Hip Hop and Black culture

Hip hop is a cultural movement that incorporates music, fashion, slang, and many other elements. Hip hop culture was originated by African Americans but now hip hop is very much a global art form. Hip hop has spread from everywhere to Israel, Palestine, France, Germany, and the U.K.. National Geographic even went as far to say hip hop is “the world's favorite youth culture” in which “just about every country on the planet seems to have developed its own local rap scene”. Hip hop is now considered a “global musical epidemic”. Hip hop allows individuals to speak about things they want to talk about no matter what the topics are. Hip hop is also very much rooted in black culture in America. Almost everything in black culture is influenced by hip hop rather it be language or dress. This in part explains why there seems to be such a fascination with hip hop.

In his presentation "Rap Music: Afrika to Hip Hop” Dr. Kwaku Person-Lynn says hip hop was originated in West Africa and it is considered African oral poetry. Rap is a form of storytelling or oral tradition, in which stories are told and passed down from generation to generation. Often times in hip hop songs they speak about the everyday struggles of blacks and things that are common or popular in the black community. We learned through Cullens that Whites where extremely fascinated by black culture in the past and through modern day hip hop that fascination seems to continue. White people are consistently considered some of the best supporters of hip hop. It was recently found that at a 50 Cent and Eminem concert nearly 60% of the audience was white. Hip Hop is also something that has improved race relations. By listening to hip hop songs many people develop an understanding of things the predominantly black artists speak about.

In today’s world hip hop is evolving more to be a multiracial art form but at the end of the day its roots trace back to Africa. There is no doubt in my mind that the fascination with hip hop will continue as long as artists continue to make good music.