(14) Many rappers on PBS News Hour stated that rap is how artists express themselves, giving
them a chance to talk about their life, their neighbourhood, and what incurs in it daily. It’s a form
of free expression and we as listeners, listen to it, and show appreciation for this type of music as
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seen by the popular albums that concern gangster rap. Russel Simmons hits the nail on the
hammers with this quote. The life that is experienced in the hood can not be suppressed, it has to
be expressed in a form of art from performers, and rap it a means to that.
The Why?
Looking at the multimillionaires and performers who commenced rapping about “the
hood” and continued to do so which allowed them to propel their way to riches, it can be clearly
demonstrated that the
some of the rap that is produced concerning the hood is purely for
entertainment purposes.
For example, Lil Dicky’s style with rap is to make jokes and have fun
with it. He might touch “the hood” in his songs but it is purely a form of acting. (16) It might not
be authentic, but it still relates to the underlying
meaning of a rappers’ form of his or her expression
and addressing a topic that he is not completely
familiar with or really associated with does not take
away his right about talking about the hood. Another example is of Wiz Khalifa who grew up
well off in many countries such as Germany, England, and Japan as both his parents were from
the military, thus they had to relocate as required. (21) Touching the hood in his rap is purely in
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his style and makes his sounds more likable. Also, Tyga claimed he was from the hood,
Compton, but he’s from a well-off Los Angeles suburb of Gardena with his parents driving a
Range Rover. (21) Again, the sole purpose of talking about the hood without having the
experiences of it serves as entertainment to fans as evidenced by album sales. (21) Chance the
rapper believes the 90’s culture allowed for so much more expression as he says in this quote,
“There’s always been a quiet conversation and joke that if you’re not hard, if you’re not
from impoverished neighborhoods, if you’re not certain constructs of a black stereotype,
then you not black… Niggas kinda ran with that in the ‘90s I think, and that’s why there
were so many fabricated hood niggas. But now, a lot of black people have a lot more
pride in being who they are, and understanding that is part of the black experience, is
living and being who you are. I think it’s more accepted on the main stage.”
Often being described as the hood is part of the black experience, with entails the gang activity
they are part in and the hardships of growing up in the streets while always watching your back,
the black community gets enraged when white rappers take a stand on these types of issues. (16)
However, if more people aren’t talking about the issue, how can the world come in and help
these hoods that are so plagued with crime. Being a
form of entertainment also allows the hood in rap to
be more socially activity, as it can propel for change.
