Hip Hop Culture Vs Rap Culture

Hip-hop was born in the South Bronx during a time where people of color were overwhelmed by poverty, poor living conditions, substance abuse, and gang violence. Black leaders of these communities acknowledged the consequences of these destructive conditions and the detrimental effect they would have on the African-American community. These individuals knew that in order for Black youths to survive, they needed to be provided with an alternative future to explore. The solution to this issue was to create a culture that celebrated art and creativity. The result was hip-hop. Art forms such as DJing, MCing, breaking, and tagging became the defining elements of hip-hop. The foundation of Hip-hop culture was built on African-American history, in
One example of this is how women are treated and addressed in commercial rap. Commercial rappers label women as “bitches” and “hoes” and often only portray them as sex objects whose purpose is to adhere to the sexual desires of men. These comments and depictions of women allow for society to become desensitized to the concepts of sexism and rape culture. If Black men don’t even respect Black women, why should White men? As seen in the documentary “Beyond Beats and Rhymes” commercial rap artists are forced to display a tough persona. The promotion of this persona does not allow for these artists to display any type of sensitivity or emotion that may depict sensitivity or femininity. This mindset leads to increased discrimination of women of
In his music and performances, Kendrick Lamar addresses social issues that affect the African-American community while paying homage to African-American history by incorporating various elements of Black music culture into his art. Kendrick shies away from traditional subjects that commercial rap focuses on and instead writes about the the realities of living in an underserved community plagued by gang violence and drug use. Kendrick Lamar advocates for change and for members of the African-American community to unite together in order to promote peace and unity; similar messages that were the foundation of hip-hop culture. Various artists have acknowledged Kendrick Lamar’s influence and have begun to step away from their commercial image and instead become leaders in their