ABSTRACT
With the release in 1997 of Rhaid i Rywbeth Ddigwydd, Y Tystion continued on the trajectory established by Datblygu and Llwybr Llaethog. Numerous examples may be cited of Welsh musicians allying themselves with other 'alienated' musical communities through the appropriation of their musical styles: Geraint Jarman is one notable example, and Y Tystion is another. The relative successes or failures of such endeavors have already been outlined; in the case of Y Tystion, though their music may have been an amalgamation of hip hop styles, their lyrics were clearly designed to encourage reflection, and it is the nature of their 'message rap' which links them to African-American hip hop, and the international hip hop nation. Tystion's use of English reflects at once the natural flow of spoken language in some parts of Wales and the lack of vernacular terminology for certain aspects of contemporary youth culture, such as sex and drugs.
