Hip-Hip as a Contemporary Teen Religion

My aim is to investigate whether in some aspect` Hip-hop is a

contemporary religion for the youth. I believe this research has

strong sociological implications and my interest in music and how

music influences the behaviour and attitudes of an individual. I

believe that young people who listen to hiphop music are influenced in

various ways mainly the dress code and language. Patricia McBroom

(American Public Affairs) stated “many middle class parents thought it

was just a fad when their teenagers started wearing jeans that sagged

below their hips in imitation of hiphop culture.” Hiphop culture has

been seen as a culture that has been adopted by many youths who listen

to hiphop music around the globe. According to Michael Eric Dyson a

professor of religious studies and an expert in youth culture at the

DePaul University in Chicago claims “hiphop is an extraordinary

cultural development. It is unquestionably the most important popular

cultural phenomenon to hit in quite some time, and its reach is now

global. The Japanese wear dreads and rap about Compton, while the

polish play the �F**k the Police’ while celebrating their liberation

from tyranny.” I have chosen an aim over hypothesis because I don’t

know the outcome of my investigation

Objectives: In order to carry out my aim that in some aspect “Hiphop

is a contemporary religion for youths”, my aims are:

1. To define Hiphop.

2. To give a brief history of the evolution of hiphop

3. To give a sociological definition of religion

4. To investigate if hiphop can be related to as a religion.

5. To investigate why youth turn into hiphop for identity.

I am of the belief that hiphop culture can be seen as a form of

struggle from the wider society which belief and values are generally

accepted in the society. Hiphop being a form of struggle from the

wider society can be seen as a religion because it holds its own

values and beliefs from the wider society.

In this research, I will be taking a statistical measure by giving out

questionnaires in order to collect quantitative data. My research may

show that I have a preconception about the topic because of the way my

aim has been structured and because I have a positive view towards my

aim.

CONTEXT

Referring to my second objective (to give a brief history of the

evolution of hiphop). Now almost 31 years after hiphop got its start

in the black urban scene of the 70’s, this complex mixture of sounds,

rhythm, dress code and attitude can now be seen as a universal

“underground culture” for youth resistance around the world.

According to a study of hiphop culture in Berkeley University in the

USA, it proposes that hiphop has become a global culture. The study

claims that “hiphop began in black and Latin American communities, but

you can’t go to any youth culture in any city around the world today

where you won’t find hiphoppers talking about their lifestyle using

similar lyrics, similar music and similar dress code”. For example,

in Paris poor Jewish, Middle Eastern and Western African youths use

hiphop styles and rap to talk about their poverty and police

brutality. This can be seen in a French video called “La Haine”

(hate).

Referring back to my first objective (to define hiphop), hiphop is a

type of music that incorporates rapping (fast vocal words), scratching

(music created by spinning disc on turn tables to make a rhythmical

counterpoint to the music on the track) and the mixture of complex

sounds. This type of music started in the Bronx in United States of

America; it was spread and made popular by Djs and rappers. Hiphop

has become a global culture that has been adopted by youths to express

their view about the society they live in.

What is a religion? A general definition of religion can be defined

as the belief in supernatural power. However, sociologist like

Malionswki defined religion as “the process of reinforcing social

norms and values and promoting social solidarity within a culture”.

Malionswki identified specific areas of social life, which religion is

concerned and to which it is addressed; these are situations of

emotional stress, beliefs, and