The Influence Of Hip-Hop And Music
Have you ever been listening to the radio
and actually stopped to think about what you are listening to? Of course you
have! Sure, maybe not as often as you should but, hopefully after reading what I
have to say, you will do it more often! I am writing about the influences that
hip-hop has on people and how it has actually changed the entire music
industry.
I would like to first explain to you an article called “The Secret Virus
of Hip-Hop,” by Kris Saknussemm, a novelist, poet, essayist and cultural critic.
In his article he has a marvelous point of view on how hip hop has literally
changed the world. He mentions how wherever you go in todays’ world, you will
see people who are now influenced by hip hop who in years past had not been. He
goes on to explain that you could go to New York, Auckland, Australia, Fiji, New
Ireland, or Lagos and see that youth everywhere are influenced by hip hop. How
that one drum that used to be used in a remote village, is set aside and the
villagers are listening to hip hop on the radio
instead.
He talks about the influence of dance styles as well. Just think, would
we have such dance moves such as “The Jerk,” “Dougy,” “Stanky Leg,” or
“SpongeBob” if hip hop did not exist? Let’s go even bigger, what about dance
styles such as “Grinding” or “break dancing?”What about dress styles such as big
faced wrist watches, large gold necklaces, grills for your’ teeth, or booty
shorts.
Even our language has taken a drastic impact from it as well as a whole
new attitude. You know the whole tough, mean, “gangsta” attitude. Language such
as swag, kicks, bling, and what have you. When people think of hip hop a certain
image comes to mind, and usually it has something to do with sexual
explicitness. So overall I think you have an idea what I am talking about.
Everywhere you look on TV there is something influenced by hip hop. You even
have actual networks that reflect it like BET, MTV, VH1, or FUSE.
Music overall has changed, the way that music is put together is changed.
People who cannot even sing can sing now with the help of technology. Next time
you listen to a hip hop song just listen closely to the lyrics. What are they
actually talking about? Drugs, crime, violence, revenge… Is it uplifting…
sexual… negative? What is the feeling you get when you listen to it? What is the
overall attitude or emotion that comes with it? Now think about all of that and
ask yourself if it is good or not, you know… morally right. I am not saying all
hip hop is bad, I am actually a huge fan of it believe it or not. So if you look
for the songs with clean lyrics and good beats, it is out there. Speaking of
good beats, listen to the instruments in the background in hip hop songs, most
of which are all rerecorded or have some sort of a techno twist to the song.
This brings me to my next topic.
Now that there are new sounds that have never been made before by
instruments, it is almost taking away bands and musicians as a whole. There is
not a great need as much for people with talents such as playing the drums,
guitar, piano, violin and other popular instruments. What happens when there is
no longer a need for talented people who know how to play instruments? WE LOSE
CREATIVITY! We lose our talents, and endurance, the patience to overcome and
improve. Whenever we make a change in our history as a people, then overtime we
change. With how technology is today it proves that we become more dependent,
impatient, less creative, closed off and to ourselves than how we as humans have
been in the past. Overall, I think you have an understanding.
The last articles I would like to review are called “The Mixtape of the
Revolution,” by Sujatha Fernandes and“Leveraging Hip-Hop in US Foreign Policy,”
by Hishaam Aidi. Fernandes has a PhD in political science, is an associate
professor of psychology and is an author. Aidi is a teacher and has a PhD in
political economy. What both of these articles have in common is that they both
talk about how hip hop is used on a world wide scale to influence and inform
people about politics, and expressing views on ways to change.
Aidi writes about how the US State Department has begun sending what they
call “hip hop envoys” such as rappers, DJs and dancers to speak and perform in
the Middle East and try to change negative views of the US. All of this is to
get the Muslims and other groups more in favor of the United States and
hopefully create a better friendship between them. It is to also show that the
US is more integrated than what opposing countries think, by bringing dance
groups, rappers and other famous musical icons to their recognition. Is this a
good thing? Well I personally do not know if it is truly working or not, but the
fact that our tax dollars are being used to make it all happen does not gain my
favor in it.
Fernandes on the other hand writes more about influential rappers that
create revolutions in the Arab world and places in Africa such as Guinea and
Djibouti. These rappers rap more about rising food prices, poverty, unemployment
and blackouts, all of which can be seen and heard on YouTube and Facebook. The
people in those countries no longer listen to all the love songs and regular pop
music. It is a type of revolution that is sparking uprisings, people standing up for
changes that they want. The music is influencing them and making them angry to
the point where the people are acting out against their governments. The older
music like with mbalax singers as Fernandes explains, “are typically seen as older
entertainers who often support the government in power. In contrast, rappers,
according to Senegalese rapper Keyti, “are closer to the streets and can bring into
their music the general feeling of frustration among people.”” So I ask you, is this a
good thing? I for one say no. Why? It is pushing people to act out and rebel against
their traditional ways of life. I understand being angry about your’ government not
making changes that it should. Nevertheless they should instead write letters and
send petitions, the proper way to get a message across to the government, instead
of causing chaos.
In conclusion I guess I would just like people to be more aware of what
is going on in the world around them. Like it or not, it will and does affect
you. I say we should try to listen to things that help us be happier. Listen to
music that influences us to make decisions for the greater good. Try recognizing
the real, actual talent when it comes along in songs and support it when you
find it! So next time you turn on your' iPod, or radio listen to everything in
the music… the rhythm, beat, lyrics and whole emotional vibe that you feel from
it and ask yourself, Is this good?
and actually stopped to think about what you are listening to? Of course you
have! Sure, maybe not as often as you should but, hopefully after reading what I
have to say, you will do it more often! I am writing about the influences that
hip-hop has on people and how it has actually changed the entire music
industry.
I would like to first explain to you an article called “The Secret Virus
of Hip-Hop,” by Kris Saknussemm, a novelist, poet, essayist and cultural critic.
In his article he has a marvelous point of view on how hip hop has literally
changed the world. He mentions how wherever you go in todays’ world, you will
see people who are now influenced by hip hop who in years past had not been. He
goes on to explain that you could go to New York, Auckland, Australia, Fiji, New
Ireland, or Lagos and see that youth everywhere are influenced by hip hop. How
that one drum that used to be used in a remote village, is set aside and the
villagers are listening to hip hop on the radio
instead.
He talks about the influence of dance styles as well. Just think, would
we have such dance moves such as “The Jerk,” “Dougy,” “Stanky Leg,” or
“SpongeBob” if hip hop did not exist? Let’s go even bigger, what about dance
styles such as “Grinding” or “break dancing?”What about dress styles such as big
faced wrist watches, large gold necklaces, grills for your’ teeth, or booty
shorts.
Even our language has taken a drastic impact from it as well as a whole
new attitude. You know the whole tough, mean, “gangsta” attitude. Language such
as swag, kicks, bling, and what have you. When people think of hip hop a certain
image comes to mind, and usually it has something to do with sexual
explicitness. So overall I think you have an idea what I am talking about.
Everywhere you look on TV there is something influenced by hip hop. You even
have actual networks that reflect it like BET, MTV, VH1, or FUSE.
Music overall has changed, the way that music is put together is changed.
People who cannot even sing can sing now with the help of technology. Next time
you listen to a hip hop song just listen closely to the lyrics. What are they
actually talking about? Drugs, crime, violence, revenge… Is it uplifting…
sexual… negative? What is the feeling you get when you listen to it? What is the
overall attitude or emotion that comes with it? Now think about all of that and
ask yourself if it is good or not, you know… morally right. I am not saying all
hip hop is bad, I am actually a huge fan of it believe it or not. So if you look
for the songs with clean lyrics and good beats, it is out there. Speaking of
good beats, listen to the instruments in the background in hip hop songs, most
of which are all rerecorded or have some sort of a techno twist to the song.
This brings me to my next topic.
Now that there are new sounds that have never been made before by
instruments, it is almost taking away bands and musicians as a whole. There is
not a great need as much for people with talents such as playing the drums,
guitar, piano, violin and other popular instruments. What happens when there is
no longer a need for talented people who know how to play instruments? WE LOSE
CREATIVITY! We lose our talents, and endurance, the patience to overcome and
improve. Whenever we make a change in our history as a people, then overtime we
change. With how technology is today it proves that we become more dependent,
impatient, less creative, closed off and to ourselves than how we as humans have
been in the past. Overall, I think you have an understanding.
The last articles I would like to review are called “The Mixtape of the
Revolution,” by Sujatha Fernandes and“Leveraging Hip-Hop in US Foreign Policy,”
by Hishaam Aidi. Fernandes has a PhD in political science, is an associate
professor of psychology and is an author. Aidi is a teacher and has a PhD in
political economy. What both of these articles have in common is that they both
talk about how hip hop is used on a world wide scale to influence and inform
people about politics, and expressing views on ways to change.
Aidi writes about how the US State Department has begun sending what they
call “hip hop envoys” such as rappers, DJs and dancers to speak and perform in
the Middle East and try to change negative views of the US. All of this is to
get the Muslims and other groups more in favor of the United States and
hopefully create a better friendship between them. It is to also show that the
US is more integrated than what opposing countries think, by bringing dance
groups, rappers and other famous musical icons to their recognition. Is this a
good thing? Well I personally do not know if it is truly working or not, but the
fact that our tax dollars are being used to make it all happen does not gain my
favor in it.
Fernandes on the other hand writes more about influential rappers that
create revolutions in the Arab world and places in Africa such as Guinea and
Djibouti. These rappers rap more about rising food prices, poverty, unemployment
and blackouts, all of which can be seen and heard on YouTube and Facebook. The
people in those countries no longer listen to all the love songs and regular pop
music. It is a type of revolution that is sparking uprisings, people standing up for
changes that they want. The music is influencing them and making them angry to
the point where the people are acting out against their governments. The older
music like with mbalax singers as Fernandes explains, “are typically seen as older
entertainers who often support the government in power. In contrast, rappers,
according to Senegalese rapper Keyti, “are closer to the streets and can bring into
their music the general feeling of frustration among people.”” So I ask you, is this a
good thing? I for one say no. Why? It is pushing people to act out and rebel against
their traditional ways of life. I understand being angry about your’ government not
making changes that it should. Nevertheless they should instead write letters and
send petitions, the proper way to get a message across to the government, instead
of causing chaos.
In conclusion I guess I would just like people to be more aware of what
is going on in the world around them. Like it or not, it will and does affect
you. I say we should try to listen to things that help us be happier. Listen to
music that influences us to make decisions for the greater good. Try recognizing
the real, actual talent when it comes along in songs and support it when you
find it! So next time you turn on your' iPod, or radio listen to everything in
the music… the rhythm, beat, lyrics and whole emotional vibe that you feel from
it and ask yourself, Is this good?