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Hip Hop Culture Hip Hop Culture and Rap Musicand Rap Music

A Reflection of African American History in A Reflection of African American History in the United Statesthe United States

Musical Culture More Relevant than King Speeches

Hip Hop: Today's Civil Rights Movement?

THE HISTORY OF RAPTHE HISTORY OF RAP

The history of rap music has its roots The history of rap music has its roots since the days of slavery. This form of since the days of slavery. This form of music was an outlet originally for the music was an outlet originally for the pain and suffering experienced by slaves.pain and suffering experienced by slaves.

Although rap music has been around for Although rap music has been around for centuries, it made a comeback in 1975 in centuries, it made a comeback in 1975 in New York. New York.

Origin of Rap MusicOrigin of Rap Music

““Rap music emerged out of a Hip-Hop Rap music emerged out of a Hip-Hop culture of the 1960’s and 1970’s with its culture of the 1960’s and 1970’s with its emphasis on political expression and emphasis on political expression and resistance through graffiti, modes of resistance through graffiti, modes of dress, language and social practices” dress, language and social practices” (Beach)(Beach)

Rap Music’s BeginningRap Music’s Beginning

Grandmaster Flash photo by Stuart Sevastes

Rap music was influenced by Jamaican Rap music was influenced by Jamaican “toasting” especially by a Jamaican “toasting” especially by a Jamaican immigrant in 1967 Clive Campbell who immigrant in 1967 Clive Campbell who became know as DJ Kool Herc” (Rhodes)became know as DJ Kool Herc” (Rhodes)

DJ Kool Herc- The DJ Kool Herc- The OriginalOriginal

• Leon Litwack in his article on the Leon Litwack in his article on the civil rights movement for civil rights movement for The The Journal of Southern History Journal of Southern History notes, “it became increasingly notes, “it became increasingly difficult towage the kind of difficult towage the kind of campaign [Martin Luther] King campaign [Martin Luther] King preached.preached.

• New voices—Stokely Carmichael, New voices—Stokely Carmichael, Malcolm X, the Black Panthers—Malcolm X, the Black Panthers—suggested new moods in black suggested new moods in black AmericaAmerica

Growing UnrestGrowing Unrest

Malcolm X

““The more black Americans found The more black Americans found themselves excluded from the themselves excluded from the mainstream, the greater the possibilities mainstream, the greater the possibilities for violent confrontation with the more for violent confrontation with the more visible symbols of white society.visible symbols of white society.

Growing UnrestGrowing Unrest

““Even as the civil rights movement struck down legal Even as the civil rights movement struck down legal barriers…it failed to diminish economic inequalities” barriers…it failed to diminish economic inequalities” (Litwack)(Litwack)

Civil RightsCivil Rights

The premiere record with a rap label was The premiere record with a rap label was Rapper’s Delight by Sugar Hill.Rapper’s Delight by Sugar Hill.

Musical elements in this song included: Musical elements in this song included: light guitars, high-hat drumming, and light guitars, high-hat drumming, and hand claps over very deep funk base line.hand claps over very deep funk base line.

Rapper’s DelightRapper’s Delight

• ““The Bronx community-center dances and The Bronx community-center dances and block parties where hip-hop began in the block parties where hip-hop began in the early 1970’s were not demonstrations for early 1970’s were not demonstrations for justice, they were celebrations of justice, they were celebrations of survival”(Chang)survival”(Chang)

• The seeds of later political rap were being The seeds of later political rap were being sownsown

• ““Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five…Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five…[created] the classic song “The Message” [created] the classic song “The Message” [which] resonated with an explosive [which] resonated with an explosive terrifying mix of desperation and terrifying mix of desperation and anger”(Litwack)anger”(Litwack)

Rap and Hip-Hop in Rap and Hip-Hop in the Bronxthe Bronx

Through the mid-1980’s rappers like Through the mid-1980’s rappers like Run-DMC and Soul Sonic Force Run-DMC and Soul Sonic Force “weighed in on topics like racism, “weighed in on topics like racism, nuclear proliferation, and nuclear proliferation, and apartheid”(Chang)apartheid”(Chang)

Run-DMC Finds a much larger audience Run-DMC Finds a much larger audience than early rap (including white than early rap (including white “rockers”)“rockers”)

Political RapPolitical Rap

A Growing IndustryA Growing Industry In 1984, the white In 1984, the white

population was turned population was turned on to rap music.on to rap music.

The two races were The two races were combined in “Walk combined in “Walk This Way” by This Way” by Aerosmith and Run Aerosmith and Run DMC.DMC.

With the growth of With the growth of white audiences came white audiences came the onset of white rap the onset of white rap performers.performers.

A New WaveA New Wave

Since the 1980s, the artists of this early Since the 1980s, the artists of this early form of rap music were young black men form of rap music were young black men having white producers. having white producers.

The first lyrics of this new music genre The first lyrics of this new music genre tried to show the ‘blackness’ the artist by tried to show the ‘blackness’ the artist by using foreign, sexually charged, and using foreign, sexually charged, and criminal underworld against which the criminal underworld against which the norms of white society.norms of white society.

Public EnemyPublic Enemy

The first rap group whose music was not The first rap group whose music was not formed on inner city streets, but in the formed on inner city streets, but in the middle class of Long Island.middle class of Long Island.

This music was about the unequal treatment This music was about the unequal treatment of police toward blacks and they believed of police toward blacks and they believed blacks still did not belong in white America.blacks still did not belong in white America.

‘‘FIGHT THE POWER’FIGHT THE POWER’

““Elvis was a hero to mostElvis was a hero to mostBut he never meant shit to me, you seeBut he never meant shit to me, you seeStraight up racist that sucker was simple and plainStraight up racist that sucker was simple and plainMother f**** him and John WayneMother f**** him and John WayneCause I’m black and I’m proudCause I’m black and I’m proudI’m ready and hyped, plus I’m ampedI’m ready and hyped, plus I’m ampedMost of my heroes don’t appear on those stampsMost of my heroes don’t appear on those stampsSample a look back, you look and findSample a look back, you look and findNothing but rednecks for four hundred years if you Nothing but rednecks for four hundred years if you

check”check”

• Increasing frustration and Increasing frustration and antagonism a “post-civil rights antagonism a “post-civil rights stance”stance”

• Led by Public Enemy rappers Led by Public Enemy rappers “displayed the Black Panthers “displayed the Black Panthers media savvy and the Minister media savvy and the Minister Louis Farrakhan’s nationalist Louis Farrakhan’s nationalist rage”(Chang)rage”(Chang)

• In 1988 NWA entered the Top-20 In 1988 NWA entered the Top-20 charts with its album charts with its album Straight Out Straight Out of Compton of Compton which included the which included the song “F—k tha Police”(Litwack)song “F—k tha Police”(Litwack)

Late 80’s early 90’sLate 80’s early 90’s

““African Americans who articulated African Americans who articulated growing despair at being caged in growing despair at being caged in deteriorating postindustrial cities” deteriorating postindustrial cities” (Litwack) (Litwack)

““Street Poets”Street Poets”

Ice T album Body Count which included the single “Cop Killer”

• ““One might ask whether rap has One might ask whether rap has abandoned the revolution” abandoned the revolution”

• ““The hip-hop lifestyle is now The hip-hop lifestyle is now available for purchase in every available for purchase in every suburban mall”suburban mall”

• Hip-hop rose by making blacknessHip-hop rose by making blackness—even radical blackness—the —even radical blackness—the worldwide trading currency of worldwide trading currency of cultural cool”(Chang)cultural cool”(Chang)

Current State of Rap Current State of Rap musicmusic

Kanye West

Rap’s FutureRap’s Future

The rap industry is still The rap industry is still growing and setting trends growing and setting trends all over the world, from all over the world, from clothes to jewelry. Many clothes to jewelry. Many clothing lines have been clothing lines have been started by rap artist such as started by rap artist such as Rocawear and Sean John.Rocawear and Sean John.

Political issues are also Political issues are also being addressed by some being addressed by some rappers in songs and in the rappers in songs and in the media. For example recently media. For example recently Lil Wayne has a song over Lil Wayne has a song over Kanye West’s beat for Kanye West’s beat for “Damage is Done” where he “Damage is Done” where he briefly discusses the event briefly discusses the event of Hurricane Katrina.of Hurricane Katrina.