Effects of the Musical Characteristic Change of 'Hip-hop' Culture on Popular Fashion

Abstract

Most of precedent studies related to hip hop culture and fashion, which have been conducted till now were progressed under only theoretical background of hiphop, not the changed status of hiphop currently. Practical studies explaining the status of hip hop in popular culture, especially, the area of popular fashion are insufficient. Therefore, this study was conducted by focusing on cultural characteristics and musical characteristics by the stream of period, for which concept hip hop is accepted to people currently and which effect it makes on the area of fashion. Especially, the study was progressed by dividing periodical background into before and after the 2000s because there was the most noticeable change for the genre of hip hop in that period. Because of the appearance of 'Alternative hip hop' which is a sub-genre of hip hop music, hip hop music was changed to be more popular. Also, hip hop fashion also showed big changes. Hip hop fashion before 2000s had showed poor conditions, resistance, complex and alienation of them by their fashion. On the other hand, hip hop fashion after 2000s also showed popular characteristics because of high-level environment and social status. This study intended to understand and grasp hip hop as a kind of cultural situation coexisted by many-sided characteristics as well as redefine the changed concept and contents of new hip hop currently.