Hip-Hop: Have Nots to Have Lots

Today's lecture on hip-hop made me think about the transitions in public image of the musicians over the years. I won't claim to be anything resembling an aficionado but it seems obvious that materialism has taken over as the most prominent visual component of the mainstream hip-hop music scene. You need only look at the extravagant attire of artists such as Lil' John or Big Boi from Outkast to see that the concept of 'having' is definitely a significant factor in their imaging and this is something that I feel is even preempting reception of their music and possibly totally negating any contrary message that their music would perhaps provide. I know when I think of main stream hip-hop one of the first images that springs to mind is some kind of lavishly jewel encrusted accessory and I suspect that I'm not even close to being alone in this presumption (I defy anyone with even a basic knowledge of pop-culture to not know what bling is).

The early hip-hop acts remind me of the punk and hardcore ethos of DIY and, dare I say, 'keeping it real' in that they apparently weren't concerned with flaunting material wealth (mostly because they didn't have any to flaunt!). It would seem that it was rather quite the reverse and there was almost a revelry in their persona's of the underdogs (aptly seen both lyrically and visually in the video for N.W.A's Straight Outta' Compton where they portray the down-trodden masses of an urban sprawl).

What then could have caused the emergence of the kind of lavish extravagance that pervades modern main stream hip-hop music? I suspect that the most likely cause would be the huge rise in popularity it has experienced over the years (indeed the fact that hip-hop is main stream at all instead of the underground movement it was to begin with); it almost feels like advertises only have access to hip-hop tracks! This popularity rise obviously will have increased the flow of money into the artists pockets and they have decided to flaunt it, something that is not unique to this genre of music by any means. The only difference in my mind is the degree to which hip-hop perpetrates it's displays of affluence; immense diamond studded adornments (chains, watches, belt buckles etc.), huge fur coats, 'pimped out' cars and the like. Scantily clad members of the opposite sex are another feature that seem to inhabit the visual world of the hip-hop star; their portrayal appears to be one that categorises them as little more than additional possessions to be flaunted as if to say that money can buy anything, even people (how true that may be comprises an entirely different discussion).

The trend of the hip-hop mainstream to display their wealth seems to be only increasing in its severity and one can only wonder where it will go from here? I feel that this pomposity will reach such a point that even the die-hard followers of today will reject the form (such as when diamond tipped skin replacement becomes the new must have accessory, perhaps?) and the music will either whither and die, or more likely (I like to believe) revert to its roots, so to speak, and embrace more 'real' imagery to form their public appearances.