Historian Explores Aging in Hip
Northeastern University professor Murray Forman explores the evolution of hip-hop culture as it enters its sixth decade. His new book examines how aging pioneers and early listeners navigate their legacy and relevance within a genre traditionally associated with youth.
Why it matters
The analysis provides cultural insight into the maturation of a global art form and how its aging demographic impacts its future trajectory.
As hip-hop enters its sixth decade, how does a culture that was once thought to be exclusively created by and for the youth grapple with the fact of its aging?
Fifty-three years later, their performance – many music historians say – is regarded as a critical inception point of hip-hop , a genre that in the decades since has evolved into a powerful and global cultural force that surpasses just music. Hip-hop today is a wellspring of art, expression, language, politics, community and a source of both personal and collective identity, according to Murray Forman , hip-hop historian and Northeastern University professor emeritus.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in