Hip-Hop: Its Roots and Its Future

Many critics thought that Hip-Hop would fade away quickly, much like the Disco craze of the 1970's. Hip-Hop has only grown larger, and is now an undeniable cultural and musical force. Its roots are strictly urban, as people like Grandmaster Flash and Curtis Blow mixed rhythmic poetry with a ghetto beat. Hip-Hop remained a mainly urban black taste, until a transformation began to occur in the late 1980's. Hip-Hop (or Rap) began to cross over in to pop culture, as some rappers found themselves chart toppers. Rap has definitely changed, for the better. The lyrics began to focus more on Hip-Hop culture, and the music has become much more sophisticated.

One of the most important innovations in Hip-Hop is the advent of "Gangsta Rap." Groups like N.W.A (Niggas with Attitudes) began to bring ghetto life to the pop charts. "Gangsta Rap" is now the most popular form of Hip-Hop, with artists like Snoop Doggy Dogg selling over 4 million copies. A member of N.W.A has proved to be one of the most influential men in bringing rap to mainstream culture. Dr. Dre, as a producer ( and founder of the mega-successful Death Row Records, which he has since abandoned) allowed acts like Snoop and Kurupt (of Tha Dogg Pound) to share the spotlight on his Solo debut "The Chronic." "The Chronic" may be the most important album in "gangsta rap" history, as it launched two careers and was the first true rap crossover album. This was also one of the first albums to laud the life of a "playa" (Player), as the trend shifted from preaching a rise above the ghetto. This is demonstrated in Dre's hipocrasy, as he said in the N.W.A song "Express Yourself" (arguably the first gangsta hit) "I don't smoke weed...'cause it's known to give a brother brain damage." His next album, "The Chronic" (a moniker for really good marijuana.) This is not to say that all Hip-Hop is now "negative," as groups like The Pharcyde and The Heiroglifics Crew (Souls of Mischief, Tribe Called Quest etc.) never really discuss true criminal activities other than smoking weed, a misdemeanor. Wu-Tang Clan symbolized the East Coast's rise in "gangsta rap," as they told of their lives as ghetto "Dons" on Staten Island (Shaolin), and began the change of being involved in activities such as murderand crack dealing.

Hip Hop recently entered a new sort of popularity, as hip-hop culture is now in all sorts of media. A person who embodied this, was Tupac Shakur. He was by far the most visible rap star, asan incredibly talented rapper and a captivating actor as well. He was the most audible voice of the ghetto, and his natural charisma and talent allowed him to touch many people. He was the embodiment of, for lack of a better word, "Generation X." He was a vocal critic of the problems in black urban culture and America in general. Tupac's motto "Thug Life" (which was tattooed across his chest) embodied his lifestyle. He lived as part of the counterculture that many American youth either live or wish to live.

Tragically, Tupac died as a result of his lifestyle. His murder has been blamed on the growing perceived feud between East and West coast rap genre. Many feel that Notorious B.I.G or his producer Sean "Puffy" Combs (Head of the East Coast label Bad Boy Records) arranged Tupac's untimely demise. This perceived feud can be viewed as a microcosm of the everyday struggles between feuding factions in American life, and the horrible results.

Hip Hop-Hop is a viable art form, and is the defining music of the 1990's. No other music form is riddled with the deep-rooted angst or the captivation of American youth culture. Hip-Hop needs to be accepted as the musical voice of the 1990's, as well as very entertaining listening.

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Last Updated November 14, 1996 by Chris Speers