Materialism, Conspicuous Consumption, and American Hip-Hop Subculture

This article examines materialism, conspicuous consumption, race, and hip-hop subculture. Our study used survey data from over 1,200 individuals. Results show that African Americans scored higher in materialism and conspicuous consumption compared to non-African Americans. Additionally, those who prefer hip-hop music scored higher in materialism and conspicuous consumption than those who preferred to listen to music in other genres. Implications and historical context are discussed.