The history of hip-hop defines itself in a time when black youth demanded a place, a voice. Hip-hop, the music produced gave them that voice. Did artist like the Sugar Hill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Grand Master Flash, Run-DMC, Salt & Pepa and Mc Lyte make any political or social statements about black experiences? Yes! & No! In some instances a song such as ‘ Check Yo self’ did make a social statement about ‘ghetto’ life. Many artists’ work spoke directly to the diverse experiences of black youth disillusioned with a class system that from their perspectives, didn’t seem to offer them any real chances for social mobility.
As a child in the early eighties, I can remember the array of music my dad had stored in his wooden album cases. I grew up listening to music in many genres. Although I may not have some of the inner city experiences much of early hip-hip pioneers music encompassed, I did, and do relate to the some of the themes presented within it. For example, In the movie Breakin 1984, I can remember the words to the song ‘Ain’t no stopping us’ as clearly in my mind as if the song were popular today. My point here is to suggest that being tied to the experiences hip-hop artists tried to embed within their music is not a prerequisite for understanding or enjoying it.
Today, the idea that hip-hop is dead seems illogical. To say that hip-hop is dead is somewhat a misnomer or mis-leading because to die means something does not exist. Hip-hop exists because the ardor of hip-hop music is still alive. Hip-hop was [is] about having a voice. And within the many voices of hip-hop lives a passion and zeal to share often black experiences—to tell stories that may not otherwise get told. Some critics may disagree about the authenticity of the voices in today’s hip-hop music, or whether or not they are making as profound social and political statements as the pioneers within the genre. But I believe that is a different argument all together.
Essentially, like most music genres hip-hop is evolving. It has evolved. Like most and all things in pop culture, hip-hop now, is almost indistinguishable from mainstream pop music. Mainstream culture demands mutuality. Mutuality demands inclusion; it’s a party and everyone is invited, and everyone likes it. The more broad the audience, the more people to sell and thus buy a product, the more money, the artist and music industry executives make. The bottom line is profit, which is what trumps all in pop culture.
In 1998, Lauryn Hill , a former member of the hip-hop trio The Fugees released her ground-breaking album entitled The Mis-Education of Lauryn Hill. The title was play on the Carter G. Woodson book entitled The Mis-Education of the Negro. In it, Carter discusses ways in which African-Americans in the early part of the twentieth century were enslaved, not physically, but mentally. He challenged African-Americans to educate themselves out of the sort of back door mentality keeping so many confined to poverty and subjugation. I consider Hill’s 1998 release a novel venture into “real” hip-hop territory. Most of the albums overall message or themes centered on her experiences and worldview. For Hill, hip-hop represented story telling—it was her social and political narrative about ghetto life. The Mis-Education of Lauryn Hill album had meaning in a confusing world. Her release was a breath of fresh air in a sea of weak lyrics and empty messages. While female artist such as Lil Kim and Foxy Brown occupied stereotypical representations of black women, loose, lavish, and promiscuous, Hill’s record seemed to take a strong social stance against misogyny, sexism, and materialism. For example, in the first single That Thing Hill cautions young women and men to beware of Eurocentric ideals and values. The album itself is a sort of iconoclastic message against euro centrism, in which the content on many songs suggests Hill’s identity as an Afro centric thinker.
Although I did find Hill’s album too preachy in many instances, it was a an authentic voice in the evolution of hip-hop; she maneuvered through the ups and downs of life with rich lyrical ease. Unfortunately, today, much of hip-hop music seems empty—void of any real substance. But that is not to say it is dead. Hip-hop is alive and well; much of what is recognized as hip-hop music has been taken over by artist such as Lil Mamma, Chris Brown, Lil Jon, The Ying-Yang Twins, Ne-Yo, and a list of other mainstream artist whom are changing the landscape of hip-hop music. Hip-Hop has evolved, but the zeal to record music that speaks to a particular group is still represented. Ben Harper, Lil Wayne, 50 cent, Fat Joe, Kanye West, Nas, Common, Jay-Z, Kevin Micheals, and Leela James are all pioneers in this new evolution. Their music combines some of the classical ideas of hip-hop with a more contemporary sound.
