Discussions about Hip Hop

Here are some reflections from students in the Rhetoric of Hip Hop Class at the University of Memphis


What surprised me the most about the origins of hip hop was that I did not know anything about Bambaataa.  I had never heard of the name before reading about him.  I don't know why his existence seemed to have been overshadowed when he was as popular if not more popular than Grandmaster Flash and DJ Kool Herc.  I actually had not heard of DJ Kool Herc until I started studying hip hop but I heard of Grandmaster Flash and they are all interconnected in regards to hip hop.  I am glad I am learning more information about the artists of hip hop that seem to have gotten lost in the mix somewhere.-Delois Freeman


I can honestly say that the origins of hip hop has come as surprise to me. The use of hip hop as an escape from life circumstances, and a motivational factor for change, do not necessarily equate to the focus of hip hop today. The beginnings of hip hop offered hope and an escape from the harsh realities of life in Jamaica. In America, hip hop was an alternative to the gangs and violence of the streets. The meaning behind the music, the messages meant to be shared within the community, and the tremendous impact on the youth at the beginnings has really opened my eyes to the power behind hip hop.-Rachel Wacker


What suprised me most was that Afrika Bambaataa is often left out of the creation stories of hip hop. I've seen numerous documentaries on the origins of hip hop and hip hop pioneers but can't remember any of them mentioning Afrika Bambaataa. THe fact that as a young man, he was able to promote peace during a time of gang war and violence is commendable. The fact that the youth during that time period were able to inspire a movement as immense as hip hop is astonishing. They took the initiative to make hip hop possible by any means necessary which makes me question whether or not modern generations of youth have the power/potential to permanently and positively impact american culture the way those youth did.-Jerrica Rucker


I found it very interesting that I have not heard of Afrika Bambaataa before this class. The text refers to him as one of the three kings of hip hop music, with DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash being listed as the other two. I have heard the most about Grandmaster Flash and his contributions to the craft. I remember watching a lot of biographical documentaries of a lot of hip hop artists in the late 90s, and I can remember people mentioning how Grandmaster Flash has influenced them and the craft of hip hop. I heard DJ Kooll Herc's name mentioned a few times also. I think that it is very surprising how Afrika Bambaataa's contributions to hip hop have not been apparent to me before taking this class. He has a very colorful background, and I think that it was very smart of him to keep his actual name and birthdate a mystery. He knew that his age would deter people from being receptive to his message, which was more important. I also did not know that graffiti was linked to hip hop as much as it is. I have always thought that it was a revolutionary subject all in its own.-Michelle Greene