How Hip Hop Protest Music Changed the Genre

How Hip Hop Protest Music Changed the Genre is a blog post discussing how hip hop music has been used as a form of protest throughout the years.

Introduction

It is widely known that throughout the years, music has been used as a form of protest. Political messages and social commentary have been conveyed through music since Revolutionary times. In more recent years, the hip hop genre has been increasingly used as a vehicle for protest songs. This is because hip hop is considered to be an “outsider” genre, which allows for a more direct form of expression without the same level of censorship that other genres face. Furthermore, the use of “sampling” in hip hop allows for the easy incorporation of other forms of media, such as news footage or speeches, into the music itself. This paper will discuss how hip hop protest music has changed over time, as well as how it has affected the genre as a whole.

Old-School Hip Hop

Birth of a Genre

Though it is now considered one of the most popular music genres in the world, hip hop was born out of humble beginnings. In the late 1970s, a group of African American and Latino teenagers in New York City began experimenting with music and dance as a way to express their frustration with the socioeconomic conditions of their neighborhoods. This new style, which came to be known as hip hop, quickly gained popularity among other young people in the city.

As hip hop spread to other parts of the country, it began to take on different characteristics in each region. In the South, for example, a heavier focus on rhythm and beats developed, while in the West Coast a more laid-back style emerged. This regional variation would eventually lead to the formation of subgenres within hip hop, such as gangsta rap and West Coast rap.

Despite its varied forms, all hip hop shares certain elements, including rapping, MCing (rapping over an instrumental track), DJing (scratching and mixing records), and breakdancing. These elements have served as the foundation for what is now one of the most popular and influential music genres in the world.

The Golden Age

The Golden Age of Hip Hop was a period of creative explosion in the late 1980s and early 1990s. MCs and DJs pushed the boundaries of what was possible with their music, and the results were nothing short of revolutionary. This period saw the rise of gangster rap, as well as the birth of politically conscious hip hop. Artists like Public Enemy and N.W.A made music that spoke to the realities of life in the inner city, and their messages resonated with listeners all over the world.

Rap music became more mainstream in the early 1990s, as artists like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg found commercial success with their G-funk sound. This new style of rap was defined by its laid-back beats and tales of gang life in Los Angeles. While some critiques argued that this type of rap glorified violence, others praised its honest portrayal of life in urban America.

At the same time, artists like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul were experimenting with a more positive, Afrocentric sound that came to be known as alternative hip hop. These artists helped to create a more diverse musical landscape, and their influence can still be heard in today’s hip hop scene.

New-School Hip Hop

Since its inception in the 1970s, Hip Hop has always been a genre of music that is deeply rooted in social and political issues. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Hip Hop began to gain mainstream popularity with artists such as Public Enemy and N.W.A. who used their music to protest the socioeconomic conditions of inner-city communities. In the years since, Hip Hop has continued to be a vehicle for social and political commentary, with new-school artists like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole using their platform to address issues such as systemic racism and police brutality.

The Rise of Gangsta Rap

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a new subgenre of hip hop began to emerge: gangsta rap. This type of music was marked by its aggressive, often violent lyrics, which were often about the realities of living in poor, inner-city neighborhoods. Gangsta rap quickly became one of the most popular forms of hip hop, thanks in part to its raw and honest portrayal of urban life.

One of the most famous gangsta rap groups was N.W.A., whose 1988 album Straight Outta Compton is widely considered to be one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. N.W.A.’s success helped pave the way for other gangsta rap groups like Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur, who would both go on to have extremely successful careers.

The rise of gangsta rap also coincided with a significant increase in public concern over gun violence and crime in inner-city neighborhoods. This lead to a lot of criticism of gangsta rap, with many people accusing it of glorifying violence and crime. However, many hip hop artists and fans defended the genre, arguing that it was simply a realistic portrayal of life in these communities.

The East Coast-West Coast Feud

In the early 1990s, hip hop was on the rise with artists such as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur becoming household names. However, by the mid-1990s, the genre was divided by a feud between the East Coast and West Coast hip hop scenes. The feud began due to a number of factors, including regional rivalries, competition for record sales, and personal beefs between artists and their crews.

The rivalry came to a head in September 1996 when Tupac Shakur was shot and killed in Las Vegas. The following year, Notorious B.I.G., one of the biggest East Coast rap stars, was also killed in a drive-by shooting. The murders of Tupac and Biggie escalated the feud and led to a decline in East Coast-West Coast relations.

In the years since the deaths of Tupac and Biggie, hip hop has continued to evolve as a genre. Many artists have used their platform to address social issues such as racism, police brutality, and poverty. Hip hop protest music has become increasingly popular in recent years, with artists like Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, and Chance the Rapper using their music to speak out on important issues facing the black community.

Hip Hop Today

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, hip hop was used as a form of protest against the violence and poverty faced by many in the United States. Songs like Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” and N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton” spoke to the frustrations of a generation. Today, hip hop is still used as a form of protest, but the focus has shifted. Artists like Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole use their platform to speak out against racism, police brutality, and social injustice.

The Mainstreaming of Hip Hop

The late 80s and early 90s saw the mainstreaming of hip hop. This was the era when hip hop became a multi-million dollar industry and when rap music began to achieve widespread popularity. This was also the era when the social and political consciousness of hip hop began to be more evident in the lyrics of popular songs. As hip hop became more commercialized, it began to be used by various social and political groups as a tool for raising awareness about their causes.

One of the most significant examples of this was Public Enemy’s song “Fight the Power,” which was released in 1989. The song is an anthem for the African American community, and its lyrics call for unity and resistance against racism and oppression. “Fight the Power” became an instant classic, and it helped to inspire a new generation of rappers to use their music as a platform for social and political commentary.

In recent years, we have seen a continued trend of socially conscious rap music being released into the mainstream. Artists like Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, and Chance the Rapper have all achieved commercial success while still maintaining a message of social awareness in their music. This shows that there is still a large audience for hip hop that is interested in hearing songs with a message, and it proves that hip hop protest music can be both commercially successful and artistically significant.

The New Protests

Hip hop has been a voice of protest since the late 1980s, when socially conscious rappers used the art form to speak out against the poverty, violence, and racism they saw in their communities. In the 1990s, gangsta rap came to dominate the genre, and concerns about social ills took a backseat to more personal themes.

But in recent years, with the police shootings of unarmed black men and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, hip hop artists have once again begun using their music to protest injustice. From Kendrick Lamar’s searing indictment of systematic racism on his album “To Pimp a Butterfly” to Run the Jewels’ anthemic call for revolution on “Run the Jewels 2,” these new songs are some of the most powerful examples of hip hop protest music in years.

Conclusion

In conclusion, hip hop protest music has changed the genre in a number of ways. Artists are now using their platform to speak out against social and political issues, and they are using their music to raise awareness and encourage action. The genre has become more socially conscious, and it is now being used as a tool for change.