There are some forms of music that seem to transcend the sands of time. For example, the classical music pieces of Johann Sebastian Bach and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are still relevant in various areas of education and enjoyment today, from everyday piano lessons to speculation of creating smarter babies. Hip Hop is another form of music that seems as if it is starting to transcend the sands of time, but in a slightly deferent way.
Since the emergence of HIP Hop at the early end of the 20th century, a vast amount of elements and sounds have been incorporated into this genre, sprouting branches on the Hip Hop tree. In my opinion, the emergence of gangs rap, conscious rap, west coast and other variations of Hip Hop testament to a emergence of Hip Hop music and popular culture today, and the ever-evolving presence of Hip Hop music in general. Without a doubt HIP Hop music transformed the entertainment industry, and all kinds of people’s notions of entertainment, style, and politics in the process.
As founding father of HIP Hop Africa Bumboat stated HIP Hop culture consists of five elements: 1) rapping (emceeing), 2) Digging, 3) B-boning/B-girdling the art of break dancing, 4) graffiti, and 5) “knowledge”. The evolution of this genre of the music has somewhat left some of these elements out but at the same time all of these elements were looked at as expressions of art. The same way you go to a museum and see statues, paintings, and sculptures they all represent art just in different forms.
The “Hip Hop culture” has invaded popular culture in an extraordinary fashion. Things have changed, as there has been a lack of graffiti due to a crackdown on laws and break dancing and B-Boning has faded but we do see other types of dances formed In different parts of the country that still bring people together These are all art rooms that were an escape to all that participated. Hip Hop is not only a noun being that it is the genre of music but it is an adjective describing many aspects ands walks of life.
Style, personality, and attitude the list goes on. Although it Isn’t that long lived HIP Hop has seen an evolution and many things have changed from the start of this movement to today. Due to its enormous appeal, the Hip Hop culture is a great unifier of different populations. Although created by black youth in the streets on New York. HIP Hop’s influence has spread around to become worldwide. The graffiti oh see on bridges, walls and trains. The dances you see In the clubs or being performed for you between stops.
The gritty hard attitude that the boy sitting across from you in McDonald’s has, all the way down to the slang you here kids yell at the park, this is all hip-hop being diversified from the music. Hip Hop is a story to tell all about expression. Slowly starting off on blocks of the Bronx and expanding through out New York City to the rest of the world. Hip Hop is a fairly recent genre of music that has had one of the greatest impacts on society in such a short period of time. With HIP Hop everything Is a statement that expresses what the artists wanted to express.
Whether Its through their graffiti on a 3 train going from uptown to Brooklyn or a Break dance battle on the Eve. Hip Hop as taken 1 OFF culture today. If I wasn’t in the rap game I’d probably have a key knee deep in the crack game the streets is a short stop either you slinging’ crack rock or you got a wicked Jump shot “Things Done Changed,” The Notorious B. I. G. Growing up we were always told to keep it realistic in what we were trying to accomplish in life. We all wanted to be basketball players or rappers but the Hansen were extremely slim.
So this line from the Notorious B. I. G embodies that. That’s where an original connection with Hip Hop and sports began, that’s all some people had as an escape out of their neighborhoods. Athletic Organizations such as the NAB and NFG all have ties with hip hop culture. It’s something that has gotten big because as of lately it is catered too by society. We see it in advertising and commercials especially. From the emergence of Michael Jordan into the NAB the tie between Hip Hop and athletics has gotten huge.
All for being an individual instead of earring NAB attire like his team he wore his own Nikkei Air Jordan warm-up. Also fond of wearing gold chains Jordan wouldn’t take them off until brief moments before the game. When he debuted his new Air Jordan sneakers, the league not only fined him but they banned the shoe as well. He simply continued to wear the sneaker and Nikkei would pay the fine for him. Once those sneakers debuted they officially became a staple in Hip Hop cultures wardrobe alongside the Aids “Shell toe. The Hip Hop audiences’ attention wants to be caught by advertisers. People have lead the way with movements such as this as well. Another great example I can think of is Allen Iverson he changed the look of the NAB with the baggy shorts, excessive tattoos, and jewelry. AH was the definition hip-hop in a basketball uniform. To some he appeared very fashionable wearing his hair in cornrows under an upside down headband and more tattoos than your favorite rapper at that time.
He refused to bend over backwards to accommodate the tastes of the mainstream, traveling with a crew of friends from back in the day, and getting shot right after his rookie year with a gun and a bag of weed under the seat of his car. His obvious “l don’t give a damn” attitude made him loved by millions and hated by millions as well. Iverson was considered to be so detrimental to the establishment that the NAB airbrushed away his tattoos when he was on the cover of the league’s official magazine, “Hoop,” hoping to make him look more “acceptable to the people. But in his very own way, Iverson, like Jordan and Barley before him, pioneered a way of behaving that set the tone for the league. The baggy shorts are the last link between hip-hop and basketballs connection. Donned by a majority of the players such as superstars Shah, Kobo, T- Mac, Kevin Garnett and Rehashed Wallace. It was a dramatic increase from the thigh hugging short shorts worn by legends such as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.
Leaders such as him that had a rough past let a lot of kids from neighborhood where In 2004 Jay-G’s song Public Service Announcement he said “l got a hustler spirit, Amiga period, Check out my hat you, peep the way I wear it, Check out my swag’ you, I walk like a ballplayer, No matter where you go, you are what you are player, And you can try to change but that’s Just the top layer Man, you was who you was ‘fore you got here, Only God can Judge me, so I’m gone, Either love me, or leave me alone. ” From this you an see that the swagger of basketball players carries over into the Hip Hop world.