The expression of the relationship between urban youth and their environment. The art of the streets.

First of all, hip-hop is more than the 'four elements'. If our culture is limited to writing illegible crap on walks, and yelling into a microphone, then it's not that great of a culture at all.

Hip Hop is the way we talk, the way we act, our fashion, our lifestyle, and our people. It's the culture of the streets,

Secondly, hip hop is NOT a music genre. Like my man said below me, rap is something you do, hip hop is something you live. Rap is just a part of hip hop, and frankly it's the part that is pretty much selling-out and shitting on it as well.

hip-hop artists/emcees:common, the roots, aceyalone, talib, mos def, gangstarr, heiroglyphics, rjd2. etc...

it would be totally ignorant for me to say what hip-hop is. hip-hop is what it means to you. basically, theres no definite definition of hip-hop. saying that my definition of hip-hop is right is totally bias, although i do have a opinion of what hip-hop means to ME. hip-hop is the love of the music. the culture, the passion, freedom of expression,emcees... not to be mistakened for rappers...

Ex. hip-POP rappers: lil flip, nelly, j-kwon, 50 cent, ja rule, jay-z. etc...

to me hip-hop is dying, or possibly is already dead... hip-hop is basically dead.these crap rappers are intoxicating the meaning of "hip-hop"
im not making a double-standard. thats just my opinion of what hip-hop is or is not. money, cars, clothes, hoes, bling bling, is not what hip-hop is to me.. hip-hop is whatever it means to you...

heres some of my favorite quotes from some of my favorite artists...this is just for fun. i hop you enjoy...
"I deal with the real so if its artificial let it be"
-blackthought
"its not where your from... its where your at"
-rakim
"just chalk it up and add it to the elevation"
-blackthought
"before it all comes together things fall apart"
-blackthought
"he tryna keep it real by keepin it raw. while half of yall still be keepin it flaw, and all the real heads scream FUCK HIP HOP until this mediocre bullshit stops!"
-mota mouth

"hip-hop" slang word for cocaine or llello

Hip-hop is a way of life that started way back in the 80's. It has 4 important elements which are:
MCin/Rappin
DJin
Graffiti
Breakin

This way of life started in the Bronx and spread down to other boroughs. Towards the late 80's it spread all the way to L.A. especially Compton/South Central. This started angsta rap and after that was the bling-bling era (which is what is causin rap to crumble and is whats causin everybody to look at it badly). It sucks that people look at the shit on MTV/BET and judge rap and hip-hop to be shitty music and a shitty way to live. All i got to say is get off your asses and listen to some real rap music

Hip Hop is something that is said to be dead. Peop,e say that since Gangsta and Club rap is invading the mainstream of the urban culture, hip-hop is dead. But it's not dead. Nas claims hip-hop died, but he's wrong. Royce Da 5'9 said it "Hip Hop is everything around you". Its not what you do, its what you live. Its your style, your swagger, your speech, hand movements, habits, theories, and ideas. Hip Hop is making a come back. I promise you that. The Truth will bring hip hop back.

Known more famously as a musical genre, but is also a culture. Hip hop is often referred to as "dead", or "dying".

In actuality, it is only part of Hip Hop that is dying, and that is mainstream. I don't need MTV, BET, or Much Music to live my music for me, so as long as me, or anyone else enjoys Hip Hop, it will be alive.

Hip Hop MUSIC can range from slow, slurring speech with digital beats and a heavy bassline,known as gangsta rap, or southern rap, which is mostly responsible for the "death" Hip Hop, to fast, crisp lyrical delivery with the instrumentals ranging from a multitude of sounds and instruments.