Over the course of musical history, especially in America, new genres have materialized or become popular based on the interests of the people. In the 1920s, country music was at the center of American life, yet in the mid-1970s hip-hop became increasingly desired. Most think of country songs as all banjos and southern twang while rap is sunglasses and slang. However, within these genres, there tends to be an unspoken racial divide and stereotyping that has left a mark on listeners and affected the art.
For country listeners, the typical album consists of songs that follow a trend of white, male ideas. It can be difficult to appeal to a larger audience when these themes are one of the only representations within the entire genre. The birthplace of country is Tennessee and Nashville is considered the country music capital of the world. Country music is often associated with the South, which tends to perpetuate a racially divisive outlook on the music and the topics associated with it.
Country has seen a recent influx of artists from other genres and backgrounds. Beyonce’s “Cowboy Carter” gained popularity and was her first album published in the genre. She is known for her work in mainly pop and R&B, yet her country album garnered more than one billion streams on Spotify. Other artists like Lil Nas X and Breland made headway in the country industry despite the stereotype that country music is only for white men. New artists redefine what country stands for and through their efforts are making country spaces more inclusive.
Unsurprisingly, hip-hop and rap have suffered a similar racial divide as country. Hip-hop and rap originated within impoverished, urban neighborhoods. Due to this, many white consumers associate this demographic with rap and hip-hop despite the success of many rap artists like Kendrick Lamar and 21 Savage. White audiences often expect rap and hip-hop to revolve around stereotypical experiences for African Americans that do not reflect reality. However, white teenagers in urban areas began to listen to rap and the genre has expanded its audience in recent years.
Not only did the listening base become wider, but white rappers arrived on the scene which also began to dissolve the notion that hip-hop and rap were only for a certain race or class. Artists like Eminem, Beastie Boys and Mac Miller put their mark on the industry and even though they were initially questioned, listeners could not deny the attention they received. Hip-hop and rap has become about the experiences of all people, and is a diverse medium for artists to make their mark.
Many artists like Beyonce and Eminem were initially questioned for their choices to go into country and hip-hop where they were the racial minority. Lil Dicky specified that when people suggest white rappers have an easier time breaking into the industry, he said this is most likely true, but he has a true passion for hip-hop and rap. Breland explained that listeners should “reimagine what country music can be.” Despite negative assumptions from fans, these artists expanded their musicality and broke into particular types of music that they are passionate about, rather than staying within the status quo.
It seems that the music industry, especially within rap and country, has started to expand past the stereotypes associated with the genres and their audiences. Through the influx of new artists, country and hip-hop spaces are expanding and artists are telling new stories through their melodies that contradict stereotypes. However, this step forward does not mean genres like country, rap and hip-hop have an equal listening demographic. And is there anything wrong with that?
Even though hip-hop, rap and country have different listening bases, the genres still need to become more inclusive. It is important to support diverse artists within the music industry (no matter the type) to continue redefining musical spaces. Music will always be subjective, but by allowing space for new artists to grow and enhance different types of music, both listeners and artists will benefit from this inclusivity.
