We all know the look — that strained, almost sympathetic face people make when you tell them you live in Utah. As they struggle to limit their expressions to one of indifference, you prepare your answers to the typical questions: no, I don’t have sister wives, and yes, I’ve met a person of color. Utah has long been regarded as a state of uniformity and conservatism — but no longer.
Our state is slowly growing in diversity and opportunity, and as it does, these antiquated stereotypes are becoming less true. Utah came in first in “Best State for Business” in Forbes’ national ranking in 2011. It also consistently ranked in the top 15 for every other category, some of which included labor supply, economic climate and growth prospects. Utah also ranked as having the third highest well-being, and Salt Lake City’s gay community ranks as the fourth strongest in the nation.
The U.S. Census Bureau found the number of minorities residing in Utah is steadily increasing, too, and this means Utah residents are being introduced to new cultural elements in society and being exposing to more diversity. That sense of progress can be felt downtown as it exhibits more sights, sounds and potential for new experiences.
Salt Lake, in particular, is beginning to make a name for itself, but many would be surprised to know this isn’t because of traditional values but to the emergence of underground hip-hop. Just last year, the first annual Utah Underground Hip Hop Awards was established to “recognize and honor those who actively keep the Wasatch Front urban music scene thriving,” according to the group’s social media website. It’s not surprising this genre is gaining esteem in our state, considering its popularity nationwide.
According to PBS’ “An Exploration of Hip-Hop,” the genre originated in the Bronx in the ’70s when a musician named DJ Kool Herc experimented with his turntable while rapping over the music at a party. This method of music-making slowly gained popularity during the ’80s and ’90s and reached exponential recognition in the early 2000s.
The United States is renowned for having some of the best hip-hop musicians in the world, and Salt Lake isn’t far behind, but neither are many other smaller big cities.
An article in The Guardian chronicles the rich musical history emanating from small towns in Mississippi and attributes the success of small-town rappers to recognizing their voice as an instrument rather than as a tool. These rappers respect the talent they’re given and fine-tune it instead of exploiting it. More than anything, however, many small-town musicians acknowledge the part boredom played in their pursuits — with nothing else to secure their interests, rapping was one of the pastimes most available to them.
The stories of musicians such as these remind us of our innate ability as humans for creative expression. Encouraging the growth of novel ideas and practices, such as underground hip-hop, helps our state become richer and more diverse.
Perhaps the next time we’re asked the same questions about Utah, we can respond with “Yes, we have people of color. But that’s not all.”