J.A.
The early 1970’s to the mid 1980’s was a very important time for the creation of hip hop. Not only was this when it began but its also when it started to expand as just a Bronx thing. Hip Hop was started in the Bronx, on of the most violent and minority populated boroughs of New York City. Early Hip Hop music was followed with dance moves that we now call break dancing. What many people don't know is that Hip Hop today would not be what it is, if it weren't for the huge Puerto Rican influences.
Break dancing has expanded all over the globe. Just in a recent trip to Chile there were Chilean youth in the street competing. Break dancing isn't as prolific as it was in 70’s and 80’s. Back then people would settle altercations with simply battling each other in a dance off. Rival gangs would dance off for gang territory to see who could dance better, and this is how they would settle their disputes. If Latinos were such a big part of the origins of Hip Hop why don't they get as much credit nowadays for it. Hip Hop is seen as ‘Black Music.’ Coming from a Colombian house hold my mom would forbid me to listen to it cause she didn't want to be associated with the black culture. Little did she know that Latinos were a big part of it.
Nowadays the main sellers when it comes to hip hop music are black. You have your rare exceptions of course, such as Eminem who is white. When it comes to Latinos in hip hop nowadays there aren't many, and the rare ones who do make it barely sell. The Exceptions are Big Pun and Fat Joe, both who are from the Bronx. According an Article on the University of Michigan African Americans used to exclude Puerto Ricans from certain events because they didn't believe they would sell as much. “The music industry played a crucial role in the proliferation of hip-hop as African American music form by refusing to sign Puerto Rican and other Latino hip-hoppers to contracts because they would not turn a profit for them as would African Americans.” I believe because of this, is why it began to be known as solely black music. The crazy part is that Latinos are one of the largest consumers of hip hop now
I agree with this post 100% especially the last paragraph about the "racism" in hip hop and basically the exclusion of other races or at least the spotlight on the blacks within hip hop. I think that this goes back to the 90s and even the roots of hip hop stem from blacks in the Bronx but we all know the Puerto Ricans and hispanics were right by their side at the beginning of it. Rappers like Big Pun, Fat Joe, and Fabolous are all Latinos who have all excelled in rap. Aside from the racial disadvantage Latinos have, there is also a huge cultural difference where black culture is emphasized through the music and videos. Latino culture is different from hip hop culture and because of this many Latino artists try to mix and incorporate both cultures together. I try to do this as well whenever I get to make music. All in all, I agree with this post and also agree that Latinos have a huge influence in hip hop although it's not always mentioned but we've been there since the start of it, we helped plant the roots and although there is a slight cultural difference when it comes to the spotlight, we still see aspects of our culture within hip hop (women, struggle, money). - CO
ReplyDeleteVery interesting viewpoint J.A. However, I believe that there are many other factors that have had an impact on the decline of Latino presence in modern day hip hop in addition to the exclusion of Latino performers from certain events. Hip hop, just as any genre of music, has undergone drastic changes from the times of its origins. As hip hop evolved, it took on several other forms. The 80s, which you state, were "an important time for the creation of hip hop," were also an important decade for the emergence of another hip hop-influenced genre of music called reggeaton. Today, reggeaton is predominantly considered to be of Puerto Rican origin and many Puerto Rican artists have had a great amount of success selling reggeaton albums. I do not necessarily believe that there are less Latinos in hip hop, rather hip hop, over the course of its history, split off into several subgenres and fusion genres. Latino artists strayed away from what is today considered mainstream hip hop in order to relate more to the Latino population. This in turn furthered the discrepancy between mainstream hip hop and Latino hip hop, which is also probably why your mom and many other people relate hip hop to black culture.
ReplyDeleteI do not necessarily agree with this blog post entirely. Given, obviously you have done your research on the history of hip hop later evolving into break dancing. I feel that African Americans rappers tend to have a large audience not because they are preferred to any other race but because they are genuinely talented! Race does not tend to make up the majority of deciding whether to purchase music when it comes to consumers. Eminem makes more money than say some other rappers and he is white, which is not associated with the stereotype of rap. This article makes me remember why I loved Step Up, because race isn't a factor of talent.
ReplyDeleteA.C.
This is really interesting. I thought Hip Hop had originated in Africa, with a few different sounds of course. I like the fact that you highlighted the segregation between Latinos and blacks within Hip Hop. However, I would have liked to see some examples of how Latinos contributed to the creation of Hip Hop and certain aspects explaining why Latinos have been, in a sense, pushed out the Hip Hop community.
ReplyDeleteWow, this was an extremely interesting post. I actually did not know gangs battled with break dancing, I thought it was just a joke shown by the media. But I agree with your post. Hip hop is known as "black music" and to be honest, I associate it as music of the hood because that is where it is mostly played and how the artists of most hip hop portrayed themselves. I feel like its a racist thing to kind of say that, but its similar to how people connect country music with whites and rednecks. I feel like music is always an interesting topic because people like to connect music to one race or a single group, but I believe its nearly impossible to always trace things such as music, art and style (like clothes) to its origins.
ReplyDeleteMusic is always evolving and hip-hop is one of the most evolved genres out there. Knowing that gang battled by break dancing can be sort of unbelievable and look like it came from a movie but in reality stuff like this did occur. Music is named as the connection to culture linking races and ethnicity. Its always interesting to see how this comes about because you see the many difference but also that one similarity.
ReplyDeleteI think you're post was really interesting to read because I didn't know that Latinos had such a huge part in the making of hip hop or that gangs would settle disputes with break dancing. I can also relate to how you're mother didn't want you listening to that type of music. My parents have never liked me listening to Hip hop because they associate it with being ghetto, they think it's loud and violent. What they fail to realize is that it's a form of expression and as you said very much linked to the Latino culture.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the whole parents not liking hiphop because it was a "black" thing. My parents always thought that just because I listened to this music i would fall into the deviant life that is associated with it. To me i never even saw it like that, to me it was about what the lyrics really meant and how good the beat was.
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting I never knew or even imagined that latinos had role in the making of hip hop. By reading this I am amazed at how arguments were handled before compared to know. Now knowing that gangs would settle there disputes by break dancing is such an amazing thing and a change because now when gangs are heard of having disputes all you hear are the amount of people they shot or stabbed and killed. Music has such a huge role on peoples lives even now. Many people like to write and listen to hip hop and rap because they feel like they can express themselves and can be heard by many.
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