OPINION Does HipHop Music Reflect The Community or Does The Music Influence The Community?

[Goldie]

This is a multi layered chicken or the egg question:


I was wondering if hiphop could ever get back to the late 80s and early 90s pro black centered music that was revolutionary and positive.


Some may say the music during that time reflected the climate within the black community. Which raises the question, does the community influence the music or does the music influence the community?

 

[Sky Davis]

I’ll say the climate and culture reflects in the music

It does vice versa but if we are talking about origin it’s the environment that determines the music being made

If these YNs wasn’t really shooting and killing niggas would drill exist?

As far as getting back “to the essence” lol

Nah that shits over for a long time

Music can lean more positive and pro black again but it would take a generation

But I don’t think hiphop is here in 2035

 

[Inori]

I think ima take a different tact on this one. I think PREVIOUSLY the community influenced the music moreso than the other way around.

THESE DAYS tho? I dont think it's either. Its mostly niggas tryna make a quick buck by sounding like some other cats before them. Aint alot of artistry behind the shit. Paint by numbers.. sing songy rappin, opps, scammin blah blah blah. Its formulaic and tired.

Not saying that wasnt present before but it seems more prevalent now. Im washed tho

 

[Dwayne]

95% of rap is derogatory

I sure hope it don’t represent how our community really is.

 

[Allah_U_Akbar]

Both.

 

[Playmaker88]

Both.

 

[12bitCounsel]

Music has always been influential, without the need to be reflecting anything particularly, though it may at times.

“And whenever the harmful spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his harp and play. Then Saul would find relief and feel better, and the spirit of distress would depart from him.” 1 Sam 16:23

It’s still a matter of choice what kind of music you want to make, and ppl should take responsibility for it.

 

[Goldie]

Both.

50/50?

 

[BlackRain]

It's a matter of both. The themes and topics in the music aren't created out of thin air. So the circumstances that create certain topics would exist with or without the music. It does influence people as well but the influence isn't the same across the board which is why it's almost impossible to truly measure.

 

[BlackRain]

I think ima take a different tact on this one. I think PREVIOUSLY the community influenced the music moreso than the other way around.

THESE DAYS tho? I dont think it's either. Its mostly niggas tryna make a quick buck by sounding like some other cats before them. Aint alot of artistry behind the shit. Paint by numbers.. sing songy rappin, opps, scammin blah blah blah. Its formulaic and tired.

Not saying that wasnt present before but it seems more prevalent now. Im washed tho

Yeah the business aspect has probably done damage that people don't always account for in terms of output.

 

[Allah_U_Akbar]

50/50?

There’s artists in hip hop who can have the number 1 album in the country and still be out in the streets committing felonies.

There’s kids out there who have never gang banged in their lives who wanna act, dress, talk like their favorite “gangsta rapper”.

I don’t know about 50/50, though.

 

[Tayboo]

Yeah the business aspect has probably done damage that people don't always account for in terms of output.

This is a key piece that should be talked about more in depth when this subject comes up.

 

[Playmaker88]

The blame goes to some people insatiable appetite for fuckery

 

[scalywaters]

music influences community now probaly vica versa in the past though alotta of gangster rappers back then rapped fairytales that youngins like myself at the time thought to be true

 

[Duwop]

Was talking about this shit the other day...

80's early 90',s hard core rap was about being the dope man. The drug dealer. The big dog.

90's early 2000's it was about being the hustler. Having multiple hustles. Flipping your money. Being fresh and fly

2000's earlier 2010's was the party era.. EVERYBODY was winning. On top, trendy, fancy, popping bottles. It ain't tricking if you got it.. Getting sections at the club. All that

2010's early 2020's... Now


Drug users and toxic relationships.. Fuck niggas, fuck bitches, get wasted and live life reckless

 

[Dwayne]

Was talking about this shit the other day...

80's early 90',s hard core rap was about being the dope man. The drug dealer. The big dog.

90's early 2000's it was about being the hustler. Having multiple hustles. Flipping your money. Being fresh and fly

2000's earlier 2010's was the party era.. EVERYBODY was winning. On top, trendy, fancy, popping bottles. It ain't tricking if you got it.. Getting sections at the club. All that

2010's early 2020's... Now


Drug users and toxic relationships.. Fuck niggas, fuck bitches, get wasted and live life reckless

Toxic relationships has always been a a staple across all music genres

I can’t give you that one

 

[BlackRain]

Was talking about this shit the other day...

80's early 90',s hard core rap was about being the dope man. The drug dealer. The big dog.

90's early 2000's it was about being the hustler. Having multiple hustles. Flipping your money. Being fresh and fly

2000's earlier 2010's was the party era.. EVERYBODY was winning. On top, trendy, fancy, popping bottles. It ain't tricking if you got it.. Getting sections at the club. All that

2010's early 2020's... Now


Drug users and toxic relationships.. Fuck niggas, fuck bitches, get wasted and live life reckless

That was reflected in the overall American culture of the time. Think about how big those pop acts and groups were in the late 90s and 2000s. Million dollar plus videos, extravagant lifestyles. It was excess in general.

Now it's depressing ass "deep" music that's supposed be all about how either you embrace being "toxic" or you self medicate to cope with life. The shit that rappers talk about have always been a reflection of where America is at at large.

 

[konceptjones]

Was talking about this shit the other day...

80's early 90',s hard core rap was about being the dope man. The drug dealer. The big dog.

90's early 2000's it was about being the hustler. Having multiple hustles. Flipping your money. Being fresh and fly

2000's earlier 2010's was the party era.. EVERYBODY was winning. On top, trendy, fancy, popping bottles. It ain't tricking if you got it.. Getting sections at the club. All that

2010's early 2020's... Now


Drug users and toxic relationships.. Fuck niggas, fuck bitches, get wasted and live life reckless

80's to early 90's also had Afrocentricity and pushed education.

 

[BlackRain]

80's to early 90's also had Afrocentricity and pushed education.

That also very much matches things too. Alot of "go to college. Get an education or you'll be nothing" messages was in the media too. Shit was a common theme in most things we consumed

 

[Dwayne]

80's to early 90's also had Afrocentricity and pushed education.

90s was still mostly destructive music.

Also, the 90s was so much more violent in real life

As of right now, damn near every song being destructive while we’re living in the least violent times is ass backwards

I see a lot of folks trying to shift the blame to everything but it’s the artist. They chose to make this music. I don’t care who promotes. It’s still 100% the artist

Accountability