Rap and Hip-hop Within Todays Popular Culture

Rap and Hip-hop Within Todays Popular Culture A Presentation for Humanities 101Presented by Sarah KeefeWARNING: This presentation has explicit language

Hip Hop and Rap: a Domination of Mainstream Music and Culture

So, What Is Rap and Hip Hop Music?Rap/hip hop is a music genre. This genre consists of a stylized, rhythmic music that usually accompanies rapping. Since its explosion onto the music scene, rap music has taken the industry over and become the integral part of hip hop culture within society. This style of music has continued to rise over the past few decades and has become a widespread genre within popular culture. It continues to be one of the most prevalent genres of music, crossing over to different cultures and influencing different generations through its lyrical content, mass population, and beats.

How it all StartedOn August 11, 1973 in the Bronx, New York DJ Kool Herc & his sister Cindy began hosting back to school parties in the recreation room of their building. It was these gatherings that sparked the beginning of a new culture we know today as Hip-Hop. Rap music finally reached mainstream recognition in 1979. Hip hop music was only performed live at first, but in 1979 a hip hop single called Rapper's Delight by The Sugar hill Gang was released. This single, to everyone's surprise, became a top-ten hit worldwide.Most of these songs were about having fun, but in 1982 Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five released The Message. This song was an early example of socially-conscious hip hop. It had a slow temper groove with symphonic synthesizer melodies. The raps were about social issues like poverty, crime, and the stress of living in a dangerous city.Hip hop became a major genre of popular music in the 21st century. This was clearly visible due to hip hop singles and albums topping the charts worldwide.

The Message by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five

Nothing Lasts Forever; Change Occurred in the 90sWhile groups like the Message utilized their music to portray realistic views and messages of society and other groups utilized the music to have fun and be uplifting, the 90s took a new turn.The most successful styles of the 90s were the hardcore rap of New York and the gangster rap and G-Funk of Los Angeles. Hardcore, gangster, and G-Funk rappers often adopted gangster images and used explicit language.The members of NWA were from Compton. This being one of LA's poorest and utmost violent districts. The NWA rapped about the injustice and police violence in their neighborhood. Their angry raps included a lot of explicit language. This use of anger and explicit language created media attention which helped their albums reach the top of the charts.

Hip-hop and Rap in the 21st Century.Hip hop became a major genre of popular music in the 21st century, with hip hop singles and albums topping the charts worldwide. Hip hop has had a strong influence on 21st-century pop music, with many pop songs including elements of hip hop.A major artist from the Midwest is Chicago's Kanye West. In 2004 he released The College Dropout, the first of a series of chart-topping alternative hip hop albums that helped change the direction of hip hop music. Kanye and Eminem proved that rappers didn't have to make gangster rap records to succeed. Thus leading to, alternative hip hop replacing a majority of gangster rap. This new style became the most popular style within the genre.

Kanye WestEminem

Eminem Space Bound

Rap within religionRap music has also made its way into churches. This is often referred to as Christian or Holy Rap. As with so much popular music, the use of current popular music can create generational and stylistic wars in congregations. Christian rap is improving in creativity and musical quality as time continues to go on.Christian rap has not taken on geopolitical and social issues as much as one might assume. Like most Christian music, this style of rap deals with the deep pain and moral ambiguities of life.Some criticize Christian rap for its lack of historical and theological perspective.

Influences Directly From Rap MusicRap music's influence is everywhere. It can be seen in fashion, dance, art, television and other forms of music. Since the 1980s, hip hop music has increased in popularity. Thus, making a mark on every aspect of pop culture. By the mid 1990s, hip hop became a facet of pop culture just like rock or pop music. Since 1978, rap music has led to significant breakthroughs in music. Some fusions of rap and traditional pop have pushed the modern pop song to entirely new levels. This can be seen in examples such as Hey Ya and 99 Problems.

Hey Ya

With Hip-hop and Rap being so popular in todays society, the question of how it effects popular culture arises. Music is something that dominates popular culture within our society today. The average person spends two hours a day listening to music.Today, in the 21st century, rap and hip-hop has seen a significant rise in popularity especially among the young. With this, studying the social effects within pop culture has become more of a priority than ever before.Studying the topic has lead to conclusions of both negative and positive effects.

The Negative Influence Rap Has Had Within SocietyRap music has long had a reputation of being a form of music that represents violence, sexual exploitation as well as celebrating street warfare and gangs, consumption of drugs and alcohol, sex and negative attitudes towards women. Another notion prevalent in society associated with rap music is the frequent, strong profanity used in the lyrics.Most of the themes in rap music today are the hardships of growing up, gang violence, drugs, sex, and making money along with spending it rapidly.With this, many young people are growing up listening to music that talks about violence as if it is okay and just a part of everyday life. This leads the young to think these acts are okay and to behave in this nature.Many rap songs also tend to talk about recreational drug use. Rappers fail to show the negatives and the consequences of using and doing them. This also leads young people to think that using drugs is fun and that there are not real life consequences to doing so. Many young people are growing up listening to their favorite rappers talking over and over again about how awesome drugs are and that the use of them is okay.I think that rappers and hip hop artists are having a strong influence by all the references to drugs in their songs. There is seen to be an epidemic in the U.S of drug use (specifically Heroin). There has also been the legalization of Marijuana. These both indicate that society is seeing drug use more and more acceptable or okay to try/do.

Always Into Somthin by NWA. This song is an example of extreme profanity and a negative message being sent through rap music.

More Negative ImpactsGangsta rap is a hip-hop sub genre that focuses primarily on the negative aspects of inner city life. The lyrics often glorify criminal activity and degrade women. This genre of hip-hop has been a source of tremendous controversy and is often cited as the cause of the increase in violence within communities. Many young people idolize these artists and imitate their behavior, which is one example of how rap music isn't benefiting society.Another topic is the sexualisation of women, not only in the lyrics of rap music, but more prominently seen in the visual representation of women in music videos. According to the research of Carolyn West (University of Washington), many of the young women who watch these videos do not believe they can be successful without using their bodies. This is a terrible consequence and degrading women should not occur in society. In the rap world, women represent success, and they are treated almost as accessories. They are seen as a means for rappers to prove that they have made it to the top.

This is a rapper name 50 Cent

Positive Impacts Of Rap Music Within SocietyRap music, in-spite of the negativity and controversy that often surrounds it, can have a positive influence on listeners and expand their consciousness and musical horizons.The truth of the matter is that, there is rap music that is positive and can serve the purpose of improving social consciousness. This can be done by increasing awareness of some of the issues that many residents of our nations inner cities face.One of these positive effects is that, it has been used as a great unifier of diverse populations around the world. Hip hop has crossed the cultural divide and this demonstrates the ability to unify millions of youth worldwide.Hip hop has been vital in promoting social and political awareness among the youth of today. Rap music educates people from several different perspectives and raises many social issues. Rap is channel for people to speak freely about their view on political or social issues. This engages teenagers to become concerned and aware of these issues. This is important in making the youth aware of the world around them and the conditions they face in society. This provides the opportunity for individuals to discuss ways in which they can make a positive change within society.

I can by Nas. This song is an example of rap music that is socially aware. The song sends a positive message about saving our youths from the perils of todays society.

More Positive EffectsHip hop also is a reflection of the soul and mind. It is a solace for both the artists and listeners who may be struggling with the same issues. Music in general brings people together, but the youth of today can relate to the struggle and difficulties that most rappers talk about.Many rappers rap about poverty and their struggles in inner-city America while growing up. Once they achieve success, they talk about overcoming obstacles and rising to the top. This message can give hope to many youths across America who live in similar circumstances. Through education and understanding, rap music has spurred social awareness in communities around the country. Rap music has served as a tool to speak out against negative aspects of life, such as violence and guns. Many artists use their musical talents to promote peace and anti-violent acts. By communicating messages about violence and discrimination, and relating to youth, it provides an opportunity for them to make positive changes in their own lives.When dealing with social problems, one of the most important ways of finding a solution to the problem is to make others within our society aware of it. Rap music is a great tool for facilitating that process because due to its popularity, it has the ability to bring a message to the masses.

What is next?Rap and Hip hop will continue to change and evolve as it has done so thus far through the history of the genre's existence. Like all art (this is considered art), rap will reflect and shape the reality within our culture and society. With all pop culture, it will be consumerized, exploited, globalized, and localized. It will continue to produce both positive and negative social functions and effects.From the beginning of the history of this genre, rap has been defined by the freedom of words. There are almost no limits within the art. Rap is such a unrestricted and expressive genre, both vocally and production-wise. Thus, leading to the conclusion that it is going no where in the near future. In fact, it will most likely only continue to evolve and change as it has done throughout history so far. As the saying goes, History repeats itself.There is a catch though; for rap to continue to be successful within society and the future, it needs to continue to be thoughtful music and act as social critic from both secular and faith perspectives. Rap needs to continue to stand as a means for transcending the oppression and disadvantages of social marginalization. It should not glory in negative responses, but offer hope to a rising generation.

Questions that make you thinkWhat is your opinion of rap, its music, values and messages? How would you praise or explain the positive contributions of rap music?Where so you think our society would be without Rap music and the Hip hop lifestyle? Think about both the positive and negative effects the genre has brought when answering this.Do you think this music can really effect youth to make a change and allow those to share their stories from a common ground and understand each other?

Works CitedAlbert, Brandon. "Hip-Hop: The False Advertisement of Women." Commonplace. The Ohio State University, 2009. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.Blanchard, Becky. "THE SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF RAP & HIP-HOP CULTURE." Edge. N.p., 26 July 1999. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.Erray, Matt. "History of Hip Hop Music." English Club. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.Giovacchini, Anthony M. "The Negative Influence of Gangster Rap And What Can Be Done About It." Edge. N.p., 4 June 1999. Web. 28 Apr. 2016."Impacts of Rap Music on Youths." Weebly. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.Marchant, Preston. "Rap Music in Society by Preston Marchant." Popular Culture. Word Press, 23 Oct. 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.Mize, Cole. "History of Rap - The True Origins of Rap Music." ColeMizeStudios. N.p., 22 Sept. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2016.

The EndThank You