Hip Hop Style analysis

During our most recent class session we discussed aspects and characteristics that defined hip-hop "style." After compiling a list of all of these things that define rappers, djs, breakdancing, graffiti writers, music videos, record covers, and lyrical content. I decided I would look over the list and go through my library of hip hop and try to find concrete examples of many of the things we spoke about and try to break them down and find some sort of purpose for them.


I am going to start with the presence of album skits that seem to be on many hip-hop records. I chose to examine the skits Wu Tang member GZA's "Beneath the Surface" record released in 1999. This record is known to be a very classic representation of east coast hip hop, it includes many vivid memoirs of life  growing up in the Park Hill projects in which he was raised. References to drugs, violence, and sex can be seen in many of the songs but because this was GZA's sophomore solo release he touches on many other aspects of life since he has been able to leave the poverty struck project in which he grew up in. Anyways, I found the skits on this record to be very interesting and am going to try to see if I can identify some sort of purpose for their inclusion on the record.


Skit #1-After listening to Skit #1 I immediately thought of the the commodifying of subculture Hebdige discussed in his article. The skit speaks on how connected the world is and that to feel, hear, and understand GZA's experiences in NYC you can be in any place in the world. Hip-Hop is no longer something you have to experience at block parties, or on the corners of low income NYC neighborhoods but has now been commodified commercially and made accessible to anyone throughout the Western world. In 1999 although Hip-Hop was by no means a new development even on record, I still find it interesting he chose to include the technologic advances that allow him to share his message on a global scale.

Skit #2-This skit obviously "samples" from news reports and the mass media in the city. Although, it is clearly satirical and false it shows the hip-hop cultures and GZA's constant feeling of discrimination and over stepping of boundaries in the police department. As we have read over and over in Chang; the hip-hop community and participants in the culture have ongoing "beef"with the police for a myriad of reasons. This skit exemplifies the overwhelming feeling of racism and overly violent actions that existed in the police department responses toward low income minorities at and before the time the record was released. It even says the "random searching" policy in effect was never random and was always focused on minority groups.

Skit #3-Not entirely sure how to interpret this skit. It clearly samples from advertisements that claim they can find people with only a high school transcript a leadership position in a company and I am assuming a relatively large income. However, by the end of the skit it states that they charge an application fee and that no position is ever guaranteed. To me it sounds like a scam, or false advertising. I feel that people of lower socioeconomic status may see this as an escape from their poverty, but then end up losing money and gaining nothing. I would love to hear someone else elaborate or interpret this one differently.

Skit #4-I remember speaking briefly on how children's voices and images seem to be very prevalent in hip-hop and discussing that it may be due to them representing the "future." This skit speaking on gun statistics in the United States that specifically relate to children. It is backed by what begins as a very pleasant, piano line that seems very reminiscent of childhood to me and as the statistics get darker the piano is accompanied by a gloomy section of strings. It end with "Guns are weapons, don't destroy our children's lives"and then a gun shot. I feel as if this was possibly a warning GZA is giving out to future communities to warn against firearms, because from personal experience he saw them devastate people possibly in his neighborhood, surrounding neighborhood etc. Maybe it was a warning he wish his generation received?

So after attempting to somewhat understand these four skits included on "Beneath the Surface" does anyone have any ideas on why he decided to include them, when he could have potentially made similar points through lyrical content in the musical part of the record? Why would these four skits speaking of vastly different subjects be chosen to accompany the album? Is there maybe a common theme all of the skits are tracing on? Here's a nice track of the record as well. Enjoy.