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Most Hip Hop artists never sell a million copies, or make a long-term profit. And unless they die young, they blend into society and may not even mention how they used to rap, deejay, produce, promote, dance, draw or design. A few of them work in the entertainment industry. All of them grow up.

Most first-generation Hip Hop fans don’t make it out to concerts anymore. Some still buy CD’s to intentionally support the artists that helped shape their lives. Others have moved on. Disconnected from the scene, the radio and whatever the kids are into, our views about Hip Hop tend to be retrospective… as we grow up.

Born in the early 1970s to a single mother named American street culture, Hip Hop set trends from its local communities and forced the music industry to take risks in order to capitalize. Corporate America’s entertainment industry invested millions of dollars in Hip Hop, just long enough to become its stepfather. This relationship took Hip Hop from being shrugged off as a trend to making a global cultural impact — and billions of dollars — before it even turned 21 years old. The boom eventually knocked the training wheels off Hip Hop’s bike. Then finally, stepdaddy said, “son, it’s time to get out of the house. You’re an adult now.”

With major label budgets shrinking for the past decade or so, Hip Hop was left to fend for itself. No longer housed comfortably in corporate boardrooms, it was forced to remember where it came from and get back to its independent, underground roots. As Hip Hop embraces the grind and continues to flourish around the world, step-daddy inevitably calls to say, “I’m so proud of you. Let’s get together and break bread.” Hip Hop is usually willing to make a deal — preferably a partnership or joint venture. But realistically, it no longer needs corporate America’s cosign to sustain itself.

Now a permanent fixture worldwide, Hip Hop can no longer be mistaken for a mere urban musical phenomenon — not even from a casual observer. The culture has expanded, and the evidence is overwhelming; Hip Hop Grew Up, and has kids all over the world.

Hip Hop’s impact on literature, film, fashion, sports and language was impressive 20 years ago. Since then, it has evolved to include countless genres of music and art, college courses taught by Hip Hop Professors, churches run by Hip Hop Pastors, cities with Hip Hop Mayors, etc. And even if we confine Hip Hop to the subtext of mainstream rappers… when Weezy is turning 30, Marshall is turning 40 and middle America knows exactly who I’m talking about, it’s undeniable that Hip Hop Grew Up.