Al-Gailani,+Sama

Sama Al-Gailani

996320618

Professor Gail Benick and Professor Michael Jones CCT205H5 Digital Innovation and Cultural Transformation

February 5th, 2009

Individual Research Assignment: Hip Hop: The Definition Of A Generation

The Hip Hop culture has become one of the most influential music genres on its audience, especially young teenagers. The genre came about in the early 1970s in the Bronx, in New York, as it also became known as MCing. The Hip Hop culture is quite distinct from other music genres. Unlike Jazz, Pop, Rock, etc. it has developed its own unique set of “bodily codes, commodity language, verbal codes, and behavioral codes” (Danesi, 2002). Those certain qualities often misconstrue the message’s original intention from the artist towards their audience. This has been the mis-communicated case of the Hip Hop culture.

For a long time now, Hip Hop has been associated with a culture of violence, dugs, sex, and corruption. Individuals that are not well informed or familiar with the culture of Hip Hop often mis-judge it and believe the existing stereotypes regarding the genre. Hip Hop targets its music towards a diverse range of individuals; however, young teens are the highly consumed audience of that particular genre. In addition, those misconceptions about the Hip Hop culture are often applied to and targeted towards the younger audience. Young teenage boys and girls are constantly being bombarded with music videos that portray provocative images of women, rappers covered in jewelry, surrounded by fancy cars. This will have a tremendous impact on young teens as they learn to develop their social identity by using the Hip Hop culture as a basis. This is one of the major negative aspects with respect to how the Hip Hop culture influences its consumers. The age range of the consumer groups is very likely to absorb any kind of information and use them as a guide and a lifestyle. This process affects young teenage women as it allows them to believe that what Hip Hop music videos portray is indeed how society should function. Henceforth, the culture encourages its young audience to conform and behave according to what Hip Hop music videos portray.

On the other hand, many would disagree to this stereotypical phenomenon about the Hip Hop culture. Often, some music genres are stereotyped and mis-communicated. An African American woman that feels very strongly about this issue addressed this misconception by stating: “Hip Hop is said to endanger the minds of students with thoughts of violence, the exploitation of women, lots of jewelry, and arrogance. This thought enrages me because these things do not represent the Hip Hop culture at all and the reasons it was created. The Hip Hop culture was created to describe a style of dancing, clothing, and music created in urban neighborhoods. It was originally based around five elements and none of them are one of the above. The elements were DJing, MCing, Beatboxing, graffiti, and breakdancing. Hip Hop just described the incredible new form of art invented” (Author Unknown, 2007). True Hip Hop artists and Hip Hop followers believe that there is an alternate purpose to this culture than to objectify and exploit women. For example, a very well known song called “I know I can”, was performed by Nas, a Hip Hop artist. The song preaches hope and faith in children, encouraging them that they can pursue any dream as long as they believe in themselves. This opposes the stereotype that the Hip Hop culture is nothing but materialistic and a misogamist one.

One of the main sectors of media that undoubtedly impacts society is music, be it music videos, lyrics contents, or any contributing factor. The Hip Hop culture is one of those music genres that take part in shaping society, in particular, young adolescents. "The negative portrayals of black people, especially women, in hip Hop lyrics and music videos" (Roach, 2004) has created a negative outlook on the African American community, which only leads to false stereotypes about the Hip Hop culture and the African American race as well. Teenage boys and girls are very absorbent of what content they are provided with. The likelihood of picking up on certain cues and interpreting them to be a part of their lifestyle is quite high. It is evident that "teens do display attitudes consistent with a culture that uses 'bitches' and 'hoes' as labels for every woman, studies reveal that females are dissed by almost everyone, including black females" (SaeNgian, 2008). Carolyn West, an associate professor of psychology and the study of prevention of violence at the University of Washington, stated that "black adolescent girls are being bombarded with graphic sexual images" (SaeNgian, 2008). Adolescent girls are constantly being exposed to music videos that exploit and objectify women as sexual objects. Moreover, "according to Dr. West, rap music portrays young black women in five sexual personas: Diva, a woman who trades sexual favors for luxury; Gold Digger, a woman who trades sexual favors for basic necessities; Freak, a sexual powerhouse; Gangster Bitch, a 'tough girl'; and Baby Mama, a child's needy mother" (SaeNgian, 2008). A song that best advocates this belief is "Gold Digger" by Kanye West. Once adolescent girls are exposed to explicit lyrical content and videos that accompany them, they will fit themselves into the five personas illustrated in music videos and treat themselves as sexual objects" (SaeNgian, 2008). Studies show that "girls who had watched rap videos for more than an hour a day were most likely to have started sex early" (Schrameijer, 2007). Gay Toms, an individual that writes blogs about the Hip Hop culture addressed the issue by saying, "I mean, let's be real here, if a kid sees some big rap start on MTV, with expensive cars, gorgeous half-naked women, expensive jewelry, and living the thug lifestyle, they are going to want to be just like them" (Toms, 2008). Young adolescents between the ages of 15-19 easily conform to what they feel will make them fit better in their community. Toms also says, "I have a real problem with six and seven-year-olds walking around the street calling each other nigger and cursing worse than a sailor on weekend leave; they do this because of the images they see and the music they have easy access to" (Toms, 2008). A culture that degrades women by exploiting and objectifying them has become a well known and an accepted factor in society; it has become a belief that is accepted by both females and males. This only encourages females to accept what they are being portrays as, and to continue perceiving themselves as sexual objects. Meanwhile, males and male artists nevertheless continued to exploit, degrade, and objectify women. It is evident that "girls are not seeing positive images of which they are and what they can be", said Dr. West. Evidently, "looking at the sexual imagery really impacts on the functioning of teenage girls" (SaeNgian, 2008).

As stated earlier, the Hip Hop culture does not only impact its adolescent audience in a negative aspect, it also imposes positive outlooks on what it has to offer. The Hip Hop culture promotes positive messages by mainly approaching its audience through lyrical contents. Although Hip Hop artists are stereotyped to strictly make music about cars, money, girls, sex, and drugs, there are also other artists, typically from the 1980s, that oppose this belief; such artists address more serious topics through their music. Unlike today's music, "vulgar language was rarely used, instead, rap artists spoke about more social issues and changes that could be made to make society better" (Smith, 2007). A very well known and highly respected rap artist, 2Pac Shakur, reached out to many people through songs such as 'Hold On Be Strong' and 'Keep Your Head Up'. These songs encourage people to keep their faith and not give up, even through difficult times. Another song by a Hip Hop artist, Twista, and a female singer, Faith Evans, touched many people's lives through their song 'Hope'; the song encourages young adolescents to believe in themselves and to never give up. It seems that artists are also preaching somewhat of positive and uplifting messages to the youth though creating music about their dark past. this factor can be arguable to be a positive impact and/or a negative one. "It seems that the more crimes a rapper commits, the more he is help up as a true 'thug', which allows him to sell more CDs (because he has proven his hardness to the streets)" (Smith, 2007). This belief sends out the message that if adolescents commit illegal crimes, objectify women, and wear jewelry, then they are true 'thugs', just like the rappers" (Smith, 2007).

It is evident that the Hip Hop culture and the messages it portrays through music and explicit lyrical content, heavily influences the way adolescents function within society. Hip Hop artists often portray females as sexual objects with no purpose but to provide sexual pleasure. Also, they focus their attention on materialistic objects that imposes false stereotypes about the Hip Hop genre. Music videos that illustrate such belief system often encourage adolescents to conform to what the genre portrays. Young girls are taking on the personas of 'hoes' and 'Gold Diggers', while young boys take on the personas of 'pimps' and 'gangsters' that rap artists convey to be the necessary thing to do in order to fit in.

Contrary to this belief, the Hip Hop culture also promotes positive messages towards its audience. Many artists reach out to their audience through songs that motivate the listener to be strong. "Instead of the negative vulgar, hateful, and sexual messages being sent by secular rappers, there are Christian rappers trying to send a message of hope, salvation, and peace that will improve our society as a whole, building up the youth" (Smith, 2007). It is clear that the Hip Hop culture imposes several sides as to how the genre approaches its audience. How the consumer forms their impression towards the Hip Hop culture surely depends on what perspective they approach it.

//Work Cited//
Roach, Ronald (2004). Decoding hip-hop's cultural impact: scholars are poised to take a close look at the influence of hip-hop on the social identity, values of today's youth". Black Issues in Higher Education. FindArticles.com. [|//http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DXK/is_5_21/ai_n6146619/pg_4?tag=content;col1//]   Schrameijer, Flip (2007). Rap music has a bad influence on teenagers: bullshit or fact? [|//http://www.journal-for-young-scientists.net/content/view/27/44/1/1///]

Author Unknown (2007). Hip Hop's Influence. [|//http://www.collegenet.com/elect/app/app?service=external/Forum&sp=3143//]

Danesi, Marcel (2002). Understanding Media Semiotics. New York, London: Oxford University Press.

SaeNgian, Kathy (2008). Researcher cites negative influences of hip-hop. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. [|//http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08165/889550-51.stm//] 

Toms, Gay (2006). Hip-Hop's Negative Impact on kids. Associatedcontent.com. [|//http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/47127/hiphops_negative_impact_on_kids.html?cat=9//]

 Smith, Joshua (2007). Rap/Hip-Hop's Negative Impact on Society. SocyBerty.com. [|//http://www.socyberty.com/Issues/RapHip-Hops-Negative-Impact-on-Society.54300/2//]