Hip Hop Is Still Separate from the Industry

What is Hip Hop? Is it just a music genre? Is it the fast cars, expensive clothes, and flashy jewels portrayed in the media? The answer is none of these. Hip hop, is a state-of mind. It is a life form within itself. Hip hop is the study of self transformation and the pursuit of self expression. It begins as an awareness that enables us to transform subjects and objects in an attempt to describe what defines the character and desire of our inner beings. However, the question remains: is hip hop still an art form separate from the industry? To answer this question, we must first understand what hip hop is, where it came from, and where its roots lie. Once the roots have been established, it will be clear that hip hop is still a separate art form from the industry. There are nine elements that are essential in completely understanding Hip Hop itself: MCing, B-Boying, DJing, Graffiti Art, Street fashion, Street language, Street knowledge and Street entrepreneurialism.

Graffiti art is the study of colour, light and dimension in human expression. It is the first human art form in existence. Archaeological findings show that primitive humans used pictures and designs on the walls of their caves as a method of communication and expression. Through graffiti art, oppressed blacks reflected and expressed themselves and their position in society. Graffitti art in Hip Hop expanded on the natural inclination of humans to express their thought through murals and visuals. DJing is the study and pursuit of technology in relation to Hip Hop. DJs were pivotal in the early development of hip hop, since they served as the main vehicle through which Hip Hop culture was broadcast throughout the inner city and beyond. In fact, Afrika Bambaataa, a pioneer DJ, is often credited as the one who formally coined the term ‘Hip Hop’ to express the movement. Dj’s such as Kool Herc in the early days of hip hop used the break-beat method, simply lifting and dropping the record needle at the end of the break, creating the effect of replaying queues. This had a huge effect on the redefinition of the role of the DJ. DJs were no longer ‘disc jockeys’ who merely selected records and played them; DJing itself became a skilled art form in which the DJ had to be able to incite the crowds, and create new sounds. Afrika Bambaataa followed in this fashion perfecting the break-beat and introducing