Conscious hip hop

Conscious hip hop is a subgenre of hip hop music (usually hardcore hip hop or underground hip hop) that focuses on

Conscious hip hop is a subgenre of hip hop music (usually hardcore hip hop or underground hip hop) that focuses on social issues. It differs from political hip hop in that it is not necessarily overtly political, but still focuses on social issues and conflicts. The main themes of conscious hip hop include religion, aversion to violence and the economy. Grandmaster Flash's "The Message" was the first political and conscious hip hop track, decrying the poverty, violence, and dead-end lives of the black youth of the time.

The audience for conscious rap is largely underground. Today's hip hop industry, targeting the 45 million listeners between the ages of 13 and 34. Conscious hip hop artists have not attained the same level of commercial success.