How the financial crisis changed hip-hop

Abstract

In the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, hip-hop appeared to celebrate financial success and material wealth. When the financial crisis arrived, however, public opinion on materialism changed drastically. This chapter investigates whether hip-hop became less materialistic following the crisis. Rap lyrics from before and after the crisis’s onset were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed to assess their degree of materialism. Moreover, members of New York’s hip-hop community were interviewed to gauge their feelings toward materialism. It was found that rappers, reflecting the hip-hop community’s sentiments, became more critical of society’s materialism as well as their own.