Hip-Hop

Someone once said that "rap is the business, and hip-hop is the culture." To most people, this is an unfamiliar distinction. Little do they realize that rapping (or MC'ing) is but one element of a very real and living culture. Hip-hop is a culture that is defined by its four elements: MC'ing, Breakdancing (b-boying/b-girling), DJ'ing (turntablism), and Graffiti writing. While these are the tangible manifestations of hip-hop, there is much more to the culture. Hip-hop culture is also defined by its open-mindedness to peoples from all different races, backgrounds, religions, etc. In addition, hip-hop acts as a forum for the exchange of the creative energies of its participants. As a result, battling is an essential part of hip-hop culture. Through battling, MC's, DJ's, breakers, and graff writers strive to improve their artistic expression and push each other to do the same. This makes for the constant evolution and advancement of hip-hop culture as a whole.