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The True Hip Hop

 

            
            
             Hip hop is a culture and an evolving form of expression spawned in the 70s out of African American oral tradition. The American Heritage Dictionary says that hip hop is "1. A popular urban youth culture closely associated with rap music and with the style and fashions of African-American inner-city residents. 2. Rap music." However, this is an unsatisfactory definition that does little justice to the culture of hip hop and it contributes to the general public's lack of understanding and misconceptions about hip hop and its" elements.
             One of the few things that this definition correctly identifies is the fact that hip hop is a culture. It is not merely rap music. Hip hop is not a genre and should not be classified as such. Although rap music is one of the elements of hip hop, the term hip hop should not be used interchangeably with rap music. Back in the years of its" origin, hip hop was not thought of as merely rap music. The elements of hip hop included graffiti art, break dancing, dj"ing and mc"ing (rapping).
             It is true that hip hop had its" origins in the urban Bronx, but hip hop is changing. It no longer can be classified as a popular urban youth culture. Not all hip hop is popular. In fact many forms of hip hop that closer resemble the culture of its" origins are underground, and not what one sees on MTV or BET. Hip hop is no longer limited to the urban segment of society or to one particular race. Many different types of people now enjoy hip hop.
             As any art form, hip hop has been and will continue to evolve. In its" early days, hip hop told a story and had a message and reaction relative to the social climate of the times. Hip hop was a way for inner city youth to channel their anger and aggressions into a positive art form. Kurtis Blow rapped about the breaks and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five delivered a message. And people were listening. Unfortunately hip hop has been commercialized into a package that is seen in mainstream outlets, often with little value, and has become misrepresentation of the art form that it truly is.


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