The Sound of Modern Society
In the 50s there was Elvis with his good looks, his low voice, and his controversial pelvic
movements which attracted swarms of women therefore inspiring multitudes of other musicians.
In the late 60s tired of commercial songs with silly subject matter bands like the Pink Floyd, the
Beatles, Velvet Underground, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Bob Dylan plunged deep to try
and write songs with deeper meanings, giving birth to the 60s counter culture. The 70s bands like
Led Zeppelin, the Who, Black Sabbath, and the Ramones brought driving rhythms, heavy guitar
motivated music, and punk attitude to the public. In the 90s Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and the Red Hot
Chili Peppers revived a certain attitude lost in the 80’s by blending styles brought in from their
various musical influences. The public was attracted to these artists because they all brought
their own unique energy to the table. Hip-hop also known as Rap combines catchy melodies,
danceable beats, a rough “I don’t care” attitude, and a completely new style of delivering lyrics
has become the most popular style of music in the last 15 years.
At the root of every good rap song lies a beat. The beat being the most important musical
aspect of rap, grooves in a way that inspires everyone to tap their foot and helps the rapper
deliver his lyrics. The beat, which draws from other non-rap genre music, is very important in
morphing the backbeat of the verses and the chorus. In the song “Gold Digger” by Kanye West,
the Ray Charles song “I got a Woman”, vamped up with a louder upbeat drum, provides a very
catchy chorus. Rappers also take just a drum beat from a song and put it in their song and rap
over it, John Bonham’s drumming in “When the Levee Breaks” has been featured by artists such
as Dr. Dre, The Beastie Boys, and Eminem, making it the most sampled drum beat every used.
The use of other songs in rap helps spread its influence to a wider audience, which helps add to
its already expansive fan base.
Like Buffalo Springfield singing about civil rights or John Lennon singing about the
Vietnam War, rap has the capability of carrying a heavy message. Artists like Tupac and Public
Enemy used the publicity rap had given them to write about relevant problems in their worlds. In
Tupac’s “Keep ya Head Up” he addresses the topic of the abuse of women and offers support
with lines like “when he tells you you ain't nuthin don't believe him/ and if he can't learn to love
you you should leave him” while artists like Public Enemy addressed topics of freedom of
speech and racism in songs like “Fight the Power.” The relative topics in many rap songs draw
the ear of many people which contributes to the ever-growing popularity of the genre.
A majority of rap artists use racial slurs, intense language, and often reference socially
unfavorable acts, for this reason many people become intimidated from listening to rap. For these
same reasons people become attracted to the genre, like its predecessors, rap has pushed the
envelope of what is and isn’t acceptable in society. Like Elvis and his somewhat sexual dance
moves or the velvet underground and the counter culture, the changes that Rap has been bringing
has caused for many members of the older generation to disapprove of the genre, but for many
people that amplifies the excitement of listening to the newest sounds.
Whether it’s Punk, Grunge, Heavy Metal, or Rap the energy is the key reason people are
drawn to the music. Rap, with its upbeat rhythms and relevant subject matter has brought the
most change and energy in the last 15 years, therefore becoming the most popular.