Hip Hop Final

Matt Altstiel
GLOS 3900
12/19/06

In search of Hip Hop…

In the song “Keep It Movin” rapper Q-Tip explains, “Hip Hop can never be a way of life. It doesn’t tell how to raise a child or treat your wife.”[1] Quite differently, MC Zion I tells the listener, “On the real though, there’s so many things you could say about Hip Hop. Hip Hop is life.”[2] Obviously, even between highly respected MCs, there exists a broad variance in opinions as to what exactly Hip Hop means. This paper seeks to answer the nebulous questions: What exactly is Hip Hop? What is included within Hip Hop and what lies outside of it? And finally, is Hip Hop even a culture?

This paper will confront these questions by elaborating on each of Hip Hop’s four elements: Rap Music (MCing), Turntablism (Djing), B-Boying (Breakdancing) and Aerosol Art (Graffiti). Also worth addressing are exponential elements of Hip Hop such as: journalism, scholarship, audio-visual production, theatre and fashion. While not specifically relating to the four elements, the exponential elements nevertheless complement and add to Hip Hop. This paper will explore Hip Hop as a catalyst for social change from its inception up to the present. Furthermore, as a socio-cultural movement, Hip Hop maintains a very special relationship with government and government structures. Finally, this paper attempts to answer the above questions through the political lens of race, gender and class.

What is Hip Hop?

Hip Hop is the popularized term for a street culture originating in the South Bronx of New York City. Hip Hop definitely has a place of origin and a history of cultural diffusion; however its elements in general originated quite independently. Only after prolonged interaction and convergence of elements, could one claim that culture of Hip Hop was born. Indeed, Raquel Rivera contends, “main expressive elements were not developed by the same people at the same time, nor do they all share common antecedents.”[3] Although commonly referenced within the media, Hip Hop did not emerge suddenly as the “Big Bang Theory” suggests.[4] Rather, only when the media recognized the marketing potential of Hip Hop, did it “explode” onto the nation’s conscious.

To answer the third question directly, Hip Hop is a transnational culture, the product of globalization and diffusion. At the same time, Hip Hop, perhaps more than any other musical form stresses precise localities and regionalism. One can find manifestations of Hip Hop practically in every region of the world, be it here in Minneapolis or over in Nairobi, Kenya. While global in nature, Hip Hop prioritizes local issues, lifestyles and identities. For instance, major Hip Hop localities can be said to produce a particular style, sound and expression of Hip Hop. When describing Hip Hop, one should not use the term, “Hip Hop Nation.” Instead, the term “Hip Hop Zone” comes closer to the true nature and spirit of this cultural form. Interestingly, “authenticity”, regarding the convergence of the four elements, often appears most strikingly in emerging Hip Hop Zones.[5] Both inclusive and exclusive at the same time Hip Hop presents a unique cultural dichotomy unlike nearly any other mass-mediated culture. Therefore, as Hip Hop has grown on the global scale, it has constantly changed in order to reflect local realities and cultural priorities.

While Afrika Bambaataa added the fifth element, knowledge, as core tenement of Hip Hop, most scholars, practitioners and fans recognize the four element model. Graffiti, the visual and written form of Hip Hop arguably originated first, and unlike the other three elements, originated outside of New York. B-boying coincided with the rise of the party DJ, as dancers would try to out do one another in competition during the break section of records. In a reciprocal relationship, DJing as a Hip Hop form, arose from DJs extending the popular break sections in order to compel partygoers to dance. Finally, MCing emerged when Djs recognized the need of a rapper to help direct crowds and drive songs beyond the simple break beats. Through Hip Hop pioneers, early elements gained their modern form.

The Four Elements

Graffiti, or aerosol art, represents the ultimate post-modern art form. Choosing a train, building or billboard as the canvas, the writing, in the worlds of Joe Austin, “is not a cultural aberration, but rather a long standing aesthetic tradition connected with social trends and cultural innovations.”[6] Although originating in Philadelphia by 1959, Graffiti took on its present forms and meanings primarily in New York. For writers, much like many disaffected youth of the so called “Hip Hop generation” graffiti mirrored the “fractured and disjunctive identities of the modern urban self.”[7] Simple tags became more and more complex as writer’s sought to increase their visibility. Often writer’s sought to enhance their reputation and visibility “getting up” in the middle of the night, “bombing” subway cars in order to go “all city.”[8] Equally loved and loathed at the same time, Graffiti perhaps unlike any other form within Hip Hop went through periods of repression and celebration. Chang describes Graffiti as both “moving violations, mini riots” and “an art so strong it hurt people.”[9] Graffiti, at first represented the most commercially accessible, public form of Hip Hop culture.

B-boying, dance form of Hip Hop, like Graffiti attained its peak popularity relatively early within Hip Hop’s history as a unified culture.[10] Also similar to graffiti, the form allowed for greater convergence of differing racial and ethnic groups.[11] However, unlike Graffiti, B-Boying was a distinctly phenomenon of the “Boogie Down Bronx”. Channeling the energy of the music, B-Boy and B-Girls incorporated flashy, gravity defying moves in a freeform competition. Dancing ciphers allowed Bronx youth to showcase individual style and earn the respect and admiration of their peers. Certain crews made up of talented young b-boys formed crews. The most famous of these crews, The Rock Steady Crew headed by b-boy Crazy legs went on to achieve international fame and helped bring Hip Hop into a national media spotlight. Like all four elements, b-boying traveled to other places such as Los Angeles, which added additional styles like popping and locking.[12] Breakdancing, above all, was a means of creative expression, a way to earn recognition on one’s own terms.

DJing and Turntablism showcase both performance ability and comprise one of two auditory forms of Hip Hop culture. Chang refers to Djing as “Style as Science.” Indeed, the holy trinity of Hip Hop: Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, and DJ Kool Herc, all achieved initial or principal fame as DJs. Djing allowed the musical genre of rap to emerge as Grandmaster Flash, among other introduced turntable techniques such as: “the Quick Mix Theory and the Clock Theory. These techniques changed DJ’s from passive to active actors upon the music.”[13] Allowed to manipulate music, DJ’s invented their own style, developing the looping break sequences essential to rap music. Furthermore, these pioneering DJs introduced a music that made breakdancing and MCing possible. DJs honed their craft adding performance aspects, releasing DJing albums and competing in global competitions giving rise to a unique sub-culture within Hip Hop. “Digging” through stacks of old records and creating wholly new music, DJs have changed the turntable into a verifiable instrument.[14]

For the average Hip Hop fan, rap music represents the most easily identifiable and tangible element of the culture. Like all other elements of Hip Hop, MCing can be perceived as a competitive art form. Following traditional African American and Latino oral traditions such as: toasting, the dozens and Te Lo Presento; MCs weave words around the confines of beats to display lyrical talent and wit.[15] The origin of MCing tied directly into DJing, as pioneers like Grandmaster Flash originally used the MC to complement his sonic arrangements.[16] However, MCing and rap music has evolved into its own very distinct element and has had the most enduring success as the elemental form most synonymous with Hip Hop.

Arguably, Hip Hop, conceived as the intersection of the four previously mentioned elements finally coalesced in 1982 with the film, Wild Style.[17] Capturing all of the elements, the film captured all four distinct elements operating within the same scene as compatible components.[18] The legacy of creation and intersection left no doubt of Hip Hop’s emergence of a complete culture; replete with history, and sense of location and a mechanism for growth.

Exponential Elements

As any culture grows, it incorporates additional peripheral elements into its fold. The Anthropology of Hip Hop, and the discursive literature associated with the coarse add legitimacy to Hip Hop as a verifiable culture, one capable of producing its own scholars. Similarly, Hip Hop has produced it own unique styles and clothing companies seek to articulate these cultural realities into fashion. Well known magazines such as Vibe and XXL capitalize and project Hip Hop’s mass cultural appeal to a wide audience. Hip Hop has produced its own methods of consumption. For example, Rap music labels export the message of rap recording artists across the globe; aspiring DJs buy Nu-mark turntables and suburban kids, in the words of Hip Hop journalist Wimsatt, “Bomb the Suburbs.”[19] Hip Hop, in large part to the consumption of rap music, is a multi-billion dollar cultural industry. Clearly, the scope of Hip Hop contains wide variance, allowing much to enter into its inclusive realm. The point to be made is this: Hip Hop has greatly expanded from its original cultural frontiers.

Hip Hop as a Social Catalyst

As a culture born out of urban frustration, poverty and cultural invisibility, it should be little wonder that Hip Hop has the ability to challenge social conditions. Rose comments, “A large and significant element in Hip Hop’s discursive territory is engaged in symbolic and ideological warfare with institutions and group’s that oppress.”[20] Rose further comments that rap music in particular, combats oppressive forces by stressing the power of African American alternatives. Indeed, Chang, Rivera, Riviere, and Flores all articulate the gap between lived experience and ideological forces of traditional power structures.[21] Course materials highlight the cultural form’s ability to traverse racial and ethnic boundaries and unite disparate groups of people into a common cause. Therefore, Hip Hop is a cultural force capable of engaging and addressing inequality regardless of its ethno/social/cultural origin.

Hip Hop’s unique timing as a cultural movement originating in the 1970’s, marked by steady growth in the 1980’s positioned it at the end of the American Civil Rights Era, and right in the middle of the Anti-Apartheid struggle. Chang comments that Hip Hop allowed, “The post-civil rights children a desegregation battle to call their own.”[22] Hip Hop artists and youths within the generation urged and succeeded in convincing governmental and corporate apparatuses to divest from South Africa. The song, “Sun City” featured a coalition of artists and entertainers united in prioritizing the plight of Black South Africans under an oppressive system.[23]
Similarly, many rap artists and activates emboldened by the success of the anti-apartheid movement would turn towards a politicized, Black-nationalist agenda in protest of institutional American racism. Given a framework and mission statement, rap’s “prophets of rage with a difference, retained the mass mediated spotlight on the popular cultural stage while functioning as a voice of social critique and criticism.”[24] Late 1980’s, early 1990’s rap and Hip Hop took on a decidedly confrontational stance, more willing to question the authority that had led the New York City financial crisis, the L.A. Riots and growing economic inequality.

More recently, Hip Hop’s second so called “Golden Age” (the very late 1990’s and early 2000’s) marked a shift to “conscious” Hip Hop.[25] Mos Def, Common, Talib Kweli, Black Thought, Dead Prez among other sought reinsert intelligent, highly politicized dialogue back into Hip Hop. Decidedly pro-Black in lyrical content, these rappers continued in the lyrical tradition of Public Enemy and Brand Nubian. However, the term itself, “Conscious” rap carried with it loaded connotations that caution overtly political Hip Hop messages.

Hip Hop and Authority

Hip Hop’s origins as a largely African American and Latino cultural form have necessarily put it odds with the United States government, and local governmental apparatuses. Although in an unequal struggle with brutality unfair governmental practices, Hip Hop serves as a medium of dialogue between two very different sets of social groups. American branches of government have tried to censor Hip Hop through legal means such as prior restraint. Civil suit court action directed at 2Live Crew and Tupac, as well as law enforcement reaction towards Ice T and N.W.A affirm this antagonistic relationship.[26] While the speech present within Hip Hop lyrics is no more subversive than other musical genre’s, rap music has consistently been accused of violating first amendment rights.

Rather than seeking to address the problems rap music diagnosed, the legal establishment suppressed its articulation, preventing the viability of social change.[27] Put another way, “the relationship between listening to and committing subsequent acts of violence appears to more closely resemble a statistical accident than a causal equation.”[28] The unwillingness or inability of legal authority to understand the reality of urban African American life further entrenched the politics of racism.[29] Each branch of the federal, and in many cases local government has tried to systematically hinder the development of Hip Hop, especially in regard to rap music. The establishment of New York City’s “Rap Binder” and uneasy relationship between “The Hip Hop Cop” and rap artists well illustrates Hip Hop’s distrust of legal authority.[30]

Race, Gender and Class within Hip Hop

While it cannot be argued that Hip Hop’s origins and inspiration draw heavily from African American culture, Rose’s overly Afro-centric portrayal of Hip Hop underscores on going issues of race and class within Hip Hop. Rose correctly asserts that rap follows a long line of “African American social criticism”, but ignores Hip Hop’s potential to represent other cultural realities.[31] Rivera brings up an important point, echoed by Juan Flores that, “the myth that Hip Hop being an African American realm and representing a rupture in Puerto Rican tradition has served to weaken Puerto Ricans’ perceived entitlement to Hip Hop.”[32] Indeed, Hip Hop emerged from the South Bronx, a place home to African Americans, but also many Latinos, poor European Americans and other ethnicities. Furthermore, such an Afro-centric view of Hip Hop neglects the significant contributions of non-African Americans in the more diversified realms of Breakdancing (b-boys and b-girls), Graffiti and Turntablism.

In part to Hip Hop’s cultural tradition and in part to the commercialization of Hip Hop culture, African Americans represent the paramount for Hip Hop authenticity. The stories of inner city life rather than tell messages and spread truth have been comodified, sensationalized and sold to mainly white, suburban youths. Chang asserts, “Media monopolies favored artists who did not merely produce hits, but synergies of goods.”[33] The current state of Hip Hop through mass media has marginalized other racial/ethnic groups while reinforcing negative social stereotypes of the poorest ethnic/class demographic. In essence, this mass media driven shift has blurred the realities of race and class, merging the two into one.
Rose, Rivera and Rivere help articulate the role of women within Hip Hop. Rap and Hip Hop as a culture is a highly gendered space prioritizing male viewpoints over females through female objectification. Often while the media has recognized the growing influence of social dynamic of certain non-European populations, it has come at the expense of the “butter pecan mami” or exotic cultural other.[34] Often lost in translation, female viewpoints “construct women’s independence and male and female co-dependence as compatible forces.”[35] Drawing from the Lyricism workshop, Hip Hop artists Desdamona affirms, “I hear from men, ‘you’re really good, for a female rapper.’ Why can’t I just hear I’m a good rapper, period.”[36]

Conclusion

Through this paper the reader can clearly answer the questions posed in the beginning of the paper. Hip Hop is a global movement originating form a unique spatio-temporal region that has managed to accommodate and connect a wide variety of ethnicities and social classes while emphasizing local desires. Incorporating new influences, new styles and a larger audience, global Hip Hop has morphed its parameters even at home (the South Bronx).[37] Hip Hop is the four elements. Hip Hop is mode of reproduction and consumption. Hip Hop is a method for achieving social justice , and yet at the same time can be an objectifying, ethnocentric way of viewing the world. Indeed, Hip Hop is paradoxical since no one person can truly say what Hip Hop includes, and what Hip Hop cannot. Above all, however; Hip Hop is a culture, and perhaps its greatest strength is its capacity for growth and change.

Works Cited

Altstiel, Matt. “First Is Forever.” Anthropology of Hip Hop in a Global Perspective 10 Oct. 2006: 2.

Altstiel, Matt. “The New Revolution of Rap and The Law.” Anthropology of Hip Hop in a Global Perspective 20 Nov. 2006: 3-4.

Altstiel, Matt. “Viva La Revolucion.” Anthropology of Hip Hop in a Global Perspective 17 Oct. 2006: 1.

Austin, Joe. Taking the Train: How Graffiti Art Became an Urban Crisis in New York City. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001.

A Tribe Called Quest. “Keep It Movin.” Anthology. Jive Records, 1999.

Black and Blue: Legends of a Hip Hop Co. Dir. QD3. Perf. Derrick Parker. 2006. DVD. Image Entertainment, 2006.

Chang, Jeff. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation. New York: Picador Press, 2005.
Ferrell, Jeff and Hamm, Mark S. “Raps, Cops and Crime: Clarifying the ‘Cop Killer' Controversy.” Rapping about Cop Killing. 2004. Institute for Jewish Policy Research. 20 Nov. 2006. <http://www.axt.org.uk/HateMusic/Rappin.htm>
Flores, Juan. From Bomba to Hip Hop. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000.
Freshest Kids, The: A History of the B-Boy. Dir. Israel. Perf. Crazy Legs, Ken Swift, Frost Freeze, Afrika Bambaataa. 2002. DVD. California, Brotherhood Films, 2002.
Ill Chemistry. Lyricism and the Lyricist. Carlson School of Business Management, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN. 7 Nov. 2006.
Rivera, Raquel Z. New York Ricans From the Hip Hop Zone. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.
Riviere, Melisa. The New Revolution of Rap. Anthropology of Hip Hop in a Global Perspective. Blegan Hall, University of Minnesota: Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN. 19 Oct. 2006.
Riviera, Melisa. Course Materials and Course Notes. Anthropology of Hip Hop in a Global Perspective. Blegan Hall, University of Minnesota: Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN. 7 Sept. 2006 – 13 Dec. 2006.
Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1994.
Scratch. Dir. Mike Prey. Perf. DJ Mix Master Mike, DJ Q-Bert, DJ Shadow, Frank Cuevas. 2001. DVD. Palm Pictures, 2002.
Style Wars. Dir. Henry Chalfant and Tony Silver. Perf. Graffiti Writers. 1984. DVD. New York: Plexifilms, 2005.

Wild Style, Dir. Charlie Ahearn. Perf. Easy A.D., Patty Astor, Busy Bee. 1984. DVD. Rhino/Wea, 2002.

Wimsatt, William Upski. Bomb the Suburbs. Chicago: The Subway and Elevated Press Company, 1994.
Zion I. “Bird’s Eye View.” True & Livin’. Live Up, 2005.
[1] A Tribe Called Quest, Anthology
[2] Zion I, True & Livin’
[3] Rivera, pg. 51
[4] Rivera, pg. 51
[5] Rivera, pg. 15-16
[6] Austin, pg. 38-39
[7] Austin, pg. 43
[8] Austin, pg. 51, Style Wars, 1984
[9] Chang, pg. 122, 153
[10] The Freshest Kids, 2001
[11] Rivera, pg. 59
[12] The Freshest Kids, 2001
[13] Matt Altstiel, “First Is Forever”
[14] Scratch, 2001
[15] Rose, Black Noise; and Rivera, New York Ricans From the Hip Hop Zone
[16] Chang, pg. 113
[17] Chang, pg. 187
[18] Wildstyle, 1984
[19] Wimsatt, Bomb the Suburbs
[20] Rose, pg. 101
[21] Course materials, et al, and Rose, pg. 102
[22] Chang, pg. 216
[23] Riviere, Lecture 19 Oct. 2006
[24] Rose, pg. 101
[25] Chang, pg. 447-448
[26] Riviere, Lecture 19 Oct. 2006
[27] Hamm and Farrell “Raps, Cops and Crime”
[28] Hamm and Farrell “Raps, Cops and Crime”
[29] Matt Altstiel, “The New Revolution of Rap and the Law”
[30] Black and Blue: Legends of a Hip Hop Cop, 2006
[31] Rose, pg. 123
[32] Rivera, pg. 10 and Flores, From Bomba to Hip Hop
[33] Chang, pg. 447
[34] Rivera, pg. 142-143
[35] Rose, pg. 176
[36] Ill Chemistry, Lyricism and the Lyricist workshop
[37] Matt Altstiel, “Viva La Revolucion”