Hip-hop more than a genre

    On Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008, The Black Student Alliance and the GCSU Chapter of NAACP sponsored a forum entitled, “Every Time the Beat Drops.” This forum discussed how hip-hop is more than a genre; how it has evolved into a fashion, status and a lifestyle. Ultimately, hip-hop has become a culture.
    Led by Roderick Sylvester, the president of the NAACP, the forum included a four person panel: Dr. Beauty Braggs, assistant professor of English; Emmanuel Little, admissions counselor; Brittany Lewis, a junior mass communications major who is also an aspiring singer/ song writer; and Ronny Mills, a producer.
    While the questions asked were directed to the panel, the audience felt inspired to get involved and voice their opinions to the topics at hand. With the constant interaction between audience and panel, this forum discussed everything from the status quo of hip-hop, to women’s roles in the music industry.
    The first question that was raised was, “What is the status quo of hip-hop?” Before this question could be answered, four songs were played for the audience to simply listen to and enjoy. The first song was KRS-One’s “Love,” then Soulja Boy’s “Crank That,” next was Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First,” and last but not least, Dem Franchize Boyz’s “Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It,” were played.
     “Those four songs represent what hip-hop sounds like,”  said Sylvester after listening to all four songs. The question of status quo was once again relayed to the panel.
     “Hip-hop is like we are” it reflects “whatever our state is,” said Braggs.
       Lewis however, believes that “hip-hop has become very commercial,” and in today’s industry, it is more about sales than the true essence.
    “People have become anti hip-hop of this culture that they do not understand,” said Little.   
    Mills, who was born in the Caribbean, remembers how easily children back at home were influenced by hip-hop’s clothing and style. Their style changed when hip-hop’s style changed.
    “Hip-hop has evolved just like mankind,” said Mills.
    Indeed “old school” hip-hop music and today’s version of hip-hop is so drastically different that one may wonder if they’re even from the same genre.
    “Music is evolving,” said Braggs, “We as fans do not want to hear old hip-hop.”
Braggs further proved her point by revealing the audience’s physical response when they heard a new song compared to the older songs by Queen Latifah and KRS-One. Heads bobbed as they caught the rhythm of Dem Franchize Boyz and Soulja Boy, but not too much enjoyment was shown when listening to the old hip-hop.
    The panel further expounded on hip-hop and status quo, and realized that today’s hip-hop music though more popular  and current, the music has lost its literary component.
     “New songs do not really say anything,” said Bragg.
    Agreeing with Bragg, Little recognizes that hip-hop used to be the “movement of the youth generation”; however, it now has a completely different definition.
    “A lack of real talent found in artists like Soulja Boy over shine real artist such as T.I.,” said Cody Blenman, an audience member and freshman GCSU student.
     The next topic that was on the floor included the fact that cars and jewelry are so prominent in the hip-hop culture. King Ice.com advertises that it is selling, “the latest hip-hop bling bling .925 silver bullet chains made of real cubic zirconium diamonds,” which is something that is seen on the necks of many artists.
    It is “American culture,” said Braggs, “and materialism is an expression of power.”
    This is evident in popular music videos where artists show-off a very lavish lifestyle of highly accessorized cars, scantily clad women and diamonds from head to toe.
    “When hip-hop first started, we had to show off what we had acquired,” said Little.
    This is why we are so involved in showing and wearing our achievements. Lewis believes that this “bling bling” attitude “gives a false impression that all you need is one song and you are rich.”
    The last topic to be discussed was the current state of the media and its influence on hip-hop. Before this topic was discussed, Jim Jones’ “Certified Gangster” and Destiny’s Child’s “Solider” music videos were played.
     Jones’ music video starts out with a robbery that leads to a shooting, which was edited out when played on MTV and BET. Destiny’s Child’s music video included the lyrics, “If your status ain’t hood, I ain’t checkin’ for him, Betta be street if he lookin’ at me.”
     “Media is glorifying the thug lifestyle,” said Mills, “however, what they express through rap is what they live. It may look glorified, but it is actually reality.”
    Through media, people think they want to be thugs until they have to live a thug’s life.
    “Everyone wants to be Tupac (Shakur) until they get shot,” said Little.
    Blenman believes they are only “talking about the day to day life that people do not want to talk about.”
    Unfortunately, this media gangster that so many young children imitate, is leading to an identity crisis. “We watched Bow Wow grow up, and we know exactly where he came from, but now he is a thug? Identity crisis are occurring with these fads that are coming and going,” said Audia Jones, a junior marketing major and audience member.
    Another member of the audience, Marcus Green, a sophomore accounting major said, “If we develop a concept of who a real man is, that will change our perception of what a black man is.” We will no longer need to look to the media for false advertisement.
    Today’s media has created an illusion of what hip-hop truly means.  It has become overtaken by the idea of earning a quick dollar and showing off one’s earnings.  Although today’s å has shyed away from truly being poetic works of art, hip-hop is still affecting the lives of people across the world.  This genre turned culture is a constant factor of trends, lifestyles and attitudes.

"masterful"

“Stand on another line, why?
You did a crime now the time is mine
I school you and your crew, why?
Youse is my brother
Stop – sellin and killin one another
Take some time, to see what’s missin
Brothers in the ?, we on a mission”
Run D.M.C..,  “Word is born,” www.azlyrics.com

“Now that you’re gone it hit us
Super hard on Thankgiving and Christmas, this can’t be right
Yeah you heard the track I did man, this can’t be life
Somebody please say grace so I can save face
And have a reason to cover my face”
Kanye West,  “Family Business,” www.azlyrics.com

“A
in’t nobody tell us it wuz fair
no luv for my daddy, cause tha coward wuzn’t there
he passed away and I didn’t cry
cause my anger, wouldn’t let me feel for a stranger
they say i’m wrong and i’m heartless
but all along I wuz looking for a father–he wuz gone”
Tupac Shakur, “Dear Mama,” www.metrolyrics.com

vs

"meaningless"

“I’m the flyest thing walkin’ through junior high school
So make room next to your little backstreet poster
Cause Bow Wow’s here and its over; YA HEARD”
Lil bow bow, “Bow Wow,” www.azlyrics.com

“Meet me in the trap its going down
Meet me in the mall its going down
Meet me in the club its going down
Any where ya meet me guaranteed to go down”
Yung Joc, “Goin’ Down,”, www.azlyrics.com

“I could go number one ten times
Pretty girls that like my rhymes
You can say Bubba ain’t gonna shine
Guess wha, wha, don’t really give a hootnanny”
Bubba Sparks, “Hootnanny,” www.sing365.com

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 29 2008. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry