Laurie Bailon
Mr. S
Grade 8
December 2, 2002
The History of Hip-Hop Culture
Hip-Hop has become a major part of pop culture. It has influenced music, fashion, language, and people-teenagers in particular. Many misunderstand what hip-hop is and how it came to be. According to the Encarta Encyclopedia, hip-hop is “popular music that originated in New York.” It is not necessarily just music, though. The term “hip-hop” has a meaning that ranges from music to clothes, dancing to language. It is a “cultural movement” that has affected all people in our world today.
Hip-hop was created when a Jamaican DJ known as Kool Herc moved to the Bronx in the 1970s. He began reciting his “rhymes” with the music of the popular songs of that time. People who heard him began copying him and making up their own phrases using the era’s slang. The fad began to evolve and many more people began to follow it.
Not all people like hip-hop music. This may be so because they believe that it supports violence and profanity. Those same people criticize the genre for its supposed promotion of misogyny and hatred. Others may not like it because they simply do not like the beats or the way it sounds. We all have different tastes and we should respect that of other people.
“Hip-hop is the culture from which rap
emerged. Initially it consisted of four main elements: graffiti art, break
dancing, DJ and emceeing. Hip-hop is a lifestyle with its own language, style
of dress, music and mind set that continuously evolves,” says Davey D.
The style that came with hip-hop consisted of different things including baggy clothes and Adidas shoes with no laces. The main people that decided what was in style in the hip-hop culture were hip-hop artists and DJs. The same went for the language and dance.
I
have been referring to rap throughout this report and you may not actually know
what it is. Well, rap is what was originally known as emceeing. Emceeing is “a verbal skill that could be practiced and
honed to perfection at almost anytime.” Rap became popular because it allowed
the youth to express themselves freely without limits. There were no set rules
for rap and that was a challenge that teens were willing to accept. Rap allows
you to show the world your personality.
Hip-hop has allowed
people to create music with “def” beats and “bomb” rhymes. Hip-hop came onto
the music scene with a bang and has stayed there for decades. It has invented
new ways of dressing, speaking, dancing, and more. Above all, it has influenced
the way people act and their tastes in style, fashion, and music.
“Because hip-hop has evolved to become such a
big business, it has given many the false illusion of being a quick escape from
the harshness of inner city life. There are many kids out there under the
belief that all they need to do is write a few 'fresh' rhymes and they're off
to the good life.”
Hip-hop will always be a huge part of music history. It has developed into a major genre of music that most teens enjoy listening and dancing to. It has provided people with a new opportunity to share with the world their stories of life. I hope that more people will discover the greatness and influence that hip-hop has imprinted into our time.
Laurie Bailon
Mr. S
Grade 8
December 2, 2002
The History of Hip Hop Culture
By
Laurie Bailon