Joseph F Shloss Hip Hop Analysis

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The term “hip-hop” is used today to describe a specific form of dance and music, but actually encases a much broader art. “It [Hip-Hop] is the cultural embodiment of violence, degradation, and materialism . . . a multibillion-dollar industry based on debauchery, disrespect, and self-destruction” (3). Although hip-hop does heavily involve music and dance, Joseph G. Schloss has found that there are many more aspects that make up the hip-hop culture. Foundation is a collection by Schloss of his findings from his research of hip-hop. In this work, Schloss highlights his enthusiasm about discovering “b-boys and b-girls”. These are terms to describe people (usually young) who breakdance. Schloss writes Foundation in first-person point of view and is obviously thrilled to express his interest in this heterogenous dance form. This ethnography also includes the opinions of b-boys and b-girls on hip-hop. How this ethnography is constructed offers a very different view on this subject …show more content…

Stereotypically, hip-hop is “just talking over a beat”, or “is about misogynism”, or even “takes no effort”. These incorrect statements and its connection to African Americans have come to be connected to all young African Americans, even if they have no connection to the hip-hop scene whatsoever. These incorrect stereotypes have been used to generalize the whole African American population. Schloss delves into the stereotypes and misunderstandings about hip-hop and its culture. He mentions how the meaning of hip-hop has been distorted. In Schloss’s opinion, b-boying and b-girling is the best way to depict the meaning of hip-hop. This genre of dance highlights hip-hop’s competitive nature and how b-boying and b-girling is, in fact, not made for teenagers, but was made by teenagers. The culture behind hip-hop expresses themes that are common in a teenager’s life such as graffiti art, dancing, competition, music, and