Peace, Love, and Hip Hop

In the 1970s, New York was in the midst of a cultural shift. The city was broken, crime-ridden, and in borderline anarchy. The youth were frustrated by the the crime and violence that plagued their communities and instead turned to a new, up and coming art form to express themselves. This was the birth of hip hop.

Widely regarded as one of the grandfathers of hip hop, Afrika Bambaataa, laid out the four pillars of hip hop: MCing, DJing, Bboying, and Graffiti. What started as a reaction to the tough cultural and economic climate of the inner city, has now turned into a worldwide phenomenon.

Hip Hop’s rebellious roots has now become the voice of the oppressed all over the world. At its heart, hip hop is about peace, love, and community. Back in the inner cities of New York, instead of turning to a life of gangs and violence, bboys would battle it on the dance floor or the MCs would have a rap battle. Fighting is highly discouraged in these communities as you would let your craft do the talking.

Throughout history, it’s interesting how beauty can arise from hardship and chaos. The story of hip hop is another one of these examples.