Hip Hop is a genre that is near and dear to my heart. It contains so many elements that have played a major part in my appreciation for music and musical preference. When I think of Hip-Hop, so many things come to mind. Like boomboxes and breakdancing pop into my head when I think of 90s Hip Hop. Such a raw and uncut use of words and sounds to deliver a real message. Whether it was street rap or simply beatboxing, the rhythm and the bass would just captivate you. It is almost like when you think of your favorite song and you can feel the beat of the music in your body without even listening to it. The ability to remember the sequence of the notes and vibrations all go hand in hand with your memory of the song. Something about that song resonated with your mind, whether that was the tempo or the bass, it captivated you. Artists like DMX and LL Cool J, even though they created very different styles of music, the unfiltered messages portrayed in their music were one of the same. I believe that it is one of the major reasons why Hip Hop is not the same today. Artists are not focused on telling a story with their music anymore, painting a picture for its listeners about their present hardships or heartbreaks. Most of them have the same basis when you listen to them, get fast money, have plenty of women and do drugs. Unfortunately, this is a direct reflection of what they think young adults want to hear these days. As a result of this, we have young teens trying to alter their lives to reflect something similar to what they hear in these songs. The problem with this is that it is non-realistic. Most of us young, Black individuals won’t see a quick come-up in our lives that will allow us to experience all the rags and riches without hard work. To wrap up, my take on Hip Hop between then and now is the change of the messages. We need to get back to a place where music was authentic and meaningful. Giving young individuals hope and relief, rather than selling them false dreams of quick riches and happiness.
