Category: Hip Hop

  • Hip-Hop & Shakespeare: The TED Talk

    The TED Talk video with the British MC and a hip-hop scholar Akala presented an exciting look at the legacy of William Shakespeare. The speaker offers the audience and the viewers to participate in a quiz where he delivers a line, and people have to guess whether it is by Shakespeare or a modern rapper.…

  • Hip-Hop in the Bronx and Link to Gentrification

    Introduction Hip-hop is usually associated with economically depressed and predominantly African American (Black) neighborhoods. The art form originated in Bronx County, in the City of New York during the 1970s (Knight). From the beginning, it has been masked by mystery, and this is because the genre started on the fringes of society (Soundbreaking). Consequently, hip-hop…

  • Gil Scott-Heron’s Influence on Modern Hip-Hop Music

    Table of Contents Introduction Influence on A Tribe Called Quest Influence on Kanye West Influence on Common Influence on Kendrick Lamar Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Gil Scott-Heron can be reasonably called one of the most influential artists of all time, and he will always be remembered as one of the individuals who spoke freely and…

  • Hip-Hop and Early African-American Music

    Parallel forms of hip-hop and early African-American music include, first of all, beatboxing. Beatboxing did not exist in the days of blues and jazz, but this is a direct reference to the ethnic music of the indigenous tribes of Africa. In general, staccato rhythms, thumps, and jerky jolts are familiar to all African-American music, especially…

  • Hip-Hop Musical Impact on the World

    Table of Contents Introduction Freedom and Empowerment Business Sexual Behavior Language Influence of Southern Hip Hop Culture Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Hip-hop is a musical genre and part of a wider culture of hip-hop. The hip-hop culture has several hallmarks to its characteristics; they include rapping, emceeing, freestyling, scratching among other attributes. Its origin can…

  • Hip-Hop Contribution to Forming Positive and Negative Worldviews

    Hip-Hop Is About Injustice Hip-hop contributes to forming both positive and negative worldviews and ideological attitudes of today’s youth. Like other manifestation of art, this reflects modern reality; that is, it raises questions that concern its adherents. It includes various issues of sexuality, gender identity, refugees, sexism, and racism. As a cultural phenomenon, hip hop…

  • The Hip Hop Wars by T. Rose: A Book Review

    I believe that hip hop, to this day, is a viable way for the African American community to “keep it real.” In other words, the community can utilize hip hop to pose vocal and poignant social justice statements in situations where all other political appeal methods have failed. I have personally faced a situation where…

  • Gangstagrass: Bluegrass and Hip-Hop Music Band

    Gangstagrass is a bluegrass/hip-hop band that mixes elements of traditional bluegrass music with hip-hop beats to stress the thematic similarity of lyrics in both genres. In the band’s song Long Hard Times To Come, the following lyrics are recited by the guest hip-hop performer TONE-z: “Hook the car up–hit the bar up–clean the scars up–hey…

  • Essay on Representation of Women in Hip Hop

    The music industry has remained male-dominated for a long time in history. However, the current society has seen a few women come out as hip-hop artists and gain fame that is equal to that accorded to men. Such women include famous rappers such as Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Shakira, and Rihanna, whose talents are visible…

  • Hip Hop’s Betrayal of Black Women: Analytical Essay

    The social power of Hip Hop during the late 1980s and the 1990s cannot be underestimated. Rap became in the most important musical genre of the period with huge commercial profits and public demand. However, as Wood emphasizes “like any industry or art form dominated by men, sexism was inherent” (Wood 2015). As the genre…