Hip Hop Is DEAD

This post by DJ Bucky sums up how I feel as well. I don’t think hip hop is dead, it has evolved into an international art form, rather than being confined to NYC. Doesn’t that mean hip hop has made it? It is influencing people every day and allowing creativity to blossom into innovation. Hell, without hip hop, I wouldn’t have started collecting cds, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with soul/funk/r’n'b and I wouldn’t have started DJing at all.

Scary thought really.

It’s just sad that many people seem to be confused with hip hop and rap. They may have started from the same place, but they are completely different. Just like twins, they may start by looking the same, but as time goes by, different influences change the way they interact and view the world. I don’t find rap all that interesting, unless the lyrics being spoken are something meaningful, rather than dissing on others or talking about how they drive around with their bling and paper…woop, I could listen to 50 others saying the same thing.

You also need to consider that hip hop is not just the music. There are other elements – emceeing, graffiti and bboying. Add to that the style, street knowledge and slang, (which is where the whole rap movement began) you begin to understand that hip hop is a culture, not just a music genre.

With all this talk about hip hop, I think it’s time to go and do some practise.

Submeg

hip hop, music