"Vocabulary Spills, I'm Ill" - Day 18: Hip Hop History Month 2013

Whassup Peeps?

I was rackin' my brain tryin' to figure out what to write on today's Hip Hop element, Street Language. I can remember many times where I've used slang or ebonics to communicate with someone who had no earthly idea of what I was talking about. 

One guy I used to work with even understood me to say "go home to your house" after I told him to "take it to the house". What I meant was, "your work day is over for today. Please come here to headquarters because you won't be doing anything else for today." 

So here's what I've done for the day. I found a song that describes this perfectly. Its called 
"Ebonics" by the late Big L. Enjoy!

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If you're interested in learning more about The Gospel of Hip Hop, The Temple of Hip Hop, and Hip Hop's elements, check out the link below at Amazon.com:

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Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin

The Rap Beat Creator, Emcee, and Hip Hop Scholar

www.RapBeatCreator.com

Day 9 - Celebrating Hip Hop History 2013 - "Whassup Yo?"

Whassup Peeps?

I Am Hip Hop! Therefore I live, move, and have my being in Hip Hop Culture. I think, walk, act, and talk Hip Hop. I just didn't start being this way yesterday or last month or last year or even 10 years ago. I've been Hip Hop since I was six or seven years old when I was first exposed to Hip Hop. My dialect has grown from being Hip Hop. I know how to use and not to use certain words or phrases because of Hip Hop. It might sound crazy to some people but Hip Hop actually saved my life.

How you ask?

There are times where I've had brushes with the law and I mean simply doing dumb, young, people stuff. I was never a hard core criminal and was never caught or caught up. I was doing what I perceived to be "cool" at the time. Listening to Hip Hop music in the late 80's and early 90's did something to me subconsciously and eventually I became conscious. I can attribute some of my growth to Street Language. 

The Hip Hop element of Street Language according to The Gospel of Hip Hop

"is the study and application of street communication. Commonly referred to as Black English, Urban Slang, and Ebonics. It is Hip Hop's urban language and linguistic codes - the verbal communication of the streets.
Advanced Street Language includes the correct pronunciation of one's native and national language as it pertains to urban life. In addition, advanced Street Language deals with one's communication skills even beyond what one says.
Street Language is not always spoken words. Hip Hop's Street Language includes Beat Boxin and certain street codes that may not be communicated in words at all.
Still Street Language (as it pertains to the spoken word is Hip Hop's effort to free itself from the confinement of standard language and standardized views of reality.
English (for example) does not have enough words or definitions to describe how we (Hiphoppas) feel about the World. This is what makes our Street (slang) Language so important to our state of freedom.
Our speech publishes to others the thoughts and perception of OUR minds. Street Language helps Hiphoppas interpret THEIR World THEIR way."

On a comical note, I found a clip on Youtube.com where Miss Jocelyn had to translate a young man's Street Language.

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If you're interested in learning more about The Gospel of Hip Hop, The Temple of Hip Hop, and Hip Hop's elements, check out the link below at Amazon.com:

*********

Let's Make It Happen!!!

Mello Melanin

The Rap Beat Creator, Emcee, and Hip Hop Scholar

www.RapBeatCreator.com