Hip-hop is one of the most popular and consistent music genres out there in the world. People’s musical tastes have evolved heavily throughout the years, but hip-hop continues to stay relevant in the global music scene. According to a study done by Statista, hip-hop is the second most popular genre of music as of December 2024.
Hip-hop is most commonly associated with subgenres like rap, trap, and drill just to name a few. However, these days most music listeners have a wide range of genres that they enjoy.
It will only continue to grow as new genres are being created every day. You might not realize it, but it’s very likely that some of the songs you have in your playlist or know by memory are classified as hip-hop.
Originating from the Bronx in New York City, much of hip-hop’s history involves economic struggle and violence. These conditions led to many early musicians seeking other ways of providing entertainment and expressing their creativity that was influenced by life experiences. hip-hop takes inspiration from the streets of New York and expresses struggle, pain, and pushing through it all. Not all hip-hop songs include these themes but generally more known and popular artists like Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, and the Notorious B.I.G, just to name a few, included these themes in their music and heavily influenced generations to come.
These darker yet relatable themes that’s why hip-hop has been able to stay popular for all these years. As humble humans, life is not easy and there will be hardships along the road that you couldn’t have predicted. But that unpredictability is the beauty of life and adds definition to what it means to be human. Being able to process these emotions in difficult times allows you to grow internally and adds value to the upsides of life. Having music that is able to capture these universal struggles creates a personal connection with listeners, which makes the experience that much more enjoyable and memorable. Hip-hop is a powerful work of art that impacts lives by reaching us on a personal level that makes us feel understood and seen. Hip-hop deserves to be regarded with high respect for being one of the most popular and impactful music genres in the world.
