Hip-hop fans only?

I've heard many people say that hip-hop is a culture and not just a genre of music. What exactly does that mean?





I live in near an area that is predominantly black and hispanic (I'm Native-American:Sierra Miwok, so don't start throwing the convenient "racist" tag on me) and most of the music and fashion styles I hear and see are hip-hop...especially gangsta rap. I've noticed several things, such as:


1-A lot of "R.I.P." decals on the back windows of cars with someone's birthday and date of death. Most of the dead are in their teens and twenties.


2-A lot of young, single mothers.


3-A lot of drugs...I mean a whole lot!


4-A lot of unsupervised children


5-A lot of violent crime


6-A lot of "Stop snitchin'" t-shirts and bumper stickers.





Is all of this a part of the hip-hip culture? Is it just an expression of the way many hip-hop fans live, or is this celebrated in hip-hop?


I don't know...I'm asking.

Hip-hop fans only?
Those 6 things you listed are a byproduct of low-income lifestyle. Basically saying, people being broke.





As you already know hip-hop is a culture. This culture is comprised of 4 elements. Graffiti art, MC's, breakdancing, and DJ's. Graffiti is street art. A way of expressing oneself.


http://delarge.co.uk/gfx/pages/gjamP1010...


http://www.iol.ie/~graffitirock/320.jpg


But the people didn't like how it looked so they outlawed it. MC's are the poets of hip-hop. As my teacher once said,





"If you don't like music, you don't like poetry".





Topics can vary from surviving on the streets(Nas) to exposing political leaders of their flaws(Immortal Technique) or to rap about social issues(Public Enemy).





Breakdancing is the dancing found in hp-hop culture. It's quite difficult for inexperienced people. They people who breakdance are referred to as B-boys or B-girls.





DJ's are the ones responsible with making music or mixing music for the MC's to rap and for the B-boys and girls to dance to. DJ Happee and DJ Shadow are some of my favorites.





Gansta rap is and has been giving hip-hop a bad name.





So I basically answered your question with my first 2 sentences but I felt like I needed to explain hip-hop to you. Gangsta rap is only a subgenre of the music. Gangsta is another culture in itself. #6 you listed is a code of the street. Just like in the mafia days, no squealing because you know what happens to squealers. #2 is because some men are just assholes. Any coward can make a baby but it takes a man to raise a child. Even so, a lot of these kids smokin and trying to act hard, they're just fakes and wannabes. They wouldn't last a week in prison.
Reply:Once again, people assume. I was merely stating that. I don't condone any of that activity. Report It

Reply:Bo, Greetings Friend,


Hope your having a great day!


Here is my opinion and what I think about it. I hope it helps.





I believe that "Hip-Hop" gangsta music is cultural in nature.





I believe that "Hip-Hop" gangsta music is a culture "with-in" their own culture ...as a people. However, I do not believe that as a people of culture that they "all" embrace or accept it any more than I do. I certainly do not accept any thing connected to it; like private enterprised individual(s), corporations, State or U.S. Govermental laws that support and protect them in their degradation of the American family and nation.





I mean ...(all Americans) whether you live on or off of the tribal Resevation(s) or not. We are together, all of us. When one of us steps out of line by harming any of the rest of us as a (U.S.) "Family Nation" I get concerned.





Gangsta music and its collective own culture is actively engaging in the "Over Throw" Of The "United States Government" as I'm speaking to you.





Someone said (Pogo); "We looked for the enemy ...and they are us".





Now, in my (Ex) "Military Mind" That "gangsta song" ...any "gangsta song" might as well be a bullet with my name on it or the name of one of my American family's names on it; ... including any and all of my Indian Nation brother and sisters ...and all of their precious children.





Hip-hop culture as you have so well listed above certainly includes all that will kill us as a nation. Items (1 through 6) is very much celebrated by them.





It promotes anarchy and subversiveness of our country and our families (mine and yours "individually" and in "standing collectively together"...one for the other).





They are terrorists along with those who support them.





I believe in free speech except in the covert and overt over throw of our Government. It is our duty to police our own ..."Our Enemy within".





Its just an opinion and Its mine and I just love it ...


Ed
Reply:ur prolly right Ant
Reply:Yea its one of those...But if u dwell on the negative then thats all you are gonna see. Because the picture youre painting isnt true...sounds like something from a video
Reply:say what??





keep kool
Reply:Get in wher you fit in, come on now def jam def poetry bad boys of comedy clothes hip hop is a state of mind. I just got reading your opion hip hop is a family now be honest how many good you have in your family how many bad you have in your family it's deeper than what you think answer me though how many good you have and how many bad you have in your family we got our cool uncles mosdef,talib kweli and so much more, we got our eminem


and luke down south our uncle that kinda make you scratch your temple we have our cool aunts mary j. lauphin and mc lyte we have our damn why cousins trina and those other now once again in your family is it all good answer me answer me!!!!!!


PHILLY STAND UP I NEED YOU BLACK THOUGHT AND JILL SCOTT, for this dude THIS DUDE DONT GOT NO BEEF EVE AND BEANS CHILL ON THIS.