What Defines Real Hip-Hop???

""Lyrics" full of knowledge truth and understanding

"Hobbies" rapping is my only recreation"

Only 4 the Righteous from Tupac's book of poems The Rose That Grew From Concrete

What defines real hip-hop? I think what defines real hip-hop depends on how you discuss it. To anyone, anything that a rap artist "raps" about can be defined as real hip-hop. To another person, the way the rapper/s act, dress, and/or present themselves can be defined as real hip-hop. The topic can be broaden in so many ways and very different levels. To me, I define it as a struggle that is rapped about in a song. It can be a struggle of victory or a struggle of negative things. It can express feelings that any and everyone is/or has been through. It can be expressed through music and does not have to have a catchy flow like other songs. The clothes/ appearance can help express it, but I think what is important are the words that are used.

There are some rappers out there that rap about their political views, or just politics in general. That can be considered real hip-hop because the rappers are voicing their opinion about things that they think are wrong or right.They are rapping about it in a way where if they get their point across and out to enough people, it can change their political views or change the politician's point of view. Rappers who rap about anything that can help educate or inform the people who are listening to it can be considered real hip-hop. It is expressing things that people need to know and is something that they can use and take with them to the future. If it talks about the struggles that they have been through, it can be considered as real hip-hop. It can be where they talk about how rapping helped keep them alive, keeping them away from the streets. It can be where they talk about the things that is going on in the communities where they grew up, like drugs, people on the streets homeless, or just what they had to go through to get where they are today. I think that anything of truth, basically is considered real hip-hop.

Rappers who rap about anything that degrades women, other artists, or people in general is not considered real hip-hop. If they have to rap about all negativity to make sales, then it is not real hip-hop. Yes those things can be included in a struggle, but there are many different ways where the artist can approach it. I honestly believe that it is not real hip-hop, its just ignorance. So to me, real hip-hop does not thave to be clean, but as long as it is not degrading anyone and is educating the listeners it is real hip-hop. It can talk about their struggles and more than likely that will not be clean. It can be political and help other people think about their actions and help them with their everyday life. Real hip-hop is the best hip-hop.