Counter Culture by Naeem Oba

Since it's humble conception in 1976, Hip Hop music has become a world-wide artistic staple. It is the symbolic voice of people oppressed and ostracized by the American power structure. As with Jazz and Rock and Roll before it, once broad scale acceptance is obtained, there becomes a natural regression from an art forms initial purpose. In the case of Hip Hop, corporate involvement is the undisputed catalyst for a drifting from the outrage and contempt that fueled the genre's creativity. In a blatant attempt to pander to a larger audience, "mainstream" hip hop, produces the equivalent of social stereotypes for mass consumption. This "watering down" of the culture has sparked an intense backlash from artist and fans alike, who demand a return to the purity of the art. This counter culture, is known as "underground" hip hop, and is a stark contrast to the over indulgence displayed on television. The "underground" counter culture, concerns itself primarily with the structural injustices that plague the black and brown communities.


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