HIP HOP, AND ITS PLACE IN THE GENERATIONAL SOUP

                     By Rowan Millar 

     

                   Why Is It Relevant?

     Hip Hop culture (rap culture) and Boomer culture 
generally aren't considered to be closely related. I see 
them as intrinsically connected, as a group as diverse 
and complex as Boomers are with many other groups. 
The particular connection here is interesting to me in 
that it is seldom, if ever, discussed. The Boomers are 
best known for hippy culture, which was born in the 60's 
and flourished on into the 70's, and some would say still
 thrives. In the 70's, punk, funk, disco, reggae, and 
widespread environmentalism and feminism all flourished. 
These are all important things which have had a lasting 
impact on the world, but to me they are very tied in with 
hippy culture, whereas rap is something all its own. And 
yet the fact that rap is so independent makes it more akin
 to 60's counterculture than any of the other aforementioned 
things, in a sense. 
     
               What Makes Hip Hop Different?

 With punk, funk, reggae, feminism, disco, and environmental-
ism, you can see how they are connected to the culture of 
the 60's. With the exception of punk, it could even be said 
that these things were extensions of the hippy movement, 
to a large extent. Punk is very similar to and has close ties 
to rap, it seems to me. They are both not big on musical tunes 
and notes and are often angry and are a sharp departure from 
previous musical styles. And yet punk seems more akin to 
60's counter-culture, with wild clothes and hair and the hatred 
of authority. The clothing of post-1990 Hip Hoppers is incredibly 
baggy and not as eccentric as either hippy styles or punk 
styles, and is unarguably a recognizable style all its own. The 
styles of speech are very different from any other styles, and 
the style of music is revolutionary, to say the least. 
     
           Some Things I Like About Hip Hop/Rap

 The concept of talk-singing to a rhythm as a form of music is 
something I've rarely heard of elsewhere. The links to poetry are 
unmistakable, and yet it is still obviously music. The concept 
that a voice, without benefit of complicated note changes, can 
be powerful enough to affect people the way rap does, is 
interesting. Of course, not all rap lyrics are ideal, and sometimes
 they go beyond exploring the dark sides of life and instead dwell 
in them. The styles of speech in rap and in Hip Hop culture are 
derived from American black culture, and are rich and often fun 
to use. Words are often shortened to be easier on the tongue, 
and there is an emphasis on flow. 
     
 Are Hip Hop culture And Boomer Culture Really Related?

     As I mentioned, Hip Hop lingo comes from American black 
culture, as, to a large extent, did the "hippy jive" of the 60's. Hip 
Hop culture is much more heavily rooted in American black 
culture than hippy culture is, but there still is a strong similarity, 
and one mustn't overlook the huge extent to which Hip Hop has 
crossed over into white Ameria. Both are, at least in part, 
crossover products of black America that have made huge impacts 
on the world at large. The impact of the 60's counter-culture, with 
all of its various facets, is much greater than the impact of Hip Hop 
it would seem, but Hip Hop's had a large effect quickly, and the 
results aren't in. What's the relation between the two cultures 
besides the obvious name similarity (Hip Hop/hippy)? I would say, 
their uniqueness. I once saw a video in which Jim Morrisson, one 
of the biggest stars of the hippy era, predicted that the next big 
musical style would involve one person talking while controlling 
lots of technical equipment. He said that long before rap was 
created by rhyming disc jockeys who rapped as they switched 
records around on various turntables and manipulated the sounds 
in various ways. Rap itself was a common word in hippy culture, 
though it has taken on a different form. I value the knowledge I
 have of both cultures, and try to integrate them both into much 
that I do. 



                
Other columns by Rowan
   
 
THE GENERATION GAP
Amoung Pirates and Rastas
WTO Protest Has Links With The Past..........




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