Essay Sample on Rap/Hip Hop Music and the Artists

The readings of the hip-hop have influenced and increased my knowledge regarding hip-hop and how the music is made and influence the lives of the people and the community. Various hip-hop musicians have been producing hip-hop music over the years (Rose 34). The musicians come from different generations; hence the hip-hop music has been changing in different generations. My definition of hip-hop music has not changed even after completing the unit. The only thing that has changed is that I have gotten a deeper understanding of hip-hop music and how it influenced by the culture of the people and how it influences the same culture.

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There are characteristics of hip-hop music have remained the same over the years. The characteristics of hip-hop and rap music include the rhythmic beat that makes the songs popular in dance clubs (Jackson 86). The rhythms are created in such a way that people have a way they can dance to the songs. The bass is a common instrument that dominates in the instrumentation. The other characteristic of rap/hip-hop songs it that the lyrics talk of the things being faced in the society. The people like the characteristics of hip-hop music because they associate themselves with the characteristics of hip-hop music.

The readings have changed my perspectives regarding hip-ho and the relationships between the music and the culture and way of life of the people (Chang). Musicians have been using hip-hop music to speak of the affairs that the people face and the recommendations that need to be done to change society positively through art. The music represents both sides of the coin, where there are positive factors and negative factors resulting from hip-hop music (Chang). There are hip-hop musicians that advocate for positive influence on the community while others influence the people negatively because of the theme and how the musicians represent themselves to the people. Some things that the musicians are advocating for are not acceptable by society because they are unethical.

Are the readings that influenced my interpretations to include the Henry Louis Gates that speaks of the significance of rap and hip-hop music among the people? The people see the musicians as heroes; therefore, they embrace their actions and what they see. The narrative talks about how the musicians are seen as heroes; hence, the people follow and embrace what they see. Their characters are seen to be the best; thus, the youth, especially, are the ones that embrace the lives of the musicians. For example, the type of clothes the musicians wear the youth to see them as the best clothes to embrace.

My view of hip-hop music has changed where I recognized there is a negative effect on the society where the youths embrace the negative themes. The shootings that have been occurring in recent times where kids shoot their colleagues in schools because they associate themselves with the hip-hop culture (Watkins 54). The most significant population affected by hip-hop music is the African Americans population living in the United States. The musicians advocate violence as a way of getting social justice by fighting for their opposers who seem not support and like them. The results are that innocent students get killed by their colleagues who have different opinions. Hip Hop music is considered to cause violence among the young population in America that is because of its history of fighting against social, economic, and political oppression but not to cause harm to people exclusively.

The article of the hip-hop wars written by Tricia Rose changed my views regarding how the music can be used by opinion shapers in the community to positively influence society by shaping the culture of the people (Watkins 66). The themes of the music can be made to align with the changes that need to be brought to society. The article made me start thinking of the issues that are raised by the hip-hop music; I have been ignoring the issues raised because of the stereotypes I have against the musicians that the sing the hip-hop music. The readings made me learn that the issues that they raise are the factors that concern them; hence, they must be discussed by all the people to find the solution.

The readings made me recognize the relationship between the history of structural inequality and the hip-hop music, I have come to learn that hip-hop music is a result of inequality that has been working happening in the society (Kelley). The structural inequality makes people become resistant to changes and see other people as if they are the cause of their problems. My new opinion is that if changes are made by addressing the grievances of the minority group hence, a lot of challenges can be solved, and the crime rate will reduce. The theme of hip-hop music will change because the minority groups will have nothing to complain about.

The hip-hop music has created differences among the people of different races where the races seem to have different rights and freedoms where one race does not enjoy rights and freedoms at the expense of other communities (Rose). The majority of hip-hop musicians advocate for violence as a way of fighting for their rights because they believe that they are discriminated against by the people in the society. The people can relate to the music because it advocates for the challenges that they are facing. My new perspective is that hip-hop music is a kind of way demanding for the rights of the people through art.

Leaders that have advocated for changes and reforms in the past are believed to have been influenced and inspired by hip-hop music while they were young; hence, they demand change as advocated by the hip-hop music (Nair). The music led to the creation of the Afro-American associated that demanded equal rights among the people from the African American race because the people felt that they were being discriminated by their while. The organization was fighting against white supremacy. My thoughts on Hip-hop music made me agree with the artists that perceptions have been created among the people that there are people who deserve to be treated better than others. Some people believe that they have more rights than others.

In conclusion, hip-hop music class has increased my knowledge of society and how society needs to accommodate the feeling of other people. People need not be biased when making a judgment on matters that affect them. Hip-hop music has influenced and changed society; hence, people need to confront the issues raised. The positive contributions made by hip-hop music in transforming the society need to be embraced.

Works Cited

Chang, Jeff. Can't won't stop: A history of the hip-hop generation. St. Martin's Press, 2007.

Chuck, D., and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The Anthology of Rap. Yale University Press, 2010.

Jackson, Austin Dorell. "Let's get free": A critical ethnography of rap/hip-hop, African American rhetoric, and critical social theory in college composition. Michigan State University, 2009: 5-254

Kelley, Robin. Race Rebels: Culture, politics, and the black working class. Simon and Schuster, 1996.

Nair, Tulika. "Rap Music Characteristics." Melodyful, https://melodyful.com/rap-music-characteristics.

Newton, Huey P. Revolutionary Suicide [by] Huey P. Newton, with the Assistance of J. Herman Blake. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973.

Rose, Tricia. The hip hop wars: What we talk about when we talk about hip hop--and why it matters. Civitas Books, 2008.

Watkins, Samuel Craig. Hip hop matters politics, pop culture, and the struggle for the soul of a movement. Beacon Press, 2005.