The issue of hip-hop commercialization has long been one of the main sources of controversy in the genre. What started as a movement for teenagers to have fun and party through its four components (b-boying, graffiti, djing and emcee) ended up becoming a lucrative field, namely the rap industry, with many business opportunities. Over time, most of those involved in the field sought to capitalize on these opportunities and, in turn, neglected to preserve the integrity of the music. To understand how much rap music has changed, you first have to understand what it was about. when it started. Gradually gaining popularity throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, rap finally went mainstream with Sugar Hill's Rappers Delight in 1979. However, it was the music video for Run-DMC's song Rock Box that marked the beginning of a new era for rap: The Golden Age. The focal point of any Golden Age song was the lyrics. Whether it was Rakim, Kool G Rap, or KRS One, these rappers constantly referenced a wide range of personal issues as well as those of the black community, ranging from poverty to racism. These entertainers and many others of their era used their songs as a way to convey problems faced and sometimes even offer solutions. Rap was a means of self-expression as well as a way to inspire or educate listeners. However, in the early and mid-90s, rap music underwent a change. Although commercialization began when rap first entered the mainstream, this was the first time its effects could actually be observed. A new group, known as NWA (N*ggaz Wit Attitudes), entered the scene and created a new substyle of the genre, gangsta rap, with their debut album Straight Outta Compton in 1988. The album , ev..... .middle of paper ......creating beautiful rap songs with meaningful words will no longer realize their potential. It is clear that the commercialization of hip-hop has enormously changed the subject and purpose of culture, especially in rap music. As the culture and musical genre developed, the potential for their economic exploitation became so evident that art forms were earmarked for this imminent commercialization. Unfortunately, this has led to near total control of the industry by money-hungry executives who don't care about promoting artists who can preach knowledge. Being a lifelong rap fan, I've witnessed this gradual transformation as I've grown up and I can't say I'm a fan of the current state of rap. I have always appreciated the original intentions of music and hope that one day the business side will somehow allow the artistic side to once again exhibit its true wonders..