That ain't hip-hop...

Recently I engaged in a spirited debate with friends about the meaning of "real hip-hop..." It was a great discussion, but let's just say things got really LOUD. LOL!

There were some commonalities in our examples of "true" hip-hop music: Common, Tribe Called Quest, Wu Tang Clan... That said, the meaning of "hip-hop" should be obvious, right? Wrong.

The phrase "hip-hop" has so many different uses in today's culture; it has become diluted and, in my opinion, misapplied in a lot of cases. "Hip-hop" could describe anything from a style of dance to urban dress to a genre of music.  So, while the jury is still out on the unified meaning of what is hip-hop, we all agreed in stereo about what hip-hop isn't... I present to you the list of what hip-hop is not:

Hip-hop is NOT:

1.    Anything having to do with all Black people as a culture

2.    Gold grillz - that's just ghetto

3.    The Stanky Leg

4.    All rap music - I REPEAT: all rap music is NOT hip-hop!

5.    A lifestyle of violence and misogyny

6.    Too big pants that sag to the knees

7.    A broken vocabulary filled with slang words - again, ghetto, not hip-hop

Hip-hop is one of those phenomena that you know when you see. I invite you to experience a little hip-hop culture in it's true form right here in Indy:

Sangiovese Ristorante - 4110 E 82nd Street in Indianapolis

Every Thursday night from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

This, my friends, is hip-hop.  Go there. Experience. And see if you can engage in a little debate yourself about hip-hop.

Written by Keianna Harrison
Special to Metromix