Inherent in my interest in hip-hop is storytelling, which I see as the most effective way to promote engagement from an audience. Many of the pieces on this blog are analytically sound, but lack a story with which the reader can engage. For that reason I wanted this post to tell a story, or rather multiple stories. I chose to enlist the help of five of my friends who I see as hip-hop fans from different backgrounds. I asked them to tell me why they love hip-hop, and I was very pleased with not only the breadth of the answers, but also the depth of the answers. I believe that the video is strong in that it fills in where this blog is lacking, and it displays the transcendental ability of hip-hop. Anyone can listen, anyone can enjoy. Those I interviewed love it for its danceability, its wordplay, its history, its evolution, and its posturing. I only lament that I could not fit all of their responses into the video.
Being able to tell these stories and give these perspectives has allowed me to add a level to my blog that goes beyond the analytical and into the personal. This blog is not just about hip-hop as a genre, it is about hip-hop as it is to the listener. I greatly appreciate this video’s added value alongside my own writings.
