RNB vinyl records are far more preferable in my mind to any other form of media, and the same can be said for hip hop music -  vinyl is always going to represent a truer form of the music. Why do I say this? Simply because if you look back at the way RNB developed, and gave rise to hip hop music, the whole method of performance required the use of vinyl to allow DJs and performers to be more creative with the music. Hip hop can be played, or recited, certainly, but it’s the kind of music which reminds me of those cans of paint.

You know the aerosols used for graffiti? Let’s not forget that hip hop refers to far more than just music; in fact, hip hop music is simply that branch of RNB which grew out of the hip hop youth culture of New York. The culture itself is far more diverse and incorporates far more than just music, despite the importance and significance of RNB and hip hop to the whole culture. Hip hop culture included a wide range of traditional symbols, activities and ways of making statements felt and messages heard, including graffiti for one thing.

A can of aerosol paint might look quite pretty. But once you’ve seen one you’ve pretty well seen them all, and they cease to have much appeal. Although this is taking the analogy a little far, one might almost draw the comparison with hip hop music. A track of hip hop is great, and immensely enjoyable. But one of the great things about RNB vinyl records and hip hop vinyl records is that they can be mixed, scratched, spun, sampled and played about with in creative ways. Let’s not forget – that’s largely how hip hop music developed in the first place, with DJs mixing, scratching and spinning whilst MCing or rapping. Of course, that’s when the breakdancers came in as well – another creative outlet generated by the whole hip hop movement.

This is the whole essence of hip hop and RNB – the ability to play with the music, be creative with the music, and do your own thing. When it comes to hip hop music, vinyl is the truest and most dynamic way of enjoying the music. Don’t get me wrong – I realize the benefits and advantages of being able to carry your music around with you on compact disks or even as MP3s on your iPod. But these methods of storing and playing music tend to be too static, and too limiting. You can’t really experiment or play about with the music much, except to shuffle your playlist about from time to time.

I know that there are plenty of whizz kids who’ll argue that computer technology does now allow for scratching, mixing and playing about with MP3 files in much the same way, and having tried such software myself, I can see where they’re coming from. But this is again the difference between grabbing a few cans of paint and creating a one-off masterpiece on a derelict wall, and using the computer to generate a pixel perfect vector graphic which can be scaled, transmitted, saved, printed or emailed around the world.

Certainly there are advantages, but do these really make up for the losses? Where is the tangible creation, the physical product which you created with your own hands? On a computer, it’s all virtual, but grab your hip hop vinyl records and sling on your RNB vinyl records – get your hands on the turntable and actually touch and feel the music, creating something unique and original.

For me, as with most RNB and hip hop fans, the best of both worlds is usually a good place to be, enjoying being able to take your music with you wherever you go, as MP3s or CDs, but at the same time, having a cherished collection of RNB vinyl records at home to experiment with, and play with. Hip hop is a culture which thrived on creativity as a means of personal expression, from the music to the dance, from the art to the language – almost every aspect of the Bronx cultural movement was geared towards expression of some kind.

Of course, it’s true that the artists creating the music were experimental and creative, not to mention original for the most part, but their performance, once recorded, almost ends up like that vector drawing – duplicated, pixel perfect. Now what are you going to do with it? Remember, when it comes to hip hop vinyl is the way to channel your creativity.



By: T. Barnaby Milne

About the Author:

Music cds and rap music were not heard of during that period, it was all about the vinyl records and rhythm and blues soul. Their music became universal music. If it weren’t for the music and the movement known as hip hop, an entire generations feeling and beliefs would have passed by without being heard. No matter if you like the hip-hop form of music or not, two things are obvious: It sells well and caters to a violent, depraved way of life.

As soon as a new artist hits the airwaves all fans start to imitate their favorite rap artists and start to dress just like them by wearing bling jewelry and clothing accessories. The prolific rise of the rap industry as a mainstay in our cultural landscape is undeniable. The hip hop and rap culture had been promoting this for decades prior and now it suddenly is main stream. A theory on urban fashion jewelry would be that Hollywood has been embracing the urban culture more and more over the years and upon rap becoming more and more mainstream to the extent of when you turn on MTV you no longer have a daily hour segment to rap videos after the hours of rock n’ roll or alternative music, but rather a total reversal where you’d be hard pressed to find any rock videos or anything besides hip hop or rap.

The biggest change is when the hip-hop stated using remixed tracks, this became all the rage and it crossed racial divides which earned the artists recognition. Hip Hop artists need to create a certain type of persona that establishes their masculinity to be accepted by the communities that listen to Hip Hop. In today’s world poets and Hip-Hop artists show their love stories in a way that allows them to maintain there respect.

Even though our culture is forever evolving, we cannot forget how we got where we are. Culture and in depth coverage of the hip hop you want is what they offer. Hip Hop has started in the late ‘70s but become much more popular in the ‘80s, Hip Hop is a mix of rapping and DJing which is mixing and scratching albums on a turntable.

Because everything in the hip hop world is out of this world, it just makes sense that it has its own clothing line. Since Hip Hop has become so popular many celebrities started their own clothing line to fill in the gap of the Hip Hop generation.

When you think of the word hip-hop most everyone associates it with music. In fact, this term has become so widely used, that the Oxford Dictionary has included it, along with “jiggy” and “phat”.



By: David Marc Fishman

About the Author:

n’t know anything else, you probably already know that hip hop has the beat that makes you want to get up and dance. But what do you really know about hip hop dance? Did you know that this energetic dancing evolved with hip hop music and street jazz? It’s true. Today, hip hop has taken its place alongside ballet, tap, jazz and ballroom dancing; to name a few.

The first notice of hip hop dance dates back to the 70’s when some new moves were introduced to the dance world to accompany the funky sounds of hip hop music that was also being discovered. Most popular among African Americans and Latin Americans at first, there are many races who now lay claim to defining this diverse dance phenomenon.

Across the United States from the ‘Boogie Down’ Bronx, New York to the ‘Beat Street’ corners of Compton, California, young people everywhere took to this new style of dancing that included such feats as breaking, popping, locking, gliding, ticking, vibrating and krumping. In the earlier days, some hip hop dance moves such as the Humpty Dance were made popular by hip hop artists who had created the songs from which these dances were derived.

Early on, dance competitions on sidewalks included beat boxing, a form of music-making that included raps and special sound effects made with the hands and mouth. Artists like The Fat Boys rose to fame and fortune with Buffy’s beat boxing talents.

After the outbreak of interest in hip hop dance, there were even several movies highlighting this new form of dancing that combined beats, sounds, and gravity-defying moves. Crush Groove and other movies saw their day in the spotlight as hip hop dance continued to expand to different cultures and races and locations around the globe.

From freestyle forms that were often the spotlight of informal battles both indoors and outdoors to formally trained dancers who began to incorporate hip hop dance as a means of dance and physical exercise, hip hop dance has continued to evolve. Today, hip hop dance has earned a recognized place in dance studios and is practiced as regularly as other styles.

Whether hip hop dance was the brain child of some who were simply looking for another form of expression or the intentional genius of creative souls who were looking to put another dance expression into the mix of music is not clear. What is clear is that hip hop music has survived challenge and change and fought its way into the dance scene around the world.

In 2005, the popular television show “So You Think You Can Dance” presented yet another platform for hip hop dance artists to display their talents while competing for fame and fortune against other recognized dance forms such as ballet, tap, jazz and ballroom.

By: Gen Wright

About the Author:

Breakdancing is considered as one of the significant elements that make up hip hop culture. Also known as breaking, b-boying, or b-girling, this street dance was developed in the 1970s among the African-American and Hispanic youths of South Bronx, New York. It is widely believed that breakdancing began as a means of rival street gangs to resolve differences or to set the location for rumbles. Others say it was an offshoot of or was heavily influenced by capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art/dance.

Breakdancing was brought into the mainstream through the proliferation of various dance groups, most notably Rock Steady Crew. Soul and funk legend James Brown also popularized the dance style with his high-energy performances. In the 1980s, breakdancing faded from pop culture and went back to being an underground phenomenon. It made a comeback in the 1990s and since then has become a fixture of pop culture.

There are no set routines or structures in breakdancing. Rather, dancers employ basic moves while embellishing them with more complex styles and power moves. Dancers could start off with the toprock, a relatively simple dance made up of any variation of steps performed while standing up. This serves as a warm-up in preparation for further acrobatic moves. The downrock, in contrast, is performed with the hands and feet on the floor. A common downrock move is the 6-step, which looks like walking in a circle while one hand touches the ground.

The basic moves lay the groundwork for power moves, which involve more difficult routines and require physical stamina. One of the more common power moves is the windmill. This requires dancers to spin from the upper back to the chest while twirling the legs around the body in a V-shape. The windmill is a tough move to perform and usually takes two to six months to learn.

Another power move is the flare, which involves swinging the legs around the stationary torso in continuous circles while the arms carry the weight of the whole body. In gymnastics where it originated, the flare is usually performed on a Pommel Horse but in breakdancing, it is done on the floor. The headspin and the jackhammer are also among the popular power moves. The latter is performed with the dancers hopping around in a circular motion while one hand supports the body.

A routine usually ends with a freeze, a full stop in an interesting and often difficult position. This usually means suspending one’s body with feet off the ground and supported by the hands or the torso. A suicide is another way to end a routine. This involves a painful-looking drop to the buttocks, back, or stomach. The desired effect is for the dancers to look like they injured themselves.

Today, breakdancing has gained international recognition and has become popular in Europe and Asia. Annual competitions are held in Germany, Britain, Japan, and the United States. It has also inspired fashion trends and has been featured in a number of movies, music videos, TV shows, and commercials.



By: Kristien Wilkinson

About the Author:

New studies are in the news practically every day: childhood obesity is on the rise and the percentage of children ages 6-19 affected by this condition has tripled since 1980. That translates to roughly 9 million kids who are at risk for Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke and even some forms of cancer – all this from preventable, weight-related issues.

Supersized junk meals are not the only cause for the increasing weight. Kids today are not as active as they were a generation or two past. Their attention is drawn to sedentary hobbies such as computers, video games, and television as never before—and this is beginning to seriously affect their emotional and physical health. As the weight piles on, so does the shame and low self-esteem—and thus begins a vicious cycle that can sadly last a lifetime.

Adolescent fitness coach Mike Hope (http://mikehope.com)witnessed so many situations where the overweight kids tried to melt into invisibility instead of participate in a team sport, that he decided to do something about it. “Schools and camps would often invite me to teach special martial arts or dance classes and it was really sad to see kids wanting to take part, but so afraid of being made fun of that they preferred to sit out the session.”

Inspired by the exercise videos that work so well for adults who can’t get to the gym, Hope produced several interactive videos that teach kids the basics of martial arts and break dancing. These videos not only help burn calories, but also get kids into a routine that gets them off the couch and moving. “It’s a terrific feeling,” Hope says, “when I get a letter from a parent telling me that the video helped their child lose weight.” And many kids who outgrew the videos (you know what attention span is today) went on to other physical activities to keep themselves active.

“It’s like Flintstone vitamin,” adds Hope. “Kids don’t necessarily need to know that it’s good for them. Yet parents get the satisfaction of knowing they are getting fit, having fun and building their confidence level.”



By: Christina Zika

About the Author:

Growing up in the City of Detroit during the early sixties was a memorable era for music. It was a period of time whereby the unique sounding records of Motown were being played and heard throughout the streets, nightclubs, house parties and radio stations everywhere. It was common to have the soulful R and B records playing on the jukeboxes while folks were dancing in the streets or singing in the barber shops and beauty parlors to the love songs that eventually captivated the hearts of millions of people throughout the world. Music cds and rap music were not heard of during that period, it was all about the vinyl records and rhythm and blues soul.

The songs that were written by Motown songwriters during the 60’s & 70’s had so much meaning. They were songs that spoke about true love, current events and the heartache and pains of life experiences. Oh yes, Motown had it going on! Their music became universal music. Many of the soulful tunes crossed over into other markets such as pop, jazz, blues, etc… But just like George Benson said in one of his recordings “Everything Must Change”, and sure enough, he was right about the music.

After giving so many years service and great music to the City of Detroit, Motown moved out and Rap/Hip Hop moved in. Instead of hearing someone singing My Baby Loves Me or My Girl, you began to hear new sounding lyrics of street experience expressed in rhythms with the mouth, chest, hands and feet as such had never been heard before.

This new sound called Rap evolved in the early 80’s and took off as a sky rocket in the late 90’s and New Millennium as Hip Hop/Rap. Even today Rap/Hip Hop music is still a multi billion dollar genre. Millions of cds, videos and dvd’s are sold each year in the Hip Hop genre of music. And there is no sign that Hip Hop will be slowing down or taking a back seat to anyone anytime soon.

So what happened to the Motown sound…. did it die out? No! The Motown sound will never die out. It will always play a significant part in the hearts of millions who embraced it’s sound back in the early 60’s, and continued to pass that sound on to their children throughout the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.

Sometimes you just have to move over and let the new kids on the block have a turn in expressing their musical talents, songs and ideas. That’s what Motown did…moved over-not out. And now the Hip Hop artists are not the new kids on the block anymore, for they have taken their position to express themselves musically, just like the rhythm and blues artists took their position to express themselves in the Motown era.

That’s how we’ve gone from Motown to Hip Hop!

Sincerely,

Michael Bell

©2006 Michael Bell

http://www.buymusicfromus.com



By: Michael Bell

About the Author:

“The essence of all art is to have pleasure in giving pleasure.” — Mikhail Baryshnikov



Here the winner of So You Think You Can Dance 2009 comes.

The two-night, four-hour season finale of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE promises to be the series’ most spectacular showdown ever! Brandon Bryant, Evan Kasprzak, Jeanine Mason and Kayla Radomski, the Top 4 compete one last time in the hopes of winning America’s vote and the title of America’s Favorite Dancer, a $250,000 cash prize and a featured spot on the cover of the November issue of Dance Spirit magazine. Judges Nigel Lythgoe and Mary Murphy, as well as guest judges Mia Michaels, Tyce Diorio, Adam Shankman and Debbie Allen, offer critiques on the final performances of the season. Broadcast for the first time from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, the season finale airs Wednesday, Aug. 5 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Thursday, Aug. 6 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX.

So You Think You Can Dance Season Finale Official

http://www.fox.com/dance/

In addition to naming America’s Favorite Dancer, the two-hour live finale features performances by this season’s Top 20 dancers, Hip Hop dance team The Rage Boyz Crew and Talia Fowler, winner of Season Two of “So You Think You Can Dance Australia.” The celebration also showcases encore performances of the Judges’ favorite routines from Season Five.

So You Think You Can Dance 2009 Season Finale Video

Don’t miss this big event! So who win Season Five of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE and how to become America’s Favorite Dancer? You can get more SYTYCD videos from YouTube or other online video sharing sites.

Also, you download some YouTube videos about SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE 2009 with YouTube Video Downloader or Meagavideo videos with MegaVideo Downloader, etc, and save them in your PC, iPod, iPhone, PSP, DVD and any video players.

YouTube Video Downloader | MySapce Video Downloader

By: Jason Gabirlla

About the Author:

I’ve been a dancer my entire life. I started out at the tender age of 4 with my first pair of shinny black tap shoes with little pink bows. I later graduated to jazz, swing, ballroom, a little country line dancing and in my mid 20s returned to my love of tap where I studied with a professional dancer who taught the likes of Paula Abdul and other celebrities how to shake a leg.

So when I decided I wanted to drop a couple of pounds before the holidays hit I went back to my roots and signed up for a series of dance classes.

Going in I knew that dance requires creativity, focus, control and power. But driving home one day I thought about how much learning to dance is like running a business. Here are 5 business lessons I’ve learned from hanging out in a hip-hop class.

I can do a whole lot more than I thought.

Each lesson is broken down into sections. It doesn’t matter what class I’m in the instructor belts out 8 counts of new steps and I watch thinking, “my body doesn’t do that”.

You know what, after it’s broken down and we practice a bit, “my body can do that”. It’s the same with your business. What business tasks, systems, phone calls, and risks are you not taking because you think you can’t? All it takes is breaking it down and a little practice and you’ll be amazed at what you can do.

It gets easier with time.

My first day in hip-hop class I looked around at the room full of 20somethings and through, “what on earth is a tap dancer doing in a hip-hop class”? I tripped over myself, got frustrated with the steps and pretty much looked like an idiot. But the more I do it the easier it gets and the more fun it is. To top it off I’m surprised at how fast I’m picking it up.

In business you don’t start at the top. You have to try things that make you feel uncomfortable, self- conscious and maybe even (gulp), out of control. But keep at it because soon things that gave you the heebie jeebies become second nature.

It takes more than good feet to be a good dancer.

So there I was feeling a little cocky because I had all the steps down. I was moving all over the floor and then I looked in the mirror and I looked like CRAP.

My feet were perfect. But the rest of me was stiff as a board. I wasn’t moving my arms, hips, head, or shoulders. Nothing. I was only doing 10% of the work, but expecting 100% of the results.

It’s the same in business. If you have the perfect marketing plan, but no systems to back it up, it’s like you’re working at 10%. You need a balance of marketing, sales, accounting, products, staff, etc. Make sure you aren’t dancing with just your feet, use your whole body.

Why do I have to force myself to do something I love?

Sunday morning I’m curled up on the couch with my dog, a nice cup of tea and the TV. I love the dance class, you’d think I’d be ready to jump up and head off to class. But no I literally had to force myself off the couch.

Even though you love what you do, sometimes you’ll have to force yourself to work. Figure out what motivates you to get going even when you don’t feel like it.

A group of peers is really supportive.

When there is a really big class we split into two groups so at the end of the class each group has a chance to really let go without worrying about running into their neighbor. It’s great having more advanced dancers to follow in case I forget the steps. Then at the end the group watching claps and cheers – no matter we look like.

Find yourself a group of cheerleaders. Personally, I have a mastermind group, an accountability buddy, and a coach. All help me when I need help with the steps and cheer for me when I have even a small success.



By: Beth Schneider

About the Author:

One of the most unique, creative, and influential cultures in not only North America but throughout the world is hip hop culture.  Hip hop’s appeal can be seen locally and globally as its style, music, and attitude continue to spread fast through various mediums.  In the midst of this culturally explosive movement, we also note that the North American Church is struggling, as its popularity and draw fades with each passing year.  However, rebirth is found as thousands of Christians are taping into the fountains of biblical wisdom that are redirecting them back to God’s Mission.  A movement known as the missional church, is pleading with the body of Christ to be the Church, and to bring the gospel of Christ in a relevant and contextualized fashion to all peoples.  One would be wise to advise the missional church to take very serious the opportunities that hip hop culture brings to the table.  For it is this papers intent to show that the very nature of hip hop and its cultural norms are extremely conducive for missional praxis locally and often times even globally.

Before exploring why hip hop and missional theology would go together well hand in hand, one must first grasp what hip hop culture and missional ecclesiology are first.  To the misunderstandings of many, hip hop is another word for rap music.  This confusion draws from a lack of engagement from those outside the hip hop community with those inside.  In reality rap is just one aspect or cultural artifact that has come out of the hip hop community.  “The hip-hop subculture manifests itself in people, and as people identify the needs in their life that hip-hop meets, the culture is sustained. To minimize hip-hop by saying it is just rap is to disrespect it, because hip-hop is life” (The Hip Hop Church, 66).  Hip hop is a culture, it is a world view, it is a way of life.  “Hip-hop is about dance, art, expression, pain, love, racism, sexism, broken families, hard times, the search for God and overcoming” (The Hip Hop Church, 61). 

For this work, we also make the point that hip hop at its core is urban youth culture, especially culture representing African Americans and Latinos.  In the book, The Hip Hop Church the author agrees that “it encompasses the culture of African Americans, Latinos and urban America more generally” (63).  Now as we will point out later, the influences of hip hop have crossed these racial and geographic boundaries; nonetheless, we attest to its cultural roots and authenticity found in mostly black and brown urban settings.  From the beginning, hip hop has found its birth from the African diaspora.  And then grounded itself in the urban experience largely of the northeast and west coast.  “True Hip-hop is a term that describes the independent collective consciousness of a specific group of inner-city people” (The Hip Hop Church, 63).  And so it is the people’s mundane life activities that make and produce hip hop culture.

The missional community, on the other hand, represents a theologically diverse community who are committed to pursuing God’s Mission.  It seems at this point, that the missional movement (or at least under the title missional) is a mostly white upper and middle class theology.  However, a homogeneous group is not the goal, nor desire of those within that theological framework.  In fact they represent the opposite, a community that wants to cross all boundaries as God does.  They claim that God has and continues to interact in human history, and chooses to use people, specifically the church, to be his hands and feet in this world.  And so according to John 20:21, just as Jesus has been sent into this world,  followers of Jesus likewise are sent into this world.  They are called to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to represent the reign of God here on earth.  Practically speaking, they believe that to do this we are called to cross racial, ethnic, demographic, and cultural boundaries.  At the same time we are not to force any particular culture or practice for every context.  In Missional Church it is explained this way,  “to be faithful to its calling, the church must be contextual, that is, it must be culturally relevant within a specific setting.  The church relates constantly and dynamically both to the gospel and to its contextual reality” (18).  And so the charge is to bring the good news of Jesus and his coming Kingdom to a world that is broken, sinful, and in bondage.  Relevance is a key word for this community as they are sent out into the world.  Engaging cultures and recognizing that every culture can have the gospel applied to it is core teaching within the missional community.  “The gospel is always conveyed through the medium of culture.  It becomes good news to lost and broken humanity as it is incarnated in the world through God’s sent people, the church” (Missional Church, 18).  Therefore no culture is beneath redemption, no culture is so lost that it cannot be saved.

It is with this background of missional theology and hip hop culture that we begin to lay foundation to who these communities, cultures, and movements are, as well as why they may go well together; for both are fascinating movements that have deep impact for the world in which we live.  We must begin to acknowledge that while they do not necessarily overlap in terms of human population and demographics, ideologically the two would go hand in hand very well.  We will begin to unpack this further.

Within the hip hop community, there is a debate going on as to what is authentically hip hop, and what is a bi-product of the commercialization of rap music.  Within the confines of rap as a genre you find underground and socially conscious emcees as well as rich and famous rap pop stars.  The Hip Hop Church breaks it down like this, “a rapper is for the industry or produced by the industry; they rap about whatever is popular, and they give the culture of hip-hop a reputation of only being about materialism and sex” (83).  Yet there is another definition for the conscious rapper, or as they call him the emcee.  Here they say that “an emcee, on the other hand, seeks to keep the purity in hip-hop and stays away from the entertainment, performance-only view that rappers consistently have.  The emcee is considered to be a lyricist with something to say that’s for your heart, your soul or your intellect.  They don’t rhyme about what is popular or important to the materialistic hip-hop head because they are stewards of the culture and hip-hop’s message.  Emcees are seeking to drop some knowledge about life and how best to live in this world” (84).  It is this stewardship and consciousness of hip hop that I would like to explore some more as it relates to missional praxis. 

Michael Eric Dyson, a leading black intellectual states in his newest book Know What I Mean? that “conscious rappers are lauded as much for what they don’t say as for what they spit on record. They don’t brag about exorbitant jewelry, excessive women, or expensive automobiles.  Conscious rappers do talk about racial injustice, police brutality, over-incarceration, political prisoners, rampant poverty, radical educational inequality and more” (66).  There is a deep critique of the injustice and white supremacy that has pervaded the United States way of life within the hip hop community.  Dyson reminds the reader that there is plenty of “rap that is socially aware and consciously connected to historic patterns of political protest and aligned with progressive forces of social critique” (64).  No one is safe from the rhetorically resistant hip hop community.  All aspects of life are under the microscope and are seen as fair game for critique.  “Hip-hop, in fact, calls attention to the failures of government, schools, police, preachers and churches, bringing them to light while shaming them at the same time” (The Hip Hop Church, 81).  The rules of American life have never proved itself to be true for the urban youth, especially those who are black and brown, and therefore critique is the natural response from this otherwise powerless and voiceless community.  Hip hop will question “everything from whether the American dream is attainable for urban youth to whether the police force and the national government are systems that can be trusted” (The Hip Hop Church, 106).  Some conscious emcees have gone beyond just the struggles of the ghetto, to tackle more national and global problems that might not benefit them directly.  Dyson explains that “they have also occasionally linked their work to quests for social justice, whether making a song to galvanize social response to police brutality or to dramatize and inspire social outrage against an unjust war” (Know What I Mean?, 64-65).  And so we see a powerful and strong voice critiquing the injustice that dares try to oppress them.

The hip hop generation are the kids of those who lived through the sixties and seventies as adults.  Yet the approach from the hip hop generation is different, they are even more resistant to the status quo.  “Civil rights folk said, ‘We’ll dress up and play the rules the white way and cross over.’ Hip hop seized the reins of its destiny and insisted that it make music its way, and white folk could cross over to them” (Know What I Mean?, 56).  The Hip Hop generation wants to stand its ground and demand that they be recognized with human dignity, and that they will not be forced to assimilate anymore.

This very resistance and social critique arguably goes great with the missional churches social engagement and prophetic voice to oppressive systems.  Preaching the gospel is important for the missional church.  The gospel can be summarized by Jesus’ first teaching in the book of Luke, which states, “the Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (TNIV, Luke 4:18-19).  Freedom and liberation from oppression and poverty become crucial elements to the gospel for those within missional communities.  “Jesus further believed it to be his mission to exhibit the signs of the presence of the reign of God by exercising its authority over brokenness, domination, oppression, and alienation” (Missional Church, 104).  And as they see Jesus throughout the gospels disarm “the powers and authorities” mentioned in Colossians 2:15, the missional community also sees that as apart of the body of Christ’s calling today.  In response to  Jesus’ example may lead Christians to “engage the complexities of corporate modern living: pressuring governments and corporations for the sake of the disadvantaged or the ravaged earth, lobbying for just laws, solidarity with oppressed peoples, initiatives to cease hostilities among nations, care for marginalized peoples and the creation, or compassionate remolding of socioeconomic structures” (Missional Church, 106).  The opportunities and philosophical overlaps are there for missional minded people to take advantage of hip hops similar goals and interests.  For there are few influential cultures that have at the heart of it a passion for justice and truth.  One would be foolish not to benefit from the hip hop culture with its “new voice of resistance for a disenfranchised group of people” (The Hip Hop Church, 68).  For the goals of hip hop and the missional church are both, at least in part, to fight for oppressed people.  Why not recognize that “a voice of a generation is being heard in order to empower an otherwise powerless class of people” and that the goals of the missional church are also to empower the weak, the oppressed, and the poor (The Hip Hop Church, 72).  Seems like a potentially great alliance.

The missional church has also made claims to the value of diversity both racially and ethnically.  I believe that the multicultural pursuits of the missional church again could benefit when engaging in hip hop culture. For while I did mention that hip hip culture at its core is the culture of black and brown urban youth, I must also address the boundary crossing influence hip hop has had thus far.  We must note that “hip-hop is a major cultural force and influence among young people regardless of race, demographic or religious background” (The Hip Hop Church, 36).  For it is definitely not just African American and Latinos who listen to rap music, nor love the style of the culture.  Rather the largest consumers of rap music are actually white.  They are the ones who actually put the money into the industry which makes it so successful.  “As the top consumers of its music, white teenage males in America do a great job of keeping hip-hop culture in business” (The Hip Hop Church, 105).  For about a decade now, hip hop has crossed just about every racial and ethnic boundary imaginable.  Kids from every race and from every geographical location are listening to what is stereotypically thought of as black music.  When this shift happened for many inner city kids “it felt like the voice of urban youth culture, especially those of color, were finally in the mainstream” (The Hip Hop Church, 64).  And so hip hop as a medium by nature will cross racial and cultural boundaries in ways that most cultures cannot.  One must understand that hip hops influence has infiltrated in some way almost every area of American life.  “Hip hop culture is all over the place -movie soundtracks, marketing strategies, music award ceremonies, video games, professional sporting events and of course the radio” (The Hip Hop Church, 37).  For this reason alone, whether or not a community is urban, suburban, or rural, it seems very wise to at least engage hip hop culture on some level to take advantage of its multicultural nature.

Now the boundary crossing nature of hip hop extends pass the national lines.  Hip hop is currently a global phenomenon.  Its music can be found pumping in clubs all over Europe, Asia, and Africa.  “The global impact of hip hop is being studied by scholars like Deborah Wong at the University of California-Riverside, who covers Asian hip hop, and Marcyliena Morgan at Stanford University, who researches hip hop in Cuba and England” (Know What I Mean?, xxvii).  There seems to be no limit to the influence hip hop is having around the globe.  Just as McDonald’s and Pepsi have become global markets so has rap music.  One would wonder why such a despised and feared group of people (African American males) could have such an influential global voice.  Carl Ellis might have the answer in his book Going Global, in which he argues that the African American experience of slavery and oppression has been recognized globally.  He contends that many people around the world actually have a soft spot for the African American community, because they either empathize or can relate to the sufferings black people are overcoming.  He states, “it is astonishing to see how people throughout the world seem to have positive feelings toward African Americans” (Going Global, 85).  Given the global awareness of the African American experience, it makes perfect sense why hip hop, a product of the African American community has become a global favorite.  Therefore, if the missional church plans to be “a blessing to the nations” according to Genesis 12, it would be right on point to align itself at times with the global influence hip hop has.  In the words of Michael Eric Dyson, “I maintain that we should be willing to take a scholarly look at hip hop for no other reason than it has grabbed global attention and sparked emulation in countless different countries and among varied ethnicities” (Know What I Mean?, xxv).

Finally, it would be an incomplete study if one did not look at the soul and spirituality of the hip hop community, and its importance for missional praxis.  For there are plenty of artists like Lauryn Hill, Common, Talib Kweli, and Mos Def to name a few, who along with their social critique also bring a deep sense of spirituality and soul to their music.  It is a music that uplifts the people and encourages them to have hope despite the harsh realities in which many people live.  Each and every word from these cultural prophets are powerful and inspiring, and often times even point the listener to God in the midst of their suffering.  “Words are important, as a means of upward mobility, or as a means to escape suffering, especially by exposing its horrible intrusion into one’s group or neighborhood, or to grapple with a white supremacist society that refuses to acknowledge our fundamental humanity” (Know What I Mean?, 76).  And as these musical movements of hope and truth move forward, they inevitably are at the least in participation with God’s plan of liberation to oppressed peoples.  When one engages with the actual music of some of hip hop’s most conscious and prophetic artists, they will see that “hip-hop spirituality has connections to liberation theology” (The Hip Hop Church, 118).  Hip hop at the heart is a child of R&B, which is a child of Jazz and Blues, which is a child of the Negro Spirituals.  And throughout the history of soul music, there has always been a core element that proclaimed liberation, and recognized it to be of God.  This spiritual side of hip hop is a powerful alliance for the missional church.  For just as Paul was able to go into Athens and notice the altar with the inscription “To an unknown God” and used that sense of spirituality within that context to proclaim that “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him.”  Likewise, the missional church can also use the deep sense of spirituality and liberation theology found within hip hop culture as a starting point to revealing the one true God  in whom we “live and move and have our being” (TNIV, Acts 17:27-28).

In conclusion, it is clear that there are plenty of areas in which hip hop culture is conducive for missional praxis.  Its social consciousness, multicultural nature, global influence, and soul and spirituality line up well with the missional churches desire to socially engage society, to reconcile across all racial and cultural boundaries, to take the gospel to the whole world, and to encourage faith and spirituality in Jesus Christ.  Other areas one might be interested in looking at are their postmodern approaches, their understanding truth, their authenticity, and their  opposition to too much hierarchical leadership.  Also, it is important to note that while hip hop has many positive norms that lend itself well for missional engagement, it also is a human culture and therefore fallen.  One must beware of some aspects of hip hop culture that have patriarchal tendencies, sexism, materialism, and violence as part of its message.  Nonetheless, it is contended that hip hop culture is indeed extremely conducive for missional praxis because of its cultural norms.  It would be foolish for anyone who seriously engages with missional theology to not at least experiment with the possibilities it can have when allianced with hip hop, no matter where you find yourself.  Most likely wherever you are, aspects of hip hop are there as well.

References:

Dyson, M. E. (2007). Know What I Mean?: Reflections on Hip Hop. New York, NY: Basic Civitas Books.

Ellis Jr., C. F. (2005). Going Global Beyond the Boundaries: The Role of the Black Church in        the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Chicago, IL: Urban Ministries, Inc.

Guder, D. L. (Ed.). (1998). Missional church: A vision for the sending of the church in

North America. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Smith, E. and Jackson, P. (2005).The Hip Hop Church: Connecting with the movement shaping our culture. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press.

(2005) Today’s New International Bible: The Holy Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: The Zondervan Corporation.



By: Drew Hart

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“Dancing Styles and Dance Moves for beginners”

There are so many different genres of dance that one can feel overwhelmed when he or she thinks of learning to dance. However it is not as complicated as it seems.

Firstly, to excel at a certain style it may take years of practice, to be able to cope with several types of dancing is not quite as hard. For many people who enjoy a range of activities, it is much more beneficial to learn a little about each style and not a lot about just one. This is because the usual person in today’s world will be exposed and often “pressured” into dancing at a variety of events. Therefore someone may encounter hip-hop, ballroom, and break dancing styles all in a very short period of time.

The purpose of this article is to give an overview of the main types of dance and some of the moves needed for each.

Hip-hop is a great dance style to be familiar with as it can be used whenever there is a faster beat. Also, don’t think that hip-hop is just for those with baggy pants and lots of neck chains, anyone can benefit from acquiring this skill.

The most basic element of this genre is time-steps, a name also used for ballet moves. These require that you step in certain directions in time with the beat that is playing. “Step-tap” is one of these moves where you step to one side and then follow with your other foot and tapping it as it lands, continue this left and right.

A variation of this is “tap-step” where you tap with your first foot. You can experiment with many variations of these time-steps and maybe even create some of your own.

Another basic movement which looks great with a fast beat is isolations, where you separate movement in the upper body from the lower body. This can mean moving your shoulders back and forward while the rest of your body is still or swiveling your ankles creating movement while the rest of your body is still. These moves are the basics of hip-hop dance and should help in any club or dance party.

Ballroom dances can be some of the most difficult to perform perfectly due to the high levels of coordination required. However with some very handy tips, you should be able to impress, even if it’s only at your next wedding.

Firstly, always move in a counterclockwise direction and the closer you are to the middle of the dance floor, the slower you should go. This is a helpful tip to remember as it gives direction and purpose which will affect the rest of your dancing. Another easy tip is that if you are a woman, you should start with your right foot as opposed to a man, who should lead with his left.

If you want to impress your dancing partner, try this one technique. Just before you launch off, lean into the direction you will go and lean according to how far you will step. This tells your partner you are ready to go and does not jerk them roughly. These tips will hopefully save you from embarrassment on the slower dance floors where everything is under scrutiny.

Although break dancing may sound like something you would never want to do let alone try doing, break dancing for beginners can give you a few simple moves that will help keep you in time with the beat while helping you relax and enjoy your time spent dancing.

These moves are for the club or disco although you are free to show them off at the next ball or wedding you attend. The first move is the hand glide and just requires you to put one hand on the floor and tuck the other into your chest, then use your free hand to push yourself around until you are spinning on your hand. You can go as fast as you can manage. A head spin is a great looking move which isn’t as hard as it seems, place your head and hands on the floor and spin around. Much practice may be needed!

Not only are these moves fun, but they are great at building muscle strength.

So don’t worry if you can’t master all of these techniques, as long as you got some handy tips then you are already much better off. You are probably now a much better dancer than the average person. If you were very intrigued by one or more of these styles then maybe you should take up a course in your local town or city in order to really improve your skills. You may not have seen yourself as a dancer but it is something that with a little practice, anyone can impress with.



By: Renz Carlo C. Cabales

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