Despite the notion of hip-hop culture being a bad influence on young people today, a new report shows that it has become part of mainstream American consumer culture.

Although being related to controversy, significant sales can be attributed to products prominently featured in lyrics, spontaneously embraced by the hip-hop world and products that appear to be genuinely used by an artist prior to the relationship.

Apparently urban youth shoppers put a high priority on brand loyalty, and brands achieving the greatest success have formed a connection with hip-hop artists.

Although originally formed in the inner-cities, hip-hop culture has crossed over into suburbia. More than half (57%) of urban youth, age 12- to 34, are white, although the proportion of African Americans and Hispanics who are young urban consumers is greater within their own ethnic segments than is the case for non-Hispanic Whites.

Also, the core of the trendsetting power of young urban consumers is their ability to influence the consumer choices of their friends. Hence, while media gives messages of celebrity culture being ‘harmful’ to teenagers, be it lyrics in hip-hop music or consumer culture per se, society is cashing in on young consumers whose demographic is among the first to try new things and spend their income on favourite product brands.