Hip Hop in the Media

Personal Understanding of Hip Hop:
Hip Hop, to me, is not only a genre of music but also a lifestyle. Hip hop can be music, dance, culture, fashion and, in general, a way of life. Hip Hop music allowed artists of the late 80s and 90s to express themselves culturally and politically.

Urban Dictionary Meaning of Hip Hop:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hip+hop

SONGS:
"Sunshine" by Mos Def
"U.N.I.T.Y." by Queen LaTifah
"Warm It Up" by Kriss Kross
"Gettin' Up" by Q-Tip
"Back Then" by Mike Jones

MUSIC VIDEOS:
"Can't Truss It" by Public Enemy
"It's Tricky" by Run DMC
"Kiss Me Thru The Phone" by Soulja Boy Tell'em
"Closer" by Ne-Yo
"Fight for Your Right" by the Beastie Boys

RADIO STATIONS FEATURING HIP HOP:
WILD 104.9
POWER 103.5

HIP HOP IN THE MEDIA:
The Gatorade G Commercial utilizes a hip hop song with famous athletes as the faces of the campaign. It's a great ad done in black and white. The use of the song along with the athletes is very eye-catching and inspiring. It almost has the ability to "pump you up."
Gap Khaki Commercial features many hip hop dancers dancing while wearing the Gap Khakis. It's creative and energetic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_A_bxovgF0&feature=PlayList&p=34AF8DF3E6E23DB5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=35

There are many things that I believe Hip Hop has brought to mainstream pop culture. Along with the word "bling," other words such as grill, bootylicous, crunk, phat, tight, dope and the enunciation of words in general.



I also think that hip hop has greatly inspired fashion trends not only during the hip hop peak but in today's culture as well. On a daily basis you can see kids sporting Nike high-tops with their shoe laces undone and baggy pants. Some of the most popular musical artists are hip hop and rap artists like Lil Wayne, Bow Wow, Young Jeezy, Snoop Dawg, Eminem, 50 Cent and many more.

After talking to my parents, I discovered that they primarily listened to Classic Rock. They loved Tom Petty, Elton John, James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkle, and many others. Their choice in music has greatly inspired my love for classic rock. They have passed down their love for classic rock to me. They say that they never listened to hip hop but also said that hip hop wasn't around during their time therefore they have no interest in it today. Both my mom and my dad said that they don't want to listen to today's rap because they think it is derogatory towards women and inappropriate. I agree with them to an extent but I also see the other side.

I believe that the hip hop culture has the ability to inspire every type of person. The catchy lyrics and the play on words are always so fantastic. I am not one that listens to hip hop on a regular basis. To be quite honest, I don't really listen to hip hop at all. However, one thing that I love about hip hop music, and the culture in general, is the passion that the artists and performers have for their craft. It truly is inspiring. After watching all of the music videos and listening to the songs, you can tell that they aren't just making another record or music video for the fame and money, rather, they want to have their voice heard and inspire people. And I believe that hip hop can do just that.

However, I sometimes feel that present day hip hop can be degrading towards women. Some of the music videos I watched were exploiting women's bodies in ways that I believe are unnecessary. I just don't see why all of these artists think that it is necessary to use half-naked women in every video. Like I said, I don't listen to hip hop very much so maybe that is just a misconception that I have but in my opinion, they could get their message across without the typical "music video girl."

I think that hip hop is a phenomenon that will be around for years to come. It truly has shaped modern culture and will continue to do so.