Response to "Hip Hop Planet"

Matt Fetske

9/10/14
Professor Rasheda Young
Writing Skills
Response to "Hip Hop Planet" 


James McBride, the author who wrote "Hip Hop Planet", has changed his view of hip hop over the course of his life. He at first heard it when it was just an idea getting tried out for the first time at a party, and got to witness it (whether he liked or not) grow from that little party he attended to the huge market it has grown to today. At first McBride thought the music was  "ridiculous" and wanted no part in its history, but he would soon realize that he felt he related to the message it brought. McBride goes in to detail about the origins of Hip Hop and the journey it has taken to be what it is. Since he thinks that it was started in Africa he feels that he is part of that legacy because he is African American. He also notices that he has interest in the types of music that had influenced the new genre of hip hop and can connect the rhythms to what he already knows.  James McBride also took interest how other social classes where listening to the music and very emotionally invested in the artists.  In France there is a big African population and they have been producing rap and spreading it to parts of their country just as what happened in America. McBride feels that the struggle that blacks face is the real meaning of hip hop. Although McBride feels that the genre has taken a wrong turn into gangsta rap he still believes it carries a powerful message. Hip Hop shaped James's identity by giving him something that links his heritage to modern culture. He feels he "hates" some of it, Yet he "loves" other parts. Something that drives that much emotion has to become part of your identity.