What is one aspect of black culture that has always remained firm in our society? Hip-hop.
In the society that we live in, the hip-hop industry has always had a firm handle on the standing of social issues and the black community as a whole. First created to be a storytelling mechanism in New York, hip-hop has blossomed into being one of the highest-grossing music genres out today. However, more importantly, hip-hop has created avenues for television, film, and other genres within the entertainment industry. It has been the one variation that constantly changes as society grows and evolves.
During my digital media literacy class this past week, we discussed the alterations that the hip-hop industry has made over the last 10 years. As you look into the kind of music that was created in the late '80s and early '00s, we examine artist such as 2livecrew and Destiny's Child -- artists that were the staple of their time and have had a huge impact on the black community. With the arrival of such artists, there was a new sense of music in that era. There was a new sound proliferating within the hip-hop society that changed the shape of the outlook of the black community.
One of the infamous 2LiveCrew songs, "Pretty Woman," which derived from the infamous song by Roy Orbison, was deemed a parody of the original, but also brought derogatory meaning to their music. When taking a deeper look into what the lyrics meant, it was not just another remake of a song, but instead it was a sexual representation of women in their own words. In the '80s language that was used in the songs, hidden messages could be found.
Compare that to today's music and the terms that are used.
As my mother would say, " This generation's music is so vulgar and upfront with their messages." On the contrary, the messages of today's music are the same as they were in the '80s and '90s, just with a different intent. While that era had the "brick houses," this generation has the hourglass figure. The language used in the hip-hop industry now and in the '90s is quite similar, yet the way in which it is delivered has changed.
The hip-hop industry is definitely a transformation station, being one of the areas of our generation that is meant to portray the times that we live in and record it in history. If you look over different historical eras, the music that was created at that time accurately provided a basis for what society was embarking upon. Music is and always will be our guide for the alteration that the society has to constantly undergo. It is our trailblazer through the stations of change and our constant stamp on time within society as a whole.
