"Hip Hop is More than Music"

Feature written for Hip Hop Permier Magazine (Mid-South publishing Group, LLC) Atlanta GA

“Hip Hop is more than music”

A melody formed and expressed through voices and instruments creating the art of music; a foundation of which Hip-Hop was born but not limited to; Dj Kool Herc who is originally from Bronx is believed to be the initiator of Hip-Hop and it's rhymes. He was in love with break beats and D-jing; a section within a song where the beat would stop. Herc was all about the bass and percussion in music which was apart of his Jamaican culture. When you think of Hip-Hop, you probably just think of music, but Hip-Hop is more than that; Hip-hop is a feeling, expression of ones style, poetry, music, dance and art. It is a culture which uplifts the black communities through its message.

From graffiti, break dancing beat boxing, spoken word, and ones character, Hip-Hop is a language among the African American culture. A story of expressions told through all these element of creativity. Hip-Hop is the freedom of ones soul connected to the history of ones ancestors, which has been embedded into the urban youth and uplifted through the passion of words and music. It is a movement and life style and swag; The birth of black culture that was intended to send out empowering messages of our reality, miracles,struggles and success.

Unfortunately, in today's society the true essence of Hip-Hop has been tainted and commercialized. It turned from being something meaningful to just a sound to bob your head to. If we as a people have forgotten the history of Hip-Hop then we've forgotten our own culture…lost within ourselves. We allow society to brain wash us and turn the beauty of Hip-Hop into the Stereotypes of our race. Hip-Hop is positive; it is not degrading or violent. It is what brought us together, becoming a tool which help educate through the depth of an artist lyrical massage.

Hip-Hop is an art, a talent that can only be manifest through the pure love of its history. There is a difference between a rapper and an artist; Artist is innovative, Emcees, complex and cultural like the legends such as Rakim, Big Daddy Kane and KRS-One. They can direct the audience with their voice and crush the challenger with their lyrics. Rappers in the other had are one hit song producers then forgotten, they're followers with no originality or identity; and in my book real Hip-Hop is produced by Artist.

Hip-Hop is a level of respect a talent that is performed not just written. It is all about perceiving ones culture not changing the true essence of its foundation. Hip-hop is soul, it's the expressions of ones mind and body, a feeling that will live on pass the worlds expressions. Hip-Hop isn't just music it's culture, style, a movement for our young legacies to carry on. Hip-Hop is much more than you and I.

Angel Young (November 2007)