Hip hop Lyrics Over The Years

In the 1970s, New York City's low-income areas, which typically housed residents of color, was suffering greatly.

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The Kennedy Center explains that the optimism for change brought by 1960's Civil Rights Movement was beginning to decrease. Important services, such as school, arts education programs, and job training were not receiving adequate funding. Residents lived in housing that was falling apart and neglected, and the crime ran rampant throughout the city.

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Despite this, something was being created from the young people from these communities.

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The rise of hip-hop.

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The interweaving of their unique experiences with poetry, art, music, and dance. A platform allowing individuals with a shared experience to express themselves and their frustrations, with messages to support and empower each other. 

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I wanted to analyze the lyrics of some of these songs and see if there were any trends in the types of words and phrases used. In addition, I wanted to compare my findings to some of the hip hop music created in later years, as recent as 2021. I was curious to see if the message in the lyrics had changed, and if so, how drastically.