We are still working steadily on this year's annual Hip Hop Think Tank Journal, and as previously mentioned, are excited about the contributors and what their pondering, analytical minds have brought to the table.
One of the topics of discussion in the world of hip hop - from its formation to the present day - is one of culture vs. genre vs. state of mind, and all other such variants. While some may consider it an academic atrocity to quote Wikipedia, for definition's sake we'll be referring to it briefly here, on the topic of culture:
"Culture [...] is a term that has different meanings. [...] However, the word "culture" is most commonly used in three basic senses:
- -Excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture
-An integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning
-The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group
With the definition available, it would seem that hip hop is a culture, live and breathing, kicking and screaming, krumping and grooving. Whether it is the punctuation mark or as sentence, or even a whole paragraph is the question. As a neutral topic of conversation, we invite your opinion - what is hip hop to you? If it is indeed a culture, what makes it so (according to 'scientific' definition or personal experience)? Is it a genre seperate from its presumed cousins R&B, rap, soul, groove, and/or funkadelia? Is it solely musical or is it a way of life? What is it to you?
Don't be shy... when it comes to personal stance, we have all the time in the world.
