Hip-Hop's Biggest Controversy: Notorious BIG vs. TupacHip-hop began in the South Bronx, New York, in Hip hop as a music and culture began when block parties became popular, especially among African American youth residing in the Bronx. DJs would play popular songs on turntables during this era and begin breaking or "scratching" between songs to create their own beats. Hip hop served as a voice for inner-city youth from low-income families. The culture would reflect their way of life. As the years of Hip Hop progressed, a new form of Hip Hop was introduced called "gangster rap", which rapped about hyper-masculinity and violence. The biggest controversy in the world of Hip Hop took place between The Notorious BIG and Tupac Shakur. Both artists launched lyrical attacks at each other until their untimely deaths. The documentary, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, was produced, written and directed by Byron Hurt and was released in 2007 by PBS. Mr. Hurt is an American activist, speaker and graduate of Northeastern University where he played American football as a quarterback. The documentary provides details about sexuality; violence, homophobia and hyper-masculinity in Hip Hop culture. Hurt, a long-time hip-hop fan, the more he learned, the more unexpected the lyrics, violence and sexism became for him, leading him to make the documentary Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes. My interviewee, Chantal Jones is a long-time admirer and lover of hip-hop. We have the same passion and the same love for music. I have known Chantel for almost three years. She is 18 years old and originally from Saint Vincent and the Grenadians, but has lived in the United States for over ...... middle of paper ...... and suffered the same fate as Tupac. What we can take from the hyper-masculinity and violence in Hip Hop is that this hyper-masculinity is a downfall for black men everywhere. The characteristic of hyper-masculinity that “the belief that violence is manly” is immoral to the community. think that for this way of behaving and being a man in the eyes of your listeners, we need music to uplift our people. Works Cited Hip-Hop: Beyond Rhythms and Rhymes. Real. Byron injured. Perf. Chuck D. and JadakissGod Bless the Child Productions. 2006. Flim. Johns, Lindsay. “Hypermasculinity and the Black Male.” Hypermasculinity and the black male. Np, and Web. May 2, 2014.Jones, Chantel. Telephone interview. April 9, 2014.Shakur, Tupac (Ft. Outlawz) – Hit 'Em Up. " Rap Genius. Np, nd Web. April 21, 2014.The Notorious BIG – Who Shot Ya?" Rap genius. Np, and Web. April 21. 2014.