Hip Hop originally empowered the youth of New York. It gave a voice to those who wanted to speak up against the oppression and injustice of their environment. As Hip Hop started to become mainstream, it began to manifest into a sub-culture that promotes and glorifies violence, drug usage, the mistreatment of women, and highlight racial stereotypes of African American men and women. In the documentary titled Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, director Byron Hurt confronts the controversial issues of violence and homophobia in rap music, sexism, and the portrayal of manhood in Hip Hop culture. In the beginning of the documentary, Hurt states he did not question the lyrics of rap music because the lyrics confirmed his masculine identity (Hip
