As a passionate student of all music, and of all genres throughout the ages, hip-hop and how it started speaks to me on a different level. Today, hip-hop is a global culture that has changed music, dance, fashion, language—and even politics. Hip-hop is a culture in and of itself that is able to tell a story to any open-minded individual no matter gender, age, race, location, or religion. So, where did this worldwide cultural movement begin?
We can trace hip-hop back to its humble beginnings when the kids of the Bronx crammed into house parties, rec rooms, and public parks to hear music as they’d never heard it before. Although for myself, this experience was a bit different, making my story different from the rest.
Growing up in a small town of approximately 2,000 people, I was surrounded by country and adult contemporary music. Some could assume that living in such a rural area, that I would be engrossed in those types of genres. While both are well-respected genres I just could never truly be fully engaged in them.
Most residents of my small town cringe at the sound of hip-hop and sometimes demand it be turned off. It always seemed as though no one in my town would give hip-hop the credit and potential it deserved because it is so-called “dreadful hippity-hop music”. Although, that’s not necessarily true. Hip hop arose during the 1970s at block parties in New York City, at which the DJs began allowing the percussion breaks to hit funk, soul, R&B, and disco songs; much of which people are content in listening to. Conversely, if individuals can appreciate those genres, they’ve already unknowingly acquired a taste for the true roots of hip-hop.
Within my blog, I would like to focus on the history of the genre and how it has grown within the last couple of decades. My intended goal for this blog is to connect with a whole new audience of hip-hop enthusiasts that have found a new love for the genre due to its compelling history.
To begin I will start off most posts with backstories on early hip-hop pioneers and groups such as DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Sugarhill Gang, Public Enemy, etc. My posts will then gradually get to the now/today mentioning artists such as Eminem, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, etc., and how hip-hop is now the world’s most listened to music genre.
I will retrieve most information from documentaries and interviews of a number of hip-hop influencers that I have been paying attention to over the years, which will provide solid outlines for each blog post to come. I am excited to share with you all my deeper understanding of hip-hop and how it has utterly reshaped contemporary culture.
Nice start!
Thank you, professor!