Hip-Hop, today, is one of the most influential subcultures in popular culture, and its music is considered to be one of the most popular and powerful genres. In it’s origins, It gave voices to the youth of the 70’s and 80s, and gave them relevance in a world that otherwise wouldn’t through their paintings on New York subways that went “all-city”. Youth and even other, older, individuals with voices that were unheard were eventually heard through all means of Hip-Hop as well. The Hip-Hop movement that started in the 1970’s and gained great popularity in the early 1980’s, created a culture in which youth and others were able to express themselves, when they otherwise wouldn’t be heard, through mediums such as graffiti, break dancing, rapping,
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According to Orlando Rodriguez, in a 1984 study he conducted , “Examination of crime rates in the Bronx shows that the South Bronx, an area of high Puerto Rican concentration and one of the poorest areas in New York City” and supposedly where the Hip-Hop movement began, “has higher than average juvenile crime rates” (Rodriguez 1). In New York City, from 1970-1989 the average rate of murder per year was, 1619.4 (Mitchell 5). Graffiti, along with other forms of hip-hop, was used as a means by many of these youth to stay out of the crime-ridden streets, or subways. Although graffiti was a crime, many turned to it as a means to stay away from serious crimes, and drugs on the street, as well as a means to express themselves. In “Style Wars”, graffiti writer Skeme is seen discussing a train he did, stating “We did umm, two whole cars. It was me, Dez, and Main Three right? And on the first car in small letters it said “All you see is..” and then you know Big, big, you know some block silver letters That said '..crime in the city' right?" (Silver). Skeme discussing all the crime he sees in the city demonstrates how the cities were filled with crime and the youth of that time used other mediums such as hip-hop or graffiti to stay away from the gangs, violent crime, and drugs that are all over the city and subway system. Another writer addresses the issue in the film by stating “They got guys out there …show more content…
It could be said “that crack hit communities with a savage force unlike any previous drug”, and that “there were always more dealers entering the game, trying to get in on the cash flow” (Samaha). New York City police commissioner in 1991, Lee P. Brown, told the Harvard business review that “the crack epidemic has precipitated an explosion of violent crime, unlike anything [they have] ever experienced” (Samaha) and that there has been a rapid increase of illegal guns on the streets (Webber). Although this paper is not on the war on drugs, and drug problems in the United States, a lot of the youth at the time avoided the drugs, and violence that was said to come with it through Hip-Hop. A break-dancer, in the film “Style Wars”, addresses the issue by stating that “breaking is when you got nothing to do and everyone standing around getting high” (Silver). This demonstrates how many instead of turning to just getting high when bored, went on to express themselves through means of hip-hop, such as break dancing. They were youth that had nothing better to do, but would turn to means of expression rather than the drug that was said to plague the streets. Many blamed graffiti writers for breaking things and causing damage to the city, but a writer points out “people trynna make it look like graffiti writer’s break
According to Orlando Rodriguez, in a 1984 study he conducted , “Examination of crime rates in the Bronx shows that the South Bronx, an area of high Puerto Rican concentration and one of the poorest areas in New York City” and supposedly where the Hip-Hop movement began, “has higher than average juvenile crime rates” (Rodriguez 1). In New York City, from 1970-1989 the average rate of murder per year was, 1619.4 (Mitchell 5). Graffiti, along with other forms of hip-hop, was used as a means by many of these youth to stay out of the crime-ridden streets, or subways. Although graffiti was a crime, many turned to it as a means to stay away from serious crimes, and drugs on the street, as well as a means to express themselves. In “Style Wars”, graffiti writer Skeme is seen discussing a train he did, stating “We did umm, two whole cars. It was me, Dez, and Main Three right? And on the first car in small letters it said “All you see is..” and then you know Big, big, you know some block silver letters That said '..crime in the city' right?" (Silver). Skeme discussing all the crime he sees in the city demonstrates how the cities were filled with crime and the youth of that time used other mediums such as hip-hop or graffiti to stay away from the gangs, violent crime, and drugs that are all over the city and subway system. Another writer addresses the issue in the film by stating “They got guys out there …show more content…
It could be said “that crack hit communities with a savage force unlike any previous drug”, and that “there were always more dealers entering the game, trying to get in on the cash flow” (Samaha). New York City police commissioner in 1991, Lee P. Brown, told the Harvard business review that “the crack epidemic has precipitated an explosion of violent crime, unlike anything [they have] ever experienced” (Samaha) and that there has been a rapid increase of illegal guns on the streets (Webber). Although this paper is not on the war on drugs, and drug problems in the United States, a lot of the youth at the time avoided the drugs, and violence that was said to come with it through Hip-Hop. A break-dancer, in the film “Style Wars”, addresses the issue by stating that “breaking is when you got nothing to do and everyone standing around getting high” (Silver). This demonstrates how many instead of turning to just getting high when bored, went on to express themselves through means of hip-hop, such as break dancing. They were youth that had nothing better to do, but would turn to means of expression rather than the drug that was said to plague the streets. Many blamed graffiti writers for breaking things and causing damage to the city, but a writer points out “people trynna make it look like graffiti writer’s break