Hip-Hop Theory, Culture the Central

Hip-Hop Theory, Culture

The central theme of the lecture notes is how hip-hop is more than the music. The music became the primary vehicle through which oppressed social groups expressed their experiences and impressions. The fact that hip-hop is now a part of subversive street culture in countries outside of the United States proves that hip-hop is a social and cultural movement more than it is a genre of music.

Similarly, the lecture notes emphasize how hip-hop transcends race. Hip-hop is closely associated with the African-American culture in which it was born. However, DJs and rappers from various ethnic backgrounds have participated and enriched the movement since the early 1980s. The lecture notes also point out how diverse hip-hop music is, in relation to both the music and the lyrics.

The incorporation of visual art and dance into hip-hop is an important point in the lecture notes. Music has obscured the other forms of hip-hop expression because music is more portable. However, hip-hop art and dance styles have infiltrated popular culture and commerce too. Graffiti fonts have become commonplace, and break dancing can be seen on prime time television reality dance show competitions. Many cities are actively encouraging hip-hop to flourish by allocating public space for large-scale communal murals.

Hip-hop music has also become part of the mainstream, and the lecture notes emphasize the importance of this transition for both those involved in hip-hop and consumers. The notes claim that hip-hop has become a $10 billion industry and 80% of its consumers are white. Introducing hip-hop to the mainstream has in many cases affected the quality and content of its music. However, many artists used commercial success to promote the spirit of hip-hop that transcended the music.

Early hip-hop music had its roots in funk and soul, and was not widely accepted outside of the community in which it was created. The unique sounds of rap music challenged the American listening public by shifting away from rock song structures and instrumentation. Sampling songs and scratch became some of the signature effect of DJs, who provided the music over which rappers would speak their poetry. The fact that rapping is generally unmelodic and set over percussive-forward music ensured that hip-hop remained an underground music. Break beats offered a novel approach to musical expression. The lecture notes discuss the supremacy of the DJ within hip-hop, which is why one DJ could pair up with multiple rappers.

The lecture notes outline the pivotal moments that pushed hip-hop into the mainstream. The "internal growing pains" referred to in the lecture also lends insight into how hip-hop has never been monolithic. Artistic diversity has ensured that the genre thrives and grows. The lecture also addresses the different styles and sounds that hip-hop assumed when the movement spread beyond the boundaries of the five boroughs. California hip-hop has made an especially strong stamp on the industry.