However, Lupe Fiasco countered a year later with "hip-hop saved my life." Common aptly indicates, "In the hood, hip-hop is the father." Clearly these artists have further complicated the role hip-hop has taken, and continues to provide. Nonetheless, some believe hip-hop will never belong to the "people" because it has been "consumed" to the "point of no return." Is this true? Can hip-hop ever be anything more than today's latest "trap?"
I believe that hip hop could never die. As long as you have people to consume it it could never die. But now that we know that hip hop is corrupted and the people that is in charge only wants MORE money. The word has not gotten out there yet about the corruption. In the hood where we have these adolescence white and black youth, they believe that these artist is about that life. They feel they are speaking truth or being real. If the consumers knew what was going on in the music industry then change can happen. Things can change and with knowledge the youth can and will change the industry. With knowledge comes wisdom and empowerment. When people find out about how much power the 1% has and how the try to make each artist conform to what they want them to look and sound like. When people are more aware of how if you don't stay in there little box the 1 percent has path then you will not be signed and will be forced to stay in underground only doing mix tapes. The youth now does not like when people tell them they can not do something. So, with knowledge change can happen. We have had many movement lately, and I believe because people are able to become more aware of what is going on in the world today. The generation before mind started this movement I believe my generation will educate more people, and change will come one day. When you have people writing about the corruption and questioning themselves and others. Before this class I did not know about the music industry and and who really had the power. I saw the people did not have the power hell the artist do not even have the power. I was fooled by them the one percent, but my eyes are open now. I have learned so much in this class that I was not aware of a few months ago. I have told some of my close friend some knowledge I learned in this class. I tell people how if you don't sing, rap, or look like this then you can not get with this money making train. I believe when you bring knowledge to someone else that did not know that they will tell someone and that person will inform someone and so forth. My generation might not change it, but the generation or the next will change it. They will make the music mean something again and bring it back to the people. We can make music about uplifting people and helping people again. We need to get it back and I believe we can get it back.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theathomecouple.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/copywriting-hip-hop-300x290.jpg
In my opinion I think Hip-hop is already more than just trap music. Trap music just happens to be the latest trend. The hip hop movement,culture, mannerism,ideology,an authenticity will always be the same but there are a few tweaks here and there. What people must understand is at the root of Hip Hop at the root of the culture is people making music about the things that they're going through. We seen this evidence in class through the change in genre from up North hardcore hip hop to the down south party in Miami hip hop. It's nothing different than what our generation is doing today. In a video that I'm posting with my blog it gives a very great example of how there were slang words back in the day just like there are slang words today. Just different terms with different meanings. There were spacific dances my mom and Father's generation use to do like the Cabbage Patch an the Bankhead bounce. Now they are doing the milly wop and hitting the Quan. Even with how our generation dresses at first I thought it was a disgrace but I have learned in this semester that they really not doing anything new. Artists have always worn tight clothes and tapered on the line of Metro sexism. I think where the problem lies is now with such an advance in technology our younger generation are getting exposed to these cultures more frequently. Which is having a bigger impact on their lives than it did our parents. Back in the day most households only had one television there was no internet and there were a lot more family-friendly shows on television. Now with children as young as five being privileged to carry cell phones have access to a lot more knowledge at an early age and this is having an impact on their views on what it means to be a woman or man. To answer your question no I don't think Hip-hop is dead. Nor do I think it could ever be killed it is ever-evolving to fit the newest Trend the new situations Our Generations face. Now with so many new advances in technology I think something should be done with certain images that certain hip hop artists portray. Also as a parent I feel like it is my job to monitor the type of music and videos my kids get exposed to. Not to necessarily hide them from it but make it clear that certain things will not be accepted in my household. Don't get me wrong I have no problem with hip hop I love it but when you have kids memorizeing the lyrics to a song before they know their Abc's or multiplication tables that's a problem! Here is a quick video showcasing some of the differences between hip hop then and now.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/NSTgj8G0nQw
Yes, it can be more than the latest trap music of today; if artist and music producers strive for knowledge about the original hip-hop. Hip-hop has really focus its attention to commercial, which has really took the originality out of its meaning. The trend now is violence, money, pride,greed,and materialistic items. Music producers aim to sell and make money off of what is trending in the world and who really support their artist, which includes but not limited to the black communities, young teenagers, individuals in poverty,and criminals. When hip-hop first started, the black community made an impression that you have to do certain things to get what you want in life. Investors took the negative actions that hip-hop once stated and made society love violence and negative behaviors. Which also inspired artist to add the commercial trend into their music to get a success on selling top albums and the fame in the world. While missing the point that the original hip-hop is about empowerment and artist expressing their emotions on how their lives were a struggle and the negative things they had to partake in and how they achieve their goals, by looking up to certain people such as Malcolm X, Farrakhan, Dr. King, and anyone else that was motivated to change mankind in a positive aspect. With that said, I do believe if society would aim their attention to the original purpose of hip-hop, then yes we could change what trap music is today.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bDUd74Swww
Marcus Albert
ReplyDeleteTrap music is a genre that is starting to gain quite a bit of momentum through the ever growing sub-conscious of the dance music culture. This new found hype towards trap music, hasn't recently came onto the scene. There is a history behind the origin of the Trap music that is all but new.When talking about the “originators” of the trap music era, rappers like Waka Flocka Flame, Gucci Mane, Young Jeezy and Three 6 Mafia come about. Over the years artist were taught and coached to make and produce music that will sell and appear to the audience. Being apart of this generation and listening to how Hip-Hop music has evoloved, I feel that we are now into more of the up tempo dance music that just have a couple of catchy wordplay lyrics to it. I still do believe that hip-hop can be more then just trap. You have your rappers in the game like Kendrick Lamar, Drake, J Cole and Kanye West that still here putting music out that can be compared to the 80's and 90's KRS-One's, Public Enemy and LL Cool J's of that time. Like with everything else, as the time changes and style switches up, you have to incorporate that new era into your style of music if you want to sell records and not flop.
Below I have a linked by the rapper Hopsin that's talking about artist in today's Hip Hop industry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiNNBc557OQ&list=RDIiNNBc557OQ
I believe that hip hop is dead. It has gotten to the point of no return because of "time" and "technology." Today's music I wouldn't necessarily call it Hip hop, I would call it Rap music. In today's society, Rap music has taken over Hip Hop. Rap is nothing but the record business. In Rap, you sell records to make money, make hits that will be the next big thing "popping" such as social media for instance. The record business creates mainstream artists for popularity of there music, lifestyle, etc and the more your names comes up, the more money you make. Rap is all about money and fame. On the other hand, Hip Hop is nothing like rap. Back when there was Hip Hop, they where the best they could be lyrically, and they beefed back and forth with each other to make each other better. Hip Hop back then was a lifestyle that you lived for, now I certainly hope people don't live for Rap. The biggest difference and the main reason why I think hip hop cannot be a trap music is because of respect. Respect is everything. Nowadays people just kill or shoot each other when they get mad or disrespected. Back in the Hip Hop days i feel like they handled it in a respectable manner between the people only in disagreement. Hip Hop will never be like it was ever. Time kills. When you have time, you have change. Hip Hop is dead, Rap (trap) is taking over.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtZ0Z_i75is
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/04/24/the-life-of-nas-hip-hop-legend-turned-ace-venture-capitalist.html
First let's separate the two because I do not believe them to be the same. Hip hop is a culture and trap music is a phase. So, I do believe hip hop to be dead, to be able to save lives and to father the hood but I do not believe trap to do so. It may get artist out of the hood but once out artist are only focused on persuading consumers to go in. But to answer your question about hip hop never belonging to the people is true. By people I am talking about the artist themselves. If they continue to conform to the labels wants and not their own then the music will never be original. I think this has happened to a lot of rappers now who are just in it for the money and publicity. Artist like Kendrick Lamar kept to his style of rap since his early mixtapes while rappers like Nicki Minaj who started out hip hop once signed turnt trap. Just like everything else in life, hip hop has had its time and is slowly coming to an end; due to that trap music is becoming more popular. Maybe one day hip hop will make a comeback but the only question is …...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi-ioPTk6jMAhWDFj4KHVeyAXAQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fandrejthomas.com%2F2015%2F01%2Fhip-hop%2F&psig=AFQjCNFYScbqC7IYOw0fx6B68wS8g26hew&ust=1461615621776922
Nas is definitely in my Top 5 dead or alive rappers of all time, although I understood his political stance, I also disagreed with it. Not only is Hip-Hop not dead, it will never die! Through time everything changes but yet remains the same. Old folk used to say there is nothing new under the soon, which in the case of Hip-Hop is very much true. However you decide to cook a steak and season it or marinate it to your liking, it is still steak. Each generation that comes on to the Hip-Hop music scene may add his or her own glow to it and identify their story, or someone else's story, for that matter on wax. nevertheless does this make Hip-Hop dead? No! Hip-Hop simply transforms from this to that to trap to rap. In my opinion, it only offers another form of separation when we call ourselves really separating it. It kind of takes me to an era of the light skin verse the dark skin brother, we are always breaking ourselves down in any way we know how. Again taking it back to the days of slavery, wanting to be on the self-righteous side opposed to the rebellious side one might want to point out. but just to get back on subject, Hip-Hop is not dead, never has been and never will be...Period!
ReplyDeleteTo me i still feel that hip-hop is still very much alive. I also feel that it has done much more for people than just put money in there pockets. Hip Hop music was originated with the main purpose to speak to all kinds of people worldwide, while feeding stories and great experiences from recording artist to their audiences. Overtime the foundation has stayed the same but the conventions have changed. with that saying i do not believe that it is dead, i feel that it has just evolved into a genre of music from a society who speaks louder to the world than any other society has done about their inner feelings. "Trap" is a type of hardcore hip-hop that has been around for awhile now from early artist like UGK, Gucci Mane, and 3 six mafia. I feel that with trap music they just speak on there reality. they're are rapping about what they have done or grew up around. There are also still some of your old school rappers around that actually talk about intellectual things like kendrick lamar and J cole. They may remind you of some of the artist from back in the day.
ReplyDeleteBut for me i would prefer the way that hip-hip was back in the day... they spoke more on this of the world and how we could change the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5ySvDatrT4
Like many others I agree and believe hip-hop and trap are two different types of music. Although trap/rap derives from hip-hop I do too, believe its a phase/trend. I can clearly see the influences that rap has on its consumers, it has desensitized the eyes of many with misogyny, hyperventilates and miss directed our youth with the ideologies in order to gain power wealth and success is to " slang and bang". I believe rap/trap is dead at this point in regards of offering positive influence to the consumer as well as the communities, but like Messiah said as long there is consumers their will something to be consumed. I believe hip-hop isn't dead, I personal believe with the evolution of our society there will be more and more demanding of consciousness in Hip-Hop and more authentic expression. Its really up to the individual consumers belief about whether or not Hip-Hop can be saved. Because without the consumers there wouldn't be hip-hop.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZlKKh-Xfjc
Hip-Hop definitely is not "dead". However, it has taking a drastic turn. I believe hip-hop has lost a lot of the characteristics that made it so special to the black community, and the main reason is money. As we discussed in class, it is a big business and instead of making authentic music that can actually relate to the "people", the focus has been making mainstream music. As times change, music will continue to change, and it is important for people to understand that. Hip-Hop, like anything else, cannot be expected to stay the same forever. "Trap" music is only a small portion of Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop in general is more than just music ... It's a part of the black community. Many of us grew up on Hip-Hop, and for that reason it could never die. Something that has that much impact on actual lives can never die. For me personally, Hip-Hop is a huge part of who I am. It is so powerful. Certain feelings associated with songs, certain people associated with the Hip-Hop culture, and certain mindsets come directly from the Hip-Hop culture. Even if what is defined as Hip-Hop continues to change over time, the Hip-Hop culture will never die.
ReplyDeleteI believe that hip-hop is synonymous to life because it’s always changing and evolving. Just like the many phases of life, hip hop can be seen going through those phases as well. From b-beats, beat boxing, sampling, turntables, and DJ’s, hip hop has experienced significant growth. People interpret hip hop differently according to what they’re experiencing at that particular time in their life. All in all, I think that hip-hop is definitely not dead! Hip-hop may not be what it was 35 plus years ago, but it most definitely has the same concept, which is telling a story. I will say that as the more hip-hop has transforms, the stories seem to become “made-up” or “hyped up” to make it more appealing. Just like many elements involving hip-hop, trap music has made it’s way into the headphones and radios of millions of people. Trap music is the new “it” factor and many
ReplyDeleteartists are portraying themselves as a false character. The influences of hip-hop can be found in trap music and any other type of musical genre. Trap music is overtly aggressive, but all of the components of hip-hop can be found in the musical/instrumental aspect of the music. As far as hip-hop not belonging to the “people” because it has been “consumed” to the “point of no return”, I think that this is false and true. The statement is false because hip-hop still belongs to the people who are absolutely in love with hip-hop. It’s true because hip-hop has become this “theatrical” thing that is making artists sell their name and image to satisfy what consumers (and society) has deemed as “the right way.” Underneath the money and theatrics of things, I believe that hip-hop is still alive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSTgj8G0nQw
(0:33-2:00)
I don't believe that hip-hop is at the point of no return. There are still those conscience rappers out there such as JCole who are putting out that authentic rap music that are "saving lives" in the hood per say and also outside of the hood. Hip-hip will never die to me. Trap music is just a new generation in hip-hop that is also "saving lives".There are artist such as Chief Keef that young men respect in trap music. Although some may try to separate the two I believe they are one. They both speak on struggle, violence and have that aspect of storytelling. If hip-hop was dead there would be no trap music. Hip-hop is evolutionary and will continue to change but will never die.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-IuTV-NOWk
People constantly say hip hop is dead and is nothing but a bunch of noise and doesn't have a real purpose anymore which is false. Trap is just one sub-genre of hip hop and rap. Rap still speaks volumes depending on which artist you choose to listen to. Of course mainstream music is going to sound and be a certain way because it has to conform to what's popular at the moment. In my opinion all genres of hip hop tell a story, it's just that they tell it differently with lyrics, swagger, and so on.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPJwbqcigVQ
Hip hop isn’t dead but its just being overshadowed by artist that sign with big labels that are forced to make music that is easy relatable and catchy just to sell records. Mainstream hip hop is commercialized and just used to sell records so that artist can get big. But there is still some hip hop artist today that still release “true” music. Even some mainstream artist like Kendrick Lamar, Nipse hustle, J Cole are examples of that. Hip hop can be more than todays latest trap if artist stop signing with big labels just to make money and that is the difference between rap music and hip hop. Rap music is all about their lifestyles and how they are living big with all their money and there girls and drugs and artist back then made music that could make you feel something. Back then artist lived to make there hit the best it could be lyrically and try to dis other artist they were beefing with and ever since back then hip-hop has undergone changes that most followers of music would consider is sinking to the black culture. This is how you can kind of tell that Hip hop is fading because of how much it has changed and just by listening to music this semester of old and new school hip hop you can tell the difference between the two and see how much it has changed over the years.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.eliluminador.com/2012/03/07/evolution-of-hip-hop/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSTgj8G0nQw
LOVE the video! Hilarious!!
DeleteI don't believe Hip Hop is dead or dying, you must simply know where to look. If you only listen to the radio, or Billboards Top 100, then you will never hear anything but what is pushed down your throat. With all of the music streaming sites, it is easier than ever for an unsigned artist to get their music heard, and gain a fan base. Bryson Tiller rose to fame through just that. Even mainstream Hip Hop artist are trying to get back to what they started, and I believe where they are headed will guide future artist down the path of more authentic and real music. As for Hip Hop as a culture, I think we might have lost the true meaning of what that culture is. I think we are all trying to find it. So many things have been changed and flipped, but my mom says "there is nothing new under the sun", so I think the generation after us will find Hip Hop again.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that hip hop has been consumed to the point of no return. I believe through many artists, lyrics, and types of genres, hip-hop still lives. The music that is called hip-hop today has most certainly changed from what many people people from back in the day consider to be hip-hop. Hip hop has become commercialized and and the consumers are being pimped, not even realizing what they are consuming is not really hip hop anymore. The artists today that are changing the game, and those that are making trap music, in my opinion were inspired by the "original" hip-hop. I think that the music they create has bits and pieces from hip hop. It is very possible for hip to return because styles and genres change base on influence and what artists bring to the table. For example I think that J Cole and KEndrick Lamar are keeping hip ho[ alive and they are both very influential people. If enough artists like them are discovered than hip hop can be revived. Trap music is just a phase, and will fade out over time time just like any other trend. Hip hop will change over time and appear differently but will always be hip hop. Trap may not be considered hip hop by many but it still gained the followers like hip hop, relay the message of the struggle people in our society face, as hip hop did, and is a style of its own.
ReplyDeleteBelow is a mix of trap songs from youtube. These songs are played in the club and get today's teens moving just like hip hop did back in the day.
https://youtu.be/EIBFK6f6TMM
Hip hop isn't and never will be dead. It plays a major part in the African American communities, as well as other communities. I do feel as though hip hop has been consumed differently then years ago. To me it is almost at the point of no return, you have these new age rappers that all their talking about is "The American Dream" the street version that consist of money, women, cars, and jewelry. They aren't rapping about real life issues like some artist back in the 80's, 90's, and early 2000's. Then they rapped about issues with causes, or things in their life that they actually lived through. I don't think the artist in the hip hop industry understand that they also have children in the community that is listening to their music, and is consuming their minds to the street version of the American Dream as well. It is definitely affecting the hip hop culture. Hip hop could be more than today's trap music, because for one trap music has been around for years now just currently it's very popular because I myself love trap music. I do think hip hop artist like Nas who feel as though the hip hop is "dying" needs to publicly speak more on it with their issues and also look for talent that they see are a success to the hip hop world and are talking about real life issues.
ReplyDeleteHip-Hop can be so much more than It currently is. It can serve as a hugely uplifting and positive force for the African American community, being a voice for them, a means by which they are able to communicate their grievances with everyday life and show other people how bad it really is out there. It can be a way for young African American men to remove themselves from a harsh standard of living and elevate to a place where they can live stably and support themselves. Hip-Hop used to be the way that the young blacks could stick it to the man, how they could force themselves free of the bonds that had been placed upon them since their birth. But, what happened? Somewhere along the line, Hip-Hop sold itself out. It’s now a hurtful, homophobic, sexist, standoffish, illegal activity promoting genre that has led countless people astray from what’s really important in life. It has shown them a lifestyle where killing, doing drugs, material objects, and money are the most important things life can offer to a person. The real issue though is the fact that we continue to consume such obviously hurtful content. We look up to these people and think that we should model ourselves after them and try and imitate the things we hear in their music instead of analyzing it and seeing exactly why it is that these people are saying those things. We let it get worse and worse and now, a former shadow of itself, hip-hop is the monster it is now. The genre is in a bad place, but not so bad that we can’t fix it. We simply have to deny the current hip-hop any of our consumerism. If you starve the beast, it will die and this beast’s name is hip-hop and it feeds upon us. The moment we stop allowing for them to feed us the self absorbed, violent, sexist material they continue to feed us, they have to change it. While they claim to “keep it real” and speak the truth, if we demand they actually do just that, the genre will have to move in the direction we want it to. We must force them to give us what we want and only then will it get better. It’s on us.
ReplyDeleteIn no way, shape, or form do I feel as though Hip-Hop is dying,or even near extinction. As many of my classmates have stated, Hip Hop has just transitioned into a new era. In the early days of Hip Hop, it was the Boom Bap style that reigned supreme. During the late 80s through pretty much the early 2000s, Gangsta Rap was the dominant sub-genre (not including the infamous dance era). During this current climate however, Trap is most renown for its uptempo beats and ability to make young people dance. During previous eras in Hip Hop, lyricism was a skill that was highly praised and sought after. Nowadays, the sequence of importance in regards to singles is beat, catchy hook, then lyrical content. Not to say that within this era of Trap that all artists are Trap artists, but the genre has become heavily influenced by this lifestyle. As lyrical artists such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and Wale continue to exist and prosper, it is proven that lyricism is still held at a high regard. I can never come to terms with saying that Hip Hop is dead because although the climate has changed, it continues to inspire, change lives and influence both the world and pop culture (whether good or bad). To draw a quote from Ms. Tyeisha Martin, "I believe that hip-hop is synonymous to life because it’s always changing and evolving. Just like the many phases of life, hip hop can be seen going through those phases as well." Trap is just another phase that Hip Hop has been exposed to. No different than any other era, it will be criticized and compared to different styles/other eras. Hate it or love it, this is Hip Hop.
ReplyDeleteBelow is a clip that I highly recommend, which gives a humorous example of the evolution of Hip Hop.
https://youtu.be/qPwX1gkPRic
Hip-hop is not dead. However, hip hop has been transformed and manipulated by society. As we’ve discussed in class, today’s hip hop is being controlled by record companies. The content that record companies feel sells best is what today’s hip hop consists of. Just because conscious rap isn’t as popular or mainstream as trap music, doesn’t mean that there aren’t artists out there still pushing that content, like artists such as J. Cole and Common. I feel that there are deeper roots to the motives of why record companies have worked so hard to steer their artists to the content of today’s hip hop. Hip hop is mostly controlled by those that don’t consume it. Consumers and lovers of hip hop need to take control of the industry. People that understand the roots of hip hop and see the variety in hip hop are who need to be behind the industry. It’s easier for a consumer of hip hop to see past just the lyrics of the song, and realize the talent of the artist. Real consumers of hip-hop aren’t only concerned with the lyrics of the music. Songs that are popular today aren’t only popular because of the lyrics. Some people focus on the flow, some focus on the beat. Some just like songs because it’s their favorite artist. The definition of hip hop isn’t so black and white like people like to make it seem. There’s layers to hip hop as well as subcategories. Saying hip hop is dead is such a broad statement and would be very complicated to prove, in my opinion. When people say hip hop is dead I feel like they mean, it seems to not be what it used to be. I feel like old traditions of hip hop are still out there being practiced but are being masked by music that society supposedly feels is more attractive.
ReplyDeleteTo me hip-hop isn't and never could be dead. Music is what controls many peoples life's lyrics that speak about what people are going through telling day to day stories about real life situations i feel that music is a art no matter the genre people use music to express things some songs get more into details than others but still always usually telling a story in some way it's more then just for the entertainment value or money which I believe is why so many people today want to be rappers not for the love of music but the money and fame thinking its a fast route to the top and very few get to that point . To me hip-hop hasn't died just slowed down there is more "trap" music then ever before artist almost in a competition to see who can brag about the women,cars ,money which I'm not disliking because I listen to it but nobody really has there own unique style . Like biggie or tupac and older Kanye west is what I think when I hear hip-hop I don't think it's dead just changed up just a different style the lifestyles are the same just now it's almost a macho contest to see who can be the biggest baddest to show a visual of what there life's are like trap music is just a new style not a new genre it's self so to me hip-hop isn't dead and will never die
ReplyDeleteI believe that Hip-Hop is dead because of the constant changes that have taken place within the music industry and the community. Most people seem to agree with the phrase: "With time comes change." And with that phrase, people tend to always flock to whatever is poppin' at that moment and time. Consumers have been led to believe that the music that they are being exposed to is "Hip-Hop." There is nothing playing right now that even compares to what Hip-Hop is, what it stands for, and why it's symbolic. Hip-Hop is a culture that manages to incorporate ethnicity, art, politics, fashion, technology and urban life. There weren't any negative connotations that surrounded Hip-Hop. People may have criticized it, but nothing negative was ever attached to it. On the other hand, Trap Music focuses on gang-bangin', selling drugs, killing people, etc. What kind of effect do you think this type of music would have on the African-American community? In my opinion, Trap music isn't a form of Hip-Hop. It's a style of aggressive rap that talks about everything negative under the sun, yet still manages to make money off of consumers because of the catchy beat that has been attached to it. I don't necessarily think that Hip-Hop sold itself out, I feel as though certain artists and many record labels sold themselves out to obtain the wealth that would be brought in by Trap music. I'm not saying that all of the rappers have sold themselves out because we still have artists that still respect the true meaning of Hip-Hop. Artists such as J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar. On the other hand, artists such as Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan, Waka Floka, etc. have sold out and become puppets for the "Trap Music" era. There isn't any real music coming out of anything associated with trap music. The majority of it is written so that the artists can "relate" to the community, so that they can continue to make money off of them. For Common to say that "In the hood, Hip-Hop is the father" is shocking to me because that can really only be applied to the era that he grew up in, and when Hip-Hop was vibrant and alive. Hip-Hop cannot continue to serve as a father to the hood because Trap music has overshadowed it and taken its place. Like Nas stated in his interview with MTV, "What I mean by 'hip-hop is dead' is we're at a vulnerable state. If we don't change, we gonna disappear like Rome. I think hip-hop could help rebuild America, once hip-hoppers own hip-hop ... We are our own politicians, our own government, we have something to say." I feel as though that Hip-Hop could be resurrected if Hip-Hop artists actually took the necessary steps to reclaim Hip-Hop. If people actually took the time to dig deep and understand what is at stake when it comes to Hip-Hop, then they would stop supporting falsified versions of Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop isn't necessarily dead, it's just in limbo.
ReplyDeleteI believe that hip hop isn't dead. It just depends on what you prefer there are a lot of styles of hip hop now. Hip hop will never be dead but it will always change. The music that comes out now I might like now because I'm young, but like 10 or 20 year down the line the artist that come out by then I might not really like them. But that doesn't meant hip hop is dead it just mean it's going through another change/phase. With that being said, yes I think hip hop can be more than the just the trap music which flooding the industry right now, because it's just a phases. Trap is just very popular at the moment. Eventually trap will get old and then a new wave will begin, it just a matter of time. Because once it stops making money then record label will switch to the new sound/wave. One thing I will agree that is dead or lost in today hip hops is originalality I feel that too many rappers or the just copies of one another, especially among mainstream artist.
ReplyDeleteHere is a video with Kendrick Lamar talking about the current state of hip hop:
http://youtu.be/blvcswxmPCU
Hip hop is no where near dead, but I will say that it has changed or is changing in a direction that may not be for the best. They're are different things going on in the world to day then ten or twenty years ago. In terms of women, sex, violence, and drugs, that is a testament to the state of hip hop at the time. There was and is a lot of violence going on in our inner cities and most rappers come from that environment or have family that did and speak about it in their raps. Also for the first time you had a lot of inner cities minorities involved with rap getting major deals worth a lot of money. Of course they would rap about and spend money on what is not a hip hop tradition but really an American tradition and thats the selling of sex, drugs , and violence. And for the most part that is all people want to hear about now, especially the younger generation. I don’t think its at a point of no return we just need certain artist that are huge to direct where hip hop should go and where it should be if this isn’t what people had in mind. Hip hop as a huge voice and the people we need to understand this are the artist themselves because those are the ones who keep it alive or not. Todays artist are trying to make the most money and sell a lot of records and in todays society murdering, money, females is whats getting it done the best so artist rap about it non stop because it is being sold like crazy.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Hip Hop will never die. Hip hop is more than a genre of music; its a form of art, a movement, a folklore. In the beginning of class we further assessed how DJs used hip hop to tell stories, if could never die as long as there is a narrator willing to share their story. Many people feel that hip hop is at a point of no return due to trap music but I feel that trap music is a phase of hip hop. As long as the world continues to evolve so will the music. Hip hop is not dead its just continuing to grow, and with growth brings change.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/qPwX1gkPRic
I think that the hip-hop experience has always been a personal journey. Even as seen through your examples of Nas, Lupe Fiasco, and Common, the role hip-hop has taken for them has definitely not been simple, but based on their dedication to the culture in every aspect, regardless of whether hip-hop is dying, dead, saved their lives, or leads them throughout their life the way a father would, hip-hop has never abandoned them. Just as Julius mentioned above, if we think hip-hop is dead it’s a matter of personal opinion and if we want it back, we have to initiate that change and it won’t come easy, but we have to be determined.
ReplyDeleteIf some believe hip-hop will never belong to the "people" because it has been "consumed" to the "point of no return.", then who does hip-hop belong to? I don't think hip-hop is 100% for or by the people. I think in some regards, hip-hop uses the people as pawns to capitalize on the pain and suffering of the people, but just the same as the girl in the Nelly "Tip Drill" video, sometimes we make ourselves pawns. Many artists have given themselves, in an act of courage, as vessels to progress the culture, but it’s like making a deal with Rumpelstiltskin or the devil, there’s always strings attached. In the case of hip-hop, I think each artist thinks he or she can be the savior of a dying art form, but each time, they become consumed by the money and fame and they forget their purpose.
Hip-hop can and will be anything the industry wants it to be because the artists only act as pawns in their grand scheme. I think hip-hop has already surpassed being more than the trap as a multi-billion dollar industry, but the music that comes out of it has left much to be desired. I think hip-hop music is just going through a phase and after it finds its purpose again, the consumer stops requesting more trap/trash music, then just as it has done before, the music will move to a different kind of hip-hop. Hip-hop culture and music has a lot of potential, but hip-hop artists and people of the culture have allowed the executives of the industry to bully their identities into a corner and where hip-hop was about individuality, it’s now about uniformity. I think today’s trap music is so popular because the industry is getting better at showing us who’s boss, who’s controlled and who controls, and we as the consumers are too busy following the latest trends or listening to the media to see that we’re being brainwashed. As such, today’s trap music is literally a trap, a creative contraption designed to influence and directs our every moves. We do what we want because someone else has done it or told us to do it, not because we want to.
Though I don’t think hip-hop is dead, I do think its progress has been stagnant for many years. I also agree with Bryson and my other peers that hip-hop may just be transitioning, but in the same regard I must wonder if this is what hip-hop has been destined to become all along and we’ve just put too much faith and hope into something that was bound to let us down from the beginning. In that capacity, hip-hop may have served its purpose for the people or given all it can give to the people and it may just be time to let the old hip-hop rest and put our faith and time into something else, something new. If we constantly have to fight in a war to take back what’s ours then it was never ours in the first place.
I must agree, based on the history of hip-hop and the road it has been going down for some time now, I believe hip-hop will never belong to the people again, though I believe that it once did, because the industry has consumed the hip-hop artists where the hip-hop artists should be in power. Just as Jean Grae has proven, fighting against the industry won’t stop your success, though it may be a bit of a road block in your path, determination and dedication to keep it real and be genuine to your fans, your craft, yourself, and your peers will afford you happiness, no strings attached.
http://djmag.com/content/trap-music-under-lock-key
I would have to agree with the saying that hip hop has been consumed to the point of no return. It is no longer about the lyrics or even a true art. Today's hip hop is only about the money, like they say money is the root to all evil and that is what has taken over hip hop money hungry individuals. No longer is it about true talent but more so about who these big CEOs believe will sell them more albums and make them the most money. In today's music more and more we are seeing people with absolutely no talent get these record deals for these big labels and selling music not off of lyrical talent but simply off allowing these big record labels to exploit them to their liking. Hip Hop will not be the same off the simple fact that these labels are just exploiting people which is why mainstream hip hop is slowly but surely getting worse each day. Unlike mainstream hip hop underground rappers have a rawness about them that no mainstream artist do excluding J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar (in my opinion). Underground rappers are so raw because they have not allowed for people to exploit there talent for money. In mainstream hip hop we are also seeing less men being men, hip hop will never be the same because more and more queer identities are becoming the norm. Hip hop is suppose to be a male dominated industry with men showing their masculine roles.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/RTaSKUmdpkk