On The Culture Podcast, we often discuss Hip-Hop as a genre, a movement, and a culture. On episode 60 titled: Hip Hop Saved My Life, we asked people what Hip Hop meant to them. For the purpose of this blog, we asked one hundred people from all walks of life the same question; what does Hip Hop culture mean to you? We have compiled some of the best responses to that question, including my own about Hip Hop’s significance.
To delve into the personal significance of Hip Hop culture, we asked a Director of Content and a Founder to share their perspectives. From "Hip Hop: A Culture of Collaboration" to "Hip Hop: The Heartbeat of NYC", here are the two insightful answers they provided.
- Hip Hop: A Culture of Collaboration
- Hip Hop: The Heartbeat of NYC
Hip Hop: A Culture of Collaboration
Hip-hop is a true example of how collaboration creates a sum bigger than the parts. The reason why it is such an important culture is because its rise came as a result of one artist supporting another artist. Sure, rivalries created promotion for upcoming albums, but the reality is there were far more artist collaborations than battles. So, to me, hip-hop means support, encouragement, and growth.
Jason Vaught, Director of Content, SmashBrand
Hip Hop: The Heartbeat of NYC
Hip-hop culture, to me, is the pulsating heartbeat of NYC. I remember walking down Ditmars Blvd in Queens and hearing "Hard Knock Life" blasting from a passing car. That moment was emblematic of the city's spirit - raw, resilient, and unapologetically authentic. Hip-hop is more than just music; it's a reflection of life in the concrete jungle, from the gritty subway lines to the towering skyscrapers. It's the stories of hustle, dreams, and the undying spirit of New Yorkers. Every beat, every lyric, resonates with the energy of the city I call home. It's a culture that's shaped my perspective, reminding me of the grind, passion, and soul of NYC.
Nader Jaber, Founder, FlyNumber
Fat Joe – Bronx NY – Rapper, Producer, Terror Squad
Hip-hop saved my life. Without hip-hop, I’d definitely be in jail for 1,000 years or dead. Hip-hop has been able, for me, to live my dreams out. It’s given me a platform to leave behind a legacy. Hip-hop has helped me, helped others. I could probably go forever with metaphors. I could tell you all type of cliché shit. But that’s absolutely the truth.
Read More: 21 Rappers Explain What Hip-Hop Means To Them - XXL | https://www.xxlmag.com/21-rappers-hip-hop-means-interview/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
Jeff - CEO of The Culture Entertainment LLC, Co-host the Culture Podcast
For me, it’s everything from battle rapping, to beat boxing to DJ’ing, to MC’ing, the graffiti, umm, I love it all. It’s the soundtrack to my life I would say. From the way I dress to the way I talk; it’s all influenced by the culture. I remember growing up just staying up late watching Def Poetry on HBO and even today I’ve always admired or been fascinated by the idea of expressing yourself not only through words, but through lyrics and rhyme. I always loved poetry, and even break dancing that’s physical poetry. The graffiti that’s artful poetry. When a DJ scratches that’s poetry. This is all Hip Hop, and I wouldn’t be where I am without it.
Anthony Austin - NJ- Co-host, The Culture Podcast
Hip Hop I want to say is the soundtrack to my life. I can pinpoint particular points in my life where something happened and Hip Hop was involved. The first time I ever heard it, I was in my uncle Lamont’s Mazda 929 driving down to Maryland and it was the first time I heard The Jungle Brother’s: I’ll House You. And he played that shit on repeat. That’s the moment I knew this was something different. I was too young, but when I heard Grand Master Flash doing The Message, and telling those stories, I was living in those. Somebody was putting music to the visuals that I saw in my life. So, in a sense, Hip Hop is my life.
Hear more from Ant on: The Culture Podcast
Mike Shethar - Portland OR - Co-Host, Mikey and Rinne Eat In, World Renown Chef, Consultant, Advocate, Culture Crew Member
I grew up a white kid in Colorado Springs Colorado, in a household that kind of didn’t give a shit about music. My mom liked old school country music, my dad was like into the Bee Gees, but they had this weird record collection. And on the dustiest ends of it I found a Jimmy Cliff record and a Parliament record and I also found some Mo-town. I found all these elements of music that I really liked. But it wasn’t all there for me yet until I heard Hip Hop. I don’t know what the first album was that I heard in the late 80s, early 90s, but whatever it was, it was something that affected me. It was the beats from the funk records that I loved. It was the storytelling from the soul, rhythm and blues, country and folk records that I loved. Hip Hop, because it’s so lyrically dense and based on storytelling, you are able to tell more of an in-depth story than you could ever with any other form of music. And that was one of the main things that spoke to me. I’m Irish and Irish people are storytellers and hip hop just spoke to me.
Learn more about Mikey here: mike shethar and here: Fun. Food. Podcast. | Mikey and Rinne Eat In
Shakir Teal - Atlanta Georgia – Tech Support Specialist and friend of The Culture
What does Hip Hop mean to me? Hip hop cannot be put into just one category. A simple phrase cannot be said because it’s a lifestyle. whether it’s the way that I dress, the way that I approached a female, to motivation in my day to day. Motivation in my athletic career at one point. The way that I talk, my slang, its more than music it’s a lifestyle. It’s a brand. It’s the way I raise my children. It’s a discipline. Hip Hop is everything to me. It made me who I am, and it will continue to make me who I am. I remember my first tape was, Enter the 36 Chambers by Wu-Tang that I bought in Newark New Jersey. And I remember my dad didn’t like that “noise”. And now, not coming from that era, it’s his 2nd favorite genre. So, it is more than just a simple thing. From listening to vinyls with my older sister. Krs-one, Queen Latifah. It is the most copied entity in the world today. So again, it means everything to me.
D-block Hellwig - Florida - CEO, Destiny Courier, Rapper, Producer, Entrepreneur, Culture Crew Member
To me Hip Hop is my universe and it molded me in every aspect of my life. Hip Hop is like what oxygen is for lungs. It’ll change its form, but at the core of it, it’ll always be, me. Hip Hop protected me when I needed protection, gave me love when I needed love, gave me friends when I needed friends, gave me a brotherhood when I needed family. The lessons learned are universal, and if you really want to know what Hip Hop encompasses, put away the history books, grab a headpiece, and just listen. The Culture is where you can begin.
Grand Kizer - Florida - CEO, Eric’s Cleaning Services, Rapper, Producer, Entrepreneur, Culture Crew Member
Hip Hop is my wife and my sidebar and everything in between. Even if she gets pissed off, she’ll apologize to me. And I’ll apologize to her, and everything is great. The only thing in this world that won’t judge me. That’ll motivate me and that’ll hype me up. That takes me to another space. And another place. Hip Hop is the beat of my life. There’s no other way to put it. When it comes to Hip Hop, it is everything, I am who I am today because of Hip Hop in some way shape or form.
Chantell Gillpoint – Idaho – Student, Civil Rights Activist, Hip Hop Lover
I can tell you that Hip-Hop is a genre of music and also a cultural movement that has had a very significant impact on music, art, fashion, and society. It’s often associated with self-expression, storytelling, and social commentary. Hip-Hop represents a form of creative expression, a way to address important social and socio-economic issues in our communities, and a way to provide a means of connecting with others who share similar experiences. Hip-Hop is the voice of America.
Send us a message and tell us what Hip Hop means to you.
Celebrate 50 years of Hip Hop with this commemorative t-shirt: https://amzn.to/3t2fRW0.
