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Hip-hop! Yes, it is music. Nevertheless, many people do not realize that it is much more than that. Hip-hop is a form of art and culture, style and language, an extension of commerce, and for many, a natural means of living. Rap and hip-hop has been plagued by negative connotations of violence since its existence. Whether it is the controversial lyrics or the vicious murders of many artists, violence appears to be an everyday element of this "bad-boy" lifestyle. The recent death of Jam Master Jay (a hip-hop pioneer, disc jockey, and member of Run DMC), has garnished an everlasting question When does violence and negativity cease to be an associate of the hip-hop culture?
Jam Master Jay
On October 0, 00 the life of a trailblazer came to a vile end. DJ Jam Master Jay, born Jason Mizell, was brutally murdered inside a recording studio in New York City. His wife, two sons, mother, brother, and sister survive him. He was thirty-seven years of age. Another victim of the shooting was in critical condition, and has since recovered after being shot in the leg (Reid, MTV 1). Currently there has not been any arrest made in this murder mystery, and only brief details have been released to the public. New York City police detective Bernard Porter Jr. says, "Two assailants were buzzed in to the building, located at 0-10 Merrick Blvd. in Jays hometown of Queens. But police dont know if the perpetrators were allowed in from the studio or from one of two other businesses that share space in the building" (Reid, MTV ). Such newspapers as the New York Post have begun to speculate on the motive of Jay's murder. Black Entertainment Television reports that [The New York Post] speculates "Jam Master Jay may have been killed for a dispute over money, and fingered an individual named Curtis Scoon as the prime suspect in the investigation, and the man wanted by police for questioning" (Creekmur, BET). However, exact details remain unclear. Some believe that the murder was apart of a bitter rap rivalry, and others believe it was a drug deal gone wrong. However, friends and family close to Jay are certainly outraged by any mention of the previous, and they remain optimistic about finding his killer.
Jam Master Jay, along with Joe Run Simmons and Darryl DMC McDaniels, was apart of the rap group Run DMC for nearly twenty years. This disc jockey made music that the world adored. "His scratching and mixing exhibitions on songs such as Jam Master Jay, Sucker MCs and Peter Piper (which Missy Elliott uses a portion of on her latest single, Work It) were as influential on future disk jockeys as Run and DMCs raps were on the MCs who followed in their footsteps" (Reid, MTV 1). The lost of this man is tragic because he helped begin the hip-hop art form, when it was merely a few guys rhyming captivating words in the early nineteen eighties in Queens, New York. Rap artist Ice Cube says, "They're pioneers. Run-DMC made rap emerge out of hip-hop to be the signature art. Fellow hip-hop legend Big Daddy Kane concurred, Run-DMC definitely made me feel rap was here to stay (Reid, MTV 1). Once known as a simple form of music, which many spectators believed was only a trend; hip-hop has developed into a five billion dollar industry. This form of music has crossed all color barriers and can be heard in almost every country around the world. Some would argue that hip-hop, in some form or fashion, has impacted the lives of every American under the age of thirty-five. For these reasons, the senseless death of a pioneer has sent shock waves through the hip-hop culture.Custom Essays on The culture of hip-hop
Murder in Hip-Hop
With the murder of another hip-hop legend, many have begun to compare the tragic lost of Jam Master Jay to that of Tupac "Makaveli" Shakur and Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace. These murders stemmed from the media's insistency to provide oxygen to the flame of violence within the hip-hop nation. During the mid-nineties a bitter rap rivalry between the west coast and east coast gave way for the media to divide the country into two conflicting sides. Wallace and his recording label Bad Boy Entertainment, Inc. had strong influence in the eastern area of the United States, while Shakur and Death Row Records, Inc. controlled the western portion of the country. Tupac's party recorded harsh lyrics, and the media turned the occurrence into a bi-coastal war. As fans of both artists, many felt torn between which artist was the best. However, the rivalry came to an end on September 6, 16 when Tupac was shot five times in Las Vegas, Nevada. On September 1, 16 he succumbed to his wounds. Many speculated that The Notorius B.I.G.was involved in the incident. However, in an event far for irony, Wallace was murdered nearly six months later in Los Angeles, California.The deaths of these two artists remain unsolved.
Both entourages of Tupac and Biggie have been accused for the murders. Yet, each party has been proven innocent by alibis. This has left many to hypothesize that angry fans, who took the hip-hop rivalry and lyrics too far, committed the murders.
Hip-Hop Lyrics
In the opinion of Xavier University freshman and hip-hop fan Leshay Wesson, "Society encourages artists to rhyme about specific topics. For example murder, homosexuality, theft, and drug usage are all encouraged topics because they exist in society. Therefore some artists think rapping or rhyming about them on a record will not have a negative effect on any of their listeners." At times some artists may even feel pressured to make songs that their listeners will like.This is displayed when Andre 000, member of the Grammy award winning group Outkast, raps on the song "Elevators."
"True I got more fans than average man/
But not enough loot to last me/
to da end of da week/
I live by da beat like you live check to check /
If you don't move yo feet/
den I don't eat/
So we like neck to neck."
Andre 000"Elevators" (Allen)
Regardless of how many fans Outkast have they will not be able to make a living without creating a song that listeners will enjoy. Hence the lyrics "If you don't move yo feet/ den I don't eat."
In accordance to freedom of expression principles, which hip-hop was founded upon, some artists have decided to rhyme about fancy cars, clothes, and other riches. However, others decided to produce music that speaks of hell, sin, the devil, and damnation. New hip-hop artist Pastor Troy, a Georgia native, is somewhat of an underground rapper who is slowly becoming mainstream with very different philosophies concerning damnation. The judgment of his own soul changes in each of his songs. Sometimes he states that he fights for the Lord, and other times he cannot decide which side he is on. (In his song 'Vica Versa' everything he says is suppose to mean the opposite.)
"Again I ask, Heaven was hell and vica versa
Would you start doin evil in order to nurture?--The spirit, man,
Do you understand that theres a war?
Its ragin on and the devil got some ammo too
Dont get me wrong,
But I put my trust off in the Lord
Its too corrupt
Know that God gon help me blow em up!"
"Protect me Devil, think the Lord is tryin to kill me
Its vica versa"
-Pastor Troy ("Vica Versa")
Heaven or Hell, where do we go?
When we die, eternal fire or the street of gold
Only God knows, vica versa.
-Peter the Disciple (Vice Versa)
"Vica Versa" is all about the war between God, Satan, and Pastor Troy himself. This battle has him so confused, which makes him feel as if he needs to question the divine plan. When Pastor Troy wrote this song, he symbolized faith and suggested to his listeners that perhaps everything they have learned is false, fabricated or inverted. Artist such as Troy permit many to believe hip-hop lyrics can be influential, as well as destructive to the minds of its listeners.
Where does hip-hop go from here?
According to Tinu Adeniji-Adele, an eighteen year-old hip-hop fan, "Hip-hop is not only a genre of music; its a language and a challenging way of life. From the distinct beats, the clothing and the seemingly aggressive and slack use of language, it is almost undeniable that hip hop maketh its listener." (Marks) If this is the case, can violence and negativity cease to be an associate of this culture, to encourage a positive generation of listeners? Well if this is to be determined by youth activist Pee Wee Kirkland and many other hip-hop moguls, the answer is yes. Mr. Kirkland, a former drug-dealer and gangster believes, The hip-hop world and the gangsta world are about to collide, and we have to stop the body count. This is a life-and-death matter. (Marks) Mr. Kirkland is at the head of a campaign entitled Hip-Hop 4 Peace. "At the core of their campaign is a conviction that amounts to heresy in some quarters of the rap world that artistic images do influence behavior, especially when it comes to young people, and that the industry has a responsibility to counter the glorification of guns and street hustling with a realistic message that empowers kids, rather than landing them in jail" (Marks). Hip-Hop 4 Peace supporters look forward to toning down the lyrics and subject matters of hip-hop, in order to help reduce the increasing social violence in youth lifestyles. On the other hand, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network along with members of Congress are addressing issues of "Ending poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, illiteracy, unemployment, police brutality, and many other life and death issues affecting the quality of life in our communities are more important than free speech"(Chavis-Muhammad and Simmons, 144). This association believes that increasing parental awareness of advisory labels on albums, is a more sensible alternative than the censorship in hip-hop. Even though these two organizations have opposing viewpoints on how to change the hip-hop culture, the desire to free hip-hop of its negative image remains constant.
Writer's opinion
The death of Jam Master Jay was not only sad, but it was disappointing because it only adds to the negativity of this culture. From analyzing his lyrics and simply reading the many testimonies of his peers, it seems that he was not a person with a violent nature. In pursuit of changing lives for the better, Jam Master Jay appears to have simply surrounded himself with the wrong people. However, until the details of the crime become evident then this notion will remain a mystery. The notion that hip-hop is simply a culture plagued with violence and negative connotations, is a tremendous outrage. Hip-hop has been the power tool of American youth, especially African-American youth. Hip-Hop artists such as Mary J. Blige, Common, Cee-Lo, and The Roots are all artists that continuously promote a positive message through with their music. When times are gloomy, a hip-hop song may take my mind off all worldly situations, and place me in a serene state of being. I am not going to argue that all hip-hop lyrics are positive, however, they are definitely not all negative. At times it seems that many artists try to appeal to everyone. On one song they may encourage young ladies to be respectable to their bodies and to refute men who degrade them, and then on another song they may refer to women as bitches and hoes. Some of the artists who rapped on a tribute song for the September 11th Attack (a song against any form of violence in the United States), are the same artist who in the past, as well as now, rhyme about having a gun and willing to shoot anyone who challenges their manhood. The Attack of September 11th could not change lyrics, hence the death of another star definitely will not either. Every American is entitled to freedom of speech; therefore the lyrics of hip-hop will forever linger in controversy. In opposition, the image of hip-hop will not remain controversial. Violence and negativity will cease to be an associate of the hip-hop culture as long as organizations such as the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and Hip-Hop 4 Peace continue to take positive steps toward redefining hip-hop's image. Instead of simply listening and writing about hip-hop, on Friday November , 00 I partook in a Hip-Hop Collegiate Empowerment Summit at King Chapel on Morehouse College's campus. It was simply a case of luck that I was able to attend this event during a trip to Atlanta prior to the Thanksgiving holiday break. The theme of this summit was "empowering tomorrow's leaders economically, socially, and politically, today." Professionals in this industry refuse to accept the negative image that hip-hop is so commonly associated and have stepped up to make a difference, in a summit that permits them to inform and encourage the aspirations of college students. Such notables as Russell Simmons; Chairman of Def Jam Records, The Honorable Shirley Franklin; Mayor of Atlanta, Kimora Lee-Simmons; Creative Director of Baby Phat, Inc, Sway Calloway; Music Television (MTV) Correspondent, and Minister Benjamin Chavis; President of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network were all on hand to address the current state of hip-hop in America. The economic power of hip-hop, hip-hop's negative image, and the death of Jam Master Jay were all topics discussed by these stars. When a student posed the question, "How has the death of Jam Master Jay altered your personal life, and what effect will it have on hip-hop as a whole?" the faces of the panelists were obviously distraught. "It's got to stop," Minister Chavis-Muhammad declared, "There's no reason for this violence. Have we not learned anything form the deaths of Biggie, Tupac… Big-L? This violence is senseless, and we must end it now! Today! Not tomorrow or the day after, but this very instance. This very second!" Russell Simmons went on to say, "Hip-hop is more powerful than any American cultural movement weve ever had, so why should it be used to convey violent and contravening images of our people? The death of Jay is ridiculous. Hip-hop as a whole has lost a legend. He was not only a legend, but he was my friend and he will be terribly missed."In addition to addressing the current state of hip-hop in America, students of the Atlanta University center were informed on career opportunities, and how to succeed in the entertainment industry. Artist demos, resumes, and modeling portfolios were all accepted by these stars, in order to help students make a positive start in the hip-hop entertainment world. Most importantly, these stars encouraged each attendee to register to vote at the on-site voter registration booth. I found this summit to be very stimulating and refreshing to the mind. Thus, it was great to finally see hip-hop in a positive aspect, rather than the negative dimness that is constantly portrayed on my television screen. This event's theme and the event as a whole obviously demonstrate that hip-hop is barely an avenue for violence and negativity, and for every negative aspect of this culture there is a positive one that hides behind it.
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