...Hip Hop Culture and its effects on today’s society Ebony Lee COM/220 Research Writing 12/14/2011 Jessica Bryan Hip Hop music has influenced many things in American culture. According to a survey done in 2002-2011, many Americans believed that hip hop music promoted violence, demeaned women and condoned drug use. Although some people say that the lyrics in some hip hop music is violent and promote the wrong values, Hip hop “has positively affected” the way people think act and dress. In a recently taken survey, I found that many people think that rap or Hip Hop music lyrics promote violence. Do you think that Hip-Hop condones violence among its listeners? | [Writing suggestion: Unless in a quote or a title, avoid rhetorical questions in academic writing. A good idea is to provide answers, not questions] Yes | (3; 50%) | No | (3; 50%) | | | Do you think that the Hip-Hop culture demeans women? | Yes | (5; 83%) | No | (1; 17%) | | | Do you think that Hip-Hop culture condones drug use? | Yes | (6; 100%) | ...
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...Shall Always Remain the Same: Hip-Hop from a Protagonist’s Point of View The Hip-Hop culture and all it stands for has saturated a generation in an unprecedented way. It has begun to shape and unify a diverse population of people. Hip-Hop, for many, provides an outlet to express your thoughts and for others, Hip-Hop is a lifestyle. The influence of Hip-Hop has become universal. It has transcended from a cultural genre to having a larger audience not made up of solely African Americans. It has gone from the slums, to the suburbs, and into larger corporate rooms. McDonald’s, Addidas, Nike, Coca Cola, Sprite, and other corporate giants have capitalized on this phenomenon. Although critics of Rap music and the Hip-Hop culture seemed to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language Hip- Hop has potential to unify individuals and promote change. This genre of music has transformed generations across the country. Hip- Hop possesses a level of maturity and a sense of cultural belongingness that has become a protest form for people all over the world. The art form, now simply known as Hip- Hop, began with three New Yorkers: Busy Bee Starski, DJ Hollywood, and DJ Afrika Bambaataa; they are credited for creating the term Hip-Hop. It all began in the early 1970’s with house parties and basement beat shaking music in upstate New York. The beats were very melodic, Africanized, and soulful. Hip-Hop is music for Blacks and Latinos...
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...Justin Klein Mrs. Henricks English 102: 21 January 2014 Beneficial Rap The novel A Long Way Gone describes the way of life of a young child solider. Ishmael Beah, the author of this novel, gives dramatic detail throughout the book of his various problems and difficulties he has dealt with over time. Not only does the problems he has effect his family, but his close friends as well. One of Ishmael’s hobbies was listening to rap music with his friends. He often talked about his favorite artists for rap such as Naughty by Nature and LL Cool J. Not only did Ishmael enjoy listening to rap, but he also performed in talent shows with his friends all rapping together. Ismael often finds himself in terrible situations throughout the war. He and his friends must learn to survive with what they have and what they find. Times are so rough for Ismael and his friends that they almost lose all hope. Rap music brings joy to Ismael when times are tough. Ishmael likes the beats, and although he doesn't understand it all he seems to like the masculine messages behind the music. The tapes that he constantly carries around with him reminds everyone that he is still a boy. Although he goes through some pretty horrific experiences, the cassette tapes remind the readers and Ishmael of his innocence. At various times the music even saves the boys from villagers’ fears that they are child soldiers. Not only does he enjoy this music, but the music often saves his life. When Ismael went...
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...directly to society as a cultural form", and often reflects a collection and pattern of personal experiences. Hip-hop or rap, an art form and culture nearly thirty years old originating from The Bronx, New York, has provided a forum for Black and Latino youth to express their respective cultures and speak on a number of issues. Today, Hip-hop is a global phenomenon that appeals to almost all ethnicities and is synthesizing a new culture that goes beyond race, education, and income. Hip-hop has been under continual metamorphosis since its 1970’s inner-city inception. Some of the original artists like Kurtis Blow chose to lament everyday life in the ghettos. Others, Sugar Hill Gang among them, took a more dance inspired approach to the music. But for both these and other artists from the early years of rap through the late 1980’s including KRS-One, Public Enemy, Queen Latifah and LL Cool J, fast beats and socially relevant lyrics were among the primary components of the music. By the 1990’s a new face of rap music emerged. It began with Ice T and later gained popularity with artists such as NWA (Niggaz Wit Attitude) whose first album shocked and titillated the rap world with their obscene lyrical content and unabashed “gangsta” style, since then dubbed by the media as “gangsta rap.” Despite the growing acceptance of Hip-hop within white America and the middle class, Hip-hop is, at times understandable, also under siege. Comments made on rap or Hip-hop by Bill O'Reilly...
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...a genre of music, it is a complete industry filled with clothing and other merchandise. The reason this constant demeaning of women exists is because rap as a genre that rewards the objectification of women. The excuses used to justify the misogyny in rap are incomplete and lack accurate support. The most effective way for this continuous cycle ends, is if the fight and protest comes from the women themselves. Men are the problem in the objectification of women but in order for it to stop, women need to step up and take control of the situation. Women need to act sooner rather than later because in recent years the rap industry has become more and more sexual. Ra... ... middle of paper ... ...Society 113 (2000): 255-69. JSTOR. 29 November 2009 . McLune, Jennifer. "Hip-Hop's Betrayal of Black Women." Perspective on Contemporary Issues. 5th ed. Boston: Wadsworth Cengag Learning, 2009. 247-51. Print. Thrash, Rodney. "Women Say Rap Videos Demean, Not Define." St. Petersburg Times 14 June 2005. 29 November 2009 . Williams, Dana. "Beyond Rap: Musical Misogyny." Teaching Tolerance (2003): 213-15. Tolerance in the News. 12 Aug. 2003. 29 November 2009 Rap Music's Influence Upon Teenagers :: 6 Works Cited Length: 1389...
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...Culture (E-Tracker 2) Mass culture reflects a culture of mass production for mass consumption promoted by mass media such as radio, television and magazines in modern capitalist societies. The culture industry is a global, multibillion dollar enterprise, driven, primarily, by the pursuit of profit. It is the culture for the proletariat that has been allowed to exist by the bourgeoisie and it is often argued that it is a means of control and lacks intellectual or artistic value. An example of modern day exploitation would be the genre of hip-hop, the genre’s cultural origins date back to the Griot speakers of Africa but today is used in mainstream media to promote materialism, misogamy and consumerism amongst other things. Traditionally a folk culture the ruling class have adapted the genre to fit the ideology they want to promote, it has been used as a tool in presidential campaigns and promotes the latest fashion to consume. Mass culture is unavoidable, it’s in your Coca-Cola, in your Nike shoes and it’s playing in cinema’s nationwide, but why is their ‘mass culture’? “The class which has the means of material production at its disposal has control at the same time over the means of mental production, so that thereby, generally speaking, the ideas of those who lack the means of mental production are subject to it.” - Karl Marx: The German Ideology (1845) Marx suggests that those who control the production of the materials we consume also control our ideas; if an individual...
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...The stars can be dropped even if they are talented, publicists have to create lies to make them a star, and females are most of the time subjected to sexual abuse. “Sir Tom Jones has said the abuse and harassment alleged to take place in Hollywood is also common in the music industry with both men and women”(I’ve Faced Sexual Harassment). People with power always tend to abuse it. Cases like the Harvey Weinstein fuel this conspiracy that Hollywood is extremely corrupt. Up until now stars are coming out to share their stories on different media to share their...
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...CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS iii BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1 Who is Nyerere 1 Birth and education 1 Religion and further studies 1 Political life 2 ACHIEVEMENTS OF JULIUS NYERERE 3 Socialism (Ujamaa) philosophy 3 Friendly international relations 5 Cultural influences 5 Combat for corruption 6 National ethics and value systems 7 CHALLENGES FACED BY JULIUS NYERERE 7 Legacy of Ujamaa and economy 7 Legacy of Ujamaa and family 8 Forced collectivization/Kibuits 8 Centralized government’s control 9 LESSONS TO LEARN FROM MWALIMU NYERERE 9 Humility in leadership 8 Concern, care and generosity to others 9 Socialism 10 CONCLUSION 10 REFERENCES 11 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ANC-African National Congress CCM-Chama Chama Mapinduzi DRC-Democratic Republic of Congo FRELIMO- Frente de Libertação de Moçambique (Mozambique Liberation Front) M.A-Masters of Arts MPLA- Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) PAC-Pan Africanist Congress TAA-Tanganyika African Association TANU-Tanganyika African National Union UN-United Nations ZANLA- Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army INTRODUCTION In the study by Bjerk (2012), Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian statesman who served as the leader of Tanzania, previously Tanganyika, from 1960 until his retirement in 1985. He was one of Africa’s most respected figures. Julius Nyerere was a politician of principle...
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...991175009 English 102-040 Spring 2013 The Misinterpreted Conspiracy A conspiracy theory explains an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators. Many people believe in conspiracies because it sets the fundamentals to grasping if the world is controlled by an invisible intentional agent or the seeking and finding of confirmatory evidence for what we already believe. There are numerous conspiracies in America today, and many scholars have tried to prove or portray such conspiracies. However, a conspiracy that has been misinterpreted by the public eye is that of the Illuminati. The word Illuminati derives from the Latin word Illumine, which means, "To be enlightened”. According to dictionary.com, the illuminati is an organization of persons possessing, or claiming to possess, superior enlightenment (Dictionary). The organizations ultimate goal is to create a one-world government, known as the "New World Order", to control the word and the minds of people (Adam Weishaupt). The word “Illuminati” means “the brethren of the free spirit” or “the enlightened ones,” meaning these humans can do anything as long as their souls are above sin (Browne 133). In order words, through this secret organization, humans can do anything through sin and Satan. The Illuminati was founded in 1776 in Bavaria by a scholar named, Adam Weishaupt, who was a professor at Ingolstadt (“Illuminati,” Columbia). One of their means by achieving this goal...
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...The Evolution of Music: Offensive to Women, yet Acclaimed in Society Victor Hugo, a well known French Romantic writer, once stated “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” Though this statement was made in the 19th century, it continues to stand true to this day. Through decades of evolution, music has constantly been a way for anyone to express themselves through melodies, timbre, dynamics, and lyrics. People around the world are composing, as well as listening to, all kinds of music, and this unifies nations in all countries and continents. Introduction to Literature is an anthology that consists of a variety of literary works – poems, short stories, and excerpts from novels – that discusses globalization. I believe that a chapter regarding the subject of music and its evolution should be included in the Introduction to Literature. Music has continuously been changing ever since the first beat was tapped, the first piano was struck, the first violin was plucked, and the first horn was blown; however, in the last 150 years, the meaning of lyrics and the style of music has changed drastically. From Bing Crosby to Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Eminem, the artists and composers have altered the way music sounds on the radio, computer, and other musical devices. Every genre has artists, who have songs, which have lyrics that contain a story. Whether the story is from a memory, a dream, or an ambition, it becomes...
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...Thailand- I felt compelled to compare and reflect about the diverse range of street art and the related subcultures in Hosier Lane to the rising street art movement in Bangkok. The traditional definition of street art is usually unsanctioned visual art created in public locations. This particular term gained popularity due to the rise of graffiti artwork during the early 1980s. Nowadays, common art forms of modern street art can be sticker art, stencil graffiti, sculptures and posters. Often, these artworks are considered as the artist’s attempts to communicate their personal feelings or can be perceived as conveying thoughtful problems about society and its ever-shifting culture. Some artists have even garnered cult-followings throughout the media and worldwide attention due to their art that present aesthetic values and content relevant to society (Street Art-City of Melbourne). Common themes and messages found in street art can be political expressions, catalyst for change, and religion. Melbourne, the...
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...reality, being a continuous source of amusement and distraction, linking communication whenever you like, and a ton more. Then again, innovation has additionally had negative consequences for society. As the innovation of technology keeps on advancing at such a quick pace these issues are increasing continuously. Technology was originally invented to make our lives easier and less demanding but as it keeps advancing, our social and physical well being also environment keep on worsening. This paper examines the roles of media in helping the degradation of society in the digital period and ways for society...
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...Cultural Moves AMERICAN CROSSROADS Edited by Earl Lewis, George Lipsitz, Peggy Pascoe, George Sánchez, and Dana Takagi 1. Border Matters: Remapping American Cultural Studies, by José David Saldívar 2. The White Scourge: Mexicans, Blacks, and Poor Whites in Texas Cotton Culture, by Neil Foley 3. Indians in the Making: Ethnic Relations and Indian Identities around Puget Sound, by Alexandra Harmon 4. Aztlán and Viet Nam: Chicano and Chicana Experiences of the War, edited by George Mariscal 5. Immigration and the Political Economy of Home: West Indian Brooklyn and American Indian Minneapolis, by Rachel Buff 6. Epic Encounters: Culture, Media, and U.S. Interests in the Middle East,1945–2000, by Melani McAlister 7. Contagious Divides: Epidemics and Race in San Francisco’s Chinatown, by Nayan Shah 8. Japanese American Celebration and Conflict: A History of Ethnic Identity and Festival, 1934–1990, by Lon Kurashige 9. American Sensations: Class, Empire, and the Production of Popular Culture, by Shelley Streeby 10. Colored White: Transcending the Racial Past, by David R. Roediger 11. Reproducing Empire: Race, Sex, Science, and U.S. Imperialism in Puerto Rico, by Laura Briggs 12. meXicana Encounters: The Making of Social Identities on the Borderlands, by Rosa Linda Fregoso 13. Popular Culture in the Age of White Flight, by Eric Avila 14. Ties That Bind: The Story of an Afro-Cherokee Family in Slavery and Freedom, by Tiya Miles 15. Cultural Moves: African Americans and the Politics of...
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...Lagos: the survival of the determined Lagos is a city where near anarchy prevails rather than government. Lagosins respond to the chaos by relying on their own ingenuity to get by It’s rush-hour near the stadium in Lagos where Nigeria has just lost a football match. Streams of young men run through the street to let off steam as crowds dive into the tangle of battered yellow minibuses. A dozen passengers pack into one bus, and the driver grinds into gear, lurching at full throttle to gain a six-inch lead over his competitor. The side-view mirror has to be pulled in for the bus to squeeze through. Girls balancing bags of water on their heads edge their way through the traffic to vend their wares. Toilet brushes, cutting shears, smoked fish, hankies, inflatable globes and even a steering wheel are sold by boys as the coil of traffic becomes ever more ensnared. But the action never stops for a moment. That’s Lagos—a city that moves, miraculously, against the odds. A mighty magnet It’s difficult to find the centre, let alone the logic, of this city reputed to be the most dangerous in Africa. Three bridges connect about 3,500 square kilometres of lagoon, islands, swamp and the mainland, where unlit highways run past canyons of smouldering garbage before giving way to dirt streets weaving through 200 slums, their sewers running with raw waste. So much of the city is a mystery. No one even knows for sure the size of the population—officially it’s 6 million, but most experts estimate...
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...Not a Choice I think so much about what has happened to me. Why these men did what they did to me. Old, disgusting men. It was horrible. They knew I did not want to be there, but they paid their money. They used me. I was their property for the night. They destroyed me. (14-year-old girl at Casa Hogar, a shelter in Costa Rica for children rescued from the country’s sex trade1) OVERVIEW Prostitution has been called the world’s oldest “profession.” In reality, it is the world’s oldest “oppression” and continues to be one of the most overlooked human rights abuses of women on the planet today. 2 Prostitution of women is a particularly lethal form of violence against women, and a violation of a woman’s most basic human rights. While society attempts to normalize prostitution on a variety of levels (discussed later in this paper), prostituted women are subjected to violence and abuse at the hands of paying “clients.” For the vast majority of prostituted women, “prostitution is the experience of being hunted, dominated, harassed, assaulted and battered.” 3 It is “sexual terrorism against women at the hands of men and little is being done to stop the carnage.”4And in “no other so-called profession are so many women murdered each year.” 5 More than anything, prostitution is not a choice, as some claim. Survivors of prostitution have described it as “the choice made by those who have no choice.” 6 The global forces that “choose” women for prostitution include, among others, gender...
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