Genre research project 40/1359: Conscious Hip Hop

Conscious Hip Hop is a term applied to Hip Hop artists whose lyrics deal with social issues. It has parallels with Political Hip Hop, although its focus is extended to topics such as religion, African American culture, everyday life and the state of Hip Hop itself. The term, while widely used by both fans and writers, is often the subject of controversy; artists such as Mos Def and Talib Kweli have rebelled against being labelled as strictly “conscious” rappers. Musically, Conscious Hip Hop is a very broad subgenre, embracing the whole spectrum of Hip Hop, although a more chilled out, Jazz Rap-influenced style of production is perhaps most commonly used.