THE HIP HOP CULTURE AND ETHNIC RELATIONS
The "hip hop culture" has permeated popular culture in an unprecedented fashion. Because of its enormous crossover appeal, the hip-hop culture is a potentially great unifier of diverse populations. Although created by black youth on the street, hip-hop's influence has become worldwide. Approximately 75% of the rap and hip-hop audience is nonblack. It has gone from the ghetto, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms. Indeed, McDonald's, Coca Cola, Sprite, Nike, and other corporate giants have capitalized on this phenomenon. Although critics of rap music and the hip hop culture seemed to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language, this genre offers us an example of what can be. The potential of this art form to mend ethnic relations is substantial. In the 1950s and 1960s the "Beat Culture" challenged the status quo in ways that unified liberals and prompted change. In the same vein, the hip-hop culture has......
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Approximate Word Count: 2450
Approximate Pages: 10 (260 words per double-spaced page) |