Seattle is not considered as cosmopolitan as other major American cities like New York or Los Angeles. So it's surprising that so much of today's hip-hop music and culture comes from Seattle. Although I knew artists from Washington state and the Seattle area, I wasn't aware of the city's immense hip-hop culture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay It is very interesting to see some of Seattle's mainstream rap artists referencing some common symbols of Seattle hip-hop. For example, Sir Mix-A-Lot and radio station KFOX seem to have a common influence on Seattle rap artists. Probably the most notable current Seattle hip-hop artist is Macklemore. His national and global presence has distanced him from his Seattle roots, at least in the themes of his lyrics. This is a common trend among hip-hop artists hailing from Seattle. However, artists like Macklemore and Blue Scholars have dedicated rap songs to their home. Seattle hip-hop is different from New York or Los Angeles hip-hop culture. These cities have a unique hip-hop style. For example, Los Angeles hip-hop is associated with gangsta rap. Furthermore, "New York hip-hop culture has always been much more multiracial than mainstream media gave it credit for." » (Abe) Seattle doesn't have an easily identifiable style like New York or Los Angeles rap. However, there seems to be a much more relaxed and fun feel to it, which is especially important from an artist like Sir Mix-A-Lot. Seattle rap artists pay homage to their home in song. Some common themes include Native American origin from the Pacific Northwest. There seems to be an underlying love for their city when they rap about Seattle. Sir Mix-A-Lot was the first major Seattle hip-hop artist to gain fame beyond the local level. For this reason, he is also a hip-hop symbol of the city. He stood up saying, "Somebody wasn't rapping about getting shot, or shooting a nigga, or going back to Africa, or being proud of the color of your skin . “That,” Rollins told me, “was Seattle’s great gift to black America. People remembered that it was good to have fun once in a while. And that could only happen in Seattle because we were so isolated. We were free to do whatever we wanted. » (Mudede) Seattle became important in hip-hop as a fun, less serious type of hip-hop. That didn't change much, as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' rap Thrift Shop was Seattle's biggest rap song after Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby Got Back. Additionally, as I have lived in and around Seattle over the course of my life, it has become apparent that city blocks and streets have their own culture. Hip-hop has become one of these cultures, and certain streets in Seattle are symbolic of the city's hip-hop. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Although it may not be as big as Los Angeles or New York, Seattle has become a center of hip-hop culture since the years 1980..