Mainstream Rap And Hip-Hop Analysis

Improved Essays
Mainstream rap and hip-hop portrays a distinct style and theme, which, to me, seems to be mostly centered on commercialism. The stereotype that exists for hip-hop exists because the mainstream hip-hop does fit into the mold that some of us talked about during the first discussion. Artists promote lifestyles that are unattainable for the majority, probably all, of their listeners. This focus on commercialism, always having the newest, best, and brightest editions of clothing, electronics, or cars, speaks to the general focus of our society as a whole. I think this is easily seen through the increasing popularity of Black Friday, which commercializes a holiday ideally dedicated to giving thanks for what we have. Popular hip-hop does nothing but …show more content…
Consumers support this type of music, and the entertainment industry capitalizes on whatever endeavor is the most profitable. Unfortunately, this combination of factors means that, largely, mainstream hip-hop music is a meaningless boast-fest. To many in the music industry, and certainly society at large, becoming successful on a mainstream scale is synonymous with “making it.” So, even artists whose music has a deeper purpose sometimes choose to compromise in order to become well-known or make a profit. Again, as many of us said in the first discussion, our impressions of hip-hop are largely biased: racially or based upon gender. People only exposed to mainstream hip-hop adopt this idea that hip-hop is all about Black Americans struggling in low socioeconomic situations. And, in part, that is how hip-hop was born. But its original purpose was to united the black community and bring injustices to light. Now, because mainstream hip-hop is so full of exaggerated stories or focus on drugs and violence, it conveys an inaccurate picture of the black community to its listeners. Then this attitude is perpetuated in society. The same can be said for gender inequality. Some mainstream hip-hop songs are starkly sexist and paint women as objects to be won or as solely sexual conquests. There certainly is danger in regarding mainstream hip-hop as the only form of hip-hop and then generalizing an entire

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Black Culture

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Rappers began becoming public figures pushing endorsements and becoming the faces of major brands. The growth of the hip hop culture came a long way. I believe then that the integrity of the culture diminished with the new commercial turn that had been taken. The audience has expanded from the black youth to now white America being a large part of the listeners and viewers and buyers of the culture overall. With so much power, it should be taken more seriously.…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Hip Hop Planet Summary

    • 1489 Words
    • 6 Pages

    This music educates people about several issues from different perspectives. Artists use Hip-Hop music as a platform to voice their opinions, share their stories, and simply state current issues. An article called, “How Hip-Hop Music Has Influenced American Culture and Society,” by Kathleen Odenthal Romano discusses the key contributions Hip-Hop has made in American culture. The author writes, “Hip Hop culture stands as a poignant and historically significant factor of society as it represents a reflection of socio-political woes and widespread sentiment of traditionally marginalized and oppressed communities” (Romano). This statement readily explains the role of Hip-Hop in American culture as it portrays the social and political issues as well as the perspectives of minority…

    • 1489 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Music has always been a form of expression, but hip-hop brought a new level of storytelling to the music world. It allows artists to tell entire to tell long and detailed stories in the context of a song. Despite the growing presence of white artists, we associate hip-hop music with African Americans. Some say that African Americans own the…

    • 1539 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I believe that hip hop brings about awareness and warns the world of its societal ills that needs to be addressed and cured. The quote from Burning Man states that hip hop is a "...pairing of word and music the manifestation of the painful journey of slaves who survived the middle passage. " Hip Hop has been traced back to West African culture, where songs of the West African storytellers were spoken with the accompaniment of the drum and a dance. This was a way that the African American slaves could communicate their agony and sorrow to the world.…

    • 1603 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Society saw the genre, formally known as hip-hop, as being negative until a variety of races came together in New York to listen to this particular type of music. I believe that hip-hop can be being good or bad, but it is meant to tell a story. McBride writes, through hip-hop they were able to come together as a community “ The Bronx became a music magnet for Puerto Ricans, Jamaican, Dominicans, and Black Americans from the surrounding areas.” In New York the teens use what we call graffiti to express themselves. The graffiti shows the art aspect of hip-hop.…

    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Women In Hip Hop

    • 1455 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In the current time, we live in hip hop is predominantly a male art whereas females tend to take a literal background helping portray a life most men would cling and most females would find disgraceful. The biggest reason women are in hip hop videos nowadays is to wear what seem to be an ongoing trend of less and fewer clothes as the years go forward, this tells women of the younger generation growing up in these times that if you want to work in this industry you are most likely going to have to be a certain type beauty which society would accept as well as not talk or receive any kind of respect. There are a few women that are the exceptions to these rules, however, they do not help in the current debacle in which hip hop stands. In the past,…

    • 1455 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Misogyny, consider by many critics as an inseparable aspect from hip-hop, is present in hip-hop music today more than ever before. Despite misogyny’s substantial presence in hip-hop music, not all hip-hop songs degrade women. In fact, there is an alternative portrayal of women in hip-hop music, particularly one that opposes misogyny and promotes philogyny, which is “fondness, love, or admiration toward women” (Tia Tyree & Michelle Jones 57). Unfortunately, for whatever reason, critics have overlooked and discounted new era hip-hop artists’ efforts that contradict the portrayal of women with negative stereotypes in misogynistic hip-hop music. Tia Tyree and Michelle Jones…

    • 301 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    This is why the complexity of Hip-Hop’s position in sociopolitical movements changes per participant, in essence it seems Hip-Hop is its own social movement. As Michael Jefferies identifies S. Craig Watkins position on Hip-Hop as a social movement: “Hip-Hop enables its participants to imagine themselves as a part of a larger community; thus, it produces a sense of collective identity and agency. However, although we are a part of a community and like to think of it as one, Hip-Hop is not monolithic. This means the perspectives of individuals who participate within the artform and social movement do not have the same perspectives. I would like to think that although this complexity is understood what cannot be changed regardless of the multiple thoughts and ideas within the culture is that Hip-Hop has always engaged as a storyteller and representation of the Black struggle.…

    • 1148 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Who Owns Hip-Hop

    • 842 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Who owns Hip-Hop? Hip- hop has been one of the most hated and most loved genres of music since the late 70s. Some of the most popular artists were associated with hip-hop. Also, some of the most disliked artist were associated with hip-hop.…

    • 842 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Hip Hop is known for turning woman into actual objects the main saying being “Weed, money, and Hoes” . In Mhlearnings article by Brandon albert we see a good illustration of what women mean in hip hop In the rap world, “women represent success, and they are treated almost as accessories: a means for rappers to prove that they have made it to the…

    • 1564 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hip Hop Subculture Essay

    • 906 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Research Paper Over the past forty years, hip-hop has emerged as one of the biggest contributors to American culture. American youth today use hip-hop music to voice the social, political, economic, and cultural conditions in their lives. Hip-hop today also reflects its origin from working-class African-Americans in New York City, and continues to serve as the voice of these people. As the popularity of hip-hop has grown, its marketability has also risen.…

    • 906 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sexiness Sells Analysis

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Hip-hop music is negatively altering the role of women in black communities, and fans are merely reducing themselves to nothing more than sex objects. Ultimately, America is shaping a culture that diminishes and degrades women and citizens must unite to end this deplorable…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In my opinion, music has changed a lot in the recent years. Music before had more meaningful lyrics and original music. Today, most of the music genres has gone in the wrong direction, of course there still some musicians who are devoted and still producing an outstanding work. For example, many singer of Rap and Hip Hop music are including meaningless words and contents such as cars, wealth, sex, and other related things to their music and forgetting the important issues in life like hunger and wars. Moreover, the video clips produced for these songs are obviously made for the singer to show off.…

    • 353 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Hip Hop Culture

    • 1059 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Hip Hop is seen everywhere, in movies, shows, soap operas, fashion, works of art, and hundreds of other forms that have been embodied in modern society. According to Carl Taylor and Virgil Taylor in Hip Hop is Now: An Evolving Youth Culture, “Hip Hop culture has a proclivity towards violence and self destruction” (210-213) and they believe it is the most disturbing aspect of Hip Hop culture. The media and parents would see Rap and Hip Hop as if it was promoting gang, violence, drug use, and other negative things so they saw this music as a destructive influence on the young. At one point in history Hip Hop lingo did regard acts of violence, heard frequently in the streets by young individuals. As Hip Hop grew it started to become known as Rap.…

    • 1059 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    To be or not to be poetry or hip-hop. Poetry and hip-hop an ongoing debate on whether or not they are compatible or completely irrelevant. What is poetry? Poetry is the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm. Hip hop a musical style that express feelings and ideas with the use of beats and rhythm.…

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays