Little did people know the experiences that he endured were about to put him to the world of success. He put his experiences on paper and the rest was history. He was about to do something that others before him couldn’t really do and that was change the perception on rap.Tupac became one of the biggest stars with the rhymes he wrote and the movies he starred in that portrayed and even glorified the violence and abuse that is life in urban America. Tupac had a passion for rap. He spoke from his heart even if it didn’t really come out the right way; he still managed to put in to terms.
When compared to the other rap hits of the time, Run DMC's sound was very unique in the sound of the beats and the skillful, push it to the limit vocals. By the mid 80's, Simmons had founded the hip hop record label Def Jam, and Run DMC became the most powerful group in hip hop. Run DMC then started to experiment mixing their sound with samples of heavy metal guitars, basically combining the sound of each genre to create a gritty, street savvy sound. Run DMC's success showed the rest of the hip hop world that success could be achieved by delivering constant new material that challenged the status-quo with unique sounds and challenging lyrics. Their 1986 album Raising Hell was preceded by the top ten hit “My Adidas”, and then the release of a cover of Aerosmith's “Walk This Way”, off the same album, became the groups biggest commercial hit.
These distinctive beats and bass lines became the foundation of a new type of music in these clubs, and Djs can be seen as the prime movers of hip hop.” “MCs (Master of Ceremonies) in the clubs were there to introduce the hot new DJ. Between songs, though, MCs began to talk to the crowd. Like MC's even today, this talk varied between jokes, biographical anecdotes, as well as attempts to excite and energize the audience. Eventually, some local MCs began to talk over the music, and this talk soon became part of the music performance. These MC's became known as "rappers".” “Eventually, "rap music" was refined to become a mixture of rhythmic poetry, and rappers were getting noticed by 1979 and some commercially successful records were selling locally, though rap had hardly made an impact on the U.S. mainstream.” As the eighties went by, hip hop got more popular and we had some station that would play our music such as BET, but MTV only played everything besides African American music.
Hip Hop as a site of Resistance Hip-hop has always been a form of resistance against the dominant structures of society. From ever since the beginning it was a created as an opposition to privilege and oppression. A methodology indicative of an artistic perspective; and a musical creation enriched in harmony meant to reinvigorate the soul. Hip hop in itself is a powerful form of resistance that shines as a beacon that is universal and transcends all borders. It has the power to unite all populations regardless of ethnicity creed and religion.
Back then, when I hear “Hip Hop”, I associated it with egoistic rappers and gang violence. It was my least favorite music genre because rap artists only rap about their shopping list and other meaningless topics. It came to the point where I asked, “What is Hip Hop?” I was so curious that I decided to use it as an English research topic. From that point on, my opinion on Hip Hop changed completely due to the fact that there’s more to it. As I researched on what Hip Hop is, I found out that it isn’t just a music genre, but a massive culture that originated within the Bronx during the 1970s.
Back in the days as some people may call it hip hop was a way that a certain person felt and the things that they would say was things that happens in real life everyday situations. Rapping to these later rappers was in their hearts and soul they would eat, sleep, and breathe hip hop whenever they got the chance. Hip hop was created out of the blue it wasn’t planned or anything it’s something that just happened and came about. “When youth culture confronted an urban dystopian spectacle (unemployment, segregation, housing, and other forms of environmental violence) in the 1970s, it tried to revise its negative effects with a new vision” (Brunson III). Rapping was used as a way for the youth to stay out of trouble and keep themselves occupied.
I’d have to say that I agree with that statement. Cole is a breath of air in the hip-hop community. He strays away from the maintstream/generic topics, but at the same time he seems to be putting out material that appeals to the masses. He is returning to the roots, maybe this is why he’s been compared to many of the greats like Nas, Tupac,
Rap artist, actor 2Pac. Courtesy of Death Row Records Despite having achieved success as both a rapper and film actor, Tupac Shakur's notoriety among mainstream audiences had more to do with his outlaw image, which derived in large part from his frequent and high-profile scrapes with the law. Yet despite being sentenced to a prison term in 1995, he remained a presence on the music scene with a the hit album Me Against the World. In an interview he gave from behind bars, Shakur disavowed the "Thug Life" that had previously been his slogan of choice. "I'm going to show people my true intentions, and my true heart," he swore to Vibe.
Because what Lupe Fiasco says on this microphone is going to come back to Wasalu Jaco. When the music cuts off, you have to go home and live with what you say." That quote right there is a testament to Lupe and how he is different he is the best rapper out there because he is real. He doesn’t try to be something he is not and he raps about things that matter, things that will change your life if you just listen. Most of us are walking through this world blind and need to open their eyes.
HISTORY OF HIP HOP Hip-Hop emerged in the 1970’s upon the arrival of a one Kool DJ Herc. Kool DJ Herc migrated to the United States from Kingston, Jamaica and settled in the West Bronx of New York. Kool DJ Herc was a disc jockey that attempted to incorporate his Jamaica style of disc jockeying, which involved reciting improvised rhymes over reggae records. Unfortunately for Kool DJ Herc New York seemed uninterested in reggae at that time. This forced Kool DJ Herc to find another appealing sound in order to please his audiences, which he did.