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Hip hop culture developed during the seventies. Throughout its formation, the various elements were at some time or another, deemed unacceptable. Graffiti artists faced jail sentences, break dancing became illegal in some areas, and rap music has been severely criticized for various reasons. These elements were never analyzed in an oppositional manner until recently, however. Hip hop culture represented the claiming of urban communities by the residents. Writers decorated the empty walls of their communities …

…producing music that popular culture demands. This underground is responsible for maintaining hip hop and disallowing its fade into popular culture. As hip hop and rap music continue to grow in popular appeal, a distinct line is being formed separating true hip hop from commercialized hip hop. The former is reclaiming its historical legacy while the latter is, as with other genres of popular music, awaiting its eventual replacement with the hottest new music commodity.