#Web25: The 25 Ways The Internet Changed Hip-Hop - Page 7

Today, March 12th, marks the 25th anniversary of the World Wide Web. And despite Al Gore’s claims of being the inventor of the Net, we’re here to break down why Sir Tim Berners-Lee forever changed the culture of Hip-Hop.

On March 12, 1989, the world was on the verge of an evolution as a British computer scientist became the inventor of the Internet. After making a successful proposal for an information management system, he implemented the first successful communication between a HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) client and server.

The idea has always existed, even from the days of science fiction, but while at CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research), Berners-Lee was proposing to make it a reality. From that point on, human beings experienced the quick advancement of technology, going from dial-up and 24k baud modem speeds to wireless connections, Twitter and Verizon Fios.

As we celebrate #Web25, we take a special look at how Sir Tim Berners-Lee’s contributions impacted the culture of Hip-Hop. It is his invention that gave us Napster (which also heavily changed the game), viral videos, and Lil Boosie chats via UStream.

Our hope, much like his, is to keep the future of the web free and open. So, check out this slideshow and leave your comments below.

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Real-Time Communication

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The Internet made it easier for fans, foes and basically anybody to reach out and communicate with their favorite rappers.

Destroyed And Revitalized The Print Game

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The rise of the Internet severely increased the way we received the latest Hip-Hop news. Publications like The Source and XXL quickly had to change with the times or else go the way of the Dodo bird.

Tastemakers Rose From Regular Places

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The Digital Age brought forth unique voices who were entrenched in the Hip-Hop culture, yet knew how to maneuver the social media sites. People like Karen Civil and Combat Jack arose from their respective corners of the real world to impact the web.

BitTorrent Changes How Fans Receive Music

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Jet Life Recordings and Curren$y have directly impacted their audience by utilizing Bit Torrent to release special bundles to their audience. Fifteen years ago, we only had Napster to deal with and it wasn’t as cool.

Astroturfing On Blogs

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Before the Internet, astroturfing used to be confined to the indie rock scene. Now, Hip-Hop has now secretly developed artists who appear to be unsigned but were actually pegged to a major label deal (see: Action Bronson).

Digi-digging Made Hard-To-Find Music Searchable

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Back in the days, you weren’t really a true Hip-Hop head unless you crate-dug. With physical properties losing steam, websites such as WhoSampled.com and. of course, iTunes, has enabled today’s culture-obsessed junkie a way to find those latest breaks.

Ended The Days Of Sending Demos

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This is not to say that approaching your favorite Hip-Hop exec in the streets won’t warrant a deal (see: J. Cole and Big Sean), but there are other ways. The Internet gave artists and fans alike an inside track on submitting their work without catching freezer burn.

The Viral Hit Became Paramount

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Acts such as Mac Miller and Tyler, The Creator became global phenomenons from their work becoming a viral smash. Add to mix Hip-Hop’s global appeal and look no further than Psy, as an act whose used the culture to breakthrough the medium.

Hip-Hop Reporting Made Easier

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Reporters who were instrumental during the foundation of the culture were able to leverage their historical weight to make an impact in next-gen Hip-Hop. Think about Elliott Wilson‘s rise to rap-reporting dominance and give thanks to Sir Tim Berners-Lee.

Audiences Were Created Through Social Media

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Social media gave Hip-Hop fans an inside track on who’s burgeoning within the culture. In turn, these social audiences were able to increase the stocks of those whom were able to really make an impact.

Internet Showcases Created Stars

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Post-Kanye West, the Internet has made household names out of Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore, and a host of others who have showcases like Coors Light’s “Search For The Coldest” campaign to thank.

CDBaby.com / Bandcamp Helped Indie Acts To Make Money

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For the act who doesn’t want to be on a major label, CD Baby and, most recently, Bandcamp made it easier to market and sell one’s music.

SEO-Styled Rap Developed

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Whenever something became a trending topic in the world (see: Trayvon Martin, Nelson Mandela), the Hip-Hop community was able to make SEO-styled rap and upload it to millions of listeners.

The Blog Era Was Created

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As the Internet continued to redefine the landscape of the entertainment industry, traditional press gave way to the blogs, which allowed everyday Joe’s to become curators of the culture.

The New Music Cartel Broke Acts

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Before Rap Radar and yes, even Hip-Hop Wired, the New Music Cartel managed to help shift the culture on how Hip-Hop fans received their music. Eskay, Shake, Meka, LowKey, OnSmash, Mr. X and the rest of the Cartel made up the group of music hounds who broke acts like Kendrick Lamar and Mac Miller eons before anyone else.

Digitization Destroyed Physical Barriers

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No longer did Hip-Hop fans have to be geographically located in a major market city to create a hit. The Internet has allowed anyone, anywhere to reach out and create music that helps push the culture.

Mom-And-Pop / Retail Stores Were Closed

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Places such as Sam Goody, Fat Beats and Virgin Records were havens for Hip-Hop heads looking to make that next purchase. When the Internet changed the landscape of the business, those places became brick-and-mortar graveyards… even though many still try and find ways to support their local record shops.

The Rise Of The YouTube Rapper

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The creation of YouTube allowed rappers to circumvent having to go to the studio, in favor of just uploading their work from wherever they’re at in the world. Add to the fact that the service itself generates millions of dollars, and you can see why Hip-Hop was so adamant at joining the digital revolution.

End Of The Regionalized Style Of Hip-Hop

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The Golden Era of Hip-Hop found a regionalized sound emanating from the different coasts. But, as the Internet continued to influence the culture, rappers began to sound less like where they were from and more like wherever they wanted to be.

New Worlds Of Collaboration Were Created

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The globalization of the Internet made it possible for Hip-Hop to collaborate with the rest of the talented word easily. From Scrillex and Chance The Rapper to Kendrick and Imagine Dragons merging their skills, Hip-Hop has been able to influence the world, much to the celebration of fans everywhere.

Artists Created Music Digitally

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Such as the case with former Little Brother rapper, Phonte, and Hip-Hop producer Nicolay, the two created the group Foreign Exchange… without the need of being in the studio together. Today’s Hip-Hop act can patch together work through a simple e-mail and secure wi-fi connection.

Rap Fans’ Listening Span Decreased

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The Internet gave way to an ADD-centralized generation who no longer could sit with albums for more than a limited amount of time. That fact has given way to some interesting conversations about what can be deemed a “classic.”

MP3 Sales Overtook CDs

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CDs killed the cassette tape and, in a not-so-odd twist of fate, MP3s have destroyed the need for any CDs. The pure Hip-Hop collector manages to keep their stock piled to the hilt, but if one doesn’t want the clutter then carrying 3,000 MP3s with ease is a surefire plus.

Beefs Turned Into Real-Time Events

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Back in the day when Eminem was launching shots at The Source, rap fans had to wait for it all to develop. Nowadays, a beef can be sparked in real-time on Twitter or, in the case of 50 Cent and Steve Stoute, on Instagram.