*Aritst Vs. Industry* What Defines Hip-Hop?

What defines Hip-hop; it’s a culture and form of ground breaking music and self expression that consisted of the elements of graffiti art, DJing, MCing, and breaking. Hip-Hop is based on feelings and emotions build up inside a person no matter the race, where they are from, and age. Hip-Hop defines itself no one person can explain the true meaning of hip-hop because hip-hop makes everyone feel a different emotion or vibe within.

I believe hip-hop is a rhythm inside my soul. Every time I hear a true hip-hop song somehow I can relate to it and I start to groove to the music not only the lyrics but the beat and sound. Today’s so-called music is crap the music has no meaning at all. Today Hip-Hop is considered to be dead in the mainstream because so-called mainstream Hip-Hop doesn't have the elements of hip-hop and have no meaning to their lyrics. The lyrics consist buying the most expensive products, selling drugs, having sex with any women or men, who have the most money and jewelry. Hip-hop should make you feel inspiring and courage to be able to stand up to any obstacle in your life that you are going through. It’s the connection between real and fake not if you are rich or poor its creativity upon expression and faith.

Hip-hop is a controversial theme meaning any race or sex can relate to hip-hop in such matter. In order to define hip-hop, hip-hop should be able to define you. Hip-hop is a form of art that has multiple meanings and no wrong answers because hip-hop is how you look at it.


How you act, walk, look and talk is all part of Hip Hop culture. And the music is colorless. Hip Hop music is made from Black, brown, yellow, red and white.
Afrika Bambaataa

For anybody to say well this is not Hip Hop and that's not Hip Hop, that is not the way the formula was laid down. It was for the people who were going to continue take anything musically and string it along.
Grandmaster Flash

The beautiful thing about hip-hop is it's like an audio collage. You can take any form of music and do it in a hip-hop way and it'll be a hip-hop song. That's the only music you can do that with.
Talib Kweli