Hip-Hop vs The world

Photo by David Drissel

Group 3's topic is Hip-hop and resistance movements. Resistance movements occur all over the world and can lead to violent revolution or a sad tragedy. We decided to not talk about how Hip-hop itself is used in resistant movements but, how each individual aspect of Hip-Hop was a resistance movement.  In our readings, we mostly talk about how Hip-hop was used as a home remedy to treat the wounds of poverty, police oppression and racism.

Graffiti, the visual, urban, creative manifestation of oneself on huge canvases around NY, was a direct crime and stood for the "hood" taking back it's territory. B-boying and B-girling or now known as break dancing was a dance form that was quick, difficult and extremely expressive. This dance style was created to go against funk, and Groove because it under represented the urban communities. Mc'ing, which was the art form that grew from announcements, simple rhymes, and the call and response technique became the voice of the collective black community.  Dj'ing or the creation of break beats also ignited the streets of the Bronx, unifying neighborhoods and even gangs. Grandmaster Caz, a powerful Dj himself claims that the Hip-hop movement started with DJ Cool Herc a great Jamaican DJ (p.6 Perkins) but, we can forget Influential Dj's like Afrika Bambaattaa and Charlie Chase who also reached the people and gave them something that was their own. While poverty and oppression took everything away from them.

   Lastly, My topic which is knowledge of self is a very important aspect of hip-hop. When you embraced any of the elements mentioned before, you slowly break free of the title that was given to you. It was taking the stereotype that you fall into and making something positive. You were no longer the young, poor, black boy. You were now Mc Danger D, with the latest and greatest bars. Knowledge of self was not letting your skin define you but, knowing who you were and what you stood for. Religion also became a huge aspect of knowing who you are. Some turned to Christianity making them no longer a statistic to themselves but, made them one of God's children. This definitely helped alleviate some stress. Some formed resentment towards Christianity and followed another religion. You can consider this a resistance movement itself. It was against Christianity because some black people feel that Christianity was forced on their ancestors so it is not the original religion of Black people.

John Barbot, in his account of Guinea, wrote in 1682
"The Portuguese missionaries have undergone great labours, and run mighty hazards to convert some of them [ Africans in the region of the Gambia] to Christianity, ever since the beginning of last, and during the century, but with little success. (p.6 Raboteau)

Here you can see that christianly was introduced to the "indigenous wild African" but, resistance started from even then.

Resistance can be found all over Hip-hop, the real question is who and why must we resist.

Works Cited

Perkins, William Eric. Droppin' Science: Critical Essays on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture. Philadelphia: Temple UP, 1996. Web.

Raboteau, Albert J. Slave Religion: The "invisible Institution" in the Antebellum South. New York: Oxford UP, 1978. Web.