Alexus Widemon

UWRT 1102
The Art of Hip Hop

Hip Hop is not only a style of music but it is a culture. This culture is one that has
evolved over the years and has many elements that define it such as beatboxing, graffiti, Mcing
and more. Most people dont realize that Hip Hop was born from other art expressions such as
Jazz, and the Blues and that it is still very connected to those other musical genres. The Hip Hop
culture is the window of opportunity that allows people to express themselves however they
please whether it be musically, spiritually, or physically with dancing. While Hip Hop does have
a lot of defining factors, what stands out to me is the ability for those in the Hip Hop community
to express themselves verbally through mcing and on paper through lyrical poetry.
Today, the idea that Hip Hop is poetry is often overlooked. The written art emphasizes the
rhyme schemes, the metaphors, and the lyricality that the writers produce. This interests me
because Ive noticed those who dont embrace the culture dont have an idea of how it can be
educational. I chose this subject because I have a strong passion for poetry and Ive always loved
old school Hip Hop. Theres always passionate discussion between my friends and I about music
and poetry as they are two arts that really spark our interest. I thought it would be cool to
incorporate both of these into one paper and to emphasize the correlation between the two.
I often watch Hip Hop documentarys and they have been very beneficial to me,
providing a new perspective on the different facets of Hip Hop and how it is different from rap. It
bothers me that majority of Hip Hop artists are classified as rappers which is not only insulting to
their craft but also to the culture. The misinterpretation that Hip Hop breeds violence and
negativity is often why the positive aspect of the art is ignored.

Alexus Widemon
UWRT 1102
Theres a lot of information that I want to gain regarding modern day Hip Hop
compared to 90s Hip Hop and how all of the different elements may no longer be used. I want to
draw a clear line between the culture of Hip Hop and the commercial aspect that the media draws
on which is rap. Tuning in on how Hip Hop is poetry is the highlight of what my paper is going
to be about because poetry is my passion. After doing a little bit of primary research I know that
Ill be able to find a lot of information through documentaries, blogs, and books.