Seattle is not considered as cosmopolitan as other large American cities such as New York or Los Angeles. Therefore, it is surprising that such a large part of current hip-hop music and culture comes from Seattle. Even though I knew artists from Washington state and the Seattle area, I wasn't aware of the huge amount of hip-hop culture within the city. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay It is very interesting to see some of today's mainstream Seattle rap artists reference some common Seattle hip-hop symbols. For example, Sir Mix-A-Lot and the radio station KFOX appear to have a common influence on Seattle rap artists. Probably the most notable current Seattle hip-hop artist is Macklemore. His national and global presence has distanced him from his Seattle roots, at least in the themes of his lyrics. This is a common trend among hip-hop artists originating from Seattle. However, artists like Macklemore and Blue Scholars have dedicated rap songs to their home. Seattle hip-hop is different from New York or Los Angeles hip-hop culture. Those cities have a unique hip-hop style. For example, Los Angeles hip-hop is associated with gangsta rap. Furthermore, "New York hip-hop culture has always been much more multiracial than the mainstream media gave it credit for." (Abe) Seattle doesn't have an easily identifiable style like New York or Los Angeles rap. However, it seems to have a much more relaxed and fun feeling, which is especially evident in an artist like Sir Mix-A-Lot. Seattle rap artists pay homage to their home in song. Some common themes include the Pacific Northwest Native American background. There seems to be an underlying love for their city as they rap about Seattle. Sir Mix-A-Lot was the first major Seattle hip-hop artist to gain fame beyond the local level. For this reason it is also a hip-hop symbol of the city. He stood up saying that “somebody wasn't rapping about getting hit by a bullet, or shooting a nigga, or going back to Africa, or being proud of the color of your skin. “This,” Rollins explained to me, “was Seattle's great gift to black America.” People remembered that it was nice to have fun every now and then. And it could only happen in Seattle because we were so isolated. We were free to do whatever we wanted.'” (Mudede) Seattle became important in hip-hop as a fun, less serious kind of hip-hop. That hasn't changed much, as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' rap Thrift Shop was Seattle's biggest rap song since Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby Got Back. Additionally, as I have lived in and around Seattle throughout my life, it has become apparent that city blocks and streets have their own unique culture. Hip-hop has become one of these cultures and there are some streets in Seattle that are symbolic of the city's hip-hop. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay While perhaps not as large as Los Angeles or New York City, Seattle has become a center of hip-hop culture since the '80.