Page 12 - Provoke Magazine Vol4

What Does Hip Hop Mean To Me
Michael Wall
Hip-hop is not just a beat with a loud bass line and explicit lyrics. It is not just music that you can dance to, sing along with or get a noise violation for, no hip- hop is a culture. It is a breed, a species that continues to evolve daily. It is a voice for those that have been si- lenced by clout. Remember hip-hop does not promote violence, drugs, prostitution and hood life. Murder, sex, and drugs promote hip-hop.
Without hip-hop as a pillar in today’s music industry, I believe that the artistry of music itself would be miss- ing some of the basic shades needed for a true master- piece. Without hip-hop, an entire culture would have never existed. Think about it, if it weren’t for NWA, Dr. Dre and many other west coast rappers, would a 6-deuce on switches have ever hit a block? I doubt it.
Hip hip has provided business and jobs you would have never thought of. Think about all the things hip hop has made popular. Remember St. Ides malt liquor? What about Old English? Philly blunts, Swisher Sweet, Dickies, Chuck Taylors, Mercedes, Lexus, Range Rov- ers, and the list goes on and on. How many people went out and bought these things simply because their favorite rapper had one or used them? Hip-hop is hat- ed and loved but at the end of the day it has supported economic infrastructure.
When you do the math on everything that hip-hop has done and contributed then there is no way that you can truly say that it has done nothing for you. It has touched people from all races, cultures, genders, and ethnicities. It has traveled from the borrows of New York City to the clubs of Tokyo. You have rappers now of every race and in every country. It is not just an American culture it is a world culture.
Though there is no way to truly calculate how many hip-hop albums have been sold, I would bet my pay- check on the fact that it has outsold every other genre out there. Not everyone can listen to rock n roll or country but there are so many cowboys and head- bangers that love 2-Pac and Biggie. Hell, even some of your rock bands rap their lyrics. Kid Rock, ICP and even some of Linkin Park’s lyrics are rapped. Some of that started back in the ’90s. Look up a song called Epic by Faith No More. When I look at these things I see just how much influence hip-hop has on everyone, everywhere.
It was 1989 and I was putting a beat down on my home- boy on techno bowl when he said check this out. He puts in a tape and presses play. “Cruisin’ down the street in my 6-4” Eazy-E was now birthed into my ears, brain, and memory forever. Hip-hop was at that point birthed into my heart. With every song from Straight Outta Comp- ton, I became more and more wrapped in rap. My dude said this ain’t it and proceeded to introduce me to Too $hort, 2 Live Crew, E-40, The Fat Boys, Run DMC and Ice T.
I fell in love with hip-hop because the message was I am here and I will not be moved. The storyline of not just my surroundings but also of my mindset. It was direct, it was rebellious and it was the “I will speak the truth and what’s on my heart and mind no matter what” and that meant the most to me. NWA was the birth of that for me. I just couldn’t get enough of that attitude.
My family says why do you like that shit? It’s so vulgar and shows no respect. They speak so horribly about you and your family. My response was always “Your opin- ion would be different if you were made to walk in their shoes. These are artists that speak of their situations and the people who have always posed a threat.” I mean let’s be real, white people have thrown around racial slurs for centuries so why is it now that when the bigotry is aimed at them then racism is a horrible thing? I would ask my family why do you listen to country and rock and roll? They say because I can relate to it. I can understand the
words. Well, there you go that is why I listen to hip-hop.
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