Hip-Hop is Art

Hip-hop music is known to be a value player to violence, drugs, and gangs. Through time people
looked down on this music genre as degrading, and mindless sound. On the contrary, music has
provided many forms of services to community, a way to express oneself, a motivational tool, and it
influences many people to do better in their lives. Hip-hop should not be judged so harshly by its
culture, the people who represent it, and the lyrics.

Hip-hop itself gave people a genre to bond over and to communicate through. In the article, “Like
Hip-Hop is Like No Other” Craig Watkins states that rap music “has remained, by
and large, a defiantly “black” musical form. That does not mean that other ethnicities and
nationalities have not embraced rap and fashioned it to speak to their own conditions” (63). Hip-hop
has also broken down barriers between races. There are often open intelligent debates about who is
the best rapper and why. Hip-hop allows many people to listen to someone they both like, and to
meet on a common ground with each other. Even though people feud over the best rapper and can
create animosity, does not mean it is bad. Hip-hop just like Rock has its setbacks.
Many hip-hop artists have started outreach programs for the youth and their community. Such as
Snoop Dogg and Nelly, both started a youth football team to keep kids off of the streets. Some artist
fund different charity events, or even on a charity of their own. Russell Simmons has many
scholarship opportunities for college students. Some artist may do it to get a good tax break, but
what does it matter of their motivates if they are helping someone else? Also Kanye West was
recognized by American Association of Endodontists the fifth best Black Celebrity Philanthropists of
2007. Kanye West also started the “Kanye West Foundation” in Chicago, IL in 2003. He hosted the
inaugural benefit concert for his establishment that launched the foundations partnership with Strong
American Schools. He is focused on helping Latino and African-American children stay in school and
to get a suitable education through grade school, high school, and college.

According to Wikipedia, Kanye West donated over 500,000 dollars to his foundation. He also
appeared and participated in many fundraisers, benefit concerts, and community work that include
the Hurricane Katrina Fundraiser, Kanye West Foundation, Millions More Movement, 100 Black Men
of America, Live Earth concert benefit, World Water Day rally and march, Nike runs, and a MTV
special that shows firsthand Kanye West helping give young Iraq War veterans that struggle through
debt a second chance after returning home. Kanye west is only one of many hip-hop artists that
contribute to the community through their wallets and time.

Many artist such as Diddy, Common, Nas and Young Jezzy, are into politics and promoting the
youth to vote, or PSA. Diddy created a campaign to get the youth motivated to vote. Common uses
his influenced voice to support the awareness of HIV/AIDs, and promoting safe sex. Young Jezzy
met with both Barock Obama and John McCain, they discussed their political views. Young Jezzy,
alongside Nas, has created a song called “My President”, which discusses the United States issues,
such as welfare, the recession, Katrina, and other issues. He shows that he support Senator
Obama, and feel he is the change America needs. Nas shows his thought of Fox network promoting
propaganda, and degrading minorities’ or middle class citizens, through his song “Sly Fox”.

Some hip-hop artists show a level of intelligence through their music. Nas resent album “Untitled”,
also known as “Nigger” is controversial, but expels the misleading uses of the word. His album
explains that the word means ignorant. Than explains that people are ignorant therefore, they are
niggers. His album breaks into racism and tries to take a hated word of power and diminishes it.
Then goes on to explain, that African-American, low income Caucasian, Latinos, and other lower
class citizens are niggers. In his song, “We’re Not Alone,” Nas says, “…I think it just recent; where
everybody just started to feel like there was an elite group that runs everything, and everybody else
was sheep ignorant making all ethnicities colors and creeds niggers blind to what really is going
on…” Although this is his opinion he is showing a level of intelligence and not dancing, or rooting the
youth mind with nonsense. His music allows people to think, and gives people a topic to debate.
Kanye may not be a promising person to motivate someone through college, but he does fell you
need high school, and he feels that you must follow your heart to succeed. He taught the youth that
dreams can come true if you work hard and put forth they’re best effort. Lil Wayne went back to
school to obtain a degree, and yet he makes more than six figures yearly. Many hip-hop artist value
education, and promote it through their music.
Hip-hop is an art, and like any art the music expresses the artist. According to Craig Watkins,
“Perhaps unlike any other form of popular culture in recent memory, hip-hop has become the voice
of choice for young people who find themselves on the margins” (63). When people are stress,
depressed, angry, or lonesome they write their feeling to a piece of paper. A lot of artists explain
their old life through their songs, or speck of someone they want to be or who they are. Even if their
life has a bad influence on others, it stills their life. Who are we to dictate their life; there are many
nude pictures in a museum. The news show gross stories of death and hate around the world.

The lyrics behind the music paint a story strong enough to see and feel. It take skills to rhyme a story
of someone life over a beat, while maintaining a sincere feeling. Hip-hop lyrics come off strong and
are full of metaphors and similes. Although the lyrics may not be child friendly, but some children
hear their parents curse as away to reveal their feelings. The artist is cursing in the same manner. If
it was such a problem parents need to use their authority over their kids and tell them not to listen to
it.

Some of the male lyrics degrade woman, which is frowned upon by feminist, mothers, daughters,
fathers alike. This may seem wrong to you, but to them it is their life experiences and what they do.
Woman that dance sexually in hip-hop videos are there on their chose and is not force to be there.
Some female artists degrade man talking down on them, having them dance half-naked in music
videos. Why is this not equally as wrong as a woman being degraded? Woman will like fair treatment
equal to man, therefore female artist deserve the same anger male artist get.

The lingo used in hip-hop is another language for the artist, or listeners to express themselves. It is a
way to make conversation fun and interesting. Also during slavery Africans’ separate languages
were striped from them and forced to learn English. Creating slang allowed African- American to
reach back to their roots.

Hip-hop clothing gave people a variety of choices to be different, and to present themselves in a
comfortable way. The why artist wear their clothes gave them an identity, just like rock & roll artist, or
even pop artist. The clothing market produces an abundant amount of revenue yearly. Nas states in
his song “Y’all My Niggas”, “…so what if my pants sag with my hat turned back? The same swag got
our merchandise flying off the rack Marketing companies is hiring blacks Fresh hip-hop lingo for your
campaign ads”. His boss Jay-z, owner of Roca-Fella and clothing line, markets most of his revenue
from hip-hop artist, clothing, and his share in the New York Jets. Some people feel are clothes are
too baggy, sloppy, and just ugly. Some people fell to remember in their childhood their style of
clothes were looked at the same way.
Hip-hop is misunderstood by many people, which I personally feel is wrong. Before judgments
should be passed the research needs to be done. These artists made many community attributions.
The genre is a lot deeper than what it may seem. That is why hip-hop should not be judged so
harshly by its culture, the people who represent it, and the lyrics.