Hip-hop originated in the South Bronx in the 1970s among African American youth. DJ Kool Herc is considered the founder, building on Jamaican music traditions to play instrumental breaks for dancers at block parties. Over time, rap was incorporated and hip-hop came to mirror problematic aspects of American culture like sexism, racism, and violence. Today's hip-hop artists are often depicted stereotypically, materialistically flaunting wealth, with women as sex objects in revealing clothing in their music videos. However, some artists like Beyonce promote more positive messages aligned with hip-hop's origins of empowering marginalized communities.
2. Hip-hop began in the 1970’s in the South Bronx, New York which
was developed amongst African American youths. The origin of
Hip-hop began from block parties of the Ghetto Brothers when
they would plug their amps for their instruments and speakers into
the lampposts on 163rd Street and Prospect Avenue and used
music to break down racial barriers. Jamaican born DJ Clive (Kool
Herc) was credited as the father of hip-hop. Herc created a
blueprint for hip-hop music and culture by building upon the
Jamaican tradition of boastful poetry and speech over music.
Where did Hip-hop originate?
Kool Herc
3. Today’s hip-hop has become a very popular genre and well
known to a wide range of people. Over time hip-hop has
evolved and changed for both the good and the worse.
When hip-hop first started, it was solely just singing to a
song with a fast or slow beat. Hip-hop was mainly based
upon an escape from poverty whilst giving a voice to afflict
‘poverty stricken’ people worldwide, mainly in inner cities
and neighbourhoods. In the 80’s hip-hop was used to build
a culture of music, dance, creativity and artistry that would
give people something to dance to but also something to
give singers a chance to deliver a positive message.
How Hip-hop has evolved
4. As time went on, rap was added into hip-hop and it was now a new
way of expressing feelings through music as well as singing. Hip-hop
has now mirrored the worst aspects of American culture that it
emerged from sexism, racism, violence and hatred towards
intellectualism. As well as this hop-hop today now uses a lot of
abusive and bad language such as ‘N****r’ when referring to a
person.
In 1995, hip-hop music was uplifting but since 2000, we have the
opposite of what rappers/ hip-hop singers have been trying to prevent
for years. Rappers such as 50 cent rap about money, Gucci Mane rap’s
about ‘beating’ girls up (beating- a slang word for sex). I believe the
hip-hop culture is slowly degrading due to the rappers in our society
today.
How Hip-hop has evolved
5. Hip-hop artist today tend to play up to the stereotype of wearing things
such baggy clothing, having of tattoos, wearing expensive gold/silver
chains to show their wealth and tend to show off their money by
buying expensive cars. Hip-hop music videos such as ‘Freak of the
weak’, ‘Anaconda’, ‘Baby got back’ are some of the songs in which
use woman as a sex symbol in their music videos and advertise them
in revealing clothing with cleavage hanging out to entice audience
members. Men in hip-hop music videos are represented as always
showing off and only see woman as an item or object to use for one
thing.
However there are some hip-hop artist such as Beyonce, who send out
positive messages and stick with the originality of hip-hop, which was
used to help poverty and free people from bad lives.
How hip-hop artist are represented
6. In hip-hop music videos, it shows us that if you are a
man and have money you will be successful and
have women throwing themselves at you. It tells us
that by having the new ‘trends’, wearing branded
clothing, having expensive cars is all you need in
life. This is also a way of displaying wealth and
showing off. As well as this, hip-hop music videos
represents drug taking and drinking excessively as a
good and leisurable activity. Women are also shown
as sex symbols and objects for men to use.
Ideologies in Hip-hop music videos
7. Lil Wayne is a typical artist who fits into the general
conventions of hip-hop. He is an artist who specialises
in hip-hop and rap. Lil Wayne normally raps about
women in many of his songs, as well as this he is
always seen smoking, drinking or having women all
over him. This is a typical conventions of a hip-hop
genre of how men are perceived. Lil Wayne also has a
lot of tattoos around his body which once again is
used by a lot of hip-hop artist to express something
visually or as a sign or symbol that represent them. He
also uses a lot of foul language in his songs and use
women as a sex symbol or object when they play a
role in his music videos.
Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne in his song ‘Bedrock’, is
shown to be objectifying women and
using them in a sexist way.
8. A video in which I have embedded into into my
PowerPoint is Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-lot. This is
a hip-hop/R&B/rap song created in 1992 based on
women with big butts. This song fits in with the typical
conventions of hip-hop as it is a song which highlights
a woman’s assets to please men and show women as a
sex symbol. There are lyrics such as “I like ‘em round
and big”, and “I can’t help myself, I’m acting like an
animal”. These lyrics represent men as only having an
interest in a woman’s butt. As well as this, in the video
the main singer is dressed in baggy clothing, sunglasses
and is seen with women dancing around him which is
another convention of hip-hop.
Sir Mix-a-lot- Baby Got Back
9. Another video I embedded is Ignition
(remix) by R.Kelly which was created in
2003. This song is another music video
which fits in with the typical conventions
of a hip-hop song. In this music video, the
artist is surrounded by many girls in a
club, drinking and dancing. Once again
the women are seen as sex symbols for the
men and there is a lot of sexual dancing
involved.
R.Kelly-Ignition
10. When I create my music video, I will need to consider all of the generic
conventions used in a hip-hop/R&B music video, so that my audience have a
clear understanding of what genre I am doing. I have learnt that the
conventions are very important and that most hip-hop/R&B music videos are
mainly performance, which normally involves a theme based around a
relationship or women. I will also consider that in all hip-hop/R&B music
videos, the artist is always the main focus and there is a lot of dancing,
costumes changes, women, alcohol and partying. I will try and show this in my
music video to fit in with the typical conventions and I will have to ensure I
use a range of camera shots as many music videos are shown in different
angles, heights and shots.
What I need to consider in my music video
