How it All Started

“Hip Hop is my subculture.” This was the response given to me by Anaise when I asked her about her subculture. We decided to conduct her interview at the library, on a Monday evening. Anaise was dressed casual. She had on a black sweater, which said “Astroworld”, one of my favorite hip-hop albums from 2018.

As we sat down, I notice that she was quite a bit timid. I made sure to not come off too strong and possibly scare her off, or give accurate answers to the interview. Before we started the interview we had a casual conversation, since we noticed that we do not know each other that well. We talked about our major, classes taken, and college experience.

When Anaise mentioned hip-hop being her subculture, I knew that this interview was going to be an interesting one, since I am interested in hip hop myself. When I think of hip hop, I think of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, who were both hip hop legends. Although hip hop is a fascinating topic, I never looked at it through the point of view of a person who devotes a lot of their time to the genre, enough to make it apart of their culture. Through my interview with Anaise, I learned the deeper meaning and relevance of hip hop. Hip hop is expressed through music, poetry, and even clothing, which are all the substances that seem to make hi hop significant to Anaise.

Hip Hop Characteristics

Anaise spoke with a passionate tone when I asked her about how she got into the hip hop culture. This dates back to her family, who is also involved in the culture. As she spoke about hip hop, she mentioned the clothing, which is a very important aspect in hip hop. We both agreed that hip hop fashion made up the culture, and was one way to recognize people of hip hop culture. This was when I noticed how passionate she was about hip hop. We spoke about the brands that were trendy while she was growing up. “Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Nautica!” Yells out Anaise, as I continued to ask her about hip hop fashion. At this point, I put myself in her shoes and started to feel as if I were an insider due to all the knowledge I knew on hip hop and the connections and similarities we had due to the simple topic of hip hop.

Anaise’s Views

As I continued to interview Anaise, I got a glimpse on her personality and her connection to hip hop. She is a funny, intelligent, and laid back person. These characteristics all work together to help the making of hip hop and how important it is to her. If you listen to hip hop, you know that it is a “chill” genre in which you simply vibe to, rather than getting up and dancing to the music. As a child, Anaise was always laid back and always listened to hip hop with her family. I realized the change of tone when the topic came about. She was way more calm and collected. She did not have much to say about the music itself. Simply, “I like it, it calms me down and brings back memories.” Maybe there was something more to it, due to her body language, which seemed to be unsteady. However, we moved past that topic.

Disagreements

The most important part of this interview I conducted was the disagreements Anaise had with hip hop. She disagrees with their perspectives on sexuality and how harsh they could be towards females. This is when her body language and tone totally changed. We were able to agree that many hip hop songs, dating back to the beginning of the hip hop era, were cruel towards females. Anaise had a strong opinion about her disagreements. Her tone got louder and this was the topic she touched on the most. In hip hop music, many artists use slang and terms that are disrespectful to women. Again, I felt like an insider. As a female who listens to hip hop herself, I knew that Anaise was factual in everything she was saying. She let out all her feelings on this topic. We spoke about her dislikes on this topic and it showed me more of her characteristics. Anaise is passionate and concrete when she believes in something. She takes one side or the other. After I asked her the questions about her disagreements with hip hop, I noticed a sense of relief in her voice. She was glad that topic was over.

Conclusion

After my interview with Anaise, I noticed that she is a reliable source when it came to hip hop. A part of me felt like an insider and a deep connection with the views she had regarding hip hop. It wasn’t simply about the music. In all honesty, we barely spoke about hip hop music, which was not to be expected. I was able to get to know the true meaning and significance of hip hop as a part of her culture. Besides the music, Anaise goes through the fashion and some beliefs of hip hop culture. At the end, I still asked myself  “Is there more about her subculture that she does not agree with?” I am pretty sure there was, due to the constant holding back in her voice. However, I was able to see hip hop as more than a genre. I saw it as a lifestyle and an important part of someone’s life.