Over the past 50 years, hip-hop has transcended its beginnings in music and expanded into a cultural and art movement known and beloved by billions of people around the world. While its musical elements, such as rapping, DJing, and breakdancing, have existed prior to hip-hop as a genre was born, music historians often trace hip-hop’s origins to August 11, 1973, when Clive Campbell, aka DJ Kool Herc, hosted a back-to-school party where he took the beats of two records and mixed them together to create a new piece of music.
According to Antonio “Tronic” McDonald, founder and CEO of creative multimedia production agency KUAMP, what Campbell did embodied the Caribbean immigrant and Black communities’ scrappy approach of working with what they had to create something amazing. This ethic resonated with people of various origins and backgrounds, and it spawned a global phenomenon with lasting influence in multiple aspects of culture, including advertising.
F Cancer – Commercial Set with Swizz Beatz and Jadakiss: Photo by: Katie Salisbury
“I think it’s hip-hop’s bravado and air of confidence that resonated with so many people. Other genres, such as rock and roll and punk, have facets of that, as well, and I think hip-hop also took some influences from those. But, what hip-hop did was take those elements and gave them a bit more of a cooler edge and swagger, if you will. For decades, hip-hop was really synonymous with being able to do that, and you can see that all the time in advertising.”
This is quite evident in many athletic shoe or apparel ads, especially with basketball culture being heavily hip-hop-influenced. Aside from the music, the attitude permeates various aspects, such as culture and fashion. McDonald says that a hip-hop attitude is not afraid to take chances, resulting in becoming innovative and trend-setting by stepping out there and doing what others aren’t.
“Hip-hop was founded on the premise of ‘okay, if you’re going right, we’re gonna go left,’ by seeking to do what hasn’t been done yet. The advertising and creative industries have since taken on a hip-hop vibe, and it has certainly benefited from that, as we’re always pushing the boundaries in the industry and looking for new ideas,” McDonald says.
Hip-hop culture has been tied closely to art, especially street art and graffiti, which make bold use of color. McDonald says that this aesthetic greatly appeals to the youth, which gives hip-hop a youthful and creative energy. Hip-hop, like many genres of music, also serves as a bridge between multiple generations, with its youthful spirit bringing together parents and children in appreciation of the art, culture, and stories behind it.
“The late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who is often referenced today in advertising and culture in general, came from a hip-hop background,” McDonald says. “Since day one, hip-hop has been about not being afraid to step into any room and being your authentic self. And it was born out of necessity, because the Black and immigrant communities were, and are still, being marginalized. When hip-hop first started, outsiders thought it was just a fad, but they kept persevering and had the grit to keep moving forward. In the same vein, KUAMP stands for ‘Keep Up And Make Progress’, and I believe that’s a very hip-hop-esque statement.”
Prior to founding KUAMP more than 20 years ago, McDonald was part of a global music channel’s promotion department, where he saw the rise of many global hip-hop stars and even worked directly with several of them. During his time at the music channel, he worked in a wide variety of roles, such as directing, production, writing, camera operation, editing, and many others. This sharpened his creative skills, which are now in full display in the world of advertising. Earlier this year, McDonald was invited as a panelist for the prestigious Cannes Lions Festival, where he spoke about the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the creatives industry.
“Hip-hop is organically ingrained in everything that KUAMP does. The foundational aspects of hip-hop are extremely impactful in today’s advertising market, and I believe any creative worth their salt has taken something from hip-hop. And it goes beyond just using hip-hop music in commercials – the culture, art, and fashion have acted as catalysts, influencing us in how we approach advertising and content creation. It inspires us to be innovative and try something fresh, doing it in our own way.”