By Amanda Slater
Although Hip-Hop music originated in the United States, and was a form of music unknown to other cultures prior to the 1980s, it has now spread throughout the world. The music, along with the culture and art forms such as break-dancing, have become part of pop culture on a worldwide scale.
In France, MC Solaar was making Hip-Hop in the 1980s. France is, in fact, the biggest market for music outside of the United States. Cuban Hip-Hop is also a developing industry, and South Africa has a major Hip-Hop scene as well. The Philippines was the first of the Asian countries to develop a Hip-Hop scene, and in Sri Lanka, the Hip-Hop culture is perhaps the most predominant youth culture in the island. Korean Hip-Hop has become such a phenomenon that it is said that Korean artists are capable of competing with their US equivalents. Not exempt from countries producing Hip-Hop are Greenland, Goa, Pakistan, Israel, Iran, the UK, Croatia, Portugal, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Albania, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Serbia, Bosnia, Greece, and Peru.
Cuba caught the Hip-Hop wave in the 1980s through Miami radio and TV broadcasts from the US. Cuban youths used the music as a way to express their frustrations regarding the Soviet Union's collapse and the onset of the Special Period, which was a time of economic crisis that affected the area, and was augmented by the US trade embargo against Cuba. At first, Cubans attempted to mimic the often aggressive lyrics and depictions of "thug life," violence, and misogyny heard in some US rapper's lyrics. Gradually, Cubans began to incorporate their own culture and situations into the lyrics, and much of this evolution was due to the work of Black Libertarian Army activist Nehanda Abiodun, who worked with the Malcom X Grassroots Movement in the US to bring progressive US Hip-Hop artists to Cuba.
Often, Cuban rappers (or "raperos") are harassed by Cuban police because the music is seen as "counter-revolutionary." The music became such a hot issue in Cuba that Harry Belafonte had to sit down and explain Hip-Hop culture over lunch to Fidel Castro. After this conversation, Castro was so impressed that he called Hip-Hop, "the vanguard of the revolution," and even rapped at the opening of a baseball game with group Doble Filo. There are an estimated 500 Hip-Hop groups in Cuba alone, but unfortunately, few have been heard outside of the island.
The style of artists varies globally, as does the elements employed in the music. In Greenland group Nuuk Posse have whales singing behind their rap. Algerian group MBS use Arabic instruments in their songs. Thus, even though most countries recognize Hip-Hop as being an "American art form," the music is adapted to reflect the individual style and culture of the country in which it was created.
In South Africa, the music is not variations of "usual rhythms." Although influenced little by traditional South African music, the area?s sound is influenced more by house music than standard Hip-Hop. It is often loud, driving, and very fast.
In South Korea, artist Seo Taji often uses heavy metal guitars in his music, while he and other South Korean artists incorporate influences from traditional Korean music into their songs. Other South Korean artists integrate techno into their versions of the music. In the 1990s, Dominican Republic artists Santi Y Sus Duendes and Lisa M released the single, "Soy Chiquito (No Inventes Papito, No Inventes)," which birthed merenrap - a blend of Hip-Hop and merengue. In Albania, Hip-Hop employs a high quality sound and excellent lyrical performance, making uninformed individuals think that these Hip-Hop groups are not Albanian, but American.
The message also varies greatly from country to country. In some countries, Hip-Hop is just another sound added to the white noise of the pop industry, but in other countries, it is a counter-cultural revolution.
In Switzerland, Sens Unik's Hip-Hop offers an intense criticism of governmental policies and the "ideal society." Texta, a group from Austria, lobbied for "German linguistic understanding." In Australia, the Aborigines have begun to use the music as a means by which to tell their own stories. In Korea, Hip-Hop seen as respectable and socially-conscious - the opposite of the superficial pop that floods the Korean airwaves. Israeli Hop-Hop stars have emerged from both sides of the Palestinian and Jewish struggle, and while artists such as Mook E. preach peace and tolerance, other artists' music includes nationalism and violence. Bosnian rapper Edo Maajka writes a wide range of songs about the Bosnian War and the current situation in Bosnia. Australian Hip-Hop is often very outspoken and concentrates on political issues, and avoids any so-called "shallow" topics. Unfortunately, the side of American Hip-Hop seen by other countries is only the pretentious, pointless, and misogynistic, and thus, Australian Hip-Hop is often thought to be the complete opposite of Americans'.
In Romania, the music is definitely a means by which artists voice their political and social concerns. B.U.G. Mafia is a Romanian gangsta rap group that voices the similarities between Romanian communist-era apartments and American ghettos - housing projects. Romanian group "the Parazitii" includes social, political, and anti-censorship themes in their music. R.A.C.L.A., the first group to release a Romanian Hip-Hop album, covers primarily social subjects in their work. In Brazil, the lyrics of the area's Hip-Hop music translate into action. DJs, rappers, and graffiti writers often organize themselves into crews that perform community service and work organizing youth in the neighborhoods to pass on the art-form and "social consciousness." African group Black Noise was considered a political threat and banned by the apartheid-era government.
While little international Hip-Hop filters back into the US, some artists have been able to cross the culture barrier. UK experimental group "the Gorillaz" has been very successful and is commonly heard on US airwaves. Latin rap group Cypress Hill also became very popular on the American charts. There are also a variety of Hip-Hop festivals internationally, including the Cuban annual International Hip-Hop festival held in August. The festival includes workshops, film screenings, and debates on the topics of culture and lyrical content.
Although international Hip-Hop varies much from country to country, it cannot be denied that the music is a living art form that is often used in politically and socially progressive ways. In this way, the genre in outspoken countries such as Romania, Australia, and Cuba, and is similar to US underground Hip-Hop. Yet, much of mainstream US Hip-Hop is merely a reflection of the change in US culture, and offers no meaningful lyrics. Unfortunately, since this is the more popular form of western Hip-Hop, this is the music with which westerners are often identified. It is important that progressive, productive Hip-Hop be given a voice in the mainstream, because as of now, America's reputation in the Hip-Hop world has been reduced to "talented, yet lyrically pointless and even destructive."
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment