Agree/Disagree (and why): “Hip Hop is America. Its only real crime is being so much so. It boils ‘mainstream standards and practices down to their essences, then turns up the flame. Violence, materialism, misogyny, homophobia, racialized agony, adolescent views of sex and sexuality . . . . These are the common, bankable, all-American obsessions. They’re the underbelly items that have always defined this country’s real, daily-life culture. What that means is the top-of-the-line hip-hop and its true artists (be they ‘mainstream’ or ‘underground’) soar on the same terms that America’s real artists – and everyday folk – have always soared: by being un-America, by flying in the face of the fucked up values and ideals that are wired and corroded in this country’s genetic code even as no-lip lip-service is given to notions of equality, justice, and fairness” (Ernest Hardy)
Remember 200-250 words and specifics from class
CES 209 Fall 2012 
Hip-hop is America like we learned earlier this semester the Bronx was a melting pot of music because they were almost excluded from Manhattan. Hip-hop is the voices of the people that were going through the hardship America was going through, and if it wasn’t the artist expressing what was going on I think it was the block parties that keep people sane so they wouldn’t go crazy because of what was going on around them. If you were to say hip-hop was not American I wouldn’t even know how you would even come to that conclusion. America is known to be a melting pot of ethnicity and religion so with that I think comes the music which is a melting pot of all those different religions and ethnicities but expressed by music to be American to me is to be you because America is a giant mix of things everything that we do is American we are the face of America and I think that the music is a huge stand point on what we are and what we represent. It doesn’t matter if you were to be underground or mainstream it all equals that you do what you love to do.
I would disagree that hip hop is only in America but that mainstream hip hop and rap is vary commercialized or what people could say Americanized. When we think of hip hop in the states we think of rappers talking about how much money they make, how many women they have or sleep with and all the things that they own which are extremely exaggerated. These people who talk about material things are often seen as mainstreamer or sell outs because they have money and sign with large corporations. Then we have what people with the thought that because someone is not signed with a major label are underground artist when that is not always the truth as well. I think underground and mainstream are two words that are hard to put a distinct word on because so many different people have their own opinions on what these things are. Hip hop is not just in America if we look at the music it has been influenced by other types of music and they sample that music to keep lineage going. I also agree with the fact that hip hop is a melting pot to say that it comes from one part of the world now of days simply is not realistic,
I agree with what is being said here, but I think that it is not solely from hip-hop alone. I think that media itself is to blame. Media is America. Media is starting to turn into what America tries to live off of. People see pictures of “beautiful” women that are edited to the extent of not being physically possible and those are the models that people aspire to look like. In movies and television shows we see violence, drugs, and sex, and that’s what sells. People see these images over and over again until that is what they think real life is. People watch fake reality television shows that make them think that’s how they are supposed to live. America is crowded by advertisements that are constantly telling them that they are not good enough and they need more. It’s hard to overcome those distorted concepts and images and get back to reality after being constantly swarmed by them. Hip-hop might be a part of what America is, but I think there is a bigger concept that is being overlooked. All of those all-American obsessions being talked about like materialism and homophobia can really boil down to the media being the problem as a whole, not just hip-hop as the only culprit. The real crime is that Americans buy into it.
“Fake reality shows” — sums it up really. I agree with this post ten-fold. Media is driving America. I think Hip-Hop takes the heat because it is unapologetic and in-your-face about it.
I completely agree with this statement. Media definitely drives America, not only in the music industry but when it comes to world news or any big event. If the media puts something out there, they have complete control over what is being said and how they will say it, which could carry a bias with it. Hip hop is just talked about more commonly because many controversial issues are talked about in their songs and they have no regrets saying what they have to say.
This is definitely a tough question to answer. I disagree that those values the author talked about are actually “All-American”(violence, sexism, racism, materialism etc…). I think this is more of a construct formed by the mass media. These by no means define everyday American life for most of the population. These rappers and artists are living on a level of life 99% of the country will never see. However, I do agree with the statement the author makes about Americans being obsessed with topics like violence, money, and women. This is easily proven by how many records the artists sell when they make music about said topics. I agree with the poster above me when he says that the mass media is a big part of the problem, but I also think this type of music sells well in the United States because most of the population does not live in the manner that artists are talking about. The music allows them to become “diversified” in their own mind. For good or for bad, I think this is the honest truth. As long as listeners keep listening, the artists will be putting out music about these “values.” This does not necessarily mean they represent what Americans truly value though.
What American popular culture — film, TV, rock and roll — does embrace and sell these elements. How are you distinguishing b/t American values and American obsessions?
I agree that Hip Hop is American, but it depends on where you from and your ethincity. I think that Hip Hop is more than what we think it is.Most peoples first thought of hip hop is getting money or in the words of Lil Wayne, ” Pussy, Money, Weed”. To me, it is more than that. Some people use hip hop to help their family’s to have a better life, and it is a freedom to express how you feel about the world without judgement. Some people talk about killing, sex, and doing drugs because thats what they experience but the end of the day they all aiming for one thing is live the best life they could.
I agree with this comment because coming from where I’m free, hip-hop can be viewed from different perspectives. Different areas use hip-hop in means of expression, getting out of a bad situation or just living the lifestyle. It’s truly on the person to know what the hip-hop culture can bring and how it can affect people around you.
Yes, Hip Hop is American. However it’s also global. Hip Hop has developed into an art form that works as a musical outlet that allows individuals to speak their mind and to bring underground problems to the surface. American Hip Hop may focus more upon the “pussy, money, weed” aspects of life; so yes in this regard Hip Hop can be labeled as “Americanized.” But if we are to turn the tables and look at Hip Hop across the world we see more of a focus on issues such as genocide, segregation and imprisonment. These subjects are more characteristic in areas such as Africa and Cuba. Hip Hop has a direct correlation with the relevant problems of its nation, and that is why it has the ability to become so powerful. To say that Hip Hop is exclusively American is wrong, but to say that Hip Hop can be labeled as American is possible. It all depends on how relevant the movement is to a nation, and how people use this outlet to portray a message. The art of Hip Hop has the wonderful ability to adapt to cultures; whether it is in the poverty struck regions of Harlem, or if it resides in the segregated and racial hardship nation of South Africa. Hip Hop is American, but also, global.
I disagree that Hip Hop is American. Hip hop is very popular in America, but you also have to think about other countries too. Hip hop does not only exist in America. Yes and you are right about artists nowadays not caring about what is being said in their musics all they are interested in is for it to sell, in order for them to get money. I also think that some artists do not do all the things that they mention in their music, they just mention those things such as killing, doing drugs just to get attention and to show their masculinity. They are only trying to grab the audience attention and hoping that some of those audience could relate. They all aiming to sell out.
From what I’ve viewed the past couple of years, I believe that much of Hip-Hop now has been a forefront of American culture. So much of hip-hop today has affected our communities and the hip-hop culture has been a big influence to how America is shaped now. To how we dress and to sometimes how we act and the mindset we have towards different beliefs, hip-hop culture has played a role. Through the social media, different entertainment outlets, and through music, you can see a change in the culture in which our community lives in now. Hip-hop now is a form of culture in which people respect and acknowledge because of how so much our society embodies it. People can’t steer away from what the hip-hop culture can bring In terms of relating to the music and lifestyle that it brings. We can also say the negative aspects of hip-hop has also affected American culture in terms of different views on women, different life styles that are lived and also negative aspects towards different topics of America like; politics, and religion. Much of hip-hop today has influenced American culture so much to the point it’s just growing. What we must understand is how we got to this point and truly educate ourselves about how much the history and the historical context of hip-hop needs to be respected.
I agree with what you’re saying on how hip hop has been the forefront of American culture. Everyday people are affected by the industry, whether it is good or bad. If it weren’t for social media and the entertainment biz, then I feel hip hop wouldn’t be as impacting as it is today. People, especially younger people, embody hip hop through art, music, or becoming a hip hop collegiate. I do have to disagree with you on when you say that “hip hop is a form of culture in which people respect” because not everyone respects it. I know that I constantly hear from my elders “why do you listen to that shit”? Now that generations are moving on, I feel that hip hop will eventually be what the oldies are now, people still love it but there will be newer things to listen too. Unfortunately, I feel that future music will be crap compared to what we have now (even though, main stream (radio) music is getting pretty awful to listen too). Overall though, I do agree with what you have to say, even the negative aspects of your post. Pointing out that hip hop has different views on women.
I agree with some of what Ernest Hardy was trying to say because I think a lot of hip hop’s main notions in a sense have to deal with being “un american” in a sense. What I disagree with however is the notion that hip hop defines the country’s daily life culture. I think a lot of it is based off where you grow up because for a lot of these rappers they are talking about lives in the ghetto that most people cannot relate too. I for one was lucky enough to live in an area that is not engulfed in the violence so when I hear rappers like meek mill talking about killing and pushing cocaine on the streets I don’t think of this being the only option. This may sound stubborn but I truly believe that people are somewhat products of their environment so when people try to say Hip Hop is the reason the ghettos are so bad I disagree because that’s just the way it has always been. I would argue to Ernest Hardy that it is not just Hip Hop that boils mainstream standards but all sources of media especially magazines and movies. I think this directly relates to girl magazines that show models physically photo shopped to seem unnaturally fit. Or even movies that feature the dumb jock, nerdy smart kid, all it does is reinforce stereotypes. To end this, though there are many Hip Hop artists that focus on negative stereotypes, there are also many rappers that try to persuade young people in a positive life so at the end of the day people are going to do what they want to do.
I somewhat agree with this statement but this value can be seen in other countries. Some of the main themes in hip hop cannot be exclusively labeled American so therefor hip hop itself is the voice of society it cannot be only American. Its themes and subject matter are universal. Meaning that everyone are searching for the values of hip hop which are getting money, getting females and being materialistic. People also use hip hop as a way to express themselves so it is not only happening in America. It might be true that America dominates when it comes to Hip Hop because of its popularity but just know other countries are also have these values as well. The lyrics of hip hop are much like a painter doing a self-portrait the painter is the muse. Hip hops muse is society. All of the artists are rapping about the things society which can be found in any country. Rappers are all trying to connect with their audience based on what most people have experienced. Hip hops attempt to entertain is the reason for its glorification of society this is what sells. It continues to follow a working formula that is seen in the majority of entertainment mediums such as movies and book.
I see where coming from i didn’t think about that when i was writing. i like how you went deeper in your discussion and just didn’t focus on america. your post has some fresh ideas as well. looking at the border picture was good in connecting hip hop and society and seeing how they are intertwined.
I agree that hip hop is America allot of what makes hip hop can be found in our current society. Money. Sex and power are not exclusive to hip hop. Meaning a lot of the subject matter that is discussed in hip hip no matter how violent or sexual can be found in any other form of entertainment that is viewed in popular culture. The fact that we live in a capitalist society forces hip hop to be driven by commodification. What sales is what is talked about regardless of its impact on society, much like in movies as well as in business. Company’s will forego safety precautions if it means that they will be able to ship their product sooner. In hip hop this is seen when rappers will say or do something if the financial gain trumps what they feel is right or wrong. Society is fascinated by sex and violence so it is only natural that we continue to promote it in our everyday life as well as in the entertainment that we enjoy. Popular culture will always influence hip hop just as hip hop influences popular culture they are intertwined. Hip hop will always be American as long as we continue in a sense live out the lyrics. The subject matter in hip hop is not new it is just a depiction of our society.
Hip hop is America. Both hip hop and America share a lot of the same themes and qualities. Both America and hip hop are made up of different people and cultures brought together to form large groups. It’s easy to see how similar they are, especially when you compare what is popular in both cultures and how this influences what you hear about most in each culture. In America, you see violence, nudity, partying, and vulgar language all over television and media. Some of the most popular shows on television are crime dramas, where people are murdered and raped. All of these things are also seen everywhere in hip hop. Music videos show half nude girls, rappers who are drinking, wearing gold jewelry and diamonds, and flaunting their money. As you can see, both America and hip hop have many themes in common. Other things such as money and power are also very popular in both hip hop and America. Politics are very important and popular in America. In order to become a politician, someone needs to have power and to be able to relate to the people. The same can be seen in hip hop where artists gain power to get their word out there, and like politicians, they need to be able to relate to the people. It’s pretty easy to see that hip hop is America.
I definitely agree that hip-hop is America! Hip-hop music was created back in the Bronx when African Americans and other ethnic groups were living through in a world of poverty and had no source of income to have a respectable life for their families. Rap music expresses a feeling and an emotion in hopes that others are going through the same problems of the artists whom rap about it. America is one big melting pot and although we are privileged to be one of the only countries that can rise from the bottom to the top in life, there are so many obstacles and downfalls in between achieving such goals. Some artists like Nicki Minaj rap about men and about girls being “Stupid Hoes” while other artists like Angel Haze rap about the significance of being raped and abused as a young girl. Hip-hop’s roots certainly date back to the Bronx even with the commercialization of hip-hop music in today’s society, we as an audience need to think back to when hip-hop music was an event. I think that’s a huge chunk of what may be missing in the aspect of hip-hop with some rap artists. Some artists can stay current with their sex appeal but are they really upholding the views that hip-hop first started on? I don’t think so.
I agree with this, definitely hip hop back then embodied the struggles of Americans more than it does today. I would say that today it almost disregards the struggles and just celebrates having “racks on racks on racks.” Hip hop from the roots described working hard for money, while some of today’s artists haven’t achieved greatness through hard work but have rather had it handed to them. This switch from struggle to luxury is unfortunately what sells, and is what America has been consumed with.
Hip-Hop is America is to an extent, a true statement. Mainstream Hip-Hop, as those signed to major record labels, shares the same profitable interests as America. All of these bankable topics have, whether we wanted it or not, become associated with the higher level of hip-hop. Whether it’s the new age rappers that came up through youtube and rap about struggles of life, or the people like Dr. Dre and Jay-Z who had to grind their way up, it seems that they all must at least to an extent conform to integraing women money and sex into their music, which is a common celebration of new money. I think what happened was that too many people stemmed from the crossroad of lack and desire to the point that all they wanted to do was party. Once this music was introduced in hip-hop and sales began to rise for these rappers that everyone already knew, major label records swooped up all of these willing artists and exploited that style of hip-hop as the most popular form. Now that is what is seen as American hip-hop, even though there are still so many other forms. Now that white-man record label owners have control of a group in a capitalist socviety, they have turned up this flame and are are selling rappers and songs using the Henry Ford method.
I would argue that Hip-Hop is the scapegoat for American “taboo”. The real culprit was mentioned in an earlier response, and that’s the media. From the advertisements, to the e-mails, to the commercials, to the pop-up ads, to the weird kids that show up at your door trying to sell you a fishing magazine, we are told what to do and when to do it all the time. People have an idea of the image they want to present to others and they will go to great lengths to either protect it (a social security number), or exploit it (any reality tv show). Hip-Hop is direct and unapologetic about all the things everyone is too afraid to speak about. The things that make people uncomfortable to talk about openly are thrown in your face through hip-hop. Those same things: sex, drugs, money, women, etc.. are thrown in your face daily, hourly, sometimes even by the minute via the TV show you watch, the newspaper you read, or the conversations you have.
In Hip-Hop, women are looked down on for “setting women back” and demoralizing the self-esteem of women. In the media, it’s a breaking news story on TMZ if a celebrity who just had a baby still has her baby weight 2 months later and there’s usually a misleading tagline to make it seem like she’s just a fat ass. Both of those things are disrespectful to women, but because it’s hip hop that makes it worse? How is it any different?
America is America, Hip-Hop represents an aspect of America that if you asked them to put it on a resume, they wouldn’t. It’s the skeleton in the closet, the big bad secret. However, when Hip-Hop is a benefit, via bringing together a group, or a country, etc. Then America will be quick to take the credit.
I completely agree that the real culprit is the media, no matter what type of media is being used. We live in a society where certain things are acceptable and others are not, simply based off of the way we present ourselves. Hip-Hop is definitely straight to the point and once someone speaks about being abused or having to deal with a tragic situation, there is automatically discomfort. Also, your last point about Hip-Hop being the “Skeleton in the closet” is true, no one wants to hear the truth, and the truth is being told through many artists lyrics. So in response to the question “Is Hip-Hop America?” I agree with Hip-Hop being an aspect of America like you said.
The statement “hip hop is America” holds some truth to it. The fact that America is known as the land of opportunity. That being said, people take that to the extreme to show off their “opportunity.” They don’t miss the chance to show off what “America” has given them. Weather it be money, diamonds, cars, women, what have it be. Basically a poor representation of “the American dream.” But rather then saying that America is represented through hip hop, I would classify hip hop as a reflection of America. The popularization of hip-hop definitely increased the amount that people have been showing off their “riches.” I would also say that aspects such as misogyny, racialized agony and adolescent views of sex and sexuality arent necessarily obsessions that collective America has. American’s definitely have issues regarding those topics but I would not categorize them as obsessions. If anything, America is obsessed with power and consumerism, which can directly effect all of those topics, but those specifically aren’t American obsessions. Also, looking closer at the term misogyny, meaning “the hatred of women” is a very strong term. It appears as if the hip hop world is obsessed with women. Not in a necessarily positive light, but women are the center of the content of songs, and appear in many many videos. Usually you want to get rid of something you hate, and if women weren’t directly and indirectly involved in the hip hop world, it would not be what it is today. So yes, there are elements of hip hop that embody the stereotypical lavish “American dream lifestyle” but as far as misogyny, homophobia and racialized agony, they aren’t completely congruent.
I agree with the fact that hip-hop is America, but I disagree that hip-hop is centered in America. Within hip-hop in America, there are common trends among artists and what they rap about. Some of these trends typically include rapping about violence, money, drugs, and women whereas in other countries, they speak about real life issues, like revolutions or fighting for what they believe in. Ernest Hardy said that violence, materialism, misogyny, homophobia, racialized agony, adolescent views of sex and sexuality are “common, bankable, all-American obsessions” because artists in America continue to put out music that displays hip-hop in a derogatory way. CEOs of music industries continue to accept music that displays the practices listed above because it sells and makes them money. Hip-hop seems to have taken a shift from expressing emotion and speaking about issues that pertain to different people to how many girls you can sleep with in one night or beating someone’s ass because they dissed your hood. Artists from other countries rap about how they came up, the struggles they went through, how hip-hop was introduced into their lives, etc. I do agree with the statement that hip-hop is America because hip-hop originated in this country, but it has evolved into something that it never used to be.
I agree with you on that last statement Chadd. The evolution of hip-hop has created a monster that was never intended to be what hip-hop is known for today. The question, I think, is if hip-hop were to become what it is today in America should it become more popular in these other parts of the world where it is new. If major record label companies were to form in these up-and-coming areas of the world, would they conform to what America has shown sells, or would the spirit of hip hop be conserved in these parts, showing that the American way is simply a cultural influence. And if these places did conform, would it then be logical to just permanently separate these forms of hip hop and give this more soulful form of rap a new name? And if so, would it ever be able to maintain this reformed name? Rock and roll has heavy metal, soft rock, “scream-o”, soul rock.. why can’t hip hop make another delineation?
I would definitely agree with the fact that hip hop isn’t just American, but hip hop in America does embody those common American obsessions. You make a good point about the CEO’s and the industry. I think they have a huge impact on what American hip hop sounds like and displays, those underlying obsessions are what drive the entertainment industry cause that is what the consumers want to see and hear. I partly think that the fact that the hip hop in other countries isn’t driven by industry and challenges those fucked up ideas that Ernest talks about, is why they struggle becoming popular outside their country. But the emergence of hip hop in these other countries is very similar the how hip hop emerged in america so it will be interesting to see the direction that international rap goes.
I agree with you completely on this. Hip-hip is definitely an American feature in its early years as those in the Bronx and Harlem Dj Cool Herc and Grandmaster Flash created something that represented the music they loved and their area. Yet over time hip-hop has grown into a global phenomenon that has reached millions. Turning hip-hop into not only an American thing but a global one. Hip-hop might have started off American yet it is now represented by the whole world.
American culture definitely has certain ideals that are imbedded into it. Its hard to say that all those ideals are appropriate or acceptable, when they consist of violence, materialism, misogyny, homophobia, racialized agony, and the adolescent views of sex. When I think of movies filled with sex, and video games filled with violence, its hard to think that music wouldn’t include those same things. Thats what sells in America and once the industry took hold of hip hop its what hip hop became as well. Hip hop is full of violent lyrics that some of society find offensive but at the same time its what the industry sells to the consumers. In lecture we watched a movie with an interview of white youth and they described these kinds of lyrics as a way to hear what its like to live a completely different lifestyle. The movie Bling we saw in lecture was a prime example of how hip hop embodies materialism and exaggerates it. Many rappers wear hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry to show off and be flashy. Although many would say that Hip Hop includes many negative popular notions, its hard to not agree with the statement that Hip Hop is America. These messed up issues aren’t a thing just hip hop brings up but they are the underlying obsessions of American culture.
I completely agree with Nick hear. Since movies and video games included violence and sex, the industry believes that this is what consumers want. If these types of movies and video games are selling at high numbers, why wouldn’t the industry do the same to make even more money? Hip-hop is America because America itself changed the culture of hip-hop entirely.
Exactly as Nick said, what sells is what we consume. If consumerism desires violence, misogyny, and racism, then that’s what the media will put out. Since white men in suits control the music industry, capitalism prevails, which means hip-hop loses. A rapper may not actually be about that life, but if he’s selling, he’s rapping. Lupe fell victim to record companies when he recorded Lazers because the album ended up becoming what he did not want it to. However, Lupe ended up recording another version of Lazers that never took off, but it was produced the way he expected it to be rather than how the record company did. Capitalism is exactly what hip-hop does not embody, yet capitalism controls hip-hop, which originally began as a counter culture in response to men with too much power. Overall, Nick is spot on by saying that hip-hop is American because it takes after America’s consumerism.
I think that Hip Hop is American but I also agree with what some other people have said that it’s the more of the media and American culture to blame for these “all-American obsessions.” It’s the media and popular culture that drives sex and sexuality down our throats. Violence is always seen on the news and movies and video games. Hip hop also uses these themes when promoting their music because they know this is what sells and gets more attention. Its provides entertainment to the consumers and hip hop is just following the same script that movies like James Bond uses with violence, sexy women, and fancy cars. You cant blame hip hop for using these themes when advertising their music because people have already been led to believe that this is what America is. So its not really a crime that they over-exaggerate it in a way because they know what America wants to see and its been working for the most part. The real scape goat in all of these obsessions should be placed on the media since you can’t watch a TV show today that does not have any of these topics associated with it.
I disagree that Hip-hop is America. I believe that hip-hop is only a subculture in America. Like we learned earlier in the year, hip-hop originated in the south Bronx of New York. It began as an underground, a way to for the minority to voice and express the hardships that they were being faced with on a regular basis. What started a form of self expression and activism, has become something much different. Today, Hip-hop is run by popular media. Mass media is obsessed with violence and sex, and so the music reflects it. Though some artists produce music with quality content surrounding important issues, the majority continue to regurgitate the same old shit. For example, rapper (more like joke) Nikki Minaj blabs about stupid shit and is loved and embraced for it. While, on the other hand, artists like Angel Haze, who raps about violence, are virtually unknown. Hip-hop is part of America, but it is not America.
I disagree that hip hop is America. Hip hop is universal and even its roots are not truly American. The origin just happened to be geographically placed in America and arose during the oppression of Latinos and Blacks IN America. Hip hop in America is a causal effect to the way people were being treated and then turned into a source of entertainment. The only reason hip hop from the States is considered top-of-the-line is because we claimed it so and because other countries have not had the same type of freedom to produce and create the realm of hip hop we have here, and there is a lot of international music we just don’t know or hear about it (for whatever shady reasons those are). I feel that mainstream rappers are cop-outs because they have bailed on writing about subject matter that actually matters and further perpetuate the American stereotypes of hyper aggression, misogyny, and violence. Hip hop is not the source of these stereotypes but the mainstream rappers have become so self UNaware that they don’t realize that they are being puppet-mastered by these stereotypes. If hip hop artists don’t want hip hop to be clumped into hyper aggressive themes, then they should step back and produce music that discusses how life became so violent for low income neighborhoods in America, rather than promoting color-on-color crimes.
I feel that the American hip hop that is shown on the mainstream traps itself in a box of limited growth because not enough artists push back against the stereotypes and tropes they’ve been placed in, therefore just adding to the digression of hip hop’s original mission to give voice to the voiceless and meaning to the overlooked and invisible.
There is a large pocket of the hip hop generation in America that would much rather wear beats by Dre headphones, LRG, have tats, and say the words “fuck bitches, get money” and leave it at those images of what they think hip hop is rather than ring the bell of the mainstream furiously to say “let me the fuck in” and stand up for something meaningful and that’s a damn shame.
I would have to disagree with this quote by Ernest Hardy because hip-hop does not only reach and influence greatly the American society but many parts of the world as well. Hip-hop is a global concept that has been able to reach many parts of the world and influence them significantly just as they have been able to here in the States. “Violence, materialism, misogyny, homophobia, racialized agony, adolescent views of sex and sexuality” are not only common terms in the states but all over the world. Hip-hop encompasses many factors that many people throughout the world are dealing with in the 21st century which is why hip-hop artists that are able to cross-over into the United States and vice versa make such a huge impact. If hip-hop was only an American thing it would not have grown into such a popular genre throughout the world with people adding their own culture to it. Hip-hop has been able to become part of the growing globalization that connects countries together over the years. It has brought many people together and has given the opportunity for people in other countries to express their feelings and have the chance to unite their people together. If hip-hop was only American it would not have become as big as it is now.