The Assimilation of Hip Hop Culture into an Identity

DTWW Project Topic Proposal

Thanh Le

DTWW 45842

The Assimilation of Hip Hop Culture into an Identity

       Beginning in the United States, Hip Hop Culture is a global phenomenon that has reached various levels of prestige in different countries around the world.  It is now not uncommon for rap artists or Hip Hop artists from different ethnic and historic backgrounds to be performing on the same stage.  In this project I am interested in examining the global influence that Hip Hop culture has on an already existing culture.  Even though it is evident that each culture assimilates a new trend differently, I would like to focus on how artists from each country utilizes Hip Hop culture as a form of expressing one's identity.

    Since I am analyzing Hip Hop culture historically, socially, culturally, and linguistically, I will do various amounts of research through academic journals and books on the topic.  To supplement my research, I would like to conduct an interview of a diverse set of typical college students, ages 17-23, at the University of Notre Dame.  I am interested in the role that Hip Hop culture plays in defining one's identity and I want to ask each interviewee to create a rap or rhyme and see what topics the individual chooses.  My hypothesis is that students, from no matter what background, relate the same way to Hip Hop culture where it plays an important role in their identity.  Students will use rap and rhyme to depict their values or morals, aspects of their character, or political stances.

    My research will offer insight into all of the class topics.  Hip Hop culture consists of rap and rhyme which forms a method of verbal art or play.  Hip Hop artists rap about societal issues and political issues, trying to make their voice heard and trying to persuade people to their own viewpoint.  Hip Hop Culture is a global phenomenon that is widely available through technology and the internet.  Lastly, many people worldwide identify with Hip Hop artists and the morals and values that they rap and rhyme about.  Fundamentally speaking, Hip Hop artists perform in front of varying audiences who expect a socially responsible and powerful message to be conveyed, and the music functions as a channel for the artists to send their messages.    

Condry, Ian.  2006.  Hip-Hop Japan: Rap and the Paths of Cultural Globalization.  Durham and London: Duke University Press.

Pennycook, Alastair.  2003.  "Global Englishes, Rip Slyme, and performativity."  Journal of Sociolinguistics 7(4): pp. 513-533

Prevos, Andre J. M.  1996.  "The Evolution of French Rap and Hip Hop Culture in the 1980s and 1990s."  The French Review 69(5): pp. 713-723.

Sherzer, Joel.  2002  Speech Play and Verbal Art.  Austin: University of Texas Press.