Skip to content
Advertisement

The ever-changing dynamic of the Hip Hop audience

Advertisement
ScHoolboy Q (69229)
ScHoolboy Q Credit: By Avery Jordan

Hip hop has come a long way since its inception in the early 1980s. Originally seen as a primarily Black phenomenon, Hip Hop had a strong influence on the Black culture and it was easy for the Black population to identify with the themes and messages that were presented. Now, however, it appears the Hip Hop audience has evolved, and its reach extends much further than just the Black community, at least here in California. It seems that nowadays there is a very wide variety of Hip Hop fans (Black, White, Latino, and Asian) that appreciate the music and identify with the culture.

On April 1-2, local, up-and-coming Rap artist ScHoolboy Q held a show in Santa Ana at The Observatory as a part of his Oxymoron World Tour to celebrate the recent release of Oxymoron, his third official studio album.

How is ScHoolboy “up-and-coming” if he already has three studio albums? Although many may claim to have been fans of his since his mixtape days, his music is only just now starting to become mainstream, giving him much more attention on a significantly larger scale, because of he exposure provided by radio and music videos.

The show was originally only scheduled for one night, but after it sold out a second show was added and the demand for tickets began to confirm his popularity with the masses.

In addition to ScHoolboy, the show featured performances by Rene Brown, Audio Push, Vince Staples, Isaiah Rashad, and a special surprise appearance from fellow Black Hippy group member Jay Rock.

Naturally, one would expect the composition of the crowd at a Hip Hop show such as this one to be primarily Black; however, crowd composition can vary depending on the location of the venue. Being that the show was in Santa Ana, a primarily Latino area, a majority-mixture of Black and Latino persons would be expected. That was not the case for either show. On both nights, the crowd was primarily White, followed by Latino, then Asian, then Black.

It was actually difficult to find a Black attendee in the crowd unless you really looked. Why? Do Black people really not want to spend their money to see the performance? The tickets were only $30 so that may not be the case. Or maybe White people are really just into Rap music? To make things even more controversial, is it OK for these non-Black fans to recite lyrics containing the infamous  “N-word” at the top of their lungs?

After the show, a few attendees took the time to answer a few questions about their experience at the show. Many of the non-Black attendees became somewhat uncomfortable when asked questions about reciting the “N-word” in song lyrics, but said they would never use it out of the context of the song and explicitly ask that they not be quoted or have their names mentioned. One Black attendee however, felt completely free speaking her mind on not just this issue, but the direction of Hip Hop as a whole.

Kejera Jolly, a long-time underground and mainstream Hip Hop fan, provided some insight into the mind of a present day Black Hip Hop fan. When asked if she was bothered by the makeup of the crowd being predominantly White she said, “No, it doesn’t really bother me anymore. I’m used to it now. Maybe before when I first started going to Rap shows, but now, especially out here in Cali, it seems to be the norm. It is weird though trying to vibe with White people, but I just come here to enjoy myself and hear good music.”

When asked how she felt about the type of “vibe” radiating from other non-Black attendees during the show she replied, “Like I said, it’s kind of weird. Usually Black people can groove to the music and vibe out or dance. But it seems like White people only like to mosh. I have never seen a mosh pit at a Rap show until tonight, and it was very upsetting and unenjoyable to say the least.”

Kejera also commented on the usage of the “N-word” by non-Black people, stating that it is “offensive and shouldn’t be happening, but it’s going to continue whether we like it or not because they like our music,” she continued. “It’s not like we can stop them. And it’s not just White people; it’s the Asians and the Latinos too. They all say it.”

Predominantly White crowds, mosh pits, and non-Blacks using the “N-word” constantly…is this really what Hip Hop has become? Despite the show being an overall success for the artists and the venue, it is hard to overlook the fact that there are some questionable developments taking place in Hip Hop.

Black people originated Hip Hop, and it seems as though White America is making an aggressive attempt to tag along, but how will this affect the music and the fan base in the future? Only time will tell.

DISCLAIMER: The beliefs and viewpoints expressed in opinion pieces, letters to the editor, by columnists and/or contributing writers are not necessarily those of OurWeekly.

Advertisement

Latest