Hip Hop Essay example

Submitted By stoplyin99
Words: 682
Pages: 3

Hip Hop has arguably been one of the most influential genres on society since it becoming popular in the 1980’s as well as twenty years later in the 2000’s. The 1980’s were a golden age for Hip Hop. It now no longer was just music, but becoming a movement. In the 80’s Hip Hop wasn’t promoting high expensive cars or having relations with multiple women. It focused on social and political issues that we’re affecting the community. The 1980’s seemed to hit the minority communities pretty hard. With unemployment at an all-time high, street violence was getting worse, more and more kids were dropping out of school and as if things couldn’t get any worse in the mid 80’s the crack epidemic was born. These are the issues that Hip Hop focused on, bringing awareness and light to everyday living in the ghetto. Very rare would you hear an artist glorify the usage of drugs instead they would metaphorically educate you on why you should steer away from it. Some would argue that Hip Hop in the 80’s was negative and was disrespectful to authoritative figures such as police officers and political figures i.e. former President Regan. The truth is people were mad and they felt as if society had set them up for failure. Being a minority and a male was a death stamp or an automatic ticket to the state penitentiary. The music made people angry but it also made them think and come together as one. It wasn’t about wearing the wrong colors or going in the wrong hood because everyone who was affected was the same color and wanted to live above the poverty line and move out the hood. Hip Hop promoted unity, black power, a higher level respect for women. There were quite a few influential female artists who paved the way. They showed the world you don’t have to dress half naked to get a record deal and it’s ok to demand the respect you deserve. Female artists had a sense of dignity reigning themselves as queens and nothing less. Female artists represented empowerment as well as feminism. Hip Hop has always had a stance on fashion. In the 80’s a lot of Hip Hop artists influenced the younger generation to dress and even try to imitate their look. The big gold chains became very popular, adidas, Nikes, starter jackets, Kango hats, and Coogi all inspired by Hip Hop. Hip Hop in the 2000’s has definitely digressed in the new millennium era. Although Hip Hop was still influential on society the messages that were bringing forth were no longer social and economic issues that affected the community at large. Hip Hop