Is Hip Hop losing its sting?
Hip Hop, historically, has been a draw to impressionable youth because of its anarchical and anti-establishment nature. It was a way for teenagers from all economic and social classes to rebel against authority, whether that be racial and religious intolerance within the lower classes, to rebellion towards ones parents or teachers within the middle or upper classes. Hip Hop has managed to unite all youth under one flag.
However, in this new decade, Hip Hop is losing out to other genres of music. This is not because the American youth is no longer interested in rebellion and anarchy, but because modern Hip Hop has lost its original meaning and purpose.
The foundations of Hip Hop can arguably be granted to N.W.A, Wu-Tang, and Run DMC, all of which rose to fame in the 1980’s. This type of Hip Hop was created as retaliation against the governing powers who, as these Hip Hop artists believe, ostracize and oppress the lower class minorities of the United States. Their original followers were those youths who shared in similar experiences as these artists, hence they found something to identify themselves to. With time, the sphere of influence of Hip Hop artists grew to include impressionable youths from middle class suburban America.
However, today’s Hip Hop within the United States tends to ignore the roots of the Hip Hop movement. For example, instead of lyrics challenging social norms, or attacking the government system which stimulates youth to challenge the government powers, lyrics of modern Hip Hop tend to glorify violence and misogyny, while flashing images of the stars rolling around on Luxury designer bedding with a couple of scantly clad ladies. Lyrics of modern Hip Hop artists ignore the reasons why Hip Hop gained popularity. They tend to focus on the glorification of violence and the benefits of such. They seem to have forgotten the true purpose of Hip Hop: to empower the American youth to challenge authority without the glorification of violence.