Hip hop comes from the struggles of a group of people and served as a vehicle for change. Most of these people were African American or Puerto Rican. I think that in most situations the race of an individual authenticated their struggle, swagger andn ultimately, their their music. Race kind of served as a type of checks and balance system for race, identity and authenticity of a hip hop artist. Being Black or Puerto Rican automatcally meant you were down and you were a part of something, right? Sounds simple but it hasn't really been that way for sometime.
Someone who does not identify racial or have the same struggle comes in and introduces the music game to something new. In my mind it initially begins as a kind of sideshow in the circus that is hip hop. "This white boy can flow," or at least you used to. Kind of reminds me of the fascination with blue eyed soul singers. It's as if the color of a person's skin makes their ability an oddity. I'm not quite sure it should or not, after all we all have some type of struggle. Isn't Eminem's growing up in a trailer park as valid as 50 Cent's gun shot wounds??
But in today's musical climate were so many rappers are faking the funk in exchange for cushy advances and album sales, it's hard to tell who's struggle is real and who's is a figment of a record executive's imagination. With that being said, I think that race as an identity for hip hop and in terms of authenticating an artist, isn't as valid of a technique if you will, as it used to be. Being black and rapping doesn't automatically give you a "struggle card," just means you can talk the talk. Right now its not really about who you are or where you came from that makes a person authentic, it's more about who you can be perceived to be. –Melody Andrews
I would like to think that race doesn't play an in depth part of hip hop but, it does. From the formation of hip hop , to its current state, hip hop has been dominated by African Americans. I am glad that Dr. Dre took the time to coach and mentor Eminem. I will give Eminem all the credit in the world for his past 12 years of contributions to hip hop. Yet and still, it wasn't ideal to see a young white man that happened to live an impoverished life, have a unhappy marriage, and a life that he wasn't ashamed to embrace it all as his own. He has turned out to be one the best lyricists in hip hop. The identity of hip hop goes somewhat hand in hand with the race. The rappers and faces of hip hop today wants the listeners to identify with them through their music. Many artists expose their hood credit and want that excepted as their stamp of validation when they enter the world of hip hop. Many focus on their early days of writing rhymes, jail time, drug sellings, sleeping with mutiple women, and family struggles, which identifies them and it is this that is trademarked as their identity. While some artists have proclaimed being very poor, once they make it in the industry, some respond to fame and fortune with expensive cars, pricey jewelery, and excessive spending. Authenticity has a major role in hip hop, I clearly remember that Rick Ross was exposed as being a former correctional officer for 18 months. To make matters worse, after being exposed, Rapper 50 Cent used the mother of Rick Ross' son to further humilate him by posing with their son on photos and web sites. I was afraid that he would be portrayed as the police or a snitch but luckily, he endured and prevailed. I don't think anyone wants to be known as a fake but its clear that any chance another rapper has the chance to out another for any small or large omission on the hood credit, the punches are easily thrown and the beef starts. –Arquita Hill
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