“Why is Hip Hop so…”
As I delve into the Hip Hop reader I frequently find myself asking the same question over and over. What makes hip hop vilified and misunderstood by so many people? Why is there a negative connotation associated with it?
Is it because of gangsta rap like Ice Cube’s “Wicked?” Or quite possibly because of current trap music like “Jumpin’ Like Jordan” by Migos. Do people consider it ‘trash’ because of the harsh and sometimes offensive lyrics? Maybe it’s because of lyrics similar to those from Chance the Rapper’s song “Acid Rain” that seem to make absolutely no sense; or as my mom would call it — gibberish.
Biased ears are hearing the music. But are they really listening?
Many people have a one note view of Hip Hop. They might think Hip Hop is all about “gettin’ money and gettin’ bitches.” Maybe that is all they have been exposed to; but Hip Hop as a genre is more than the provocative, suggestive, and ‘senseless’ lyrics. It’s even more than the sick beats that bring everything together. It is a culture, a lifestyle, and an art form. Hip Hop, just like any genre, is a way for artists to make connections, tell stories, and express how they feel. It’s a blank canvas for anything the artists want to say.
Van Gogh and his painting “The Starry Night” may not be for everyone, but one should educate him/herself of the meaning and the idea behind it before the art form as a whole is dismissed as ‘trash.’
Hip Hop as a genre represents all aspects of life. It is performed by religious rappers, ominous rappers, materialistic rappers, sexist rappers, educated rappers, and yes, some ignorant rappers. But the negative connotation of one of these styles should not effect that of another. Using this one note idea people have about hip hop to define a whole genre is why hip hop has such a negative connotation. This is why the genre is misunderstood by many people around the world.
