Edward Tarrance

September 17, 2010

Ms. Evans

            Have you ever noticed that music seems to constantly change every decade? Have you ever wondered where do the rappers, singers and producers go? I will deliberately distinguish styles (trends), fashion, dances, rap, hip hop, and R&B during the 80’s era and 90’s era of music. Though you may question yourself, I feel I will help answer the questions. There are many ways in which both eras are different yet similar.

            Between the 80’s era of music and the 90’s era of music, changes have been dramatic whether you have recognized it or not. Many ways the music has change is by style, trends, topics, producing, connection between artists, videos, length of music, and messages through-out the lyrics. Music in the nineties has inspired artists to put not only their music on the market but invest in creating their own clothing, perfumes, rims, hair products, beverages, and organizations. Music in the eighties inspired the audience to stand for rights, power, respect, reality, money, and love. However, there are many other ways music has changed but these topics are broader topics in the difference of how music has changed between the two eras.

            Hip hop started during the late 70’s and became a very popular style of music from then on. During the 80’s when Hip-Hop actually became known as a genre of music the messages from the music were inspired by the society and society problems. Hip-Hop was made from Blacks. There are four ingredients to hip-hop, dancing, bee-bopping, fashion, and free styling or raps. One form of dancing was break dancing and spinning of the body on cardboard boxes. Bee-Bopping was beats but together through instruments of your soundings and with you yourself using usually your mouth or hands beating on something. Free styling became a part of this era. It was rhymes now known as bars spoken usually frequently. Last, but not least fashion. Fashion was a big thing. Styles were sporty clothing, athletic shoes, gold rope chains, and polo hats. These are all ingredients in which started what we call hip hop.

            During the 90’s hip-hop changed dramatically from spinning on card board, fashion, and bee-bopping to girls bouncing their butts, sex, teen pregnancy, drugs, and money. As others began to notice hip-hop was a form of expression, others wanted part of it. People began to rap about how they felt. Since hip-hop was found in what we consider the ghetto, hood, or projects, they began to rap about what they seen. You had pimps and hoes on the blocks selling their body for money, and drug dealers making a quick dollar and had bright colorful jewelry with name brand clothing named after big time artists such as Jay Z and P.Diddy, and massive teen pregnancy, and dancing becoming more sexual. These characteristics inspired new and upcoming artists to rap about them. This broadens up hip-hop and seen through the public eye as unnecessary.

You had all types of artists appearing and starting a new trend in hip-hop were girls would appear half naked dancing to the beat and guys with pimped out cars and iced out jewelry.

            In the 80’s hip-hop was seen as a way of expression through lyrics put to a beat. Things that would go on through the neighborhoods would be put in lyrics, which are like still today. Things that were going on were power, respect, being humble, unity amongst blacks, dancing, and pursuit of happiness. For example, you had female rappers such as MC Lyte or Queen Latifah who promoted unity and respect of women. Also you had male artists such as Kurtis Blow or KRS One who were bringing forth issues within the society. Groups began to form one who we consider the fathers of hip-hop Run DMC and another group Public Enemy who promoted power, respect, and dance. On the other hand, there were still groups or single rappers in the 90’s who had positive messages as such back in the 80’s but there are more negative than positive rappers broadcasted and promoted. Therefore the audiences only see what’s on TV or around them.

            During the 90’s styling of clothing changed. As well as style of rapping, hairstyles, dances, etc. For instance, clothing began to get worn baggy, simple designs, styles of shoes (Filas, Jordans, Timberlands, and Nike), and ball cap fits. The hair went from box cut to low cut fades with the part on the sides and for ladies short hair styles to long weaves and braids. The rapping began to speed up with how many words were said and the length of the songs went from being ten minutes to three and four minutes long. The messages started promoting selling drugs and having sex. Whereas in the 80’s, it was about making love and staying away from drugs.

            Ways that both eras are alike are they both consist of some form of intimacy between lovers, dancing whether it is break dancing or free styling, the beats are re-used along with the fashion, and some artists from the 80’s are remaking songs or making comebacks. People like Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls can be compared to KRS One and Kurtis Blow, they both raise awareness of what was going through the cities as well as the government.

            Over the decades hip-hop music has changed. Hip-Hop is an expression of feeling usually made from Blacks. Since time has changed and so has problems within the neighborhoods and government, the messages through hip-hop has change. Hip-Hop was again a way to express what was going on in society so when society changes so wills the music because it has adapted and evolved. These are all reason how the hip-hop music and characteristics or hip-hop music have similarities and differences.