Misjudgement of A rapper
The Merriam-Webster Colligate dictionary defines Hip-Hop as "a subculture especially of inner-city youths whose amusements include rap music, graffiti, and break dancing; an element or art form prevalent within this subculture." This is a general and to me, a very discriminatory definition that gives one the impression that hip-hop is just "a black thing." Hip-hop is an art form, a history and a form of expression that should be treated with the same respect as rock, soul and popular music. Hip Hop is the foundation of rap and is to be defined by a history and not as a single phrase.Hip Hop includes deejaying, emceeing/rapping, break dancing and graffiti art. These art forms as we know them today, originated in the Bronx section of New York City around the late 1970s. Hip Hop has thrived within the United States and is now just recently beginning to enjoy worldwide exposure. From a personal perspective, Hip Hop has been one of the main contributing factors that helped limit gang violence due to the fact that many adults found it relaxing to channel their anger and aggressions into these art forms which eventually became the ultimate expression of one's selfTo many, hip hop is just Gangster rap. When the word hip-ho
At that time rap was not yet known as 'rap' but called 'emceeing'. There were no set rules, except to be original and to rhyme to the beat of music. In those early days, young teens recited phrases and used the slang of the day. One could make up a rap about the man on the moon or how good his car was. There were many people who would try and copy someone's style, but even that was always overpowered by a person's inner self. One didn't have to invest in lessons, or anything like that. Who ever stops and thinks about James Brown, Curtis Mayfield or Isaac Hayes? Those are the original pioneers of hip-hop, the men who laid down the foundation for people to dance and have fun. If you were hyperactive or hostile, you could rap at a fast pace. These early raps featured someone such as Grand Master Flash shouting over the instrumental break; 'Yo this is Grand Master Flash in the house saying my homie, Johnny J is in the house'. Now if you ask most people to give a definition of "rap", they're likely to state that it's the reciting of rhymes to the beat of music. As an aspiring rapper myself, I feel that the definition of hip hop is to be explained as a history and not as a single phrase. It's a form of expression that finds its roots imbedded deep within ancient African culture and oral tradition. The ultimate goal was to be perceived as being 'def (good) by one's peers. With regards to grand master flash, as he progressed, he eventually turned his attention to the turntables and let the Furious Five handle the microphone duties.
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