The expression of the relationship between urban youth and their environment. The art of the streets.
Graffiti. DJing. MCing. B-Boying. B-Girling. Break dancing. Poetry. Tattoos. Rhythm. Blues.
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Hip Hop is an art form that includes deejaying cuttin' & scartchin' emceeing/rappin', break dancing and graffiti art. These art forms as we know them today originated in the South Bronx section of New York City around the mid 1970s. Hip Hop has thrived within the subculture of Black and Puerto Rican communities in New York and is now just recently beginning to enjoy widespread exposure. From a sociological perspective, Hip Hop has been one of the main contributing factors that helped curtail gang violence due to the fact that many adults found it preferable to channel their anger and aggressions into these art forms which eventually became the ultimate expression of one's self.
The Godfather of Hip Hop is Afrika Bambaattaa. The world's oldest, largest and most respected grass roots of hip hop. He created an organization called the Universal Zulu Nation. Hip Hop culture is a positive tool for social change. The inception of Hip Hop culture in the Bronx was during the early 1970's; it has been a vehicle for breaking down racial barriers on a world wide level. Hip Hop is a means for overcoming challenges, and a means for teaching awareness and knowledge, inspiration and wisdom. During the 70's, Hip Hop was a celebration of life, gradually developing to form a cultural movement as a result of its dynamic energy and momentum. Hip Hop culture has greatly influenced the entertainment world with its creative contributions in music, dance, art, poetry, and fashion. Hip Hop is the vehicle to deliver innumerable lessons and
continues to provide for unity, love, respect, and responsibility.
Due to the medias lack of knowledge about the whole of the Hip Hop culture, many of our world's youth are mistaken in thinking that activities such as: smoking blunts, drinking 40's, wearing a designer label plastered across their chest, carrying a gun, or going to strip clubs, are "Hip Hop". Hip Hop is being portrayed negatively by many artists who work in the element of Rap and this negativity is usually instigated and promoted by the record industry and various other corporations who exploit the culture at the expense of the youth's state of mind and morality.
D.J. Afrika Bambaattaa and the Universal Zulu Nation, Cool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, the Cold Crush Brothers, Cool Clyde and Lightnen Lance, Nolie Dee, Maria Davis and Mytika Davis are true inspirations to Hip Hop.
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First of all, hip-hop is more than the 'four elements'. If our culture is limited to writing illegible crap on walks, and yelling into a microphone, then it's not that great of a culture at all.
Hip Hop is the way we talk, the way we act, our fashion, our lifestyle, and our people. It's the culture of the streets,
Secondly, hip hop is NOT a music genre. Like my man said below me, rap is something you do, hip hop is something you live. Rap is just a part of hip hop, and frankly it's the part that is pretty much selling-out and shitting on it as well.
'Hip Hop is the culture of the streets. The voice of the urban community. The uniter of minorities.' - J2G
'Rap is something you do. Hip-Hop is something you live.' - KRS-One
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hip-hop artists/emcees:common, the roots, aceyalone, talib, mos def, gangstarr, heiroglyphics, rjd2. etc...
it would be totally ignorant for me to say what hip-hop is. hip-hop is what it means to you. basically, theres no definite definition of hip-hop. saying that my definition of hip-hop is right is totally bias, although i do have a opinion of what hip-hop means to ME. hip-hop is the love of the music. the culture, the passion, freedom of expression,emcees... not to be mistakened for rappers...
Ex. hip-POP rappers: lil flip, nelly, j-kwon, 50 cent, ja rule, jay-z. etc...
to me hip-hop is dying, or possibly is already dead... hip-hop is basically dead.these crap rappers are intoxicating the meaning of "hip-hop"
im not making a double-standard. thats just my opinion of what hip-hop is or is not. money, cars, clothes, hoes, bling bling, is not what hip-hop is to me.. hip-hop is whatever it means to you...
heres some of my favorite quotes from some of my favorite artists...this is just for fun. i hop you enjoy...
"I deal with the real so if its artificial let it be"
-blackthought
"its not where your from... its where your at"
-rakim
"just chalk it up and add it to the elevation"
-blackthought
"before it all comes together things fall apart"
-blackthought
"he tryna keep it real by keepin it raw. while half of yall still be keepin it flaw, and all the real heads scream FUCK HIP HOP until this mediocre bullshit stops!"
-mota mouth
hip-hop artists/emcees:common, the roots, aceyalone, talib, mos def, gangstarr, heiroglyphics, rjd2. etc...
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hip hop's not dead because millions & millions of people all around tha world still live it! hip hops not just all about tha bling bling, tha imaginary hoes, and tha computerized shiny cars in musicvideos. its not JUST a type or genre of music, it's a culture/life that people live every day. hip hop isn't just underground either.. sometimes underground artists take away the real from hip hop. sure, hip hop includes the four elements (grafitti art, djing, mcing, and breakin) but its way more then that.. hip hop is only what you yourself can define.. hip hop is real & undying so dont tell ME that hip hop is dead cause i can tell myself and everyone around there that "HIP HOP LIVES FOR ME.. I DONT LIVE FOR HIP HOP"
"ITS ALL CITY LIKE PHASE 2, HIP HOP WILL SIMPLY AMAZE YOU, CRAZE YOU, PAY YOU, DO WHATEVER YOU SAY DO, BUT BLACK, IT CAN'T SAVE YOU" --MOS DEF
people who live the life of hip hop are a few people like kanye west, talib kweli, common, mos def, the roots, hieroglyphics, de la soul, a tribe called quest
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A form of art originated in New York. Breakdancing, freestyle (a.k.a. flowing), popping and locking fall into this category. Is commonly mistaken with Rap.
Hip Hop is prosecution evidence
The out of court settlement
Ad space for liquor
Sick without benefits
Luxury tenements choking the skyline
It's low life getting tree-top high
Here there's a back water remedy
Bitter intent to memory
A class E felony
Facing the death penalty
Stimulant and sedative, original repetitive
Violently competitive, a school unaccredited
The break beats you get broken with
on time and inappropriate
Hip Hop went from selling crack to smoking it
Medicine for loneliness
Remind me of Thelonius and Dizzy
Propers to B-Boys getting busy
The war-time snap shot
The working man's jack-pot
A two dollar snack box
Sold beneath the crack spot
Olympic sponsor of the black glock
Gold medallist in the back shot
From the sovereign state of the have-nots
Where farmers have trouble with cash crops
It's all city like phase two
Hip Hop will simply amaze you
Craze you, pay you
Do whatever you say do
But black, it can't save you
"Hip-Hop" Mos Def
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Hip Hop is a cultural movement expressed through the tradional elements of deejaying, emceeing, various forms of dance (breaking, popping, locking) and writing (graf art). As a culture, hip hop represents other aspects of culture as well such as language, style of dress, politics, etc. Hip hop is life!
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