--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that hip-hop should be spelled…" description: "\"I think that hip-hop should be spelled with a capital \"H,\" and as one word. It's the name of our black people culture, and it's the name of our identit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/krs-one-2404_black_i-think-that-hip-hop-should-be-spelled-w_1778811.png" --- # I think that hip-hop should be spelled with a capital "H,"… ![“I think that hip-hop should be spelled with a capital "H," and as one word. It's the name of our black people culture, and it's the name of our identity and consciousness. I think hip-hop is not a product, but a culture. I think rap is a product, but when hip-hop becomes a product, that's slavery…” quote by KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/krs-one-2404_black_i-think-that-hip-hop-should-be-spelled-w_1778811.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/krs-one-2404_black_i-think-that-hip-hop-should-be-spelled-w_1778811.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad5/krs-one-2404_black_i-think-that-hip-hop-should-be-spelled-w_1778811.png) > “I think that hip-hop should be spelled with a capital "H," and as one word. It's the name of our black people culture, and it's the name of our identity and consciousness. I think hip-hop is not a product, but a culture. I think rap is a product, but when hip-hop becomes a product, that's slavery, because you're talking about people's souls. To me, that's the biggest problem.” [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hip-hop is a living cultural identity, not a commercial commodity; turning it into a product erodes its soul and authenticity. **In simple terms:** Hip-hop is culture, not a product. Key Takeaway Protect cultural integrity over profit. Themes culture identity commercialization authenticity social justice Mood defiant reflective empowering Type statement manifesto cultural critique When to use this quote - music education - community activism - media representation - brand collaborations Key Concepts cultural appropriation commodification collective consciousness Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor hip‑hop’s roots while navigating modern markets? - What responsibilities do artists have to their cultural heritage? A Different Perspective Commercial pressures can dilute cultural meaning and marginalize original creators. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think that hip-hop should be spelled with a capital "H," and as one word. It's the name of the culture, and it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/i-think-that-hip-hop-should-be-spelled-with-a-capital-h-and-as-one-2/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [I don't think rap really fits in to 'American Idol' in the sense that I believe rap is an art form in itself more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lythgoe/i-don-t-think-rap-really-fits-in-to-american-idol-in-the-sense-that-i/) [Nigel Lythgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lythgoe/) > [I think rap in the street when they have rap competitions is thrilling because these kids are making it up and having a go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-lythgoe/i-think-rap-in-the-street-when-they-have-rap-competitions-is/) [Nigel Lythgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-lythgoe/) > [When people say to me, 'What do you think of rap music?', my answer is, 'There's no such thing. There's rap, and there's music.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-say-to-me-what-do-you-think-of-rap-music-my-answer-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think rap is all about what you feel about a situation and not just about cars, alcohol and women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raftaar/i-think-rap-is-all-about-what-you-feel-about-a-situation-and-not-just/) [Raftaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raftaar/) > [I think, on the rap side of life, I've always been inspired by and respected Missy Elliott for a long time. She's funny and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-flay/i-think-on-the-rap-side-of-life-i-ve-always-been-inspired-by-and/) [K. Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-flay/) > [It might take a while but I think the rap game is the people that can do it. We're all role models more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/it-might-take-a-while-but-i-think-the-rap-game-is-the-people-that-can/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [I think rap music has made more money on dance music than dance music has made on dance music. Just a thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaskade/i-think-rap-music-has-made-more-money-on-dance-music-than-dance-music/) [Kaskade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaskade/) > [I look at Puff Daddy as somebody that gave me a chance to prove the whole world wrong. 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Yeah.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-sweatshirt/i-think-rap-music-is-rap-music-i-mean-are-there-heavy-writing-aspects/) [Earl Sweatshirt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-sweatshirt/) > [Personally, I just think rap music is the best thing out there, period. If you look at my deck in my car radio, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/personally-i-just-think-rap-music-is-the-best-thing-out-there-period/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [I just think that rap takes way more slack than the video games and the movies. We don't make guns. Smith and Wesson makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-ron/i-just-think-that-rap-takes-way-more-slack-than-the-video-games-and/) [Cam'ron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-ron/) > [I don't think I can rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willow-smith/i-don-t-think-i-can-rap/) [Willow Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willow-smith/) ## More by KRS-One > [If you don't know hip-hop, at least a little bit of it, you can't even call yourself an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/if-you-don-t-know-hip-hop-at-least-a-little-bit-of-it-you-can-t-even/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [It's not about a salary, it's all about reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/it-s-not-about-a-salary-it-s-all-about-reality/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [It's not that you don't make any money doing conscious rap music. You make a lot of money doing this, but if you're greedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/it-s-not-that-you-don-t-make-any-money-doing-conscious-rap-music-you/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [Hip-hop is not about crime. Hip-hop is not about being a gangster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/hip-hop-is-not-about-crime-hip-hop-is-not-about-being-a-gangster/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [I break an emcee off proper Yo don't check me, Ask your Moms and Pops, Yo they respect me, But here you stand, tryin'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/i-break-an-emcee-off-proper-yo-don-t-check-me-ask-your-moms-and-pops/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [I mistakably paid respect and condolences to the wrong Beastie Boy member King Ad-Rock when it should have been MCA. In light of this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/i-mistakably-paid-respect-and-condolences-to-the-wrong-beastie-boy/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [Maybe I'm the prophet of hip hop for real. 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