Rap Culture's Influence On Black Communities

Rap Culture's influence on black communities
Rap music, originated in the United States in the 1970s. Since the beginning
of the rap era, rap stars have had an unique style that impressionable listeners have mimicked over the years. Rap stars set trends that their fans copy, they contribute a lot two what is seen as current and fashionable to the youth. This leads causes the exploitation of the black community and unrealistic body images.
Rap originally was used to express the feelings of African Americans who were oppressed and often lived in crime-ridden neighborhoods and came from lamentable environments. Along with this music came a lifestyle; an image. As rap music became more popular people started to not only

listen to it more but imitate the looks of the artists. Rappers laid the groundwork for what would become the current fetishization of branded fashion. Rappers such as, DMX, ice cube, Tupac, etc., boosted the popularity of name brands like, Puma,Reebok, and Nike as well as several other brand names.
African Americans are the targeted audience of rap music. Often, rapstars display an image that the common American or African American cannot afford. But since this appearance is seen as what is popular, people often by something that is out of their price range to accommodate this lifestyle. Exploitation is the action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work. Since, black communities are often impoverished, they are often buying brands that they cannot afford and receiving nothing out of it while these major companies make an immense profit. Rappers unknowingly have created the longing of lavish lifestyles in Black communities.
In rap songs rappers often talk about being with women of certain shapes and these shirts are not realistic so women do outrageous things two Fit this Ideal Image created by rappers. Originally, rappers talked about things that we're going on in their communities or tough situations that they faced in their neighborhood. But today rappers focus more on things like the way that their woman should look and dress. They also focus on things like living when expensive lifestyles but their listeners can't afford the things that they can. This creates and yearning of an unlisted lifestyle and the unrealistic body image.