Hip Hop Environmental Issues

According to Hiphopphilisophy.com a major theme in hip hop philosophy is:

RESPECT FOR MOTHER NATURE: Supporting and/or participating in any action, industry or organization that results in environmental destruction and/or damage to the Earth’s atmosphere, is contributing to the depreciation of man & women’s future survival and existence on Earth. Contributing to such industries, of tobacco, alcohol, dead animal flesh, sugar abuse, legal & illegal drugs, legal & illegal destruction of the rain forest, fossil fuels, law against self-farming, etc., is disrespecting Mother Nature and The Creator, by disrespecting it’s creation(s).Source:[1]

Hip hop has addressed environmental issues in some songs. Consider the number of hip hop songs here with environmental and sustainability themes.

On the whole, however, hip hop focuses on the environment of poverty, ignorance and lack of opportunity found in the inner city. For example, off the album "Seven's Travels", the song is "Shhh" it is about his love from where he is from and grateful that his city does not have all the problems of others: pollution, overpopulation, etc.

Poverty, Ignorance and Lack of Opportunity

"The tragic death of Jam Master Jay should serve as a reminder of the condition of poverty, ignorance and lack of opportunity inherent in our urban communities across the country," said Russell Simmons, Co-Founder of Island Def Jam Music Group and Chairman of the Hip Hop Summit Action Network.

"Young black men are being murdered in Hollis, Queens and elsewhere every day, but no one ever hears about them because they aren't famous. What the music reflects is the environment in which people live. Hopefully, the death of Jam Master Jay will remind us all that we need to address the disease plaguing our urban communities and not the symptoms." (from Blackelectorate.com)

Source: [2]