Compare And Contrast The Culture And Historical Events Of The 80's

Hip-hop can be described as a culture or way of life for a society of people who admire and love rap, breakdancing, deejaying, and graffiti. During the seventies, hip-hop was mainly the act of the DJs showing off their turntable skills, but it wasn’t until the late seventies and early eighties when rap, breakdancing, and graffiti started to make a name for themselves. Hip-hop is not only one of the most popular genres of music, but it also focuses on the poor or working class by putting an emphasis on hardships and everyday life. The 1970s was a very intense decade with the fight for equality, the end of the Vietnam war, and the Watergate scandal. In the seventies, groups such as women and blacks were fighting for peace and equal rights.
At first, the feminist movement focused on workplace inequality. Ultimately, the movement affected the women in their homes because their spouses were not treating them as equals. The African American community of the seventies showed a great deal of irritation with the rate of change for equality in America causing them to form organizations like the Black Panthers. The political events that transpired during the seventies would be the end of the twenty-year war with Vietnam and the Watergate Scandal. The 1980s was a decade where Americans embraced a new change in social, economic and political life. Entertainment played a major role in the growth of America during this decade. Blockbuster movies and cable networks like MTV introduced music videos and launched the careers of many iconic artists like Michael Jackson and Prince. The new growth in entertainment became extremely popular throughout America and gave people a new perspective on life. Hip-hop has developed tremendously over the past four decades. Going from just the art of showcasing turntable skills to now being a way to express oneself whether it is through deejaying, rapping, dancing, or drawing graffiti. The birth of hip-hop originated in the South Bronx during the early 1970s by a DJ named Clive Campbell. In 1973, he hosted a back to school house party where he showcased his turntable skills and unknowingly created what we now call hip-hop. Hip-hop could be found in the neighborhoods where you could see young adults standing around in parks, playgrounds, and street corners rapping poetry over sounds and melodies. It was made to be aggressive and oppositional because it is reflecting the struggles of life and everyday hardships people endure. Teenagers from the eighties also used hip-hop to express their imagination and creativity. The mid- eighties were referred to as the “Golden Age of Hip-Hop” where it became more appreciated for its originality and tendency to touch on political and social issues affecting the middle and lower classes of society. It fueled and continues to fuel so much passion and truth to the point that it has become one of the most popular genres of music in America today.
The historical events of the 1970s and 80s have played a major role in the development of hip- hop.
During the seventies, society was becoming more independent, for instance, the women were starting to distribute responsibility for their home and family life with others like babysitters and family members while they went to work. People were also starting to question the government as well as protesting in order to have their voices heard. Music was a tool for them to express their anger about inequality and life as a whole. In the seventies, DJs were considered the main focus because they created a new style of music that people could dance to. They would sample R&B songs like James Brown’s song “It’s too funky in here,” and remix them with a more hip and vibrant beat. It wasn’t until the late seventies and early 80s that rap, breakdancing, and graffiti made a name for themselves. Rappers would channel their anger about being poor, black, stereotyped, blamed, mistreated, and ignored in their raps. Groups like N.W.A demonstrated the side of hip-hop that was geared more towards anger while groups like Run-D.M.C demonstrated the more silly and exuberant side of hip-hop. Since the eighties brought forth the growth in entertainment, hip-hop artists started making music videos for tv networks like MTV. Artists like Salt-N-Pepa and LL Cool J have been known their videos that reflect on all the elements of hip-hop like dancing, rapping, and
deejaying.
In conclusion, originating in the South Bronx, hip-hop has inspired thousands of people by giving them a way to express their feelings towards an issue. It is not only music, but also a way of life for a society of people who admire and love rap, breakdancing, deejaying, and graffiti. It was meant to focus on the poor and middle classes by putting an emphasis on hardships and everyday life. Hip-hop has played a major role throughout the seventies and eighties and continues to play an even bigger role in today’s society.