A look at the past, present and future of Hip-Hop
Since the early 1980's, Hip-Hop has continued to grow and make it's way into the mainstream, generating billions of dollars for major record labels and companies, exposing the world to some of the most talented and lyrically gifted brothers and sisters to ever spit on a mic. Hip-Hop culture has set the hottest trends, giving black and hispanic youth a voice that informed the world of what was happening in our urban communities. The culture was more than just music and a fad, it was a movement.
Fast forwarding to the new millennium, Hip-Hop has continued its dominance as the most influential music genre today. There has been many artists that have come and gone since Hip-Hop first hit the mainstream and people can argue who is the greatest lyricist or emcee of all time until the end of time but one thing is clear, the music has changed and Hip-Hop has evolved. Many of the concepts are the same but there is no longer as much variety as there once was at one point and time when it comes to mainstream Hip-Hop.
People could argue that there just aren't as many gifted and creative emcees or rappers like their were in the 80's and 90's such as Biggie, 2-Pac, Public Enemy, Run DMC, Lauren Hill, and Outkast just to name a few. Or that the younger generation cares nothing about lyrical skills or being socially conscience such as Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka and Soulja Boy. A few years ago, Nas came out with an album and song, Hip-Hop is Dead, where he says, "Everybody sounds the same/commercialize the game/reminiscin' when it wasn't all business/they forgot where it started". Hip-Hop is no longer a movement, it is a multi-billion dollar business, where we as consumers and artists have lost a sense of purpose, which is to buildup and to empower the urban community.
So where does the culture go from here? Has Hip-Hop reached its creative peak? As consumers of music and entertainment products we have a voice and the power to demand change if we want change. People cannot fault major record labels and corporate America for what sells, they base marketing and promotion plans off of consumer buying habits. By no means am I telling people what they need to listen to, buy or what they should like, but let's get a grip about how this is affecting the urban community across the country.
For example, there are places like Elementz Hip-Hop Youth Center, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Elementz recruits youth between the ages of 14 to 24 and focuses on teaching the elements of Hip-hop and promoting Hip-Hop in a positive light helping the community. On the other hand, there are artists like Gucci Mane, who recently was arrested for throwing a woman out of a moving car for refusing to have sex with him and has multiple accounts of criminal activity that reflects in his music. The message that some of these young brothers and sisters promote and release are negatively working on our subconscious mind. Where do we as the urban community and consumers draw the line and deem this as unacceptable? When do we start holding artists more accountable for their content and actions? Corporate America does not care because the music sells so the problem has to be fixed from within, that means within the Urban community.
As we look into the future in Hip-Hop, with digital technology we as consumers are beginning to have a choice again and a variety of who we want to listen to and when we want to listen to it. With social networking sites such as YouTube and Facebook, music sites like Pandora and Adio, and satellite and internet radio stations, underground and independent Hip-Hop artists have more opportunity to be heard rather than being dismissed by local radio stations for popular artists which is a win for the culture.
Music is powerful, it energizes and influences people and over the years Hip-Hop has begun to lose its power. As new artists and emerging figures rise within the culture to continue the legacy, let's take this lucrative movement, work together and make strives to improve the economical state of our communities.
