This lecture will explore how popular culture reflects social and political developments in Germany and take as examples the present-day phenomena of hip hop and street art. How do young artists express contemporary youth identity (or identities), and in how far do they use their art to criticize or contribute to the public discourse about their (sub)culture? Which role do hip hop and street art play as expressions of ethnicity in the public sphere, and how do such manifestations of youth identity compare between Europe/Germany and America?