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Rap genre history
The evolution of rap music
The evolution of rap music
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Have you ever wondered what was making that horrible racket coming from a teen’s car. The odds are that it would be some type of rap song, yet the beat was too loud for you to hear the lyrics. Based off what the mass knows about rap music, you were lucky to not hear the lyrics right, wrong. Rap lyrics have many senses of great poetry and life lessons that should be heard. At least some of rap songs relate to struggles, deaths they have suffered, or even respect of women that many do not believe that rappers would ever do. Rap music is becoming increasingly meaningful for not only adults but for older youth as well to comprehend about respect and an improved understanding of life with struggles and oppressions. Rap is becoming more popular than ever, soon most of the world will have some type of knowledge of rap music. Rachel Sullivan from the University of Connecticut stated “White respondents in this survey had difficulty naming three rap artists, which indicated that they did not have a high level of commitment to the music.” This statement was produced in 2003, also seemed to be very one dimensional. Recently, rap music has been surging through the masses no matter the race. Furthermore, rap is becoming very prevalent especially in the youth of this era. Many trends, commercials, social media, etc. are revolving around rap music. …show more content…
The popularity of rap music is skyrocketing with the help of the “Perfect storm” of the success of rap in the hearts of the masses. There are many different styles of rap, all have unique combinations for making fan crazed music. Trap music that has aggressive and catchy beats, then there is the other side of the spectrum that have a R&B vibe to the songs with mellowed and soothing beats. Makes the claim of rap being popular only among African Americans very hard to believe with such diverse sounds and appeals to the senses. Not to mention the words becoming more and more relatable to all races since rap lyrics tend to consist of family issues, death of friends, and social differences. Misogyny is a huge issue that occurs throughout the world for centuries. Many have dissed rap music due to the degradation of women yet almost all miss the main reason for such catastrophic complication. Terri Adams and Douglas Fuller from Howard University exclaimed “In this genre of rap music, women (specifically African American women)1 are reduced to mere objects—objects that are only good for sex and abuse and are ultimately a burden to men.” Yes, there is a sense of misogyny in rap, yet the causation of it is hard to comprehend. Numerous rappers involve the same tragedies that they rap about in the songs. It’s not that women are seemed as pieces of meat and only for pleasure. But rappers getting caught up in their own fantasies. Many were poor and struggled to earn and save money. Yet with such a boost in income, it is a battle between other rappers. Who has the better car? The hotter Girlfriend? Or who has more relationships with (women as a milder term). In fact, rappers are blinded by what makes a “Rager” or a hit song than having a polite hymnal for all. Plus, with such an extreme embarrassment to one’s morals, rappers are allowing us to learn from their childish mistakes and improve women’s responsibilities and respect on this planet. Rap has hindered the sights of many, but the message behind the lyrics can certainly be a deeper meaning that can fester better morals than poems. For Example, a rap icon J. Cole stated in one of his songs Apparently “How could you be so strong? And how could I be so selfish, I know I can be so selfish... (I love you mama).” This demonstrates that there is good doings in rap music, not to mention one of the most popular artists in the “Rap Game.” Shedding light upon the the bright future of rap music in homes around the world. Thirdly, Nakia Jackson from Livestrong.com shared that “Teens are drawn to the fantasies of wealth, glamour, and sex appeal in rap videos. For teens in poor communities, rap lyrics speak to their current reality and their fantasies of escape.” This explains that teens only enjoy rap for what it seems to be, there is a whole other “world” that naysayers of rap music are seeing one dimensional. The “Stories” that rappers go from rags to riches are just fantasies, yet they have been proven to be honest and true life stories. But for the listeners of rap music it means a lot more, from enjoying a good beat, to listening to words for true meaning of rap as previously stated J.Cole songs. Rags to riches songs are so beloved since there is a reason that such artists have made the big time have the best music. No matter what the reason is for listening to rap music or not. Also, the article explains that rap songs promote sinful intentions within teens. Even though such words exist within rap songs. The belief that this should truly sway the minds of youth without showing other signs of extreme actions. Yet teens listen to rap music to remember the words to show off to friends, or ways to meditate from a grueling day. Certainly not to have the lyrics tell them how to live their lives, yet nowadays this is believed to be quite the contrary. In conclusion, rap has affected the lives of millions of people around the world.
Whether for the better or for the worse. Rap music has just as many as negative effects as positive effects within the lyrics of rap music. The lyrics that have built an entire revolution and culture among the human race. There has been speculation and there will always be those who doubt rap music, although the gap between who enjoys it and who dislikes is increases. Rap is making its way to becoming more and more relatable for all. So no matter the lyrics, all is relatable to those who listen to the songs as much as those who have created
them.
The lyrics in today’s hip hop music are completely pointless. An example of this is 2Chainz “Birthday Song,” in which the rapper says, “She got a big booty so I call her Big Booty,” the song continues with “I’m in the kitchen, yams everywhere.” The majority of hip hop songs on the radio involve three main themes: money, drugs, and women. Rappers brag about the massive amount of money they have, along with their intake of drugs. Hip hop also sexually degrades women by labeling them with offensive words, and overall all being very misogynistic towards women. The message that the new hip hop today is sending is incredibly negative for the audience as well. The negative message that the music is sending poses a large effect on the young listeners. Young listeners are influenced by the antagonistic lyrics in these hip hop songs that they are listening to. Unlike today’s hip hop, old school rap music had meaningful lyrics and when hip hop went to the mainstream media the message was destroyed. Old school rap music has lyrical significance. Rappers wrote lyrics about important subjects such as racial inequality, politics, life struggles, and police brutality. An example of a lyric with actual meaning is N.W.A.’s “Express Yourself,” “I’m expressing with my full capabilities. And now I’m living in correctional facilities.” This lyric explains how the very act communicating their beliefs will cause trouble and could possibly lead to
Rap started as a social movement during the mid-1970’s, once the 80’s arrived it started expanding dramatically, and became popular among white suburban youth. During the late 1980s and early 1990s rap became overtly political with its messages, which expanded its popularity further. Unfortunately, political rap lost its popularity in the mid-1990s; regardless of this artists and their voices have been marginalized because of corporate control. Although there does not seem to be a direct connection between rap music and its whitening, the author claims that it is not coincidental. Despite the political messages within the genre, rap has been viewed through a racist
This article is titled “Rap music is harmful to African American communities” and is written by E. Faye Williams. Williams is a chairwoman of the National Congress of Black Women (NCBW). The national congress of black women is a non-profit organization dedicated to the educational, political, economic, and cultural development of African American women and their families. Williams’s article “Rap music is harmful to African American communities” makes her qualified and a credible source to be writing on this question: If rap music and other media is harming the African American community? In her article, she states her side of the argument of how rap music and media are indeed harming the African American community, using the context, and reasoning,
Many rappers write songs about gang violence and struggling in areas of poverty. In some cases this is a way for the artist to vent or use music as a way to express their own emotions and experiences. Rap has also been known to be a method of preaching and educating youth. Music is a powerful tool and those who use it in a positive way can affect people in a positive way.
Music can be reflection of our life experience. Each genre of music invokes different emotions and reactions in it's listeners. Rap has become a very popular genre in today's society. Is today “Gangster rap” and rappers exploiting society, introducing drugs and instigating violence? In the mid-1980s Gangster rap came to be portray images of violence, guns, gangs, drugs, and sexism. By the 1990s rap music became a major part of the industry and topped the charts. As people begin to operate different things; different music was engendered and that contributed to the variety of music that we have today. This is one of the many things that makes America different but is astringently under looked by everyone. There are many types of different raps
A race issue that occurs within the rap and hip-hop musical genre is the racial stereotypes associated with the musical form. According to Brandt, and Viki rap music and hip- hop music are known for fomenting crime violence, and the continuing formation of negative perceptions revolving around the African-American race (p.362). Many individuals believe that rap and hip-hop music and the culture that forms it is the particular reason for the degradation of the African-American community and the stereotypes that surround that specific ethnic group. An example is a two thousand and seven song produced by artist Nas entitled the N-word. The particular title of the song sparked major debates within not only the African-American community thus the Caucasian communities as well. Debates included topics such as the significance and worth of freedom of speech compared with the need to take a stand against messages that denigrate African-Americans. This specific label turned into an outrage and came to the point where conservative white individuals stood in front of the record label expressing their feelings. These individuals made a point that it is because artists like Nas that there is an increase in gang and street violence within communities. Rap and hip-hop music only depicts a simple-minded image of black men as sex crazed, criminals, or “gangsters”. As said above, community concerns have arisen over time over the use of the N-word, or the fact that many rappers vocalize about white superiority and privilege. Of course rap music did not develop these specific stereotypes, however these stereotypes are being used; and quite successfully in rap and hip-hop which spreads them and keeps the idea that people of color are lazy, all crimin...
Rap is about giving voice to a black community otherwise underrepresented, if not silent, in the mass media. It has always been and remains … directly connected to the streets from which it came. (144)
Hip-hop began in the undergrounds in Bronx New York in the early 1970s and has gradually grown to become mainstream music. According to Lori Selke a professional writer for Global post, “hip-hop is the term that refers to more than just a musical genre; it includes culture, dance, art, and even fashion” (Selke). Since it originated in the 1970’s, hip-hop has had profound influence on society, and has grown into the lives of listeners worldwide; hip-hop’s influential power is astonishing. Within the last decade, hip-hop artist like Jay-Z, Nas, and Young Jeezy helped to increase voting in the 2008 presidential campaign by informing a hip hop audience consisting of a majority of African Americans on soon to be 44th President of the United States, by using their voice and lyrics as their tool to encouraging people to stand up for a change by voting. According to Emmett Price in his book Hip Hop Culture (2006), “in the early years prior to the rise of recorded rap music via Sugar Hill Gang’s controversial “Rapper’s Delight” (1979) hip-hop was a growing culture driven by self-determination, a love for life, and a desire to have fun [through entertaining fans and expressing themself].” (Price) Although artists today accomplish the same things, the focus of the lyrics has changed consisting of “extolling violence, drug and alcohol use, and detailing sexual exploits” (Selke). If one were to observe the most popular music from artist in the 80’s until now, they would notice a definitive change in its overall message. If hip-hop continues on its current route it will become a musical genre known solely for its references to sex, drugs, and violence.
Rap’s Controversy The most popular new music to emerge from the ‘80’s was rap music. It first developed in the mid ‘70’s in New York City, and soon in other urban areas, primarily amongst African-American teenagers. It became very popular with the urban public and soon began to spread throughout the United States and much of the world. It replaced rock music as the creative force in music of the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. However, as popular as it was then and it is now, the lyrics of many rap songs have caused controversy.
Hip hop has permeated popular culture in an unprecedented fashion. Because of its crossover appeal, it is a great unifier of diverse populations. Although created by black youth on the streets, hip hop's influence has become well received by a number of different races in this country. A large number of the rap and hip hop audience is non-black. It has gone from the fringes, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms. Because it has become the fastest growing music genre in the U.S., companies and corporate giants have used its appeal to capitalize on it. Although critics of rap music and hip hop seem to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language, this genre offers a new paradigm of what can be (Lewis, 1998.) The potential of this art form to mend ethnic relations is substantial. Hip hop has challenged the system in ways that have unified individuals across a rich ethnic spectrum. This art form was once considered a fad has kept going strong for more than three decades. Generations consisting of Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Asians have grown up immersed in hip-hop. Hip hop represents a realignment of America?s cultural aesthetics. Rap songs deliver a message, again and again, to keep it real. It has influenced young people of all races to search for excitement, artistic fulfillment, and a sense of identity by exploring the black underclass (Foreman, 2002). Though it is music, many people do not realize that it is much more than that. Hip hop is a form of art and culture, style, and language, and extension of commerce, and for many, a natural means of living. The purpose of this paper is to examine hip hop and its effect on American culture. Different aspects of hip hop will also be examined to shed some light that helps readers to what hip hop actually is. In order to see hip hop as a cultural influence we need to take a look at its history.
Rap has been around since 1973, when Kool DJ Herc introduced this new mash of jazz, soul, gospel, and reggae. This culture has been focused around African Americans, and since has served as a voice for the underrepresented, that is spreading violence, alcohol, and drugs. In this genre the most popular and successful boast about who has murdered more foes as breezily as other artists sing about love. Rap music tells stories of drugs, violence, and alcohol. The youth of America is constantly exposed to this kind of music, and our teenagers are being desensitized to the effects of these stories.
The youth especially today who can’t go a day without their music are the ones who are influenced the most. In the article Hip Hop Studies in Black, the author states, “Hip hop’s thuggish, promiscuous, sexist, and violent nature gives men and boys every reason to continue gender violence” (Saucier and Woods 283). Although as an artist you want to sell albums, you have to consider the audience that you are attracting. Rapping about drugs and killing, you as an artist gives young boys the idea that it’s okay to do that because their favorite rapper does it. You can still keep it one-hundred and rap about what you know, but you’d be better beneficial if you talk about the issues of drugs and killing. Rapper Chief Keef attracts young black males especially in the city of Chicago where he’s from. The violence in Chicago is ridiculous which is because of young black males killing other black males. These young black males listen to Chief Keef all day and he has no true message behind his lyrics but about killing others. With the impact he has on Chicago kids, he should want to be more influential in their lives and encourage them to be someone in the future instead of dying before age eighteen. Over the past summer he tried to host a hologram concert in honor one year old Dillan Harris and Marvin Carr, twenty-two years old that died from a drive by shooting. The police instantly shut the concert down one because how can you host a concert in honor of someone dying when you yourself talk about killing in all your music. In the article Hip Hop Studies in Black, critics Williams and McWhorter claim that “hip hop is a culture of failure that is poisoning young people and holding back black people” (Saucier and Woods 283). The youth today is the future and the path their on right now is not headed in the right direction. Hip hop culture is poisoning young people because it’s not only teaching the
In recent discussion of hip hop culture, a controversial issue has been whether if hip hop makes people believe that money is everything you need to get respect and power. Some argue that you need to build respect and by building respect you become powerful and that will lead you to money. On the other hand, however, others argue that hip hop life helped them a lot by writing the lyrics and saying the things that they can’t do or say. One of this view’s main proponents, “money brings power, ” according to this view, people who have more money will get more power and then they usually use this power to do the most disturbing activities, such as crime. In sum, then, the issue is whether having too much power is good or it’s just a life destroyer.
In today’s culture where rap music has become increasingly popular, many teens aren’t realizing what they are listening to. A lot of teens would argue that the music they listen to has no effect on them, but they are wrong. Rap music, especially, has had a major impact on teenagers in today’s society. The lyrics of many rap songs encourage violent and aggressive thoughts in teenagers.
Imagine our youth all over the country being exposed to this explicit kind of language. There is no need to imagine, because it is already happening. Ever since the rise of Rap and Hip Hop music, teens have been turning to them to help solve their problems. However these kinds of music can be very destructive to teens. It is not the youth’s fault; it is the content that the music contains. Although Rap and Hip Hop music can be a force for good, they can also have an extremely negative impact on the attitudes and behaviors of our youth.