The Hip Hop Urban Culture Hip hop music is part of hip hop culture predominately among African Americans and Latinos (the other two elements are graffiti art and break dancing). The reasons for the rise in hip hop music are found in the changing urban culture in the United States in the 1970's. Beginning in the 1980's, hip hop culture began its spread across the world. By taking the time to explain a fertile culture expression, students of hip hop music place at our disposal some of the most intriguing investigations of a powerful art form.
More than a musical style, hip-hop is a history of American culture, and a testimony by its artists of their life experiences. In 1985, when Run-DMC ordained themselves the "Kings of Rock," in their lyrics of their hit song of the same name, they probably never imagined that one day they would be recognized as such. As the pioneers of hip-hop music, they convinced the world to dance to poetry with a beatbox. They invited anyone who would listen to "Walk This Way" in "My Adidas," all the way to the top of VH1's list of the "50 Greatest Hip-Hop Artists." And in the words of the great Run-DMC themselves, "It's like that! And that's the way it is! Huh!"
VH1's "50 Greatest Hip-Hop Artists" serves as a platform for hip-hop music's superstars of the past, present and future to acknowledge their hip-hop peers. Proof that hip-hop music has woven itself into the fabric of American music and culture.
"50 Greatest Hip-Hop Artists" features archival clips, classic performances and exclusive interviews with the some of the world's greatest entertainers. It also represents VH1's recognition of hip-hop music as a significant music form and the integration of the genre into our music programming repertoire.
The lyrics found in hip hop music are expressions that are linked with cultural and societal feelings of an individual. Hip hop lyrics are known for their conversational quality. Hip hop lyrics are used to teach stylistic features, imagery, assonance, alliteration, rhythmic structure and rhyme are taught while basic literacy (vowels, consonants, blends, syllables and spelling) is embedded.