Hip Hop: Evolution And Revolution In Hip-Hop

Evolution and Revolution in Hip-hop

As hip hop began to gain popularity, it started to include people beyond poor urban neighborhoods. As this occurred, new members of the hip hop generation struggled to define themselves beyond the slums. Although it was the birthplace of hip hop, it was dangerously misleading to allow society to continue to perceive hip hop as the child of neglect, poverty, and suffering. Though by no means an collective response to outsider views, songs attempting to define hip hop began to appear. From “We Rap More Mellow” to “Damn it feels good to be a gangster, 13 years pass (1979-92), but the ideology expressed in the lyrics remains thematically the same, in hoping to redefine hip hop and what it means to be member of

Ness, Rahiem, Cowboy, and Kid Creole. Each artist has their own verses, but they also complete each others’ lines and even rap some lyrics in sync. The backing track is a constant loop of drums, shakers, bass, e-guitar, claps and bongos. The MC’s rap over the loop for their verses, and alternative loops play during their portions where they exchange lines. This is most likely to stress the importance of the lyrics over the music during each of the MC’s raps. The alternative loops exist for a different reason, not to distract from the lyrics in these sections, but to further differentiate them from the rest of the rap. It is in these portions that the MC’s share common lines, representing unity across their group, the hip-hop community, and likely any gangs that they were affiliated with.The intro builds up the beat, first with the drums, then bongos, shakers,and claps are inserted, followed by the bass, and then finally the electric guitar. This is a technique very similar to that used in pre-hip hop music, such as James Brown’s “Give it up or turn it loose” from 1970. Although the artists had declared this new form of music to be distinctly rap or hip hop, it still was heavily influenced by funk artists from earlier in the decade. This is

Other definitions in the piece describe “gangsta’s” as charitable members of society and corrupt politicians. In short, the variety of definitions these piece offers serves the idea that there is no true definition of a “gangsta,” and because of that, a “gangsta” is anything the hip hop community wants it to be. Though this song fails to describe hip-hop culture, it insists on an image that is open to interpretation, allowing for future generations of MCees to carve out their own