Race & Identity

Hip Hop’s Idenity Crisis

“Hip Hop culture is a global phenomenon, yet Black American youth remain its most visible ambassadors” – Patricia Hill Collins, From Black Power to Hip Hop

Race, in the hip-hop perspective, is something that is held dearly in the hearts of the black community, as they believed hip-hop was something that was specifically theirs. In the 70s and 80s, the line between “black music” and “white music” was clear; hip-hop was “black music” while rock and country were considered “white music.” As time progressed, and hip hop snowballed into the mainstream music sphere, the lines between what was considered “black” or “white” music blurred significantly. Hip hop is currently at a crossroads where its popularity has caused many white kids to become passionate about the genre and even begin to identify themselves with the culture. As rappers like Vanilla Ice and Eminem began to enter the “rap game,” it left many questioning whether these “white kids” were posers, or if they genuinely identified with the hip-hop culture as a whole. Race is essential to the hip-hop identity, which has led to confusion on what the hip-hop identity even is anymore. Honestly, “it ain’t that black and white, it has an area the shade of grey” (T.I. “Live Your Life).

This “grey” is where hip-hop is now. Some people say hip-hop is just a multiracial genre, some say hip-hop is going through a crisis… but it’s actually both. As a result of the influx of new races to the hip-hip field, new ideas are presented and since there are so many different tastes present, ideas begin to clash. Here’s where the “crisis” begins. The “old-school” hip-hop from the 80s and 90s discussed the struggles associated with the black community and provided awareness of cultural and societal issues. Today, a majority of the mainstream rap songs are concerned with how much money you have, how many girls you’ve slept with, where you’re from… and other things of the sort. Some songs don’t even have any meaning at all, except the fact that they really love strippers.

2 Chainz’s “I Luv Dem Strippers” has around 26 million views on YouTube over the span of 6 months. On the other hand, T.I.’s “Live your Life” has 36 million views over 4 years. The substance difference in these songs is significant, in addition to the content presented in the videos, and the popularity difference between the two songs displays where the tastes of today’s hip-hop listeners lie. The commercial corruption of hip-hop stereotypes worships the sexuality and profanity-laced lyrics that make up the hip-hop songs that control the music world today, and T.I. criticizes this in “Live Your Life:”

“I got love for the game

But hey, I'm not in love with all of it

Could do without the fame

And rappers nowadays are comedy

The hootin' and the hollerin'

Back and forth with the arguin'

Where you from? Who you know?

What you make? And what kind of car you in?”

2 Chainz’s song is heavy on vulgarity, and the video is purely sexual. T.I.’s song has a positive message, and the video is a compelling story of his journey to where he is now in the rap game. Both songs are considered “hip-hop” but they’re definitely very different in identity and composition. Hip Hop isn’t “dead,” but its definitely immersed in a pop-culture-controlled identity crisis.