Hip hop Artists , What's Hip Hop To You Fam?

What's Hip Hop to you? I'm sure every person out there would have a different answer to that question. Some plain, and some profound. Some similar, and some way out there. This in itself is one of the greatest things about Hip hop. No other musical genre has so much universal appeal to so many artists and fans. No other genre of music does, or is, what hip hop does, and is, to so many people around the world. Hip hop can only be likened to the original folk and Jazz music movements in America during the late 1800's and early 1900's. All born and raised right here. No other musical genres can make such a claim. Hip hop, like folk and jazz, started as a truly American cultural art form, and has now evolved into a global music phenomenon, creating cultural icons out of poor kids, hustlas, and grinders from all over. Hip hop is more than about music and culture, for many people, it is the defining cultural expression of recent generations. Folks from all walks, of all colors, ages, and creeds unite under Hip Hop's flag. Some loud and proud, others a bit more subdued. Hence Hip hop has such a broad and deep influence on the world today that there has honestly never been anything like it. From humble subculture beginnings to main stream and pop culture frenzy, hip hop in all it's forms has simply done what no other music has ever done. Nothing connects folks like it. Nothing redefines music, art, culture and style like it. Nothing... Like so many of my initiated brothers and sisters out there, I grew up on hip hop, originally catching hold of it back in the 80's. Since then I've seen it make such a profound difference in so many lives that I cannot even count the ways. I've made friends with so many folks from so many areas of the world and walks of life that I'm still amazed by it. I've had the privilege of working with amazing artists on projects that would have never happened any other way than our mutual love of good hip hop music. I've seen cultural barriers and racial bullshit fall away in the face of the simple love of hip hop music. I see no other form of music connecting people and deepening our understanding of each other, like hip hop does. Scared idiots and haters will tell you it's the musical root of all evil, but they live a scared and divided life, lacking empathy and even a social will. They don't care, and they don't connect, they just hide. Whereas, take any two youngsters anywhere in the world that both love hip hop, put them together and the barriers just fall away. Hip hop has the ability to foster love, unity and understanding that never fades. Hip hop to me is eternal and the connection between people in the future will be one of the major aspects of the shift towards equality, unity and harmony the world over. So Hip hop can have many faces, many definitions. All are valid, for many different reasons. One of the greatest aspects about Hip hop is that it is indeed a universal, yet subjective language about truth, struggles, culture, hard times, as well as great times. It's message speaks to millions around the world every day, in a million ways. It is a deep love of life, culture, music and the message of hope. The next time folks tell you it' s just all about drugs, ass and money, tell them to go deeper or just go home...Stay Blessed.