I'm a break it down for ya

"Hip hop is the culture from which rap emerged. Initially it consisted of four main elements; graffiti art, break dancing, dj (cuttin' and scratching) and emceeing (rapping). Hip hop is a lifestyle with its own language, style of dress, music and mind set that is continuously evolving. Nowadays because break dancing and graffiti aren't as prominent the words 'rap' and 'hip hop' have been used interchangeably. However it should be noted that all aspects of hip hop culture still exists. They've just evolved onto new levels." - http://www.funk-the-system.net/hiphopearlydays.html



So there you go. Hip/hop defined. It's a whole separate culture not a music genre. But then again, I guess it is a music genre too. Groups like The Black Eyed Peas I would consider a hip/hop group not a rap group. Anyone agree with me or am I just not feelin' it? When I donned sunglasses and muttered bits of "Ice Baby" at eight years old I was in fact part of hip/hop. I was partaking in a rapidly evolving culture that would transform pop culture, contributing to the fashion world, the art world, and the English language. Nor ever did I realize when I was dancing to beats from Dc Talk that rap would one day other throw brutal governments. (More on how rap music has been monumental in bringing down bloody regimes in Africa in later blogs) Hip/hop was so much more than I originally thought when I first became for cognitive of the beats in my box. It was not just a fun way for the American underdog to lyrically slay opponents, welfare, and gang violence. The birth of hip/hop signaled supernova of change that continues to inspire, empower, and captivate all levels of cultures the world over.

I may not can say I grew up to the beats of Biggie Smalls and the Wu-Tang Clan but I can proudly say that even as a little, Southern, rural, white girl in an extremely small town I sensed and embraced the spirit of hip/hop. I grasped that it was something big, that it was changing things

"Can you believe it? Get a break and get off the streets,

Clear my mind from the shit I see.

In a world full of smoke. Contact from the weed

Thats when it really dawned on me. I'm a be here for life.

I ain't never gonna leave. The ghetto is all that I know

It's just another day in the hood my nigga playing back trying get this dough

Yellin out ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

All up in the club and you know how we roll

Squad deep like ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Bad little bitches with their booty on score trying to beat likeOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Know your ass feel it cause its outta control.

Let me hear you say ohhhhhhhhhhhhh

Let me hear you say ohhhhhhhh ohhhhh

Can you believe it?"....................

Introduce you to the street life.

Watch you fall in love after just one night Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh

All up in the club And you know how we roll, squad deep like ohhhhhhhhhhh.................

Can you believe it?"

- Akon "Can You Believe It?"

White Girl on Rap

As a suburban (rural, actually) American white female who has a fetish for all things Rap I have taken it upon myself to put down for my light-skinned sista's and bro's what's what in the rockin' world of Hip/Hop. I'm not expert but I have my taste and a nose for sniffin' out good beats. I pledge to share them here with you, first.
Let me start out with a little bit of my listening background:


Back in the late 1980's and early 1990's when rap was still more of a concept than a genre still being shaped by artist like the Beastie Boys, Jay -Z, Notorious Big, and Mc Hammer my older brother would play their tracks non-stop. So I would walk around with snippets of their lyrics stuck in my head. I didn't understand what was being said ( I was between the ages of 6-9) but it solidified in me one thing: I liked rap. When I saw a pair of sunglasses I would put them on and try to remember all the lyrics I could so I could "rap" and be cool. The first hip/hop song I learned was Dc Talk's "I love Rap music" and can still recite the lyrics from heart.
Fast forward many years to the earlier 2000's when Black-Eyed Peas (Loved "My Humps"), Kanye West (I blasted "Gold Digger"), and Usher were the cruisin' music of choice. I was still a huge dork. But that's beside the point.
Hip/Hop had come into it's own and all the haters had to recognize that it wasn't going anywhere. These artist where about the only hip/hop I knew anything at all about but still I bumped them in my little '02 Saturn whilst cruisin suburbia just as serious as I'm sure my rap fan counterparts bumped their beats in the mean streets of real 'hoods.
Soon I found myself in urban San Diego where I learned of Latino rap, Shakira, and the song "Ridin' Dirty". There's something about the rythym of city life that my pulse syncs with. I soon found myself drawn to places that eminated Akon, Fergie, and Biggie.
Now lets return to the present. We're nearing the end of the first decade of a new millennium and Rap and Hip/Hop continue to morph and jive the whole damn universe. I spent last summer cruising the dirty streets of Memphis, TN back and forth to my crappy coffee shop job and bumped, now louder than ever, nothing but pure, nasty, raunchy gangsta rap and I knew one thing more than ever: I still loved rap music.
I've finally become acquainted with some of the greatest lyricist of all time via 97.1, 107.5, and 107.7 on the Memphis FM bandwidth. I grown familiar with sounds of Lil' Wayne, TPain, T.I., Three-six Mafia, and M.I.A.
The brother I mentioned earlier has always been a conduit for Rap in my life. He always keeps me stocked with the latest Kanye album and is a wealth of obscure hip/hop knowledge. I credit him with fostering in me from such an early time in our lives, a genuine love for music, particularly Rap music. To this day, when I hear a name that's new to me and I want to know the skinny I call my bro and say "What's this Timbaland guy about? "
Yeah, yeah. I know I have a long way to go before I reach ghetto guru status but I know enough to get started.

By naming this blog "Rap Made Easy for White People" I'm in no way trying to promote or exclude one race over another . I chose the title simply because it just happens that most of the people I run into that say they don't like or don't understand it are often of the lighter skinned persuasion.

I understand that there are those who may not listen to rap simply due to the chasm of cultures between those who live, breath, listen to, and create rap and those who just don't get it- yet. I'm here to help change that. I know not everyone who is unfamiliar with rap and hip/hop culture is white. I love ALL kinds of people (and music for that matter). In this blog I choose to focus on things relating to rap and hip/hop because it's been a huge source of inspiration to me through out my life. From the innovative production techniques of Jay Z and Kanye West to the political rebel rappers of the harshest civil conflicts in Africa I see the genre constantly changing and leaving an indelible mark on the world. In this blog I will attempt to share some of this inspiration with you. Whoever you are and whatever type of music you favor- WELCOME TO RAP MADE EASY!


"I luv rap music. I always have, and I always will.

There ain't no other kinda music in all the world,

that makes me feel quite as chill"

("I Love Rap Music"- DC Talk)