From its roots in the depths of Jamaica’s political uprisings to its role in fostering togetherness in the south Bronx, hip-hop culture is a phoenix: born from the ashes of a dejected, scorned community which blossomed into a vibrant, rich culture. Political and social tensions, in conjunction with diverse artistic movements, influenced the culture and expression of hip-hop; a movement which began in the seven-mile world of the South Bronx and eventually became a global sensation. Hip-hop was formed long before it had a name and a distinct sound. In its essence, hip-hop was formed as a response and a continuation of the fight for social justice. Certainly, as a musical genre, hip-hop’s development from existing musical style is evident. Musical
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He had now coined the movement “hip-hop” and released “Planet Rock” in 1982 as “hip-hop’s universal invitation, a hypnotic vision of one world under a groove, beyond race, poverty, sociology and geography” (Chang 172). “Planet Rock” revolutionized hip-hop through challenging listeners and performers alike to commit to togetherness and is touted as the catalyst that allowed hip-hop to become global (Chang 173), to a greater extent even than The Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979 as the first rap record. Later, this theme of knowledge continued with artist KRS (Knowledge Reigning Supreme)-One, who openly spurned increasing commercialism and cultural exploitation of 1990’s hip-hop (“About KRS-One”). In his 1995 song “Out for Fame,” KRS-One both remembers the original principle of hip-hop culture as storytelling and challenges those only producing hip-hop music for fame and capital gain with the words:
The first graffiti artists in the world were the Egyptians
Writing on the walls, mixing characters with letters to tell the graphic story about their life, however today we do the same thing, with how we rap and draw
We call it hardcore, they call it breakin the law
There used to be a time when rap music was illegal
The cops would come and break up every party when they see you
But now the rap music 's making money for the corporate
It 's acceptable to flaunt it, now everybody 's on it
Graffiti isn 't corporate so it gets no
He had now coined the movement “hip-hop” and released “Planet Rock” in 1982 as “hip-hop’s universal invitation, a hypnotic vision of one world under a groove, beyond race, poverty, sociology and geography” (Chang 172). “Planet Rock” revolutionized hip-hop through challenging listeners and performers alike to commit to togetherness and is touted as the catalyst that allowed hip-hop to become global (Chang 173), to a greater extent even than The Sugar Hill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979 as the first rap record. Later, this theme of knowledge continued with artist KRS (Knowledge Reigning Supreme)-One, who openly spurned increasing commercialism and cultural exploitation of 1990’s hip-hop (“About KRS-One”). In his 1995 song “Out for Fame,” KRS-One both remembers the original principle of hip-hop culture as storytelling and challenges those only producing hip-hop music for fame and capital gain with the words:
The first graffiti artists in the world were the Egyptians
Writing on the walls, mixing characters with letters to tell the graphic story about their life, however today we do the same thing, with how we rap and draw
We call it hardcore, they call it breakin the law
There used to be a time when rap music was illegal
The cops would come and break up every party when they see you
But now the rap music 's making money for the corporate
It 's acceptable to flaunt it, now everybody 's on it
Graffiti isn 't corporate so it gets no