Hip-hop is a massive cultural movement that originated in New York in the 1970s. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the four components of hip- hop are rapping, DJing, breakdancing and writing graffiti. This culture is commonly associated with African Americans and Latinos as they were the ones who pioneered this movement in the 70s. If we look at some of the early innovators of hip-hop, such as The Sugarhill Gang, Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, and the much-loved Run DMC, one similarity they all shared was their African ancestry. For this reason, hip-hop was identified for a short time as a purely African-American art form. However, over time, in the 1980s, hip-hop became more widely adopted by the mainstream. As a result, musicians of other races were trying their hand at hip-hop. At this time, it would not be accurate to say that hip-hop is an art form created by black people for black people. However, as of now, there is still no place for an Asian rapper in the archives of hip-hop history, much less in modern mainstream American media. Asian men are generally emasculated in America by stereotypes. Hien Dang, a published Vietnamese writer, said in an article in the International Examiner that racial generalizations include, but are not limited to: Asians are very short, good at math, nerdy, bad at driving, and lame with women. Finally, the most damning stereotype about Asian men is that they all have small penises. With an image like this, it's no wonder Asian men aren't often accepted in mainstream media unless they're fighting dozens of unarmed men in films like Jackie Chan or Jet Li. Asian rappers are currently overlooked in hip-hop mainly because of these stereotypes...... middle of paper ......a rapper to succeed by paying homage to New York hip-hop? I can't say for sure when the Asian invasion will happen or even if it will happen. But what I can say is that if you look hard enough, you can find good Asian rap. Once stereotypes are overcome in America, talented musicians of all races will have an easier time thriving and succeeding. Stereotypical eyes are actually closed ones, not Asian eyes. Anyone, regardless of ethnicity, can rap amazingly. For example, the Blue Scholars. Seriously, they're good. Really good. The issue of masculinity in hip-hop also needs to be addressed. This image creates an unrealistic depiction of the lives of rappers. It’s a cheap way to exploit women and empower men. As long as this image exists, Asian rappers will struggle to overcome such powerful stereotypes to succeed in music..