360 Degrees: Hip-Hop

I'm often frustrated with today's misconceptions about hip-hop music that reside in the minds of many people, especially those of the generation ahead of me. The ones I'd like to focus on are the stereotypes that hip-hop is materialistic and degrading, that it takes no skill and that it is not even music.

I'm really curious why, nowadays, people tend to overlook the sex, drugs and money involved with other genres of music. But when these subjects appear in hip-hop music, they are suddenly, corrupting today's youth. Maybe it's just been accepted that the big three simply go along with rock 'n roll and the other popular genres of today. I can think of plenty of songs from my parents' generation that are just as risque if not more, than some of the hip-hop music being played today. Another question I've asked myself about this issue is, "how did this generalization come to be?" I think a large part of the problem is that the songs that are pretty racy are the ones being played on the radio. My guess is that songs that are just as good or better than the dirty or catchy ones are often turned down because they won't generate as much buzz or controversy. This is true for other genres (ex. I Kissed A Girl - Katie Perry) as well, but especially hip-hop. For many hip-hop lovers, this is the root of their frustration with most mainstream music.

Does hip-hop music require skill? I can see some people's point that it does not require the ability to sing. But, some very good hip-hop songs do incorporate singing from the artist themselves or bring in some one else to sing a verse or chorus. I've also read peoples' opinions about how many critics of hip-hop grossly underestimate the amount of skill it takes to be able to write lyrics and deliver them in a way that doesn't sacrifice the meaning of the song. Many "hip-hop heads" believe that lyricists that are unable to do this come off as cheesy and unskilled. Unfortunately for them, some of these artists are among the most played on the radio and MTV. A case in point is Crank Dat - 'Soulja Boy'. Incorporation of metaphors, similes, personification and other figurative language is another trademark of talented lyricists. Rappers like Lupe Fiasco, Nas, Common and Talib Kweli, are able to expertly use figurative language in their songs, while still making them rhyme and without forgoing the meaning of the song. To many listeners including myself, these are the most important things in a song.

Another popular criticism of hip-hop music I find myself battling is that it is not music. Why? I've heard arguments such as "hip-hop is simply poetry set to a beat." Isn't that true for most genres of music? One of the stronger ones I've heard is "hip-hop is not music because it is not harmonious." Webster's dictionary defines music as "a: the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity b: vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony." Doesn't hip-hop fall under this definition? Nowhere does it say that it is a requirement to have harmony. Even if it did, would not the beat that the artist is rapping over qualify as melodic or harmonious? I think that it does. Good beat-creators (producers), such as Kanye West, use a variety of instruments to create unique sound combinations for their melodic and often very catchy beats. However, many are electronically produced. Does a lack of instruments take away from the musicality of hip-hop? Or is the music simply evolving alongside today's technological developments?

After writing this blog I can see how some of the generalizations have been created. In some cases, they are true. Some are still up for debate. But I think that if people can look beyond them with an open mind, they too will discover a musical genre with many talented artists, meaningful songs and great music.