Hip-Hop: Then & Now

This month, I did a ten page paper for my history class. Normally, I hate writing essays, but when I saw the subject options, Rap and Hip-hop caught my eye like none other. Sadly, I got an 87%, and clearly should have received a higher grade. O well, life is life.

Since the paper was for history, a majority of the paper was on the history of hip-hop. I knew most of it, but i learned a few tidbits here and there. But my favorite part in writing this paper, was the opinionated pages at the end.

You can download the whole paper below.

Hip-Hop: Then & Now

Heres a paragraph:

"Hip-hop has plenty of positive aspects that should be shared more often, but because of media and record companies, those positive aspects are continually overlooked. Hip-hop has allowed many poor individuals to ‘up’ their status of living, and in return, those artists have done positive music, and donated money to communities. Yet those stories are not in the news. The stories in the news are shootings, arrests, and court trials of the musical artists. Hip-hop started by improving and uniting the black communities. Sadly, now hip-hop is almost doing the opposite, by glorifying gangbanging and drug use. The positive artist have not been able to get there message out there as much, because it doesn’t sell. Nas, Kanye West, Common, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def are positive artist that are constantly putting the message into the music. The public sees the mainstream, radio play and music videos, but most don’t see the underground side of hip-hop. Underground hip-hop now is more positive than ever before. Indie, or independent, labels are able to allow artists to freely express themselves, because to them it isn’t all about the money. The difference is mainstream is in the Best Buys, and the Wal-Marts, while the underground is not that easily accessible. Commercialism is what kills hip-hop."

This is a good read for all hip-hop fanatics and true fans to the craft.

One Love,
Nahjee