Hip Hop Past The Surface

By Author: Milo Martinovich
Total Articles: 7
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What is the first thing that pops into your head when someone mentions Hip Hop? Is it the radio singles that pop in your mind? Are you thinking that Hip Hop is just about the superficial side of life? The radio may make Hip Hop seem this way, especially to people that aren't well rounded about the culture of the genre. Actually, many of the best Hip Hop songs are much more meaningful than anything that ever plays on the radio. A lot of people don't think that this is true because they think all Hip Hop music is made for the radio.

If you were to compare the radio's version of Hip Hop, to what a real Hip Hop fan would call Hip Hop, you would see a huge difference in the music. While some artists choose to be completely mainstream and try to pump out as many generic singles as they can, many artists stay out of the spotlight and have the best music. Many of the artists that produce artistic music receive critical acclaim but never reach the ears of many of the Hip Hop radio fans.

If you think about the deepest Hip Hop songs of all time, a lot of them vary on their topics. Many of the most critically acclaimed songs ...
... are about family issues, violence, sad stories, or drug addiction and problems. The radio on the music and this style of music seems like a completely different genre. The best artists are more like poets then rappers. They express emotion in a way that mainstream artists can't. Hip Hop music began as a way of expression about cultural issues, and the best artists recognize this.

Common, Kanye West, Joe Budden, Eminem, and Scarface are just a few names that come up when you talk about some of the deepest songs ever. Most people will say that Tupac was the deepest rapper that has ever blessed us with music, and it's hard to disagree. While you may be thinking of a couple singles from each of these artists that are less than deep, for the most part, their music has a lot meaning. The radio may make some of these artists look the same as the mainstream musicians. You would have to listen to their albums to get a feel for their musical deepness. The albums from each of these artists show their true artistic side.

Unfortunately, the radio has given Hip Hop a bad name. People say that Hip Hop is dead because almost every single song on the radio is basically the same. Just like if it were a book, you can't judge Hip Hop music by its cover (the radio). You always have to look deeper to see the true value of the Hip Hop music genre.

If you are interested in learning further on the subject of the Hip Hop music genre, look at OH Hip Hop. It contains the Newest Hip Hop Music. It also contains a full Hip Hop Clothing section.