Hip-Hop Music

Hip-hop music to me is a genre of music that developed among African Americans as a form of rebellion and a way to give the oppressed a voice. This music that was once slightly political is now mainstream for not only African Americans, but for anyone. The basic rhythms and "beats" resonate the culture of African Americans, with a wide range of vocals. 

Five Hip- Hop Artists I have never listened to before are: 

1. Raekwon

2. Playaz Circle

3. Cory Gunz

4. Big Daddy Kane

5. Digital Underground

Five Hip-Hop Videos I have never seen before are: 

1. Team Blackout (Feat. Chris)-"Gotta Have Her"-- This video focuses on a man who loves this woman and takes her where ever she wants to go, buys her what she wants, all because he loves her. 

2. Memphis Bleek- "Real Nigga Shit"-- Focus on life on the streets for a group of African American men, the video focuses on a day in the life for them and is actually not over done, its pretty realistically shot. No women in booty shorts dancing on and around their cars. 

3. Jacki-O- "Hood Girl"

4. 8Ball- "America"-- The focus of this video is how hard life is on the streets for poverty stricken people. 

5. Playaz Circle (Ft. Oj Da Juiceman)- "Stupid"

Two Radio Stations that broadcast hip-hop music are:

1. Power 103.5 (Norman, OKC)

2. Hot 107.1 (Memphis, TN & Online at Hot1071.com)

Corporations that have used hip-hop to advertise and promote their products are:

1. Wrigleys Double Mint Commercial

2. Gap- Khakis Hip Hop Commercial

Hip-hop music has become intricate to all media forms in America. Aside form its tradition forms of radio and concert, mp3 players and the internet have taken it to a new level.  Hip-hop also has branched off into specific television stations where hip hop music is the foundation, it become the reason why so many dance shows have gotten so popular, and is used in a multitude of television sitcoms. 

Hip-hop music has saturated and changed the face of urban culture. Obviously, slang terminology has been an undeniable contribution to mainstream culture from the hip-hop world; however, I don't feel like that does justice to all hip-hop has done for mainstream culture. Sure its created a language of its own, but more than that, the hip-hop movement has made social and political changes beyond the surface of traditional American culture. Through hip-hop music, some of the best minds have been able to creatively make a difference in how people of this world view and treat each other, as well as continuously reinforcing that America is the melting pot of the world, and we need to start respecting that instead of wasting time and energy categorizing people into distinct groups for our own personal gains. 

I asked my father what he listened to while he was younger and the answer was a repetitive, and excited exclamation of ROCK! His favorites were ZZ Top, ACDC, and R.E.O. Speedwagon. My step-mom was big into country, like Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, and Shania Twain, as well as soft rock like Brian Adams, Air Supply, Journey, and 38 Special, Styx. It was interesting to me because I asked them about different genres, and both of the said their main this was rock music, and never was hip-hop/rap/jazz anything of that sort even mentioned...even when I explicitly asked.

I think the image of hip-hop this days is actually pretty good when you look at it as a whole. I think the because of the way some rap music is presented or through its lyrics, it gets a bad reputation. For example, due to the "values" and "morals" they portray to be of importance to them, while belittling others (especially sexualizing women.)