, is “also known as emceeing, MCing, spitting bars or just rhyming refers to spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics with a strong rhythmic supplement. The art form can be broken down into different components such as “flow” “content” (rhythm and rhyme). Rapping is from the spoken word poetry, this is performance in the time of a beat of the music. The word rap is described as slang, speech long predates the musical form.”

Here is a hip hop that I have chosen to show. I feel that this video is very good because its a music with a meaning. Its by a artist by Guvan B

I have chosen this because, even though his child life wasn't the best that never stopped him from doing what he wanted to. Its a religious song and at the same time its something that is done in a way to make it appealing to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jko2kjnXtmE

The media has many influences on the way people act in today’s society. Media such as music has a great impact on young youth. The different genres of music affect people in different ways. Today, hip hop music has grown into a culture that influences the way a person may speak, dress, think and act. When we listen to hip hop music, sometimes these lyrics can influence you in a positive way because they tend to talk about life experiences. For example, rap artist may talk about their struggles in life and how they kind of had to think on their two feet, everyday issues that we might be facing at this time. This links to representation, because there are certain stereotypes attached to people who listen to this kind of music.

Hip hop isn't just music. Hip hop is about dance, art, expressions, pain, love, broken families, hard times adversity and the search for God. Its a culture, a way of life, a language, a fashion, a set values, and a unique perspective. Through hip hop i believe you are trying to live the dream, to control your life.

Hip hop culture is a unique event because it does integrate and affect so many different cultures, ages and classes. Each element in this culture had its own history and terminology contributing to the development of a cultural movement.

The culture is identified in the early 1980, since than hip hop has served as a powerful voice and form of expression for young black audiences and has evolved into a culture with its own language.