Hip hop was born in New York City. Since then it has spread like a wildfire around the globe. In its early days it was said to just be a fad. In time it has become 1 of 3 truly American forms of art; jazz, rock and roll and hip hop.
I grew up on the west coast and in Atlanta. My hip hop influences have grown accordingly starting with NWA, Eazy E., MC Eight and Too Short. While keeping my roots in the West, I was introduced to the Atlanta sound originally from booty shake dance clubs to the Rap A Lot Midwest sound and then to the Atlanta born sound of Outkast and the Dungeon Family.
My daughter is now 16 and she’s heard all of these artists growing up in our house. She has become enamored with the history of hip-hop and through her research has fallen in love with the music I grew up on. In her words “they were just talking about something back then”. Now she connects more with hip hop and believes that the content and lyrics that are being “spit” are shallow and meaningless for the most part.
I’m wondering is it strange that there are now grandparents with Tupac and Biggie in their cars as reminders of their childhood and their old school connection? What does this mean for the future of the art form as generation after generation builds, molds and creates hip hop in its own image?
Where do we go from here?
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