Essay
Introduction-
The current generation believes that the Hip hop is a spirit that connects the present and the
past with the urban youth. Hip hop is basically a combination of various ideas, concepts and
values which convey some influential messages to the people. Although there are various
instances of violence in the hip hop culture but this culture has some positive influence on the
youths as well. The culture of hip hop stared in 1970s when DJ Herc used some innovative
technique and stretched one song’s drum break and played the break portion of two identical
records back to back.1 This transformed people’s idea to live in the world and made the hip
hop youth prophetic as their lifestyle and culture changed.
Impact of Hip hop culture on Youth-
Before 1970s, every youth derived their values and morals from the same traditional sources
like church, schools and family but after this advancement there was a sudden transformation
among youth as now they could spread their disappointments, dreams and daily life by the
means of lyrics and songs. Hip hop music has become a means for the youth to speak against
the evil of the society. There are various artists who use their talents to bring out some change
in the society. Some artists like Common, J.Cole, Chance The Rapper used their musical
talent to bring peace and to talk about brutality and violence caused by police officers on the
black people.2 This changed their idea of life and they started thinking differently about the
day to day issues.
Employment
1
Bartleby Research, Hip Hop: The Positive Impacts Of Hip-Hop Culture
https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Hip-Hop-The-Positive-Impacts-Of-Hip-FJ2YSTVYKU
2
123 help, Influence of hip hop, https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Influence-Of-Hip-Hop-776510
Hip Hop has now penetrated the mainstream media and is now the biggest business in
the corporate world. Since past 20 years Hip hop has expanded its domain and has
earned its own reputation. It is not only restricted to the music industry but extend
beyond that in the areas of politics and fashion. Youth often use the hip hop music to
learn about fashion and employment choices.3 Youth are more prone to the
consumption of hip hop culture and hip hop has now become a major source of
employment for the young generation.
Drugs
Drug abuse is one of the backlash of the hip hop culture. Many countries face the
issue of misuse of alcohol and drugs. According to a report of American Addiction
Centers there are over 19.7 million adult Americans who are affected with drug
abuse.4 The research suggest that in the past few years there has been a considerable
shift from drug supplier to drug consumers in the hip hop culture.5
Gangs
Hip-hop culture has always been associated with the streets. When the reference of
streets is given then that means the depiction of violence, drugs and rapper. Gang
culture has become the strongest elements of hip-hop culture and is present till date. 6
Now a days the association with the gangs is considered to be cool among the hip hop
culture and the artists are willingly showing off their association with the gangsters.
3
Joanna A. Cabalquinto, (2020). Effect of Hip Hop on Youth Consumerism. Pepperdine Journal of
Communication Research: Vol. 8, Article 3 https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1116&context=pjcr
4
Natalie Brown, (2020). Life and Hip-Hop: Exploring the origins of the association between drugs and music.
Daily Brun. https://dailybruin.com/2020/10/28/life-and-hip-hop-exploring-the-origins-of-the-association-
between-drugs-and-music
5
CalvinJohn Smiley,(2017). Addict Rap?: The Shift from Drug Distributor to Drug Consumer in Hip Hop.
Journal of Hip Hop studies Vol. 4 , Iss. 1, Art. 7 https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1062&context=jhhs
6
Amira Borders (2019). Gang culture in hip-hop: A quick look into its relevance in 2019. Daily Emerald.
https://www.dailyemerald.com/arts-culture/gang-culture-in-hip-hop-a-quick-look-into-its-relevance-in-2019/
article_cd95cc90-3597-11e9-81ca-27df32d970a4.html
Criminal Justice System
Hip hop culture believe that the criminal justice system is partial and is ineffective
because it believes that the poor are given harsher punishment than the rich people.
They also believe that the drug offenders are given more severe punishment than the
people who have done white collar crimes.7
Other
Hip hop culture has helped to raise voice against the various day to day issues like
misogyny and racism. For example, Album of Kendrick Lamar, has done a
tremendous job to inspire youth against the social evils like oppression, racism etc. 8
Nowadays youth expresses their rage against the social evils by way of hip hop and
they believe hip hop to be their weapon to spread awareness.
Bibliography
7
Andre Douglas Pond Cummings, (2010). Thug Life: Hip-hop's Curious Relationship with Criminal Justice.
Santa Clara Law Review. 515(50). https://racism.org/articles/law-and-justice/criminal-justice-and-racism/9827-
thug-life-102021#:~:text=Hip%2Dhop%20teaches%20that%20the,harshly%20than%20white%20collar
%20criminals.
8
Anand Subramanian (2021). Hip Hop and its Global Influence in the Present Day. Fun times Magazine.
https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2021/06/28/360630/hip-hop-and-its-global-influence-in-the-present-day
Bartleby Research, Hip Hop: The Positive Impacts Of Hip-Hop Culture
https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Hip-Hop-The-Positive-Impacts-Of-Hip-FJ2YSTVYKU
123 help, Influence of hip hop, https://www.123helpme.com/essay/Influence-Of-Hip-Hop-
77651
Joanna A. Cabalquinto, (2020). Effect of Hip Hop on Youth Consumerism. Pepperdine
Journal of Communication Research: Vol. 8, Article 3
https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1116&context=pjcr
Natalie Brown, (2020). Life and Hip-Hop: Exploring the origins of the association between
drugs and music. Daily Brun. https://dailybruin.com/2020/10/28/life-and-hip-hop-exploring-
the-origins-of-the-association-between-drugs-and-music
CalvinJohn Smiley,(2017). Addict Rap?: The Shift from Drug Distributor to Drug Consumer
in Hip Hop. Journal of Hip Hop studies Vol. 4 , Iss. 1, Art. 7
https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1062&context=jhhs
Amira Borders (2019). Gang culture in hip-hop: A quick look into its relevance in 2019.
Daily Emerald. https://www.dailyemerald.com/arts-culture/gang-culture-in-hip-hop-a-quick-
look-into-its-relevance-in-2019/article_cd95cc90-3597-11e9-81ca-27df32d970a4.html
Andre Douglas Pond Cummings, (2010). Thug Life: Hip-hop's Curious Relationship with
Criminal Justice. Santa Clara Law Review. 515(50). https://racism.org/articles/law-and-
justice/criminal-justice-and-racism/9827-thug-life-102021#:~:text=Hip%2Dhop%20teaches
%20that%20the,harshly%20than%20white%20collar%20criminals.
Anand Subramanian (2021). Hip Hop and its Global Influence in the Present Day. Fun times
Magazine. https://www.funtimesmagazine.com/2021/06/28/360630/hip-hop-and-its-global-
influence-in-the-present-day
