Mainstream Hip Hop Vs. Underground Hip Hop
Written By: Christopher "Justice" Siders
"Mainstream Hip Hop Music has lost it's orginality and lacks true meaning towards the hip hop culture. Although underground music isn't heard throughout the cities, it is still helpful to know that there is still good music present in society." - Anonymous
For Many years, many people claimed that Mainstream is better than underground gets more radio play, create party songs without a care in the world. However, some people claim that underground hip hop has a more positive impact to the listener , opposed to dance/party songs
History:
During the Golden Age of Hip-Hop, from the late1980's-early1990's. The Hip-Hop genre became very popular in the underground world due to it's graphic lyrics that didnt appeal to the public society.Artist such as: N.W.A., Tupac, B.I.G., all have positive messages in their songs that can leave a positive impact on someone's life due to the amount of passion that is expressed in the Lyrical Content.For example, in Tupac's "Me against the World", he raps, "They're relocating to the cemetary/ Got me worried, stressin, my vision's blurried/ The question is will I live? No one in the world loves me/I'm headed for danger, don't trust strangers/Put one in the chamber whenever I'm feelin this anger." -Tupac. However, in the Mainstream society, rappers only talk about cars, money, and girls, without having substance, behind the artists' lyrics. At the end of the 1990's decade a new subgenre emerged in the hip hop culture called "Snap/Crunk Music", in which formed in Atlanta, Georgia. This subgenre has been favored among the mainstream society due to it's care-free lyrics and party hard beats.
Today's Music:
In Today's Underground Hip Hop music, it carries on the traditions of the past golden age era of hip hop, to provide positive music. West Coast Artist Fashawn is prime example of sending a positve message among the hip hop culture. On his album "Boy Meets World"' Fashawn talked about becoming a man, in the harsh realities of violence and poverty in Fresno, California. On the Heavily Nina Simone sampled,"Ecology" produced by Exile, he raps," Unity thrown out the window what a shame/ back then we was all ken folks, it ain't the same/ I dream of that day when little kids can play in the streets/not worried about getting hit by strays."- Fashawn. However compared to a typical mainstream hip hop song like young money's"Every Girl" where they rap about using women as a sex symbol to party and dance, there is no competition.
However, not all Mainstream hip hop is bad, it depends on the artist you chosen to listen to. Lupe Fiasco is a good example of a artist that make positive music, and yet stay relevent in the mainstream world, In his Haiti dedication "Resurrection", he raps, "Urgency emergencies among us/
Life is in a crisis,tragedies upon us/ And we won't leave you stranded, rapidly we cometh/To take you out the darkness, show you where the sun is."-Lupe Fiasco. And all underground isn't good either with artists such as: Bangs proved that terrible music can appear anywhere. On his song "Take You To Da Movies" he raps," Let me take you to da movies shawty, show that you will be my baby, let sit down and just be by my side, and eat popcorn cause i kno that what you like/Hey shawty, you really lookin' nice/let me take you to the movie because i know you like."- Bangs
In Conclusion, both worlds have many faults, but in this case Underground Hip Hop is the victor, due to the fact most artists have a powerful meaning behind the music and they doing it for the love of music, the only problem is getting people to listen to more underground music. Mainstream Hip Hop, do it for the fame and money, in which brings down lyrical content for most songs.
"They ain't Listening, they thinkin about they timbalands/They say the stuff we talk about ain't interestin'/we got a better chance of blowing up in switerland/ Holla if you hear it cause people ain't listening." - Little Brother, The Listening
Verdict: Underground Hip Hop
Fashawn - Ecology
Lil Wayne- Shoot Me Down
Tupac - Me Against The World
Bangs - Take You To Da Movies
Lupe Fiasco - Resurrection
Drake - Forever
LMFAO - Shots
Little Brother - The Listening
Which Genre of Hip -Hop you think is better? Explain.
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P.S. For More music there's a play-list at the bottom of the page
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