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Hip Hop Culture and Ethnic Relations
“1 Wonder If Heaven’s Got A Ghetto,” Shakur sings:
I see no changes, all 1 see is racist faces misplaced
hate makes disgrace the racist.. .1 wonder what it takes
to make this one better place...take the evil out the
people (then) they’ll be acting right cause both black
and white are smokin crack tonight and the only time
we deal is when we kill each other, it takes skill to be
real, time to heal each other....
Millions of hip hoppers all over the world have heard these lyrics. If more artists
concentrated on positive messages such as this, the impact could be revolutionary.
Unlike any other subculture in American history, the hip hop culture has transcended
ethnic boundaries. Because of its eclectic audience, it has the greatest opportunity
to build ethnic bridges and mend ethnic relations. Hip hop has taken hold and
permeated significant regions of the world. The clothing, music, mannerisms, and
lexicon are unmistakably the same in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Zurich, Milan,
and Tokyo. Indeed, this culture has the potential to make it cool not to commit hate
crimes, not to discriminate, and not to be racist.
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Dr. Renford Reese
Works Cited
Alexander, Keith L. “Hip-Hop Magazine Gets Fiery Start, Good and Bad.” USA Today
December 30, 1998.
Carlstone, Linda Mae. “Teens and Fashion, Baggy Still Rules, But More Than Ever, Anything
Goes.” Chicago Tribune Sec. 1:1, June 1, 1997.
Dickinson, Chris. “3-CD Set Chronicles History o f Rap.” Everday Magazine January 4,
1998.
Fernando, S.H. The New Beats. New York: Anchor Books Doubleday, 1994.
Hilbum, Robert “Year in Review/Pop Music; In the Shadow o f Hip-Hop; Rap is Where the
Action is, and its Popularity Still Hasn’t Peaked. Could Rock 'N ’ Roll Be Finally
Dead?” The Los Angeles Times, December 27, 1998.
Hoschswender, Woody. “Prep Urban,” Esquire v. 125 (March, 1996).
“Is Rap Music Here to Stay?” ./e/ Magazine 94:12 (August 17, 1998).
Michiko Kakutani. “Common Threads: Why Are Homeboys and Surbanites Wearing Each
Other’s Clothes?” The New York Times Magazine February 16, 1997.
Lewis, Gregory. “Hip Hop Gives Birth to Its Own Black Economy.” The San Francisco
Examiner Dec. 6, 1998.
Moore, Teresa. “Finding Her Groove at Vibe; Danyel Smith Calls the Shots at Fast-Rising
Hip Hop Magazine.” The San Francisco Chronicle Feb. 25,1998.