Hip hop as defined by The American Heritage College Dictionary is "The popular culture of big city and especially inner city youth, characterized by graffiti art, break dancing, and rap music-of or relating to this culture."
Today, most people characterize hip hop as simply rap music. They do not truly understand the history and the current influence hip-hop has on the whole youth culture. You see rap music is just one element of hip hop.
True hip hop isn't just about music; it's a culture, a way of life, a language, a fashion, a set of values, and a unique perspective. Hip hop is an economy; it's the ability to take the inner-city negative cash flow system of hustling, pushing, pimping, and banging, and turn it into a multi-million, or possibly even billion dollar business.
So hip hop then is about dance, art, expression, pain, love, racism, sexism, broken families, hard times, and overcoming adversity. It's about trying to live out the American dream from the bottom up. It's about trying to make something out of nothing; about the youth culture of New York City and other urban cities taking over the world.
With this culture comes hip hop clothing, jewelry and music. Also terminologies such as: Breakin' (dance), Emceein' (rap), Graffiti (aerosol art), Deejayin, Beatboxin, Street Fashion, Street Knowledge, Street Entrepreneurialism came into being.
Most youngsters everywhere opts for hip hop clothing and jewelry. Jewelry is a matter of prestige and sign of wealth for most individuals. The hottest stars and athletes find it interesting to wear such jewelry. The jewelry is worn even by men who do not give any importance to jewelry and other fashion accessories.
Ness Dorig has written many articles about sports, recreation and culture and is a webmaster of a website offering news and information regarding hip hop jewelry. If you're interested in learning more about hip hop fashion be sure to check it out.
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