Rap and African American Culture

Rap has had a lot to do with the portrayal and culture of African Americans. Some see it as a representation of moving forward during tough times, memories of old hoods and gangs, or as an extreme exaggeration of how bad it can get. Depending on the rapper or group, the reality of the situations they speak about may be exaggerated or very real. The point they aim for is to sell records, make money, and represent. Some say that rap and hip hop drives the culture lived by African Americans and some say that it is close to irrelevant to how the culture changes through the years. I think that this depends on the person and the setting that they actually do live in. If the context of the lyrics applies to a listener's actual setting, the lyrics may have more influence on that listener. If the lyrics do not at all apply to the context of an individuals life, the influence tends to be less. Rap and it's lyrics only start affecting people if they let it and its applicable in their lives. The roots and cultural backgrounds of individuals have the tendency to stick with and drive them.