Hip-hop :: Papers

Hip-hopRecently, I took a walk around the floor on which I live and asked anyone who I found for their definition of rap. I wasnt able to ask everyone on the floor, but I genuinely didnt need to either. From the 15 or so people I asked, I got a similar answer, and each was that which I expected to hear. Some of my floormates thought that hip-hop was rap music, others said it was both rap and R&B, and but one person had a good idea of what it actually is. Hip-hop is a culture, and there is a common misconception that hip-hop refers solely to a genre of music.The dictionary definition of hip-hop is a subculture especially of inner-city youths whose amusements include rap music, graffiti, and break-dancing (Mish 549). This is a pretty accurate definition of hip-hop. There is a lot more(prenominal) to hip-hop but the dictionary does a good job of giving it a brief definition. The definition explains why I know what hip-hop really is and also why Im bothered when someone think s hip-hop is the same as rap. I grew up and have lived my entire life in New York City, maybe the most urban and diverse place to live in on Earth. Its not possible for a teenager to be more exposed to hip-hop than he is in New York City. Im also a youth, and people in my age group are more exposed to the culture than those of any other age group. Hip-hop is simply more appealing to young people, but this is not to say that adults cant like hip-hop as well.My roommate said that he wishes he could know more about hip-hop, but where hes from its simply not possible. He has been exposed to hip-hop more in the past two months than in the eighteen years of his life before that, simply because he has me for a roommate. This came as somewhat of a surprise to me, because I never knew that hip-hop was so non-existent in suburbs such as Mansfield, PA, where my roommate is from. My roommate is definitely not the only person at Penn State from a suburb, so there are many other students here who know even less about the culture than him. My goal, therefore, is to inform these people about hip-hop enough so that they envision theres a lot more to it than just rap music.