Hip Hop Music and Identity: How hip hop music motivates success through language and how stereotypes and commercialization give hip hop music a negative image

Good Morning Most hip hop fans would agree that hip hop and rap music get a bad rap. Ever since popularity rose in the early 90’s, people took offense to the derogatory language, anti-police views, and misogynistic references. Explicit warning labels became popular in the hip hop world to ‘warn’ people about what they were about to listen to. Hip hop music and rap became popular to people who came from a lower class and urban environment. The music was real and talked about what was going on in the streets, stripped of the bubble gum packaging that covered most of the pop music favorites of the decade. Music is a reflection of the time which can be said about all the different genres. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, it was finally being exposed that racism was still prevalent and strong in the United States. The police brutality against Rodney King in 1991 sparked a fire in many people and when the officers who committed the acts were acquitted, the Los Angeles Riots began. The words to NWA’s “Fuck Da Police” became an anthem for the aggressive and violent behavior. And so begins the bad reputation hip hop and rap music has had to carry on its’ shoulders ever since. By representing an urban lifestyle, rap music portrays hip hop culture in a negative light and falls victim to stereotypes and prejudices by people who don’t know anything about what hip hop music truly represents. Through the evolution of hip hop since the late 80’s, we have heard quick rhymes and a good beat with a variety of subjects to sing about. Style, subject matter, and lyrics change; they shift like the times. Instead of rapping about how bad life is, they rap about how bad they want to change their life and be successful by working towards something The lyrics are relatable which can lead to being motivational and inspirational. Hip hop music has shaped my identity and my way of thinking. I can relate to the lyrics because of how I grew up. I find motivation and inspiration through others who rap about similar struggles they have faced in life. From being poor, to being stereotyped, to wanting a better life, hip hop music is an inspirational tool and what I use to express myself to the world. I plan to research the effects of stereotypes, commercialization, lyrics and language, and motivation and how they are all reflected in hip hop music. More specifically, stereotypes and commercialization will be analyzed to see how they create a negative image for hip hop music and how through the use of language and lyrics, hip hop music is motivational for people who come from a lower socio-economic, or urban, background. Data will be collected using first-hand autoethnographic research, interviews, and textual analysis of Kanye West’s Spaceship. Researching the communicative effects of hip hop and identity formation will help create a better understanding and clarity for a very misunderstood identity group. Myself and others who identify with hip hop music as a representation of our own struggle are not comfortable with the negative way it is represented. Commercial radio songs about nothing other than money, sex, and drugs, are what are played on popular radio. What is popular is how society defines a genre, because it is what they know. Society has created people who appreciate materialism, engage in sexual activity, and do drugs by using the media as an outlet to represent these things. You can see this in advertisements, television, movies, and of course, music. But it’s not just hip hop music; it’s all music. So why is it that a country song singing about being an alcoholic or having a big truck is okay to listen to, but hip hop music rapping about smoking weed and having an expensive car is a negative thing? Data from my autoethnography will provide a first-hand glimpses as to why hip hop music is reflected negatively. Research from three separate interviews will also reinforce central themes regarding the issues with how hip hop identity is reflected in the media. A textual analysis of Kanye West’s Spaceship will provide an example of how media transmits the existing messages regarding hip hop culture and the effects it has on its’ listeners. Before any of this can be analyzed, a collection of existing scholarly sources will first be reviewed. This will serve as a basis for the issues that currently exist in hip hop music, as well as provide a gap which needs to be filled by more detailed, qualitative research. Most importantly, it will provide evidence as to why hip hop music is percieved negatively. Heard ‘Em Say: Hip Hop and the Scholars With all of the different genres of music there are to listen to, you do not have to understand exactly what the singer is singing about to feel the emotion in the song. We identify with certain types of music because we relate to it. The reasons we identify with it could be cultural or social, but it almost always reflects a part of who we are. When listening to hip hop music, identity formation becomes a social process that involves fitting in to an urban culture. Analyzing different hip hop artists can help better understand how hip hop music can influence a person’s identity through social communicative processes. Powell (2011) writes, “As an expressive art form, the hip-hop genre has served to counter conventional hegemony with its irreverent rhetoric, attire, musicality, and movement. Yet commonly, via the manipulation of dynamic racial and economic group-based identities, hip-hop personas paradoxically both strive for inclusion in and mitigation of hegemonic social structure” (p. 460). Powell goes on to discuss and analyze the lyrics of Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, and Ice-T and how their music reinforces social identity theory. The work of another well-known artist by the name of Tupac Shakur will offer insight into the violent image that has been given to hip hop music, specifically gangster rap. Although Tupac was regarded as a violent rapper and was involved in a deadly West and East Coast rivalry, he is largely considered by the public as one of the most fascinating hip hop artists. Brown (2005) writes, “In death, Shakur gained immortality as singles and CDs were released after his death. In fact, Shakur’s popularity increased after his death, as his record sales grew, while his life became the subject of books, college courses, television documentaries, and films. Also, academic conferences have been held on Shakur to address his social impact and legacy as a public intellectual” (p. 560). Instead of deeming the music as misogynistic and violent, it is more helpful to understand how the music of Tupac and other hip hop artists is a communicative reflection of a particular cultural identity. Iwamoto (2003) writes regarding Tupac’s gang background and how it impacted Tupac’s identity. “The gangster or mob image was one of the cultural-media influences on the formation of Tupac’s identity...The gangsta culture or “thug” lifestyle reinforced Tupac’s hyper-masculine values (gang values of toughness, fighting ability) and established his identity” (p. 46). Gangster rap has been given a negative image and faced much criticism. What began as a response to political ideas has now turned into a musical genre built on making money and led to commercialization. Regarding Tupac Shakur and gangsta rap, Brown writes (2005), “To simply dismiss gangsta rap or a gangsta rapper such as Tupac Shakur as a ‘thug’ whose music has contributed to the ‘moral decline’ of American culture would be too simplistic a statement to explain the messages contained in his music. In contrast to the negative criticisms of gangsta rap, some scholarship has illustrated the multifaceted messages of the genre and Shakur’s legacy as an intellectual, political figure, and an urban folk hero” (p. 559). Tupac’s lyrics reflect a genuine urban cultural experience which allowed people to relate to the messages and allowed Tupac to deliver his personal political opinions in a poignant, relatable way. The way Tupac’s music reflects a particular cultural group’s identity, which is not of the hegemonic class, gives people of the shared identity hope. Price (2005) writes, “Hegemonic forces must be countered by self-regulating pedagogical processes that raise the consciousness and inspire hope and vision. There is a dialectical relation between hegemony and hope that produces phoenix-like rising from the ashes” (p. 57). Hip hop is not just about representing a gang lifestyle, but about challenging what is viewed as normal and providing hope for people who identify with coming from a lower socio-economic background. Part of the reason why hip hop music has been given a bad representation is because of the dominant white culture in the United States. Hip hop music has been viewed as ‘Black’ music which addresses the racial divisions in society. Tanner (2005) writes, “While rap has been framed negatively, as a contributor to an array of social problems, crime and delinquency in particular, it has also been celebrated and championed as an authentic expression of cultural resistance by underdogs against racial exploitation and disadvantage” (p. 694). More often than not, hip hop has represented what it’s like to be Black in America by rapping about being from an inner-city, not having money, and facing racial injustices. Brown (2005) writes, “The social criticism and commentary of gangsta rap forces Whites and Blacks to confront societal issues that are often ignored” (p. 560). Hip hop lyrics have provided an in-depth look into an African-American culture and transmitted different social messages through the lyrics. The honesty of the lyrics addressing racial issues in America has contributed to one of the reasons why people have a negative image of hip hop music. Addressing deep racial issues in hip hop music makes it impossible for America to forget about slavery and the injustice committed against African-Americans by Whites. White rappers, like Eminem, have challenged the stigma of hip hop being labeled as Black music. Although hip hop is representative of Black culture, it has come to represent a distinct socio-economic class group and upbringing. Hess (2005) writes, “Rather than imitate a model of hip-hop blackness, Eminem emphasizes the autobiographical basis of his lyrics and his struggle to succeed as a rap artist; he presents a new model of white hip-hop authenticity in which being true to yourself and to your lived experiences can eclipse notions of hip-hop as explicitly black-owned” (p. 373). Part of Eminem’s success has been his ability to make his music relatable to people of any color who are coming from a lower socio-economic background. By doing so, his music has translated across racial lines and allowed more people to identify with hip hop culture and the realness of the music. Understanding urban youth culture is critical in reshaping the image hip-hop music has had since its creation. Sealey-Ruiz and Greene (2011) write, “There are few places in our society where Black youth can find refuge from the deluge of negativism and mistrust that often seeps into their daily lives. Despite the popularity of Gangsta Rap, rap has never really abandoned its socially conscious roots” (p. 343). Hip hop youth culture and identity has a lot to do with where you are from and the language you use. Holmes (1997) writes, “Clearly, the ghetto as a metaphor for meaningless is nothing new to rap. Worth thinking about, however, is how the ghetto as rap’s defining trope has itself become a site of contestation within the genre, and an agent of unprecedented transformation for the visual intelligibility of race and class throughout America” (p. 1). Not only race and class in America but other parts of the world, too. Hip Hop has influenced youth not only in the United States, but in Southern America as well. Reiter and Mitchell (2008) write regarding Brazilian hip hop culture and the increase of racial consciousness in Brazil, “There is a relationship between listening to hip-hop music and black racial identity. Hip hop has become an important vehicle to express struggles faced by poor, urban Afro-Brazilian youth, whose voices are often excluded from the mainstream” (p. 27). Media is a large reason why hip hop culture has spread to a different nation. Various forms of media have contributed in spreading the hip hop movement outside of the United States. However, this has also led to the commercialization of hip hop music and reproducing the negative stereotypes associated with rap music. The use of media is effective in reinforcing stereotypes that exist in cultural groups. Kistler (2010) writes regarding media effects, “One key aspect of involvement is the parasocial relationship between the viewer and the protagonist of a media script, whereby a viewer feels a connection with the media figure similar to that of a friend, peer, or counselor” (p. 69). It is difficult to determine if the stereotype reinforces the effect of the medium or if the medium reinforces the existing stereotype. Either way, the relationship is symbiotic. Matlon (2010) writes, “ The commodification of inner-city black popular culture, or hip-hop, by mainstream advertising and media provides a lens into the process by which masculinity may arise that nonetheless links a marginal group to the majority culture’s ideals” (p. 38). Media reinforces the stereotype of hyper-masculinity that exists in hip hop music. Hip hop music contributes to shaping social and cultural group identity. Typical characteristics of fitting into a hip hop identity group are coming from a lower-class background, facing stereotypes, and struggling to make a living. An area to further research is the motivational impacts of listening to hip hop music. Researching the influences of hip hop music on listeners and the desire to have a better life will be effective in understanding the positive impact of hip hop music on society. Can’t Tell Me Nothing "It's just--you don't look like you listen to that type of music." The fu**? What kind of music does it look like I listen to? "I don't know. You're just too classy to listen to that kind of music." "What kind of music does it look like I should listen to? Taylor Swift?" Does it look like I grew up off of one of the most drug infested streets of Modesto? Does it look like I took ESL (English as a Second Language) classes when I was in elementary school? Does it look like I come from an alcoholic father who I use to see physically abuse my mom? People make comments to me like that pretty often and I still don't understand it. I usually reply sarcastically and make a comment like, "Who does it look like I listen to? John Mayer?" Most people just laugh. I kind of think it's funny. But I'm offended at the same time. I feel like its a racist and narrow minded thing to say. Maybe it's because I live in the Central Valley and the culture out here isn't that diverse. Would people still be just as surprised if I lived in the Bay Area? What if I said I listened to Kelly Clarkson? Would that better fit the mold of the person you think I look like I'm supposed to be? And so begins the stereotypes that I have experienced in my life. Perhaps, this is why hip hop music has helped me express my identity to the world. If there is one genre of music that is stereotyped more than any other, it is hip hop music. Everyone is a critic without being a fan first. I can bring up something that happened recently where someone mentioned he was not a fan of Kanye West so he knew if he listened to the lyrics of one of his songs, there would be no way he could ‘identify’ with the lyrics. How can you judge lyrics you have not even heard? Another situation happened where I quoted my favorite line from a rap song, Now, I could let these dream killers kill my self-esteem Or use my arrogance as the steam To power my dream “What was that again?--- That’s.... pretty cool” I can’t believe how reluctant this person was to compliment a RAP song. The same person who said I’m too “classy” to listen to that kind of music. I just made you eat your words. But the real problem is that by saying I’m too classy to listen to rap, you put me in a higher hegemonic position over others who listen to hip hop. You are telling me that I am better than them. But why? What makes me better than them? And if I identify in that group, what makes you better than me? Do you know anything about my life or how I grew up? The struggles I have faced, the horror I have seen? No, you don’t. You’re not mighty enough to decide who is better than whom and why. Neither am I. But I do know why I relate to hip hop music. It’s real life. I can relate to the struggle. I can relate to being raised by my mom and having an abusive father. I can relate to coming from a bad neighborhood. I can relate to my family not having a lot of money and my mom getting free food once a week through the city. I know it may not look like this is my background, but it is. I’m not the only one who can relate, either. Hip Hop Stereotypes and the Struggle Part of hip hop’s success is the ability to translate the struggle of urban life through music. The struggle could mean being poor, experiencing violence, or just trying to stay alive everyday. My interviewee Mike reflects on the area he grew up saying, “I grew up in a really bad neighborhood. We weren’t even allowed to go out past night or even go in the backyard without adult supervision. It was pretty hostile every night hearing gun shots, robbery, getting my house broken into more than ten times when I was younger so it was a pretty hard area.” Mike grew up in Chicago, Illinois and was raised in an urban neighborhood. His environment helped shape his beliefs and values and his taste in music. He relates to hip hop music in a way that not everyone can. He goes on to say, “If you look at hip hop, what people really see is, it’s gritty, it’s people from the streets--people talking about drugs--look they are from the inner-city and how they view it, is how anyone views the inner ghetto--it’s bad, disgusting, something they don’t want their family being a part of.” So hip hop gets a bad reputation because of the environment and culture it represents. This is also why it is relatable for a lot of people who come from an urban environment. Lionel discusses why hip hop music gets a bad reputation and says, “People listen to their kids listening to hip hop and it sounds really bad and they don’t see it like we see it. They see it as bad music. You know, people talking about drugs and rape, bitches and ho’s. They don’t know that it’s something, when you grow up poor like I did, it’s just an everyday thing to them. It’s stuff the media frowns on and they exploit it like that out there.” It all comes back to being true to real life. It’s an accurate portrayal of what life is really like for many. By identifying with the music and the lyrics, it shapes who we are. The music begins to reflect our thinking and our way of living. This creates a communicative process in how we identify ourselves to the world. We begin to transform the music into our lives in a way that will motivate us to become better and overcome the struggle. One of the struggles being faced is living in a world where you are judged by a stereotype. It is a truth that no one likes to admit, but the fact is, we are all victims of stereotypes in our everyday life. Gold Digger So what is it about hip hop music that makes people feel the need to say that it’s not ‘classy’? The finger can be pointed at the commercialization of hip hop music. After all, the music industry is a business. Gangster rap is how hip hop was portrayed in the media and that’s the image music agents were looking for. Even Kanye West was not signed by some labels because he was not ‘gangsta’ enough. The image that was first embodied for being authentic and genuine, is now mimicked and reproduced to sell records. This has perpetuated the problem with making music with no meaning and throwing out rhymes without trying to make a point about something which leads to where we are today. However, what most people fail to realize, is that a lot of hip hop is not on the radio. Commercialization in Hip Hop The problem with commercialization in hip hop music was addressed throughout various points in the interviews. It was addressed as not having a message in a song and making a song that just sounds good but doesn’t really stand for something. The themes can be identified in all of the interviewee’s responses. Some of the comments Sam made in his interview were: “Now it’s kind of more commercialized...money became more of big business--people can get in and make big money.” “Today with the artists out there, they’ll make a song that sounds decent but they’re not really saying a lot. It seems like all you need is a good beat with a clever sounding chorus and hook, you know--and like Soulja Boy ‘Supaman’--if you have a clever saying or a good beat, it seems like you can make millions.” “I mean the random commercial stuff you’ll hear--that’s not true hip hop. It’s not really thought provoking. It’s just like, ‘hey this sounds cool, I can dance to it.’” “It’s like you’re a painter and have a canvas and just throw the paint onto that canvas without having the goal of a picture, you know what I mean?” Mike’s responses around the theme of commercialization: “Now it’s all poppy like Drake and Soulja Boy, where it’s all catch phrases.” “In just lyrics and just what they are putting across, they are not putting out much now. A lot of artists are out there, they just get a cool beat and everyone dances to it. They’re not really saying much, like in messages.” “It’s too easy to be a rapper now. I swear, I’ll just have someone write me some lyrics and make a video and just have a hook phrase and I’ll be the coolest guy out. I’ll be the new Soulja Boy.” Lionel’s responses: “I don’t wanna knock on nobody but when I hear like, Gucci Mane and all them, they sound like simple to me, it’s weird. It’s kind of like you get that feeling out there, like it’s who you know that can hook you up and that’s what’s catching the mainstream’s eye.” “Soulja Boy and all them, I mean I don’t really trip on them but I always thought it was funny. I mean, I don’t wanna knock it but with what I listened to growing up and hearing Soulja Boy, I thought that was garbage. Like what is this shit, you know?” So, it looks like the problem with hip hop music can all be traced back to the rise of artists like Soulja Boy: An artist who made a catchy radio song with a hook referring to a sexual position. But can we even call him an artist? This is the face of what represents hip hop music to the average person and also what represents what’s wrong with hip hop by true fans. It’s evident that hip hop music sends out messages about real issues which is why commercialization is viewed as a bad thing. Commercialization praises materialism. Through materialism, consumerism is pushed. Consumerism is driven by constantly persuading consumers to feel like they need to buy something else to be happy with their life. By listening to songs constantly praising materialism, it is only expected that someone will begin to feel like they don’t have enough in their life if they don’t own a Maybach. This turns the song into a commercial. Music should stand for something and not only be about making money. It could be viewed as a form of journalism; a true reflection of hip hop music is addressing social issues through the music. Materialistic topics, which are common in a lot of hip hop, are what has been emphasized by record executives signing new artists and created a negative view of hip hop culture. Flashing Lights There are stereotypes about every group of people, but hip hop is the only music I can listen to and and determine that people are being hypocrites when they make pre-judgments about a genre of music they know nothing about. I love punk and indie rock, but have never felt emotionally connected to a song like I do with some hip hop songs. I know we all face stereotypes in some way, but I would hope people don’t actually get judged by that. I’m sure everyone can relate to this and hope it’s true, if ever having been the victim of a stereotype. All my experiences have led me to believe that hip hop music is judged for the stereotypes that represent the genre of music. People make a judgment on something they know nothing about. It’s okay if you don’t like it, but don’t say it ‘s crap before actually knowing a thing or two about what hip hop really stands for: the truth. Stereotypes and Judgment in Hip Hop Stereotypes and racism are addressed in many different hip hop songs which can make people uncomfortable. No one wants to talk about the bad stuff that exists in the world because you can’t be in denial about what’s really going on if people are talking about it. Any person can relate to being stereotyped for one reason or another, and many others can relate to being stereotyped because of their race. It is a part of life that exists, but no one wants to talk about. Kanye addresses the issues in Spaceship. He writes, “So if I stole, wasn't my fault/ Yeah I stole, never got caught/ They take me to the back and pat me/ Askin' me about some khakis/ But let some black people walk in/ I bet they show off their token blackie.” Kanye addresses a deep underlying issue with the beginning of this line stating that it’s not his fault he stole. He could be referencing to society and how African-Americans have been victims of the system and forced to behave in certain ways because of their environment. He then states how his manager is racist but doesn’t want anyone to know it. He is an employee at a clothing store and states that he is the only black person who works there just so his manager can prove he’s not racist, even though he really is. This underlying theme in the song can be related to everyone’s life, whether they want to admit it or not. The person you know who says racist things but insists they aren’t racist, because they have black friends. The person you know who makes fun of gay people but insists they aren’t homophobic. The person you know who makes fun of obese people, but insists they do not judge people by their looks. There are so many ways this part of the song represents the truth about hip hop and the things people don’t want to admit about themselves, or the people they surround themselves with. It may only be one part of the song, but Kanye exposes stereotypes and racism in Spaceship by reflecting on his personal experiences in a poetic way. Stereotypes are prevalent in every aspect of our lives. Hip hop music is another way people get judged or discriminated for the music he or she listens to. In his interview, Lionel stated, “ The other day I was bumping some Game and these old White people heard it and when they heard it, didn’t wanna look at me. Probably because I’m in my car and it’s lowered, it has tinted windows, I have tattoos, and the kind of music I’m listening to sounds violent because it has a lot of cuss words and I noticed they rolled up their window, and I don’t know, you could kind of see that they were scared. So it’s like a stereotype that I’m gonna rob them.” Lionel may have been discriminated against because of his looks, or because of the music he was listening to, but there’s no way to know for sure. Although there is no way to determine the causation, there is a definite correlation between Lionel’s image and the music he is listening to and being treated differently than someone who is driving down the street listening to country. Looking at Mike’s interview can provide another example of how listening to hip hop music can affect being negatively judged by someone. Mike states, “Every time I drive by cops, I turn down my radio. I’ve been pulled over because of music. Because it’s too loud. Because it’s too vulgar. The cop even told me you shouldn’t be listening to that and I’m like, dude it’s music. It may be too vulgar for some, but for others, hip hop is a way of life. The music is true to the environment we come from. It’s more than just music and represents a cultural movement. Some of the stereotypes will be true, but some of them will blind you from appreciating what is really there. Like Mike said in his interview, “People will always try to bash it and say it’s all bad, but it’s not all bad. Even in the worst part of hip hop, there is a beautiful part.” Never Let Me Down Tattoos are so trendy now. Sleeves people will regret when their wrinkly skin starts to shrivel up and distort the canvas that was once an arm. I want something I won’t regret. A lot of stuff looks cool, but I know I won’t want it when I’m 50. I want something that means something. I want it to be a quote translated into Assyrian writing. But what quote? I don’t want something cheesy that’s tattooed on a hundred other people’s bodies. And I want it to be somewhere I can hide. On my ribs, in paragraph form. And then I heard it. I’ve heard the song a million times, but this time it was different. It just clicked. So I guess I’m one of a kind in a full house Because whenever I open my heart, my soul, or my mouth, A touch of God, reigns, out It’s perfect. I’ll never regret it and it’s from my favorite rap song. To top it off, I got it translated into Assyrian. A tattoo that reflects my culture and my identity. Why would I ever regret that? This part of my favorite verse has always made me feel like an individual. It reminds me that I am one of a kind. People around me should be lucky to know me. It’s not about having an ego, but appreciating the special qualities only you can bring to the world around you. Yes, I know I will never be the smartest, prettiest, or most-talented, but I am the only one who has my special combination of dorkiness, ghettoness, and randomness which can never be matched. I find an appreciation in everything in life which makes me who I am. I don’t judge something, or someone, I don’t know and can usually find the good qualities that get overlooked by others. I’m an individual trying to fit in and stand out at the same time. This is hip hop. This is about not being afraid to stand alone in a crowd when you’re terrified and making others feel like they are the ones missing out. This is strength and confidence. Being loved and hated at the same damn time. Being the minority, but feeling like the only majority that matters. This is hip hop. Two Words Feeling the bass beating through my speakers, it sounds like fists pounding to get out. I drive with the window down so the sound can flow through the air to the cars passing by. This song is the best. I want everyone to hear what I’m hearing right now. When you look at me and check out how I’m rocking my head up and down to the beat and laugh at my hand swaying to the music, I know you envy me. At this moment, I feel I have all the confidence in the world. No one can bring me down. I’m not embarrassed. I feel sorry for the people who care too much about what other people think. It’s just me, my ride, and the music. I love the beat of hip hop, but I love the lyrics more. They have inspired me. I have always loved poetry, but hip hop takes it to the next level. Spoken word is the best of both worlds; words that sound like they could be rapped over a beat, but so potent they don’t need one. I love to write because of the language and emotion that goes into the writing. It’s therapeutic. It’s about having an appreciation for the language of music which develops its own art form and will, in turn, motivate you to write your own thoughts and ideas down. It’s the best way to communicate everything you want to say but can never find the words for. Your own combination of words to form a language that is unique to you. The Importance of Language and Lyrics The lyrics and use of language are how someone can be motivated by, or relate to, a hip hop song. The beat is cool, but it’s the words that can emotionally connect you to a song. In Mike’s interview, lyrics were an important reason of what makes hip hop music special: Mike: “I actually listen to the words and think, ‘What are they saying? Are they using cool metaphors or similes?’ Man, because that’s what interests me. The beat is cool, but it’s mostly lyrical.” Nicole: “How would you define a good lyricist or a good beat?” Mike: “Someone who knows how to use words and express what they’re saying like a beautiful art form to where you could listen and think, ‘Wow, he just killed it’ in how he used his words. Expressing the words in a way that is heartfelt or touches you in a way.” It’s not just what the artist is saying, but how he says it. Is there any creativity? Is there a challenge? It can’t merely sound like something anyone could have written. There has to be some type of challenge in the music. Sam’s interview responses touched a lot on lyrics and language and he stated: “I’m a huge fan of the 90’s kind of hip hop where there’s a lot more meaning behind what someone’s saying--there was a lot more lyricism and metaphors, rhymes.” “Hip hop to me is just a pure beat and just rapping, lyricism. Someone just blowing you away with rhymes and metaphors.” “I listened to Biggie and I felt like his style is just what I was always thinking in my head. His rhymes, his metaphors are great. He makes--when you listen to a Biggie track--he just gets your head rockin’ back and forth, you just flow with him. Listening to his rhymes makes me wanna go and just write crazy metaphors that will make people say ‘damn’ and just hit you in the face.” For Sam, the lyrics and metaphors are why hip hop is so important. It’s a language art form. There should be careful selection of words and the words should be arranged in a way that will make you think. For Lionel, appreciating the lyrics came as he got older. Commenting about the lyrics, Lionel states: “When I was younger, it was always the sound of the beat, but the older I get,the more I absorb the lyrics and there’s some artists that are really slick with their tongues and creative with their beats and the way they put in how they feel and I really admire their lyrics.” “A good lyricist would put words together that’s creative and sometimes you have to think about it afterwards. Like if I would hear something Common, or Kanye, or even Eminem, would say and you hear them say it, and later on think back about whatever metaphor they said and think, ‘oh that was pretty nice.’” There is no doubt that language can be very persuasive. Through lyrics in hip hop music, an appreciation for the art of language and how it is used inspires people. The inspiration can be used to get motivated by writing your own music as a form of self-expression or find more artists who can write well. There is no doubt that it will motivate you to do something when having an appreciation for the art. This represents a strong communicative process in language use. Language is used as a way of identifying with hip hop music through the use of metaphors, similes, or other poetic aspects of writing. The use of metaphors is visible in a lot of rapper’s songs. The words can provide inspiration, relate-ability, or be an expression of the way you feel about the world around you. Motivation Through Listening to Hip Hop One of the most clever hip hop artists is Kanye West. His song, Spaceship, emphasizes hard work and the struggle to pursue your dreams. Hard work pushes West to stay motivated and focused on his dream. He writes, “Y'all don't know my struggle/ Y'all can't match my hustle/ You can't catch my hustle/ You can't fathom my love dude/ Lock yourself in a room doin' five beats a day for three summers/ That's a different world like Cree Summers/ I deserve to do these numbers.” In this part of the song, Kanye raps about how hard he worked for his success. It didn’t come easy and it took time and dedication. Kanye uses the metaphor of having a spaceship to fly you to the sky which represents dreams. Featuring the rapper GLC, his verse of the song writes, “In the mall ‘til 12 when my schedule said nine/ Puttin them pants on shelves/ Waitin’ patiently I ask myself/ Where I wanna go, where I wanna be/ Life is much more than runnin’ in the streets.” This line is especially helpful in understanding the way rap is represented in the media and how it’s not just about being violent or selling drugs on the street. You can work hard to earn a living and think about the bigger picture in life. Consequence, another rapper who enters the song for the third verse, writes, “I remember havin’ to take the dollar cab/ Comin’ home real late at night/ Standin’ on my feet all damn day/ Tryin’ to make this thing right/ And havin’ one of my co-workers say ‘Yo you look just like/ This kid I seen in the old Busta Rhymes video the other night’/ Well easy come, easy go/ How that sayin’ goes.” Consequence references when he recorded six tracks with A Tribe Called Quest and thought he was a part of the hip hop group thanks to his cousin, Q Tip, being a member. He raps about how he was mistaken and shouldn’t have expected it to be that easy. The 15 minutes of fame he achieved because of luck does not replace the hard work it takes to become successful in a musical career. Each verse in Spaceship reinforces the importance of hard work when working towards your dreams and does so with the voice of three separate rappers with varying life experiences. Lionel reflects on the motivational aspects of hip hop music and why it has the ability to motivate him: “Hip hop motivates me especially when I hear inspirational stuff, like Drake or Kanye, and the words are so potent that it makes you wanna do certain things like when I’m exercising. And I noticed if I hear a good lyricist or it comes out little gangster, I work out harder.” “I was listening to the latest Eminem and Kanye CD and it just motivates you to do better. Sometimes you feel down and you hear this rapper talking about how he was down and it’s an inspiring song and makes you not wanna quit on certain things and work hard.” Mike comments on how hip hop music is relatable to his life which gives him motivation : “It’s just something you can relate to because with a lot of hip hop, they are coming from poor neighborhoods so you could relate to their music, growing up struggling and being every day in the streets or trying to just make it day by day.” “It just makes me want to better my life and what I have, but be humble and grateful for what I do have.” “And when I feel like I wanna make it, I listen to Spaceship.” “It makes me want to strive for something better and do something better with my life and get more like, with a lot of the lyrics like Common and Talib Kweli, it’s all motivational, inspirational music, like trying to get out there and do more.” Hip hop music is overlooked as a source of motivation. However, it has been a source of inspiration for people coming from a struggling background for years. Hip hop has the ability to make people feel like they can become something better by making the lyrics relatable. The ‘If I can do it, you can do it’ attitude seeps through the lyrics of the music and can be absorbed by anyone who really stops and listens to the music. Last Call It is important to understand how hip hop music positively affects people. By only paying attention to the stereotypes and commercialization in hop hop music, people are blinded to the positive, motivational affects of the music. This is done through lyrics, use of language and creating relate-ability by facing struggles in life. It is important to understand the effects that someone’s environment can have on the way they choose to represent themselves to the world. Understanding where someone else is coming from is an important characteristic in every aspect of life, because it allows you to feel empathy for someone else. Having empathy for others will make you feel more grateful for what you have in life and achieve a higher level of happiness. Okay, I get it. Rap and Hip Hop aren’t for everyone. I get that it’s practically impossible to buy an album without a “Parental Advisory” warning label. I know it can be violent, sexual, and materialistic. What most critics (I should say skeptics because a true critic has a validated reason to make a judgment) don’t realize is there are different kinds of rap. Just like there are different kinds of rock. A lot of what you listen to is going to be based on your mood. Gangster Rap. NWA. Political Rap. Lupe Fiasco. Party Rap. 2 Chainz. Poetic Rap. Common. Spiritual Rap. J Ivy. Love Rap. Drake. Smart Rap. Childish Gambino. Stoner Rap. Wiz Khalifa. Cult Rap. Tech N9ne. The Best All Around. Kanye West. His albums go from one spectrum of hip hop to the other and I can find one of his albums to match every mood I’m in. All of these rappers speak truth in their own way to communicate about the world they live in. With all of the variety in hip hop music, I love it all. I love the way it motivates me. Most of these rappers grew up in a rough neighborhood; I can relate. Now they’re preaching their gospel to the world. You don’t have to be the same religion to attend their church, but you can’t deny that it has an emotional impact on its’ parishioners. For me, it’s striving to be successful. The music gives me confidence I’ve never felt before. Confidence that I don’t get when I listen to other music. It translates to the rest of my life and affects everything I do. Most of the confidence I have comes from the music I listen to. Anything is possible. I can be the next entrepreneur. It just takes hard work and dedication. Starting with a passion and letting it consume you like the music does. Changing people’s stereotypes is what motivates me. I want to be the exception and not the rule. It gives me fuel to keep going and not give up on what I want. Despite all of the adversaries and challenges I face, the struggle is worth it, because it means success is at the end of the tunnel. Nas said hip hop is dead. I disagree. It’s alive and breathing inside of me and everything I do. It’s made me, me. References Brown, T. J. (2005). Reaffirming African American Cultural Values: Tupac Shakur's greatest hits as a musical autobiography. Western Journal Of Black Studies, 29(1), 558-573. Hess, M. (2005). Hip-hop realness and the white performer. Critical Studies In Media Communication, 22(5), 372-389. doi:10.1080/07393180500342878 Holmes Smith, C. (1997). Method in the madness: exploring the boundaries of identity in hip-hop performativity. Social Identities, 3(3), 345. Iwamoto, D. (2003). 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