Week 3: "Rap's Got Roots"

In “Rap’s Got Roots”, Dr. Richard Oliver chronicles the evolution of traditionally black music to modern day rap. Although rap is a fairly recent phenomenon – first appearing out of New York during the late 1970s – Oliver argues that its musical and commercial success is neither lucky nor random. It owes its musical influence to previous genres like Jazz, Bebop, Blues and Rock as well as pioneers like Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. Moreover, the lessons learned from the unrivaled success and subsequent downfall of Motown Records paved the way for rising artists and entrepreneurs like P. Diddy and Jay-Z to build commercial empires for not only themselves, but for the entire rap industry. Because artists like Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder were willing to step up to the establishment and take control of their own musical production, many rappers are now afforded with more control over all aspects of their music – mostly the finances.

Also much like the rock movement in the 50s and 60s, the rap industry has ran into opposition from the older, conservative generation that disagree with the provocative language and suggestive lyrics about the “gangster life”. However, Oliver writes that rap isn’t just about glorifying the gun-shooting and drug-dealing culture of the inner city (however exaggerated that is already). Rather, it “embodies the music and text of hundreds of years of oppression and dissent” and also serves as a communal experience, “with lots to give and take between the artist and the audience,” (Oliver 50). Like the younger generation of the 50s that seemed to relate with the rebellious and independent nature of rock and roll, many young adults nowadays identify with the attitudes of hip-hop.