Music is the primary avenue through which most people connect with the Hip Hop culture. Therefore, I want to further explain one thing before we get into Lessons from Hip Hop. Yesterday, I posted a picture of a billboard that said: Hip Hop Rots Your Brain. I posted that because I believe a lot of people think that, but I believe it’s because they don’t complete understand Hip Hop, and instead they are usually referring to Rap.
I’ll say at times, “TV Rots your Brain.” Which also is a poor explanation of terms. What I mean is mindless TV watching, commercials, and many movies, shows and sitcoms are not healthy for you. However TV also has a lot of benefits, there are some powerful shows, educational videos, movies and more that are quite useful uses of TV.
Hip Hop ≠ Rap. Rap is a musical genre under the umbrella of Hip Hop. The reason I’m trying to make this distinction is that a lot of folks, from all walks of life, tend to misunderstand this. They equate ‘gangsta rap’ (a term often used to refer to the rap music with the negative lyrics) with all other aspects of Hip Hop Culture. This causes folks to have negative views of anyone they see wearing their pants low, listening to music with a Hip Hop Beat, or wearing their hat to the side (and, for many, any young black male they see).
Hip Hop > Rap. That is to say there is more to Hip Hop then the negative lyrics people have dismissed. That isn’t to say that rap is not important, does not have value, or does not have a role, but simply that it is important for those who don’t realize it to recognize that Hip Hop is more then just the rap lyrics they have dismissed. Hip Hop really is a culture. There is multiple art forms, attitudes, styles, products, values and forms to Hip Hop. And there is a lot of power behind it.
This is my second appeal to give Hip Hop a chance. I don’t know if this was adequate in laying the ground work to talk about Hip Hop, but it was my attempt. I’m not completely sure of my audience here, and I wonder how many are aware of, a part of, knowledgeable of or interested in Hip Hop culture. My hopes is that you’ll listen and interact with an open mind to some of the lessons I have learned from Hip Hop.
The seminary that I used to work at had a hip hop and theology conference. It was interesting. I mostly showed up for the performances, but there were academic papers presented, etc.
What is some hip hop you’d recommend?
Zach,
Stay tuned, we are getting to them.
Indie,
What seminary was that? I’d love to find out more about the conference, if it’s continuing and maybe who they have speak at it.
It was at Andover Newton (ants.edu). I never heard of them doing it again so it may have been a one time thing. A lot of the papers were done by students. I didn’t recognize the names of any of the performers (but I’m ignorant so that doesn’t mean anything). Cornell West was the big name who was supposed to speak, but he got arrested before he could make it. (He was protesting or something, I think.)