Hip Hop And The Civil Rights Movement Analysis

Hip hop is one of the most controversial and beloved genres of music amongst the youth and working class culture of the 20th century (Aldridge et al. 2016). Even though it is popularized as just a form of music, some would argue that it is a lifestyle that transcends borders. It is an art form that has been driven through the social, economic, and cultural realities that individuals face on a daily basis while sampling jazz, rock, blues, and soul to compose a breed of its own (Aldridge et al. 2016, Rice 2003). The imbedded realities within hip hop create a social consciousness that reflect the ideologies of the Civil Rights Movement and serves as a positive outlet that lets the youth express their frustrations while pushing towards a solution
Both movements strive towards exercising self-empowerment and encourage individuals to use their voice to add a new dimension of discussion to their socioeconomic conditions as well as the environmental health of their neighborhoods (Egan 2002). Egan (2002) argues that the mainstream ideologies of environmentalism often conflict with the way activists interpret environmental protection by historically prioritizing conservation efforts exclusively to white and middle class citizens while neglecting the living conditions of marginalized communities even though these communities are more exposed to environmental hazards (Egan 2002). The hip hop movement shows how environmental decisions are politically swayed by expressing these observations in a form of art that is relatable on a global scale (Egan
Both of these subjects contain their own underground network that keeps the movement alive and true, and both movements have been exploited by a commercially driven agenda for power and money. The hindsight of the present allows us to look at present through the past and identify what has been institutionalized and what requires reassessment to make the ecological framework more accessible to our understanding as a society. Since hip hop is such a large phenomenon in itself, the applications are virtually endless when it comes to viewing hip hop through an ecological framework. Even though rapping about environmental issues is not yet a commercially popular art form (Ceremek 2012) we need to inspire those around us to think within a bigger framework, and create music that inspires even more change. Generating the youths interest is crucial and by focusing arguments around a relatable subject like hip hop movements we can educate and empower future generations to acknowledge the fact that they are able to change the environment they