Hip hop has been an integral part of music and Black culture for the past 50 years. It has allowed many creatives to express their lived experiences. It is important to recognize the positive things that hip hop has done for the world and media.
Hip hop was born in the Bronx, New York, officially founded on August 11, 1973. On this date, DJ Kool Herc tried something new on a turntable. He used breaking and scratching to let people break dance longer, and then he began rapping during the extended breakdance.
The early stages of hip hop “arose out of the ruins of a post-industrial and ravaged South Bronx, as a form of expression of urban Black and Latino youth, whom the public and political discourse had written off as marginalized communities,” according to author Sonic Jihad.
This groundbreaking genre has led to a cultural movement that has changed the landscape of many topics like politics, art, race, and language.
One concept that hip hop influenced is the ways in which African Americans speak. The lyricism in hip hop music has significantly influenced African American vernacular English (AAVE). AAVE is the variety of English natively spoken, primarily in urban communities, by most working and middle-class African Americans
Some prominent rappers and hip hop groups during the early stages of hip hop include MC Lyte, RUN-DMC, Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, N.W.A, and Slick Rick.
RUN-DMC was one of the first hip hop groups to ever emerge. They walked so that the Migos could run. The Migos are a hip hop group that originated from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2008. RUN-DMC has various hits like It’s Tricky and Christmas in Hollis. They were first formed in 1983 and they have changed the genre ever since.
MC Lyte and Queen Latifah were both pioneers for female rappers in the 80’s and 90’s. Queen Latifah’s hit song U.N.I.T.Y, was a motivational song for Black women at the time. She also received a Grammy for her performance in the song. MC Lyte also received the “I Am Hip Hop” Icon Lifetime Achievement award from the BET Hip Hop Awards. Both of these artists have had an immense impact on hip hop.
Lil Kim and Foxy Brown were also rappers in the 90’s that changed the narrative for women in the hip hop industry. They were some of the first female rappers to express their sexuality through their music. Many female rappers today are still inspired by their work and music.
A hip hop artist from the 90’s that has an immense amount of respect is Tupac. Tupac’s music is very revolutionary and timeless. His ability to tackle social issues through rap lyrics was ahead of its time, and it is how he gained a lot of his respect.
“My favorite rapper is probably Tupac, the reason being is I can relate to a lot of the stuff that he is talking about. Hip Hop is everything as far as every culture. It reaches [many different cultures], it’s an all-around thing” said Kevin Prosser, Hall Monitor at Rangeview High School.
During the 90’s hip hop era, East Coast and West Coast rappers had an immense amount of tension between each other, specifically between Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. The east coast had more of an aggressive tone, while the east coast tone was more laid back.
The Notorious B.I.G. is also another widely respected rapper from the 90’s. His music became distinctive from other rappers with his laid back lyrical delivery.
“My favorite hip hop artist is the Notorious B.I.G., my parents listen to him a lot too, so it’s kind of a bonding thing that we listen to him or we’ll listen to like 90’s rappers, it’s just like very comforting to me, that kind of music, so yeah I just feel this is what i’m supposed to be listening to, like what is good for me.” said Jai Rodgers, a Senior at Rangeview.
Over the years hip hop has also evolved into many different sub-genres. The genre is not a monolith and some of the main sub-genres include trap, alternative hip hop, new jack swing, crunk, drill and more. Hip hop also differentiates in America when it comes to the West Coast, East Coast, and the South.
Alternative hip hop artists usually push the boundaries of traditional rap. Hip hop groups in the 80’s & 90’s like Slum Village and A Tribe Called Quest were some of the first artists to create the sound and genre of alternative hip hop.
One current artist that fits into the sub-genre of alternative hip hop is Tyler The Creator. Tyler The Creator has a different style that sets him apart from other hip hop artists. His music combines both violent and soft tones. He is an artist that expresses both his masculine and feminine sides, many hip hop artists only portray masculinity. When a person thinks of Tyler The Creator they might think of bright neon colors, but he contradicts this with a lot of his music being aggressive.
“My favorite hip hop artist is probably Tyler The Creator, because his music is different from [other] artists and I think that’s pretty cool,” said Mirah, a junior at Rangeview.
Another iconic hip hop artist currently impacting the game is Kendirck Lamar. Kendrick Lamar has crazy lyricism that sets him apart from other rappers. He also is very creative with the projects and albums that he has. He addresses many issues in his music like police brutality, cancel culture, gender and sexuality, race, generational curses, drug addiction, self-growth, Black masculinity and more.
“My favorite hip hop artist is Kendrick Lamar, and my favorite song by him is King Kunta, that’s the best Kendrick Lamar song and basically hip hop means a lot to me because it started because of Black struggles and empowerment really, so the songs really touch my soul in a way, cause its understanding what other Black people are going through,” said Kalaya Caroll, a senior at Rangeview. Caroll then said, “I like Kendrick Lamar specifically because of the way he just writes his raps, and he’s able to articulate the way he feels and what he has been through into a song”.
With hip hop being a male dominated industry, oftentimes it is hard for female rappers to have respect and make a name for themselves. Some current female hip hop artists that are changing the game right now include Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, City Girls, Kali, Doechi, Monaleo, Latto, Ice Spice, Flo Milli, Kash Doll, Sexy Red and Stunna Girl.
“Doechi is my favorite hip hop artist at the moment, because I like her flow, I like her rhythm, and I just like that she brings diversity to the hip hop community because usually there are light skin women [being more represented in the hip hop community]” said Parker who is a senior at Rangeview.
Other current male hip hop artists include rappers like Drake, Smino, Saba, Gunna, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Joey Bada$$, JID, Lil Durk, Polo G, J Cole, Future, Lil Baby, and G Herbo.
“My favorite hip hop artist is definitely Lil Baby cause he’s just cold, and everything he spit is a flow” said Eshanti Robinson, who is another Rangeview senior.
Lil Baby has made huge waves through hip hop over the years. According to an article by Billboard, Lil baby first “rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape Perfect Timing. Each of his studio albums would peak the Billboard 200 upon release, beginning with his debut album, Harder Than Ever (2018), which spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top ten single Yes Indeed (with Drake).”
One of Lil Baby’s hit singles, It’s Bigger Than Black and White, supported the Black Lives Matter movement during 2020.
Ultimately, hip hop will continue to be a groundbreaking genre that allows artists to express themselves through various facets. It is important to be educated and learn about the history of hip hop and the significance behind the genre. It will also be interesting to see how hip hop will change and impact future generations. Happy 50 years of hip hop!!
