It’s no secret that with the decline of the music industry’s sales, the Internet has burst open the floodgates seemingly allowing any and everybody to become an artist. People gripe and complain that such easy entry has changed the culture in a negative way, but the silver lining is that Hip Hop’s freedom to become affiliated with a cause has increased. The genre has always had a strong opinion, but now that opinion is folding around policy. As such there should be gratification of our new transformation in the game. Is this gravitation towards the White House just a popular staple that’s being idolized for the moment? Signs have indicated otherwise with our leaders merging with their heads of state to increase overall fundamentals.
The term trend has been frowned upon today as a quick fix that only followers commission. This is somewhat due to the lack of creativity that arises when everyone simply plays copycat. However a trend at times does much more than that. A trend can unify a movement and create greater power in numbers which leads to influence. So if gold chains, crazy haircuts, baggy pants, bling and slow flow lyrics were a trend that carried or weakened the game over time, politics in hip hop are the new trend that allows it’s leaders to unveil their perspectives and demonstrate new opinions in a newly redesigned platform. Politics and the genre of Hip Hop have now made a covenant and yes it’s even become “cool” especially with rappers like Kanye, Drake and Jay-Z in the forefront.
What we must keep in mind is when Hip Hop hit its current era of dumbing down its lyrics, it was never because Hip Hop or it’s artists are in fact less than say thoroughly knowledgeable about the subjects presented. It was in part because Hip Hop understands that to evolve and continue to be relevant one must understand marketing. The new marketing mix includes understanding the government, how it works and makes decisions and how those decisions affect the community. For possibly the first time, Hip Hop culture cares about the government because the powers that be recognize the culture and have adopted it as its own with a President who is openly a fan of the music we listen to.
The futuristic boundaries of Hip Hop music are still unknown. The current texture of the genre is wise having acquired this wisdom not by softening its texture or by having to pull a vintage state of mind in order to be considered conscious. Hip Hop is still the music of our time because it’s the people’s most respected reflection of who we are and what we can be.
We recently were on deck to spoke with some pioneering digital leaders including Chuck Creekmur of the innovative and highly regarded AllHipHop.com, and David Wilson of the newly sophisticated TheGrio.com who both checked in with one of K97.5’s hottest radio personality’s J. Breezy to discuss the elements that Hip Hop is housing with politics and more to close out Black Music Month. Check out the series below and tell us what you think of it all.
The Truth in Hip Hop – Part II
The Truth in Hip Hop – Part III
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