How much does race come into play in the world of hip-hop? The rap industry is a predominately black industry with a few other races mixed in. This begs the question, is there a reason rap is dominated by African-Americans?
Obviously rap's beginnings came from primarily African-American cultures, but that was nearly thirty years ago. A considerable amount of time has passed and it should not seem too ridiculous to think that the rap industry would contain a greater variety of ethnic backgrounds. So why is rap still so centered on the black community?
Rap comes from a black background rooted in the Bronx; It was primarily an art that came from city ghettos which were mostly black. This tradition has continued, but there ARE other races that rap. Although, I don't believe that white people tend to have too much flow, which is demonstrated by the lack of white rappers. However, there are very successful exceptions such as Eminem and Mac Miller.
ReplyDeleteRap definitely seems to have roots in the black community and often centers on that culture. But, lately a new sector of rap seems to focus more on the white sector of rap- the genre coined "Frat Rap." And while a lot of people don't believe that this type has as much to offer as the more traditional rap, it definitely focuses more on both white artists and listeners. These rappers (Mac Miller, Sam Adams, Chris Webby, Hoodie Allen, etc) not only are white themselves, but focus more on the traditionally "white" cultural themes, transforming the "ghetto"/"hood" connotation that comes with rap music.
ReplyDeleteThe predominance of blacks in rap music is mostly cultural. Rap isn't really in the Asian, White, Hispanic or other cultures. Sure, we listen to the music, and we can go hard when we listen to them, but it's relatively new to us and not in our cultural roots. Since I'm Asian, I can only really know and explain my personal experience. Most Asians here are first-generation born Asian-Americans, and therefore, our parents aren't familiar at all with hip-hop. It's actually humorous to play a rap song in front of my parents and see their confused looks and grimaces. Maybe in a couple years when this generation produces a new generation, then hip-hop can be more integrated in the home, and more diverse rappers can emerge. Thirty years is a long span of time for things to develop, but it's a relatively short time for incorporating into different cultures.
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned in a previous comment, I think it's important to keep in mind the expanding influence of "Frat Rap" artists and listeners. It seems to me that this relatively new genre could bridge the more traditional hip hop sound and culture with that of the "radio audience" who gets their hip hop fill from top-40 playlists. There's no denying that college and high school-age listeners are a crucial part of today's hip hop market; this also happens to be the target market of the Frat Rap sound. It will be interesting to see if and how these different styles coexist in the future.
ReplyDeleteI'm really happy that you stated the origin of hip hop before you finished that post because I feel as though that has a lot of influence and who is rapping and how they are doing it. For the most part, the gangster culture that distinguishes hip hop from other music is primarily concentrated in poor urban areas that often contain minorities such as blacks. Being the largest group in these zones, there's an inherent entitlement to rap that accompanies growing up under extremely harsh socioeconomic conditions. Although gangsta rap from the mid 90's doesn't truly exist now, the main ideologies of being "the meanest" or "the hardest" still exist and define the ego centered lyrics that artists produce. Rappers like Logic have come out with songs promoting the strength in talent as opposed to birthplace, however, an important step in reshaping hip hop.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Gavin, in that rap has its roots in unfavorable economic and sociocultural conditions (conditions to which blacks and other minorities were subjected for a long time). However I think that rap talent does not stem from being black; good rap is not limited to African American culture. Good rap depends on creativity and being able to get a message across in a style or beat that captivates an audience. The content of a good rap song is subjective to the listener and while people seem to be naturally drawn to drama, story-telling, and braggadocio type rap styles, these are all styles that applicable cross-culturally.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Eric in that rap is in the process of becoming more accepted across cultures and economic classes; I think that rap establishes an environment in which people can express themselves and will aid in the blending of different races and cultures.