First, let's deal with the term "rap culture" - what you're speaking of is hip-hop, which is an authentic culture beyond just the music and certainly the music played in mainstream outlets. read more
But in other words, it's increasingly harder to say that Hip-Hop really *belongs* to black culture, even though it was essentially black culture that birthed and raised it. Hip-Hop culture is the sum of everyone who gets involved. And that really helps Hip-Hop to remain one of the great voices of the people that it is. read more
There is a difference between black culture and "Black Culture" Black culture, sans quotes, is the sum total of cultural contributions to the mainstream by the black subculture. It's a fluid and a multifaceted, often contradictory thing. read more
For the most part, hip-hop culture was defined and embraced by young, urban, working-class African-Americans. Hip-hop music originated from a combination of traditionally African-American forms of music--including jazz, soul, gospel, and reggae. It was created by working-class African-Americans, who, like Herc, took advantage of available tools--vinyl records and turntables--to invent a new form of music that both expressed and shaped the culture of black New York City youth in the 1970s. read more