Hip Hop As a Fundamental Term Paper

As hip hop developed in urban environments, it has historically concerned itself with themes addressing the minorities dwelling in these communities. This is a tradition that has continued up to the present day. The main concern in hip hop lyrics is with the "struggle." This struggle can be personal or political in nature. In addition, there is also one strain of hip hop rapping known as "party rhymes" that are meant to pump a crowd at a party. This is particularly popular in old school hip hop. Gangsta rap contains lyric that traditionally celebrate crime and the "ghetto" lifestyle. Another more recent development in hip hop, Christian rap, helps spread messages of a spiritual theme.

Producing and Recording

Today, hip hop has become a big part of the American music industry. The production and recording side of hip hop is a complex world that has elevated a number of obscure artists to the level of superstardom.

Typically, hip hop production makes use of samplers, drum machines, synthesizers, turntables, sequencers, and live instruments. Hip hop producers are typically those individuals who oversee the instrumental side of recording hip hop music.

Famous Artists

In the early days of hip hop, Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash were instrumental in the development of the genre. Other, lesser known artists of the 1970s include Grand Wizard Theodore ad the Fantastic Romantic Five, Funky Four Plus One More, Crash Crew, Master Don Committee (Davey D.). Moving into the 1980s, hip hop began to branch out in various directions. Some of the seminal hip hop groups of this period include Run DMC, the Fat Boys, Doug E. Fresh, LL Cool J, and Jazzy Jay. In addition, Public Enemy was among the first hip hop groups to add a distinctly political message to their music.And contrary to the claim that hip hop is a misogynistic, male-dominated genre, female rappers such as Salt N' Pepa and Queen Latifah added their distinctly feminine voices to the growing discourse of hip hop music (Rose.)

Throughout the 1990s and up to the present day, hip hop has become a global force to be reckoned with. Every major hip hop artist to have emerged in recent years has brought something different to the genre. Some of the most popular hip hop artists today include Wu Tang Clan, Eminem, and Wyclef Jean.

Conclusion

As Davey D. notes, "Hip hop continues to be a direct response to an older generation's rejection of the values and needs of young people." The immense popularity and inherent flexibility of the genre means that hip hop is no longer confined to the African-American ghettos of major U.S. cities. Hip hop has grown, and is now popular all over the world. Nearly every country has its own hip hop artists - from South America to the Middle East - each of whom has helped shape and re-mold the genre in their own special way. Like rock n' roll a generation before (Rose), hip hop has grown to become a fundamental expression of global youth culture.

Works Cited

Davey D. "The History of Hip Hop." N.D. Retrieved April 16, 2008 at http://www.daveyd.com/raptitle.html.

Kenner, Rob. "Dancehall." The Vibe History of Hip-hop, ed. Alan Light. New York:

Three Rivers Press, 1999.

Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America.

Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1994......