Hip-Hop: Young and Growing

Hip-hop is hot, it seems.
Research firm Interep is out with the latest in a series of reports about the media marketplace, this one “The Hip-hop Lifestyle.”
The report confirms the growth of the genre and its “growing influence” on the youth market.
It said hip-hop has emerged as powerful force in the youth market, crossing ethnic, economic, suburban and urban borders.
Highlights:
Hip-hop is the fastest-growing radio format. Ten years ago, only six U.S. stations played primarily rap/hip-hop. Now more than 150 play primarily hip-hop.
Rap/hip-hop sold 84 million records in 2002, replacing pop as the No. 2 most popular music sold.
Since 1999, listening to hip-hop stations among adults 18-34 has doubled to a 17.5% share (AQH) in 2002, according to Arbitron.
There is a top-rated hip-hop station in each of the top 11 radio markets.
The format has “huge” youth appeal, Interep said; the median age of the hip-hop listener is 26.2 years.
Gender split is 54% female/46% male; ethnic composition is 46% black, 25% Hispanic, 29% other, including non-Hispanic white.
Three out of five listeners have attended some college or more.
Sherman Kizart, VP/director of urban marketing, said a dearth of research has existed on this lifestyle.
“Rap is the music. Hip-hop is the lifestyle. Urban is the mindset. We want advertisers to understand that advertising on hip-hop oriented radio stations transcends the music played. It speaks to a listener lifestyle, and as such, offers an exceptional environment for product branding.”