Hip Hop's Materialistic Mindset
With so many (including this blog) critiquing today's current hip hop trends, and frustrated with the lack of social consciousness in the music, I think it's important to try to understand why artists tend to place more value in material items than in the people and art, as they once did. Dyson says, and I agree, that "hip hoppers wouldn't talk so much about material things if we helped give them a sense of meaning and a means to connect to sustaining spiritual and moral and itellectual traditions."
All of these traditions are things that were once instilled in the generations coming up. However, as time has gone on, the younger generations have received less and less of these values from their parents and grandparents. They are further removed from the hardships that their ancestors face and are afforded many of the opportunities that so many fought and died for. I would argue that there was more "consciousness" in hip hop in its earlier years because the people involved in it were closer to the struggle than some of the more relevant artists of today. Since these values weren't passed on, what the younger generation has latched on to are chains, money, and liquor.
A lot of the things that young rappers today celebrate are also things that more consciously, socially, or culturally aware people may want or appreciate to. I know plenty of people, including myself, that would love to have more money and are striving to afford nice cars, clothes, and homes. Having or wanting material possessions isn't at all the problem; it is holding those possessions to a higher value or standard than that of uplifting the people and helping the culture move forward.
If we want to decrease a materialistic mindset and increase the social and political awareness in hip hop, especially in the mainstream, we must first educate ourselves and gain appetite for knowledge. Then we must take what we know/learn and pass it on to those coming up behind us. By educating ourselves and each other, and placing the value back into the people, we will then see a change in our music and our culture.
What do you think about materialism in hip hop? What needs to be done to change this? Who are people that are examples of this change? Leave all your thoughts and comments below. You can also send e-mails to straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.
Peace.
Posted by H.E.R. Lover at 7/18/2011 12:50 PM 
Categories: General
Tags: hip hop hip hop materialism Michael Eric Dyson Know What I Mean hip hop materialistic
Categories: General
Tags: hip hop hip hop materialism Michael Eric Dyson Know What I Mean hip hop materialistic
I would argue that there was more "consciousness" in hip hop in its earlier years because the people involved in it were closer to the struggle than some of the more relevant artists of today. - In part true, but how soon we forget the 80's era of Hip Hop where gold ruled the images we saw. Multiple fat gold chains,rings and earings for men and women alike in Hip Hop.
I don't think Hip hop today is much more materialistic than before, just less commercially diverse. As for it's conscious message or lack of again that applies more to the mainstream than to Hip Hop as a whole. Those who get little or no radio and video air play and are of a more conscious nature exist in the many but you have to seek them.
Hip Hop is and always will be a reflection of our society, so as long as "we the people" celebrate the power of the almighty dollar you can best believe rappers will too!
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You make a few very good points. However, I would have a couple of arguments. First, even in the 80s, although artists were showered in jewelry and other material items, there was still something to grasp in the music.
We can even think back to Rakim's "Paid In Full" album cover, but there was still substance in the music. Slick Rick wore 10 chains at time, but he took pride in his craft. That is the stuff that's missing today. It's not the desire for those things, it's the fact that the material desire has trumped everything else. As much as Rakim wanted to be "paid in full", he made it clear that he was first-and-foremost a "microphone fiend" (although those are two separate albums lol).
I would also add that given the mainstream tends to be hip hop's representation to the mass, I would think that what we want is to be represented right. The diversity is definitely missing, but there has also been a change in the mindset of the people. And as the people's music (as you mentioned), hip hop should serve as a means to address and correct the problem as opposed to add to it. But doing it strictly from the underground will not have much of an impact, which is why we need that consciousness to make it's way back into mainstream. This will both paint hip hop in a better light and potentially help expand people's mind at the same time.
I'd love another response if you have one, though. That's what I want this blog to be about! The conversation! Great comment!
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I totally feel what you are saying about getting back to some balance with regard to the content and images that are most popular to the general public. I do also feel that the change that has taken place has many origins, one of which is a different point of reference for today's consumer of rap music or Hip hop in general. From the DJ slowly fading to the back as the rapper became more important (and that happened in my generation before our eyes) to the almost total separation of the other elements of Hip Hop leaving the most popular one being the one with the mic.
But I think there has to be some level of responsibility with all of the choices and information at one's fingertips through instant technology to SEEK something beyond what one is fed to by the media (radio & T.V.).
In other words if you WANT something more, better, different it exists. And I think I am certainly a product of that train of thought in large part due to my frame of reference in Hip Hop (1979, I'm 45). I think rather than worry about trying to change or even elevate the existing rappers in question would we be better served simply trying to talk about, support & help promote those who DO show creativity and skillz? (Yes a reference to the actual emcee!)
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You are right. There is a responsibility to search if you want something. I think people like you and me that want that search and know where to look. Who I'm concerned about are the people that, for lack of a better term, don't "know any better" and don't realize what that the music they are listening to is hurting all of us.
There is a part of me that actually wishes to keep hip hop out of the mainstream, to let it get back to what it once was and those that want to find it will. However, I also understand that it serves such a big purpose to our culture and that if we can get back to some sort of awareness back in the mainstream, then it may, just may spark a change in many more of us that it has thus far.
I know we can't save everybody and that's not what I'm asking, but I think so often, those of us that are looking are the ones that already have an understanding of what these artists are talking about. It's almost preaching to the choir (a future blog topic), but it's the ones that aren't hearinig the message that truly need it.
I do agree though that, as I mentioned in a past blog (great minds think alike!), we need to focus more on bigging up great MCs (I second your Skillz reference) as opposed to belittiling MCs we aren't fond of.
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