Introduction
The emerging type of hip hop in the United States has spurred a lot of energy in the music industry. Hip hop music is a type of music that has grown close to the hip-hop culture. This type of music is characterized by elements like rapping, sampling, a certain kind of scratching, DJing as well as beatboxing. Many different types of dance are seen in hip hop which includes breaking, graffiti art, popping, and even locking. The style of rap is the most common in hip hop music but hip hop entails wholly the hip hop culture. The growing trend of hip hop in the United States has given the music industry a new appearance. Many music lovers have come to love hip-hop music and it has become very popular. Many people especially the youth like hip hop music in all its diversity (Hip Hop).
Hip hop in many ways is a form of culture in the way it has different aspects of language, style of dress, politics, and a way of life. Hip hop music is mainly associated with African Americans in the United States. This, however, does not mean that white Americans do not do hip-hop music. In recent years many white Americans have indulged in hip hop music and this has brought togetherness between the two races. There is a lot of progress that has been achieved by the two races working together.
In this way, the white and African Americans have taken the music to the white states in America. This has achieved great understanding and love of all music by many without any discrimination as to which race it belongs to. This line of work has helped hip hop music progress to great heights while at the same time bringing people together (Real Facts about Hip Hop, the Music Industry & Black Folks).
Thesis and Literature
African American hip-hop artists collaborate with other white artists within the music industry. Kanye West has worked together with white artists and together they have been able to produce great hits in the music industry. This is evidence of how hip-hop music is has helped move forward the issues of togetherness over matters of race. Hip hop today has spread in many areas globally, even in places that did not have any recognition whatsoever.
The wide coverage of hip-hop music has helped create a common understanding among many different races. The issues of race among the hip-hop industry were very rampant in the past. This had created a gap between the white and African Americans but the gap is being closed rapidly today by emerging new teachings and ideologies in hip hop music. Many people have realized that hip hop is good music and thus there is no need to trash it but rather embrace it (Creative class war: How the GOP’s anti-elitism could ruin America’s economy)
In contemporary society, the music industry has become more sophisticated because of the contribution of hip-hop music. Many Americans talk more about race and their experiences because of hip hop. This is because hip hop music though associated with African Americans more it is becoming very prominent with the whites. The idea of being open to the world about race issues has made many people avoid racial abuses. This openness has also helped bring many people together with a common understanding influenced by the music. The hip hop music is very frank in the way messages are passed across.
Messages of togetherness and racial understanding are preached through the songs and this has made the music more popular. Americans have come to understand that by working together they can achieve more than when divided by race. Hip hop music has been able to direct these messages very clearly thus racial progress has taken a centre stage (Cities: Crossroads of Cultures, inclusiveness, and integration?).
The other thing that is making hip-hop music eradicate racism in the United States is the value of its contents. This is because hip hop combines many different kinds of music like funk, blues, and rhythm, jazz, and even rock. This combination creates a great audience for hip-hop music within the United States since many people have a preference for such music types. The hip hop music is created by different races even globally thus making it popular. For example, white Americans have contributed so much too diversified hip hop music. Their contribution has helped reach great heights in many communities and wooing other whites to hip-hop music.
This has created coordination and equality between the African Americans and the other communities in the United States. In this way, the whole society is connected by this music with a common understanding thus removing racist thoughts.
Methodology
For many years hip hop has been seen as a culture that promotes violence, gangs, and materialism. However, this criticism and trashing have not been able to end the popularity of this music. MTV an American music television has been able to take hip hop to white families and mainstream America. On top of this hip hop has become not only a piece of popular music but a way of life for many. Hip hop is popular in movies, commercials, and even famous American fashion.
White and African American youth, as well as the old, listen to hip hop and in a way, it has brought the society together. Many different groups of people gather in events and bars to listen to hip hop. They dance to the music and have a great time being together thus the issue of race and color is mainly forgotten. It is this closeness that has brought American society together against the odds of racism.
Hip hop has also been criticized to belong to the wealthy class of people in the past. This has however changed greatly in recent times with many young and regular people being able to purchase and listen to hip hop music. The reason that hip hop has been able to bring many Americans together is that it gave African Americans be influential in pop culture. The other classes of music such as rock and jazz have not been able to allow all the cultures to participate greatly.
This is unlike hip hop where many white Americans have been able to explore the depths of hip hop and attract great attention. Research indicates that the white Americans were able to popularize the music while doing black music. This allowed the music to flourish in commercial sectors unlike the other types of music. The music has offered an open ground for all cultures to contribute and not only the African Americans.
The hip hop music in many aspects contains the power to bring communities and societies together. This is because it is inclusive of many cultures and has managed to survive through different mixes. Many of the other cultures have had the potential to relate closely with the hip hop culture and thus there is greater communication. Through various hip-hop shows there has been the issue of offering community services in both African American and non-African American communities. These shows of solidarity and togetherness have been able to popularize the culture in many regions more than any other type of music.
Talent search events for hip-hop music are taken in many societies. The talent search procedures are open to all thus giving many young and older people the courage and self-worth they crave. These shows are the ones that will be able to shape the future of the hip-hop industry (Fricke, Ahearn, & George, 41).
Many musical educational centers have come up in the recent past. Various hip-hop educational facilities have been built and quality education provided to all people. This is important because hip-hop music can get advancements in different areas that are important in maintaining the industry for the future. Quality education in music is very essential in ensuring proper understanding by the youth on what is required to be a hip hop musician.
Hip-hop music educational facilities have played a great role in bringing different cultures together. Dance classes for hip-hop music have also come up in recent years. These dance classes are open to all and are played on national television to encourage talent. Different people from different backgrounds play and dance to the music together which is important in their growth(Dimitriadis, 69).
Evidence of hip-pop popularity in a different culture has been recorded n various American media. Statistics that have been shown in American billboards indicates that though hip hop is done by mainly African American, Most of this music is bought by whites. Seventy percent of the white youth is indicated that they like hip hop music very much. This shows how popular and close the American community is brought together by hip-hop music. Research has also shown that hip-hop music has become very prominent in many Western societies including Europe. The music is seen as a sense of style by many with many adopting these trends. Hip hop musicians are very popular with the general public and are admired by many from all walks of life (Light, 48).
Conclusion
Hip hop is a multicultural kind of music that can relate to many communities. Different races and groups listen to hip-hop music for all kinds of reasons and this connects them in many ways. It is an industry that has been associated with violence and greed but at the same time has been able to capture the hearts of many. This connection has been able to shun racism especially in America where the music is very widespread. The way people relate to hip-hop music has been able to give them fulfillment and control of their environments without having hate words for others. The value hip hop music has added to contemporary society is very great and beneficial to the world. The industry may have had its ups and downs but it has managed to carry through and bring close relations for many people (Powell, 35).
Works Cited:
Cities: Crossroads of Cultures, inclusiveness and integration? 2010.
Creative class war: How the GOP’s anti-elitism could ruin America’s economy. 2010. Web.
Dimitriadis, Greg. Performing Identity/Performing Culture: Hip Hop as Text, Pedagogy, and Lived Practice, Bern: Peter Lang Publishing, 2001.
Fricke, Jim, Charlie, Ahearn, & Nelson George. Yes Yes Y’All: The Experience Music Project Oral History of Hip-Hop’s First Decade. Cambridge: Da Capo Press, 2002.
Hip Hop. 2010. Web.
Light, A. Vibe History of Hip Hop. New York: Three Rivers Press, 1999.
Powell, Kevin. Who’s Gonna Take the Weight: Power, Politics, and the Hip-Hop Generation. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.
Real Facts about Hip Hop, the Music Industry & Black Folks. 2010. Web.