Coen 1 Tim Coen Dr.

Erin Dietel-McLaughlin WR 13300 4 November 2012 They see me rollin, they hatin: Hip-hop and Rap in Todays Society Hip-hop and rap. Upon hearing those words, two reactions typically follow. A fan of hiphop might say, Hip-hop is the best, I love it. Theres no other genre like it. The way lyrics are created, the way the beat inspires people, and the overall message of some of the artists- its the best. And then there is the rest of the crowd, the critics. Hip-hop is awful. Its only inarticulate thugs who chant, not even sing, about crime, drugs, and sex. Its awful. According to those critics, rap has been promoting controversial messages dealing with violence, sex, and materialism. (Conrad, Dixon, Zhang 134). It seems the widespread opinion about hip-hop and rap is one of love or hate with no middle ground. When both sides of the judgment are considered, the haters do have noteworthy evidence, as many explicit labels follow the hip-hop label. But somehow, even with the controversy, hip-hop has established itself as one of the most popular genres of music in todays society, especially among the younger generations. So if hip-hop does contain so much explicit material, why is it such a popular, mainstream genre? What makes hip-hop and rap a legitimate genre? Why do we listen to hip-hop? The answer to these questions lies in a theme that has been present not only in the hiphop genre, but also throughout the history of African American music, that hip-hops biggest fan group, adolescents (ages 13-25), relate to so easily: the theme of struggle. Long before hip-hop first surfaced, African American music found its musical heritage during the

Coen 2 time period of the Atlantic Slave Trade (Caldwell 3). Their music, referred to as spirituals, spoke about their oppression by the whites, and music was one of the only ways they could express their prohibited culture. Throughout the 1700s and the early 1800s, the African American spirituals become integrated into religious music in churches around the South, gaining popularity. Following the Emancipation Proclamation, many African Americans moved to urban areas, thus beginning two other major African American musical genres: Blues and Jazz (Caldwell 59). The content of Blues and Jazz also speaks about the struggle of African Americans of the time, dealing with racism and segregation. Leading up to the Civil Rights movement, Jazz reflects into the church, giving exposure to another genre, R&B (Caldwell 255). Again, the theme of struggle was present in R&B, referencing the fight for equal rights for blacks in America in the 1960s. Even through the test of time, the struggle of African Americans is the reason behind African American musical legitimacy. Their fight for emancipation, their struggle against racism, and their battle for civil rights gave their music power, and therefore an element of connection with its listeners. Soon after the Civil Rights Movement, hip-hop and rap music simply followed the trend of African American music. Hip-hop was originally created by the African community in the ghetto neighborhoods of the Bronx in New York City (Encyclopedia Britannica, hip-hop (music and cultural movement), 433); as Cheris Kubrin writes, hip-hop and rap emerged as a reflection of the hopes, concerns, and aspirations of urban black youth. The genre earned its name of hip-hop, and soon its international exposure, following the release of the Sugar-Hill Gangs hit Rappers Delight (allmusic, rap). Soon after, with the rise of artists like Grandmaster Flash, the Sugar-Hill Gang, DJ Kool, and Afrika Bambaataa, hiphops popularity spread throughout the United States. During the time of rise to

Coen 3 mainstream music, hip-hop was typically the choice music of youth in the inner-city ghettos and projects. Most of the hip-hop artists were from economically poor areas of major cities, and thus most of the lyrical content spoke of their life and experiences in the ghetto. Like the previous genres of African American music, hip-hop artists conveyed their stories of struggle: neighborhood violence, dysfunctional families, and illegal drug habits were common topics of lyrics. Once again, the theme of adversity and fighting to escape poverty gave hip-hop its relevance and legitimacy. However, the controversy in hip-hop and rap is not in its origination or primary era. In the first years of its popularity, hip-hop incorporated carefree images into its lyrics (Kubrin 434). But like all music, hip-hop has changed dramatically over time. The remarks by critics that rap is offensive, only talking about crime, sex, and drugs can all be directed toward one period of transformation in hip-hop and rap. Beginning in the 1980s, gansta rap appeared in hip-hop (Kubrin 435). Multiple artists associated themselves with gangs, thus giving the sub-genre its name, and the lyrical material began to include gang violence and the struggles of ghetto life. Also, the first use of the word nigga appeared in rap at this time. Artists such as Run-DMC, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy began embracing the degrading term and integrated it throughout their music. The use of nigga came to identify the group of gansta rappers, and was used as association to the ghetto (Kubrin 435). Along with the incorporation derogatory language, misogyny, or the disdain of women, began appearing more frequently in hip-hop, giving gansta rap another element of controversy (Adams and Fuller 939). Gansta rap had essentially taken the style and structure of the original hip-hop and incorporated profanity, misogyny, and more severe and detailed material of violence and drugs, but the message and the purpose of gansta rap still

Coen 4 remained very similar to that of original hip-hop: the struggle of a less fortunate circumstance is still a key theme. The artists gained their popularity because listeners identified with the hardships of the ghetto and the determination to escape their unstable neighborhoods and rise to success and fame. The controversy against hip-hop and rap also stems from another era of alteration in the chronology of hip-hop and rap. During the early 1990s, hip-hop had reached the height of its popularity, but was in the midst of what is now widely known as the East Coast vs. West Coast Rivalry (Bruno, Hip-Hop Homicide 4). Each coast was led by record companies- Death Row Records on the East Coast, and Bad Boy Records on the West Coastand each record company was headlined by two major artists: Tupac Shakur (West Coast) and The Notorious B.I.G., or Biggie Smalls (East Coast). The two artists had been friends, but after Shakur was ambushed and shot outside of Biggie Smalls studio, the two began the infamous feud between the two coasts (Bruno 4). Shakur and Biggie Smalls began incorporating insults aimed at one another into their music. Furthermore, many other hiphop artists, including Jay-Z and Dr. Dre, began taking sides with either coast, which ultimately divided the rap community in two. With the rivalry, mudslinging and degrading insults appeared more often in rap music. To add to controversy of profanity, violence, and misogyny already present in hip-hop, the East Coast vs. West Coast Rivalry promoted hatred within rap. However, both Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. gained extreme popularity and success (Bruno 4). Why? Because amidst the insults between the two, Tupacs and Biggies musical purpose also indirectly portrayed loyalty for the respective record companies to their audiences. Tupac and Biggie gained popularity through their

Coen 5 rivalry because their audience connected with their faithfulness to their background, workplace, and friends. From the first appearance of hip-hop and rap in the ghettos of the Bronx, through the evolution and creation of gansta rap, and through the raps golden era during the 1900s and the East Coast vs. West Coast Rivalry, the theme of struggle, adversity, and oppression has remained constant in the hip-hop and rap genre. Todays hip-hop and rap is no exception. While there hasnt been a major movement or transformation like that of the 1980s, hip-hop continues to exist at the forefront of popular music in America. Rappers who began their careers in the 1990s that include Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg are still producing successful hits in the music industry. Along with the hip-hop veterans, rappers that surfaced in the 2000s, such as Eminem, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Lil Wayne, and Drake have made their mark at the top of the music charts (Neer, How Hip-hop Works 5). Each artist does not escape the topic of controversy, but each maintains hip-hops theme of striving to overcome adversity, to achieve fame and live a better life. Songs like Eminems Lose Yourself, Jay-Zs Empire State of Mind, and Kid Cudis Pursuit of Happiness all include controversial lyrics, but convey a larger message of rising above misfortune and obtaining eminence. At the time of hip-hops original surfacing, the main and almost exclusive audience was the economically poor, African American community residing in the ghetto. But with the fame and popularity of modern hip-hop and rap, the fan base is by no means the same. As Rachel E. Sullivan writes in her article Rap and Race: Its Got a Nice Beat, but What about the Message?, rap has experienced a widening and Whitening audience as it has grown and expanded (607). Not only are African American Americans listening to rap, but white

Coen 6 adolescents, as well as Hispanic adolescents, are also hip-hop and rap fans. With the combination of fan race, however, todays youth listen to hip-hop for different reasons, and connect with different aspects of hip-hop. Sullivan concludes that white adolescents listen to rap because it has a good beat and because of the aesthetically pleasing sound (616), whereas African American adolescents appear to be looking at rap for its messages about life as well as its aesthetically pleasing sound (616). Because they likely share more similarities with the many hip-hop artists, African Americans can connect more with the lyrical content and message of modern hip-hop and rap music. While there may be a notable difference among race in the interpretation of hip-hop, the popularity of hip-hop, specifically among adolescents, certainly stems from the underlying message of hip-hop, the theme of struggle. As we all can attest to, adolescence is a time of self-discovery and identification, and often that time is by no means comfortable. Many people struggle during adolescence, and hip-hop provides a unique connection to that struggle. As stated before, hip-hop artists incorporate their struggles into their music; the topics of violence, crime, and drug use all relate to the difficulty experienced in the life of the artist. Hip-hop and rap provides reassurance and a way to cope with the tremendous change and struggle that comes with adolescence. During the awkward and confusing age of adolescence, many young people feel ostracized from society and struggle to find out who they are; therefore, the theme of struggle in rap music becomes much more relatable. From its foundation, hip-hop and rap has created a mass of controversy and distaste. From a superficial view, there is an extensive amount of evidence that hip-hop and rap is a terribly inappropriate music genre in which uneducated thugs and criminal men chant profanely about gang activity, resisting and breaking the law, selling and using illegal drugs,

Coen 7 having sex in an unfaithful and recreational manner, and objectifying women. But the lyrical content is not necessarily what makes hip-hop and rap a legitimate musical genre, its the message behind the words. As Charis Kubrin states that hip-hop is an expressive artistic outlet for a marginalized social bloc and an art form that reflects the nuances, pathology, and the resilience of Americas black ghettos (433-434). Moreover, rappers represent black poets of the contemporary urban scene who use music as a vehicle for telling the story of African American culture. (433). Hip-hop and rap, like the African American genres of Blues, Jazz, and R&B, embodies the spirit and courage of African American culture. Hip-hop and rap conveys an appreciation of African American history. The struggle of oppression and the will to overcome that struggle, the key theme in hiphop, is what makes hip-hop and rap legitimate. Regardless of the profane lyrics, regardless of the offensive material, the message and theme of hip-hop is the most significant part of any song within the hip-hop genre. As the great Grandmaster Flash states, Hip hop is the only genre of music that allows us to talk about almost anything. Musically, it allows us to sample and play and create poetry to the beat of music. It's highly controversial, but that's the way the game is. (Motley 247).

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Work Cited Adams, Terri M., and Douglas B. Fuller. "The Words Have Changed but the Ideology Remains the Same: Misogynistic Lyrics in Rap Music." Journal of Black Studies 36.938 (2006): 938-57. Hesburgh Libraries. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://jbs.sagepub.com.proxy.library.nd.edu/content/36/6/938http://>. Bruno, Anthony. "East Coast VS. West Coast." Hip-Hop Homicide Crime Library on TruTV.com. Turner Entertainment Networks, 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/celebrity/shakur_BIG/2 a.html>. Caldwell, Hansonia L. "African American Music: A Chronology: 1619-1995." Music Online: African American Music Reference. Ikoro Communications, 1995. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://aamr.alexanderstreet.com.proxy.library.nd.edu/View/1685188>. Conrad, Kate, Travis Dixon, and Yuanyuan Zhang. "Controversial Rap Themes, Gender Portrayal and Skin Tone Distortion: A Content Analysis of Rap Music Videos." Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 53.1 (2009): 134-56. Hesburgh Libraries. Web. 3 Dec. 2012. <http://http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08838150802643795>. "Hip-hop (music and Cultural Movement)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/266545/hip-hop>. Kubrin, Charis E. ""I See Death Around the Corner": Nihilism in Rap Music." Journal of Black Studies 48.4 (2005): 433-59. Hesburgh Libraries. Web. 11 Nov. 2012.

Coen 9 <http://http://search.proquest.com.proxy.library.nd.edu/docview/60033662/13A 583AD1DC1BD36533/1?accountid=12874>. Motley, Carol M. "The Global Hip-hop Diaspora: Understanding the Culture." Journal of Business Research 61.3 (2008): 243-53. Hesburgh Libraries. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://http://www.sciencedirect.com.proxy.library.nd.edu/science/article/pii/S0 148296307001609>. Neer, Katherine. "How Hip-hop Works." HowStuffWorks. HowStuffWorks, Inc., 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/hip-hop4.htm>. "Rap." AllMusic. Rovi Corp., 2012. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://www.allmusic.com/genre/rap-ma0000002816>. Sullivan, Rachel E. "Rap and Race: It's Got a Nice Beat, but What about the Message?" Journal of Black Studies 33.605 (2003): 605-22. Hesburgh Libraries. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://jbs.sagepub.com.proxy.library.nd.edu/content/33/5/605>.