While Hip Hop has been a major influence on society since the days of Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa; 2010 paints a completely new picture as to what Hip Hop represents, simply because Hip Hop influences everything around us.

As the UK Hip Hop scene is finally emerging from the underground into the commercial scene, I was recently asked by a mate as part of his dissertation research the question, “What Is Hip Hop To You?”

I paused for a few seconds as I actually couldn’t pin point a quick definition of what Hip Hop culture means to me.
I casted my mind back to when I was in my first year at University; being an arrogant London kid studying Music Production in Portsmouth, I generally I thought I knew everything because I could produce a beat using Logic.

Any study unit that was set, I would always revert back to some form of Hip Hop history to guide me through. So much so, that I failed the Popular Music Culture unit because I wrote a whole essay about the conflict between Tupac and Biggie. Even though my essay title was ‘Discuss the influences on 90’s America in reference to Hip Hop.’ it didn’t score well with my tutors. I thought it was a hot piece nonetheless.

That was how I acted for a long time, very immature to the history of Hip Hop as i was manipulated by how the mass media interprets Hip Hop culture to what it is we see on channels like MTV and on the Internet today.

But is that how Hip Hop is really? Is there more to Hip Hop than debating historic conflicts, dress codes and bank balances?

I then thought about my favourite artists in Hip Hop; how Eminem made a large impact on my life by guiding me through times when I couldn’t really talk to anyone. Not in a ‘Stan’ way, but maybe like some of you; there were times when nothing anyone said or advised you on would or could make any difference. Yet listening to Hip Hop was a clear and simple solution.

For me that is what Hip Hop is. It is not a simple musical genre, sub genre of Pop Music or an article in the press debating whether Hip Hop is to blame for youth violence.

Hip Hop in my opinion has it’s place in the soul of anyone that has witnessed its evolution over the years. The musical genre has influenced every area of modern day culture and each one of it’s advocates, fans and followers all will have their own unique view on what Hip Hop means to them.

Hip Hop is our lives past, present and future; it is the journey we take as we grow as individuals, as ambassadors of music and in the image we present of ourselves to our peers. It assists in the vision we each have to achieve by inspiring us with its emotional and inventive artform and it joins us together in a universal understanding.

So when i go back to the original question i was asked, “What Is Hip Hop To You?”

My answer without sounding too cliche is… “You know what, I am Hip Hop.”

Image: Google Images