Hip-Hop and its evolving role
The Multicultural Student Council, the Gentlemen’s League and the Sistahs of Essence discuss the role of Hip-Hop music in society.
Photo by Michael Owens • owensm@mytjnow.com
On Wednesday Feb. 20, many students participated in a discussion regarding the culture of the popular music genres of rap and hip-hop. The event was hosted by the Multicultural Student Council, the Gentlemen’s League, as well as the Sistahs of Essence.
The event was highlighted by an appearance from sociology professor Dr. Brad Tripp, who shared his experiences with the early hip-hop music of the late ‘80s and early 1990s.
The event then transitioned into a video montage of various music videos and clips from films, ranging from a scene from the film “White Chicks”, to a music video by popular artist 2 Chainz, all the way to a video featuring the child rapper known as “Lil Mouse”.
After viewing said montage, the floor was open to questions addressed to a panel of students from the Multicultural Student Council, Gentlemen’s League and Sistahs of Essence.
A wide variety of topics were discussed, such as the role of women in the subculture, how they are treated as well as how they are addressed (including the use of “the b-word”).
Other topics discussed included race, how children are influenced by the music as well as debate over how hip-hop musicians are viewed today.
Needless to say, these topics invoked much discussion from the students in attendance, and it is because of this that the event can be looked upon as a rousing success.
Staff writer for The Johnsonian.
