Hip-hop and justice: Culture carries the spirit of protest, 50 years and counting
In the early days of hip-hop, plugging turntables into a light post and converting an outdoor basketball court into a discotheque may have seemed like a simple invitation to party. Hip-hop has been an integral part of social and racial justice movements. Whether a warning, a demand or an affirmation, hip-hop culture and, especially, rap music have been mediums for holding the powerful accountable, for delivering lyrical indictments against systemic injustice.