Studying the History and Evolution of the Social and Political Aspect of Hip-Hop Culture

A study by the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College involving hip-hop performers, writers, producers, and critics explores the growth of hip-hop from dance music to a social and political platform.

Hip-Hop and Rap Music has roots dating back to the early 1970's. Since its inception, numerous studies have been made on it. Scientists have studied the brain activity of performers and find that performers (most notably freestyle rappers) uses areas of the brain that control motivation, language, mood, and action during a performance.

Sociologists have also noted that young adults expand their vocabulary by listening to hip-hop music. Some words and phrases not found in mainstream language but are popularly used by young adults have roots in these songs.

The latest study focuses on hip-hop music and the culture as a social and political platform. They also trace the timeline and development as it evolves from a form of entertainment to an instrument for expression and change.

The Science of Rap: Studying fMRI Brain Activity While Freestyling

Researchers study the brain activity, through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), of rappers while freestyling. The study tries to focus on how the brain works during an activity where creativity, language, and artistic expression are all combined.

Music is the language of the soul, that's how the saying goes. Some may discount rap and hip-hop as a minor subtext when it comes to music. But this type of music requires more brain resources during a performance than most other type of musical expression. Nothing merges music and language closer than freestyle rap.