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Listen – Legendary Rapper Q-Tip on the Origins of Hip Hop from The [Abstract] Best…Volume One Presented by J. Period & Q-Tip
Hip Hop Salon is a unique source for hip hop music in Montréal, New York, and New Haven. We cover live performances, public appearances, fundraisers, and other events. We cover hip hop shows, particularly focusing on performances at small venues. We value the authenticity of small venues, which allows fans to connect with the artist(s), and experience hip hop in its purest form. A few of our favorite venues for live hip hop are Toad’s Place (New Haven, CT), Métropolis (Montréal, QC), and Highline Ballroom (New York, NY).
Hip Hop Salon values unity and diversity within the hip hop nation. Hip Hop Salon also aims to preserve hip hop history and to encourage intellectual inquiry into the origins and development of this universal art form. Furthermore, we encourage young people to become neighborhood leaders, and to seek empowerment through education, social activism, community service, and political engagement.
We value unity and diversity within hip hop, so we focus on a wide range of artists and sub-genres of rap. In effort to achieve our chief aim – to empower hip hop listeners – we particularly focus on preserving the message of the Native Tongues, a group of legendary artists who formed a collective promoting unity, diversity, peace, and harmony. While, we love all types of hip hop, we especially value the sub-genres of rap, which evolved from the Native Tongues’ Movement. This type of hip hop is often described as “conscious” or “backpacker” rap; we believe these are just labels.
Furthermore, we hope to eliminate the negative connotations associated with various sub-genres of hip hop. While Gangsta Rap and Conscious Rap seem to be at odds with one another, Hip Hop Salon offers a new paradigm to accept both of these genres. Hip hop encourages truth and authenticity, so naturally, lyricists cover a variety of topics.
Gangsta Rap and Conscious Rap serve different purposes. The release of NWA’s Straight Outta Compton in 1988 remains a pivotal moment in hip hop history, because the group’s sophomore album contained the track, “F— tha Police,” which established the sub-genre of rap, known as Gangsta Rap. NWA’s “F— tha Police,” conveyed a powerful message, which provoked a national controversy, illiciting responses from the most powerful officials in the United States, including the then-President George H.W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle. The H.W. Bush Administration failed to understand NWA’s message. Rather than fighting crime, investigating police brutality, combating racism, and preventing unlawful arrests, the H.W. Bush Administration completely overlooked the important political issues raised in this new genre of music. Instead the administration supporting the elitist agenda, launched a campaign against the profane language and shocking images in NWA’s music.
Gangsta Rap raises awareness about problems within society while Conscious rap offers a solution to these problems. Traditionally, Gangsta Rap conveys harsh realities of police brutality, racism, prison life, injustice, inequality, false accusations, crime, violence, drug cartels, gangs, and other issues in urban communities. The brutal honesty of Gangsta Rap raises awareness about social issues, establishing a need for change. Then, in response, conscious rappers take a new tone, offering solutions to community problems. In general, conscious rappers inspire listeners to improve themselves and their communities through self-awareness, education, and self-discipline. Gangsta Rap and Conscious Rap co-operate to expose problems and prescribe solutions, a universal theme, which appeals to all people.
Unfortunately, due to Industry Rule #4080, (first articulated by Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest), music industry executives – motivated by money rather than truth – distort the original intent of Hip Hop and Rap Music. Music industry executives believe there is more money to be made with lyrics glorifying gang life, than with those which condemn it. As a result, the money making agenda in the music industry encroaches on creative artistic expression, leading listeners along the wrong path, by encouraging them to embrace crime, rather than fight crime through education and community activism. Furthermore, music industry executives believe positive rap lyrics lack commercial appeal, so this widely held belief keeps many talented and socially aware rappers away from the limelight. The music industry’s control over the creative process creates unwanted divisions within the hip hop nation. Furthermore, the glorification of drugs, violence, and crime negatively impacts young people, influencing them to embrace this lifestyle, rather than avoid it.
While hip hop began as a distinctly African American tradition, it has evolved into an art form embraced by nearly every nationality and in almost every country around the world. Throughout time and space, more and more people around the world continue to embrace hip hop, expressing themselves, inspiring others, and establishing positive changes in their communities.
Hip hop emerged in a economically depressed South Bronx neighborhood during the 1970′s. As we approach the 35th Anniversary of Hip Hop Culture, we can observe the remarkable evolution of this multi-faceted art form, which both defines African American culture, and simultaneously transcends culture, religious affiliation, and nationality. Although, some people may debate who truly belongs to the hip hop nation, it is an undeniable fact lovers of hip hop culture exist in nearly every country around the world. People everywhere embrace Hip Hop and many of these people use hip hop to encourage social change in their own communities, just as the creators of hip hop did in the South Bronx during the 1970′s.
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Listen – Legendary Rapper Q-Tip on the Origins of Hip Hop from The [Abstract] Best…Volume One Presented by J. Period & Q-Tip
