Positive Impact of Hip-Hop Children in the 21st century

Hip-Hop has been a unique culture that has grown to mass consumption across the globe in this century compared to the late 20th century when it was created. However, the genre is still evolving and has begun taking precedence globally, which has been associated with the multifaceted nature of the art. Hip-Hop refers to a form of music characterized by rhyming and jazzy or 808 sonic influences. It alludes to cultural elements associated with the art, such as community, dance, graffiti, and fashion (Day 9). Hip-Hop pioneered in the Bronx in the late 1970 and grew to attract mainstream attention in the 1990s. Hip-Hop was perceived as a negative culture that incited violence due to the graphic lyrics that relish violence, sex, and drugs inappropriate in the conventional ideas (Anyiwo et al. 1). Due to this tradition in hip-hop, music is perceived to have a net negative effect on Society. Still, conversely, hip-hop culture undermined a lot of the stereotypes and discrimination along ethnic lines that were the social norm at the time and continues to do so with the new generation now.

The multidimensional rap system draws attention to different areas of youths, creating a diverse community of mutual interests. The notion held in the Society that portrays a negative perception of the genre is due to the aggressive and forthright reaction of the consumer after social issues affecting, originally, the black community. The 1992 Los Angeles riots had been caused by the acquittal of the three policemen who brutally beat Rodney King, an African American man. The policemen beating Rodney King had been caught on camera and broadcast on national television (Sastry and Bates). The acquittal of the police who committed the blatant offense was a testament to the failure of the judicial system to adjudicate justice across races and ethnic communities.

This event marked a transition where the economic, social, and political inequalities were purveyed by biased government systems limiting or purveying social and political differences among different races. Earlier in the 1980s, Public Enemy, a Hip-hop duo, created an album titled Yo! Bum Rush the Show, in which sociopolitical themes created awareness of the challenging living condition in American inner-city communities (Edmonds). The riots In Los Angeles were greatly perceived as a result of Hip-hop music, which now was a tool of social activism. Still, the riots were a tipping point of the black communitys tolerance to discrimination.

The explicit lyrics that were often characterized by the adoration of sex, drugs, and violence were often referenced as to why Hip-hop was a negative influence among young people. However, the perception of hip-hop as an art form would explain these lyrics reflected the reality of the lives of the marginalized communities that resided in inner cities. The trend that had begun in the 1970s of using the genre as a tool of education evolved to continually address challenges in the Society that were not being addressed accordingly by the government (Hains et al.119). Further, it now fosters, organizes, supports, and educates the youth on core societal issues due to its ability to force political systems and contemporary culture towards change.

Hip-hop today plays a critical role in the formation of cultural identity across all races. Exposure to the music is associated with...

…(White 1). Notably, the methods chosen by the students to raise their grievances were responsible and tuned to be beneficial. As such, hip-hops advocacy communal responsibility towards better living conditions was exemplified and resulted in finding a resolution to the challenges experienced by the students.

The genre has evolved to address diverse social issues as society changes making it a core source of information among young people about civil and social issues during their transformative years of development. Yesin Bey, formerly known by the alias Mos Def, commented, People treat Hip Hop like an isolated phenomenon. They dont treat it as a continuum, a history or legacy. And it is. And like all mediums or movements, it came out of a need (Day 174). Notably, the positive impact of Hip-hop music has had a positive impact on young adults by presenting them with a medium t communicate their frustrations and seek solutions by themselves, seeking interventions, or change in social norms depending on the nature of the challenge (Anyiwo et al. 1). While the early ages are characterized by numerous challenges, such as lack of financial stability, identity development, and transformation into adulthood where they face drug abuse, hip-hop has been used to educate young people from early ages on diligent ways to navigate through these challenges.

The perception of hip-hop as a negative influence on the young generation results from misconstrued messages in the music, which positively resonate with the target audiences. The formation of hip-hop came as a need to create a medium for the disenfranchised communities to deal with the issues they encounter in their day-to-day lives. Since it is an evolving genre, it will continue to influence…