The Philosophy of Hip-Hop

If you take the time and look, there seems to be a real philosophy of hip-hop that even the most astute of hip-hop heads miss. Hip-hop is a powerful art form if harnessed properly. Originally spawned from the streets of New York, the musical form gave rise to a genre that gives the poor and underprivileged a voice.

Thanks to corporate America, rap has done much to spread hate, violence, misogyny,  and (to put it bluntly) make all black males look like aggressive, violent, drug dealers and criminals. However, if we divorce original underground hip-hop from the mainstream corporate noise that most people think of when they hear the words "hip-hop," you can see that there is a stark contrast between (say) Lil Wayne and Immortal Technique.

As a sociologist who has studied social change and social structure research, hip-hop in it's true form is a major and serious threat to the establishment. As the deaths of Robert Kennedy, Malcolm X, MLK, 2pac, Jon Lennon, and Troy Davis will attest, there is nothing more threatening to power then an intelligent, articulate and talented individual who is willing bring about change through a sincere and powerful message. This message can be compounded through hip-hop by making catchy, memorable, and repeatable lyrics that also create an emotional involvement. (The listener assumes the roll of the vocalist which really makes the listener understand the rhetoric and perspective.)

With that said, it seems that there is a real code of honor in hip-hop (among real artists) where respect is earned. You don't have to be cool with everyone, but give props where props are due! There are a couple other consistent repeatable hip-hop themes that artists who are representative of hip-hop really endorse.

The first is confidence, you can't be an MCEE without it! The second is to just be yourself! Do something original. Bring something new to the table; it's okay to use others work for inspiration, but there is a fine line between respect and imitation; the good ones never cross the line or flirt with it once they establish their career.

The third is to believe that you can accomplish your goals if you work hard to achieve them (because no one will do it for you). This is the one that most cats miss. I don't care how talented you are, if you have no drive, motivation, or ambition, you will not make it. Although you have to have skill; raw talent is not required to be successful. However, dedication is! Inspecta Deck and Classified (from Canada) are prefect examples!

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