The Hip Hop Movement

The Hip Hop movement is arguably one of the most misunderstood social movements in the history of the United States. Although most parents discourage their children from listening to this style of music, much of it contains the positive messages of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and 70's. Even rappers known for their violent history, such as Tupac Shakur, have made songs promoting peace and equality in the U.S. The most prominent of these songs is "Changes," which was released posthumously in his album Greatest Hits. This song, through diagnosis, prognosis, and motivation, is a small example of this large movement in which one race has come together through the decades to fight for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

The diagnosis in a song is the main element which propels it forward, making it the song's most prominent component. By stating the problem, the song challenges the rules set by society and works towards equality. In the song "Changes," by Tupac Shakur, many dilemmas are clearly stated within its lyrics. The first of these issues, racism, is addressed when he says, "I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black...Cops give a damn about a Negro? Pull the trigger, kill a nigga, he's a hero." This statement expresses how hard life is to be an underprivileged Black man in the United States, with a focus on issues with police brutality. As the song progresses, Tupac makes additional references to blatant racism. Although these claims cannot be proven, his central idea and motivation for writing the song cannot be ignored. He expands upon this idea when he states, "the penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks." This line is meant to insinuate that a black man is more likely to go to jail than a white man.

Another problem Tupac mentions is the poverty, drug abuse, and crime that he witnesses among his inner city communities. This is exemplified when he sings, "'I made a G today' But you made it in a sleazy way. Sellin' crack to the kids. "I gotta get paid'" and in the line, "And I ain't never did a crime I ain't have to do." Through these lyrics, Tupac justifies the unsafe and immoral acts as the means that impoverished people must resort to in order to survive. Drug dealing and theft are common themes in his music about inner city areas that present virtually no opportunities to improve one's quality of living. In addition to drug related crimes, Tupac also alludes to constant acts of violence in the inner cities. "Give 'em guns, step back, and watch 'em kill each other. 'It's time to fight back', that's what Huey said. Two shots in the dark now Huey's dead," for example, discusses how simple it is for people to buy weapons and cause harm. Representative of