Though it rules the radio and Soundscan charts every week, hip-hop is still a growing and ever-evolving genre that is constantly shifting its focus and attempting to find an identity (often with fascinating and thrilling results). There are still petty disputes, life-changing accomplishments, cliques and a healthy sense of one-upsmanship. Really, it's a lot like high school, which is something the Twitterverse recognized this morning when the trend #IfHipHopWasHighSchool started blowing up.
Many of the tweets were about various high school fantasies (many involving what women would wear to school; most people seem to be getting their inspiration from Nelly's video for "Tip Drill"), but we thought about who might fill in the various archetypes at Hip-Hop High.
Snoop Dogg: This is an easy one, as the Doggfather would definitely be the lovable stoner. You know how everybody at Ridgemont High loved Jeff Spicoli (even Mr. Hand in the end)? That's Snoop — a 21st century Sean Penn whose dad has a full tool set.
Diddy: Is there any question Diddy would be class president who is also involved in just about every club offered? Really, he'd be hip-hop high's Max Fischer, except rather than being melancholy, he'd be wildly successful in all his ventures.
50 Cent: Since Fiddy is a man of many colors and interests, he would probably be the football player who is also in the drama club. He'd be the reverse of Chris Colfer's character in "Glee."
Drake: As mentioned several times on Twitter, Drake would be the extremely popular freshman who all the senior girls would love. He'd be the sort of guy who would turn in a totally different English assignment than the one assigned and still get an A for it because he showed passion and interest.
Alicia Keys: We all went to class with Alicia Keys — or at least the girl who is really into swing choir. She takes all the solos and is extremely talented, but always seems to have a voice lesson or a piano recital, so you never really get to know her. Like the real Keys, the Hip-Hop High version of Keys would definitely graduate early.
Kanye West: This is a tough one, because the first instinct would be class clown. But considering his recent output and the pathos contained within his new single "Power," maybe Kanye is the junior filmmaker. Every suburban high school has one: He reads philosophy, feels passionately about foreign films and can be fantastically hilarious when he isn't being mysterious.
Eminem: Now here's the real class clown. Like all great comedians, Eminem's humor comes from a place of darkness, and he tells jokes to mask his terrible home life. His gags occasionally manifest themselves as anger, but his AP English teacher is encouraging his poetry.
Nicki Minaj: If you don't think Nicki would be the bad girl cheerleader, then you probably haven't been paying attention.
Jay-Z: Jigga would undoubtedly be the most popular kid in school. He doesn't play sports, belong to any clubs or do particularly well in class, but everybody always wants to hang out with him. Later his classmates will find out that he is incredibly talented at something really esoteric (like molecular biology or photography). Jay-Z is definitely the guy all the dudes are jealous of at the 10 year reunion.
Ke$ha: Every high school needs that girl. You know the one. The girl who everybody sort of lets hang out with them but secretly thinks she's trying way too hard. Secretly, she's desperate to graduate and reinvent herself at college (perhaps at the University of Colorado, like her friends in 3OH!3).
What rapper would you like to see in the fictional Hip-Hop High? Let us know in the comments!