Exploring Hip Hop Music: Beyond Controversies & Social Significance - Essay Sample

Introduction

Recent times in America have witnessed diverse controversies in mainstream media with regards to Hip Hop music. For instance, the rivalry between the West and East coast culminating in the murder of Tupac Shakur and the recent school shootings which have placed the blame on Hip Hop music. Thus, people are missing out on the real point of Hip Hop music in society. Understanding of this kind of music is only possible when spending time to study the social and historical framework of Hip Hop music. Therefore, the argument is that Hip Hop music functions as a voice to the oppressed individuals in American society, but not a tool to instigate youth violence.

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The history of Rap music considers the pioneer to be a Jamaican known as DJ Herc. The art was debuted in the year 1973 at South Bronx, New York, during a dance party when DJ Herc devised a technique of stretching the drum break of a song. Later on, the music was full of turntablists who sustained the art to create the Hip Hop culture as we know it today. Moreover, rap music is considered to have decadence from African praise singers and historians. These people were significant in spreading knowledge amongst the black population in Africa. Likewise, in the United States, rap music through records and performances provided a voice to the poor and oppressed individuals in society; for instance, the author says, "...culture had developed from conditions of oppression." Thus, rappers advocated for the political inclusion of the oppressed individuals and freeing them from slavery and subjugation.

Many aspects of Hip Hop music has been linked by politicians to be promoting violence, especially those once threatened politically due to the insight spread to the population through music. That is despite many calls for the rappers who consider themselves "it ain't about keeping it real but keeping it right" to their peaceful Hip Hop culture. That is, staying true to their culture of resisting slavery and other forms of oppression against Blacks in American society. I believe to understand the original theme of rap music, and one has to focus on the history of African-Americans throughout their enslavement in the United States. It is when we can understand the segregation and racial prejudice faced by African-Americans.

Therefore, if Hip Hop music is considered to cause violence among the young population in America, that is because of its history of fighting against social, economic, and political oppression, but not to exclusively cause harm to people. Violence, as associated with Hip Hop music, does not threaten to cause harm among the American youngsters but is a reflection of the outcry by oppressed individuals as a result of inequalities based on race. That is supported by Tricia Rose, who argues Hip Hop as one of the ways oppressed individuals in the United States can speak out against racial discrimination.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe there should be a demystification of the Hip Hop music as a culture of a people speaking out against inequalities in the society, but not perceived as a tool to inspire violence among the young people. Regalvanization of the creative and progressive heart of Hip Hop could be through educating the masses against taking lyrics out of context and stopping the stigma of demonizing rappers. According to DJ Herc, individuals within Hip Hop should be responsible for addressing the stereotypic thinking in the society when he says, "...we come from one coast, and that coast is Africa."