Multicultural Youth, A Hip Hop Culture

Some intersting facts

Twice as many teens live in the South than in the North (9 mil versus 4 mil). Asian-American teens ages 10-14 are expected to experience the highest percentage of growth in this decade- 31% from 903,000 in 2001 to 1,188,000 in 2010.

The U.S. Census estimates by the year 2020, the non-White child population will increase to more than 17 million, or 45% of kids 6-14. Nearly 6 out of 10 kids 6-14 get an allowance, averaging $14 a week. 31% of kids 6-11 spending goes to candy purchases and 23% of kids 6-11 spending goes to snack food purchases. 75% of teens look for the lowest prices and 73% go for frequent sales, reflecting that teens are very cost conscious. Of teens, 94% say finding the right size for apparel is the most important factor when it comes to choosing a retailer; music is the universal language of youth.

Hip Hop/2008 Presidential Election

Is Hip Hop a Movement? Some say the movement is centered around the music and dance aspects and that Hip Hop has managed to bring people of all races and all creeds around one proverbial campfire. With President Barack Obama in the White House and more than 2/3 of the voters between the ages of 18-40 (the Hip Hop generation) voting for him, many are celebrating and talking about the political power and social movement potential of Hip Hop. Many have argued that had it not been for Hip Hop, President Obama would not have been elected because Hip Hop significantly lessened the type of apprehension and prejudices held by people in older generations who simply could not and would not vote for
a Black candidate. Others are saying that because President Obama had Hip Hop super stars like Jay-Z and Will I am playing key roles in exciting voters and getting them to the polls, is proof that Hip Hop is a Movement. Our favorite and most famous President Obama supporters gathered in North Philadelphia for the massive ‘Promote the Vote’ block party. Diddy, Jay-Z, along with wife, R&B diva Beyonce, Mary J. Blige and Russell Simmons attended the rally to encourage all those in attendance to get
out and vote in the 2008 election. "We have a responsibility to
ourselves, our children and our country and our new leader, but
we have to go out and vote to make the difference," Mary J. Blige
said during the rally.1

The History of Hip Hop

Busy Bee Starski, DJ Hollywood, and DJ Afrika Bambaataa(founder
of Zulu Nation in New York) are the three New York artists who
have been credited for coining the term "hip hop". This Genre
began in the 70’s with funky beats resonating at house parties,
at basement parties, and the streets of New York. One can trace
the commercial history of rap back to 1979 when the Sugar Hill
Gang produced the enormously successful song entitled "Rapper’s
Delight". The raw beginnings of contemporary rap music can be
traced to the Bronx in the mid 1970’s. Rap Music was a way that
urban black youth expressed themselves in a rhythmic form. Rap
music along with graffiti and break dancing was the poetry of the
street.

The Language

Street language is transmitted to the hip hop culture through rap music. One can hear a Chinese, Filipino, and Hispanic hip hopper using the same slang as the African American hip hopper.
Street language has become a pidgin language of sorts. Even if hip hoppers have different first languages, they still can understand the slang of hip hop. Hence this culture is bound linguistically.2

Cross-Over Appeal

The hip hop culture has permeated popular culture in an
unprecedented fashion. Because of its enormous cross-over appeal,the hip hop culture is a potentially great unifier of diverse populations. Although created by black youth on the street, hip hop’s influence has become worldwide. Approximately 75% of the rap and hip hop audience is nonblack. It has gone from the fringes, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms.

Youth Marketing Definitions:
Generation X: born between 1962-1980
Generation Y: born between 1978- 1984
New Silent Generation (Sometimes referred to as Gen Z): born
between 1995- present

Source Ethnic Technologies. Pictured above is DJ Kaper