The Influences of Rap and Hip-Hop and How it Relates to Popular Culture

Popular culture has always had a strong influence on society, channeling what young minds considered acceptable or what characteristics prove that an individual “fits in” with society. Joke Hermes, a media ethnographer, insists that popular culture is not only a managing force when it comes to shaping the minds of young audience members, however it holds much more value than that. Hermes claims that popular culture “helps us to know who we are”, as well as “offers us imagined community.” (Hermes 1) This view is one that includes popular culture as a positive force that does not promote violence nor corrupt principles, however unites like-minded individuals and gives each a sense of community and belonging. The writer endorses the thoughts and beliefs of John Mepham when discussing the importance of popular culture by noting the term “useable stories”, which serves as a tool for the “development of individual personality” as well as “social self -understanding” (Mepham 11) Meham and Hermes believe that the “useable stories” of popular culture allows audience members to turn towards their inner self and ask questions regarding the path in which their life is progressing towards. Do we all understand our inner self, or have me made assumptions about our desires without truly exploring all the options that life has to offer? In answering these questions, Hermes and Mepham suggest that the useable stories of popular culture add and develop a sense of quality and ingenuity throughout a society, where individuals not only hold the freedom to explore their inner self and discover a unique identity, however also acquire the opportunity to join other unique individuals who share similar interests. In this way, Hermes and Mepham speak of individuals who engage in popular culture and the useable stories that it offers and therefore accept an “invitation to belong.” (Hermes 11) and become united in a community of like mindedness.

Contrasting this belief illustrated by Hermes and Mepham stands the thought that some artifacts that represent popular culture have the ability to break the boundaries which separate individuals from a possible sense of community and belonging, however at the same time possess adverse effects toward the quality and nature of a society. Are all aspects of popular culture entirely harnessed towards the uniting and exploration benefits of the audience members? A piece of popular culture that includes these characteristics is the explicit lyrics of hip-hop and rap. Modern hip-hop and rap may adhere to the unifying and community-endorsing aspects with which Hermes and Mepham emphasise as a quality found within all artifacts of popular culture, however are also entirely superficial. While such representations allow individuals from various subgroups to come together as one in a common appreciation and interest in artists such as Will.I.Am, much of the focus of the music illustrates an unattainable level of lifestyle and appearance as well as the value for immoral actions and behaviors. I will continue to focus on the song “I’m Feelin Myself” by Will.I.Am, which illustrates the endorsement of drugs, sexual activities, and violence present in a large majority of all rap and hip hop music. These illustrations are immoral by allowing artists such as Will.I.Am to define “what is “normal” or “what differences are tolerable.” (Hermes 16), in other words allowing these artists to illustrate our society through popular culture as one viewing the mistreatment of women, drug abuse and violence as “normal” and “acceptable” and otherwise degrading the quality of a society.

Hermes and Mepham speak of popular culture as a catalyst for the discovery of community and feelings of belonging among individuals that share the same like-mindedness. Throughout my own development into a young adult, I have been exposed to the explicit and erotic lyrics by artists such as Will.I.Am that compose the most popular rap and hip-hop songs. A portion of my past classmates found the beats as well as the lyrics of the rap songs to be enjoyable and were able to connect with others who shared these feelings. Groups would form in which my classmates would gather around one another and speak the lyrics to a song while others would do their best to imitate the beats with which the song was composed of. They would prompt each other on and praise one another, “Nice one man!”, when a phrase was spoken well or a beat was strong. After reflecting and considering Hermes ideas, I understand that these representations of popular culture, however immoral they may be, offer a type of community which may be best illustrated through Hermes idea of popular culture as a “ huge piece of fabric, pulled in different directions by the many parties involved.” (Hermes 16) These groups were composed of many students who were otherwise unassociated with one another, however had come together in a common appreciation and enjoyment for the music of rap and hip-hop. In doing so, my classmates had demonstrated Hermes views of popular culture as a resources that may be handled and manipulated by any individuals who shows interest or enjoyment in it. “Holding onto the fabric is what binds them”(Hermes 16), and causes them to come together as one in a community of like-minds who may enjoy the music of rap and hip hop artists.

Rap and hip hop not only endorse the community aspects of which Hermes and Mepham speak of, however they also touch upon “an area in which not only meaning is struggled over, but identity..” (Hermes 6) Rap and hip hop offer a type of identity formation, where a young adult is able to deliberate and reflect over where he or she would best fit into the culture of modern day. A council of media and communications from Pediatrics, the Official Journal from the American Academy of Pediatrics, states that “Adolescents use music in their process of identity formation, and their music preference provides them a means to achieve group identity and integration into the youth culture.” (1) Most young audience members do not find themselves interested in the explicit lyrics of rap and hip-hop because they can relate and connected to the message being presented by the artist, however they use these artifacts of popular culture to from a group identity where they may remain an active participant in a culture where rap and hip-hop have become prominent, as well as discover their personal identity within this group. In agreement with the council from Pediatrics, individuals become integrated in a community of popular culture where they are not only welcomed, but discover a personal identity within this community of belonging.

The many sexual suggestions, immoral values, and raunchy examples set by modern rap and hip-hop do not take away from it’s unify aspects as well as ability to create a cultural community of citizens who share the same like-mindedness. However this artifact of popular culture does endorse a way of living and behaving that departs from the “useable stories” addition of quality to a society which illustrates self-exploration and individuality. Rap and Hip-hop hardly follow in this illustration by representing their own standards of what is considered acceptable for a “gangster” by promoting actions of drug abuse, multiple sexual partners, and violence through lyrics such as “Banging hoes in the continental” or “Doobie in my hand, Rollie on my wrist, Got a bottle of that thousand dollar champagne in my fist” (Will.I.Am, “I’m Fellin’ Myself”) What is assumed to be acceptable in such a community of rappers and “gangsters” is partaking in these acts of violence, drug abuse, and feeling the same disrespect for females that the majority of the popular rap and hip hop artists represent in their lyrics. In doing so, the aspect of popular culture that “makes us welcome and offers belonging” (Hermes 3) is excluded as well as any expression of individuality or self-exploration that does not include such immoral values and corrupt principles. Rap and hip hop, like most artifacts of popular culture, do provide a community of like-mindedness for those that enjoy the music of such artists, however this community of “gangster lifestyle” is one of strict standards and therefore does not include the promotion of self-expression as well as belongingness that Hermes and Mepham speak of.

The message and focus behind a majority of rap and hip-hop songs are illustrated within the lyrics and include, as the council from Pediatrics would state, “The presence of explicit sexual language in its lyrics as well as messages of violence, racism, homophobia, and hatred toward women. Drug, tobacco, and alcohol use also tend to be glorified in these songs” (1). These aspects further the lessening of quality that “useable stories” presents in a society. Noted from the council of Pediatrics, some may argue that “In refuting concerns about the effect of lyrics, some have argued that children and adolescents use music only for entertainment, that little or no attention is paid to the words”. (1) Few believe that young audience members do not consider the meaning of lyrics such as “Smoke joints till our eyes turn Indian red, Take shots till our chests burn” (Will. I.Am, I’m Feelin’ Myself) and listen to the music solely for the beat or for the representations as well as imagery presented by the artists of who composes the song. We as individuals however, take such representations of popular culture “to understand, take up, reflect on, and reform identities that are embedded in communities of different kinds.” (Hermes 10) As cultural citizens it is our duty to dissect and interpret the various representations of popular culture to not only become more in-tune with each other as viewers of popular culture, however also reflect upon ourselves. After analysing and interpreting these representations, we become more open-minded and thoughtful of other individuals different from ourselves and begin to wonder what other subgroups or communities of like-mindedness may welcome us. This concludes why young adults who act as active participants in modern culture not only engage in the music of rap and hip-hop for entertainment purposes, however also attempt to understand and reflect upon it’s meaning. Unfortunately, the messages and focuses presented by this genre of music that may be reflected upon include sex, drugs, and violence through these rap and hip-hop lyrics. Such messages do not add quality nor genius to a society and therefore are not included in the concept of useable stories. While rap and hip hop provide a community of like minded viewers who wish to be engaged in the youth culture as well as from an identity within a community, this piece of popular culture also degrades our societies quality by endorsing extreme sexual situations, drug abuse, violence, the mistreatment of women as well as decreasing the opportunities of self-expression and individuality.

Work Cited

(1) “Impact of Music, Music Lyrics, and Music Videos on Children and Youth.” Impact of Music, Music Lyrics, and Music Videos on Children and Youth. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Apr. 2014. <http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cont