...Black Women in the Media Media is defined as a form of mass communication through the use of radio, television, the Internet, music, film, and etc. Throughout history, American media has not only been used as a form of communication and entertainment, but it has also been utilized to spread stereotypes and hegemonic ideals reinforcing the racial hierarchy that has continued to survive even after the abolition of slavery in the nineteenth century. According to Tilicia L. Mayo, Indiana University communications graduate, images in the media contain the ability to teach many different lessons. Mayo states, “Contemporary films and television shows deliver images that communicate ideologies such as class, standing and position in society” (vi). After the abolition of slavery, White America searched for means of social control through the media since they lacked the power of legal control. Black women, being of the lowest racial and gender classes in America, have repeatedly been stereotyped and victimized through the use of degrading images in contemporary media. The origins of these images can be found in the racist ideologies of the African slave woman created by White Euro-American slave owners. The images of black women in American media have directly affected how black women and other people in society define black womanhood. This influence directly shows how people utilize fictitious and stereotypical images from the media in trying to understand the stereotyped group and...
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...Throughout the decades, notably from the 1970s to the present, America has experienced its changes through the influence of hip-hop culture. Cultural hip-hop talks about real-life experiences of subjects such as gangster mafia violence, drugs, degrading of women, and many other realistic, pessimistic values, whether the artist has experienced those situations or not. Currently, the public has opened their ears to a whole new level by listening to the ludicrous lyrics of some of the mediocre, modern-day hip-hop and rap artists. Due to much of the publicity, some of these artists are put on such a high pedestal that they go to extremes by acting out their music and wind up being horrible role models, ruining the names they made for themselves. On the other hand, some artists in hip-hop culture see a political trend form and decide to incite it with heart-grasping lyrics that pertain to the governmental issues. From the 1970s to current times, there is a pattern emerging that Americans are willing to listen to politically subjected songs that hip-hop artists have written as signs of political trends. America’s changes through hip-hop culture have had some influences on the government and public as a whole through significantly realistic lyrics, violence, and trend-setters. Since 1979, when Sugarhill Gang came out with “Rapper’s Delight”, hip-hop music has been “all the rage” for about three decades (Blanchard 1). Hip-hop came from the different genres of jazz, gospel, reggae,...
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...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, popular talk show host on the Fox News Channel...
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...Do the Right Thing, black film and the emergence of a subsequent hip-hop visual markers have posited African-American kaleidoscopes of a view into aspects of the so-called ‘black experience’ in social terms. Music and song scores in film today – across the board – are replete with hip-hop representations. Munby maintains that the “low-budget” characteristics of Rudy Ray Moore’s effort to appeal to black audiences in the pre-1980s, given his “irreverent attitude to the laws that govern mainstream moviemaking” had failed to measure up to what hegemonic society deemed as ‘good’ black film (204). Yet, three key areas of discourse of hip-hop influences in cinema persist around the culture of...
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...|How Hip-Hop Holds Blacks Back | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Not long ago, I was having lunch in a KFC in Harlem, sitting near eight African-American boys, aged about 14. Since 1) it was 1:30 on a school day, 2) they were carrying book bags, and 3) they seemed to be in no hurry, I assumed they were skipping school. They were extremely loud and unruly, tossing food at one another and leaving it on the floor. Black people ran the restaurant and made up the bulk of the customers, but it was hard to see much healthy “black community” here. After repeatedly warning the boys to stop throwing food and keep quiet, the manager finally told them to leave. The kids ignored her. Only after she called a male security guard did they start slowly making their way out, tauntingly...
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...Hip hop has been a very controversial topic in American society. I plan to discuss the positive and negative impact that hip hop and its artist have on today’s society. This topic has been argued over many years, and still remains a very touchy subject amongst many people. Weather discussing race, stereotypes, misconceptions, lyrical content, or the social behaviors of hip hop artist, there will always be room for debate. The merits of hip hop are often under question, and the negativity that surrounds it does not help its cause. While hip hop and its artist have both a negative and positive effects on today’s society, the positives outweigh the negatives. Hip hop and its artist have many misconceptions associated with them, and one of the biggest misconceptions about the artist is that they were all once criminals. As popular as this belief may be in some social circles it simply is not true. Grant it, there are negative events involved with hip hop and the artist, but to judge hip hop as a whole based on a few incidents is stereotypical and simply not right. Lyrical content may be to blame for certain stereotypes. What I want people to realize is hip hop is a form of entertainment and should be viewed as such. Everything said in a hip hop song should not be taken literally. More often than not the lyrical content represents past behaviors and not current or future endeavors. The fact that they are doing something positive should be proof enough that they do not condone...
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...Rhymed out of Tune? One of the main channels where Americans speak out about race, violence and culture, is Hip-Hop music. This is a place where the music is dominated by black artists, yet most of its sales/profits are to whites in America. Is it because white people just like the beat and lyrics of the music, or are they trying to identify with a society they have never known? in spite of its popularity among white listeners, you don’t see the murder rate among young white males increasing because they identify with it. Some might argue that music could never inspire an individual to act in a certain way or someone to kill. However, some could also debate, if music can make you feel happiness or tranquil, then it might also motivate one to violence or invoke aspirations to kill. Byron Hurt, the Filmmaker of “Hip-Hop, Beyond beats and Rhymes,” talks about a “Box” that Hip-Hop puts men in with its lyrics and by the gangsters the music videos embody showing what a real man should desire to be, in his film. “In order to be in that box, men have to be strong, tough, have a lot of girls and money. Men have to be a player or pimp, they have to be in control and dominate other people, because if men are not those things, then they are called soft, weak, a pussy, chump or faggot, and nobody wants to be any of those things so they stay inside the box.” (Byron Hurt) Hip-Hop’s impractical ideas of manhood have become a box resembling a prison, the same way Plato’s cave was a...
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...Hip-Hop and Its Impact on America Erick Acosta U.S History II Honors Period 4 Mr. Pannone May 4, 2009 Hip Hop and Its Impact on America Hip-Hop is one of the genres most criticized by America. Many people thought that Hip-Hop would fade away soon after it was introduced in the late 70s. These people were wrong because over 25 years have passed and Hip-Hop is now very popular in American culture. Hip-Hop has grown a great deal since its beginnings in south Bronx. Now Hip-Hop and rap music can be found anywhere from CDs, television shows, advertisements, and the internet. This shows how big of an impact it has on America and American music. A brief history shows Hip-Hop’s achievements and milestones. Hip-Hop is divided into two: the DJ and the MC. The DJ: Hip Hop began in South Bronx during the late 1970s. It arose when block parties were common in New York City. Deejays would use a technique to isolate the percussion breaks in songs. They did this because they knew that these percussion breaks would be easier to dance to (Hip-Hop music, par 5). This technique was very much seen in Jamaica and was brought to New York by DJ Kool Herc. DJ Kool Herc from Jamaica was known as the father of Hip-Hop. There were other Deejays that contributed to the expansion of Hip-Hop. These Deejays were DJ Hollywood, who invented the term Hip-Hop, and Grand Wizard Theodore, who invented scratching. Scratching is a technique used by deejays to produce distinctive sounds by moving a vinyl...
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...Imagine living in a Puritan society 330 years ago. Religious zeal and devotion are the basis of the community. Ministers and pastors promote male supremacy and women are looked down upon. The fundamental rule in society is to follow God’s law and obey His commandments. Harsh, remorseless punishment is inflicted on those who stray from God’s laws. Now compare the Puritan society to today’s society. The American culture is ruled by momentary yet popular trends. Colored skinny jeans, snap-backs, unnecessary fashion glasses and neon clothing can be seen almost anywhere on the street (Lutz). Also modern culture has astronomically altered social norms. Women used to be the ideal caretaker of innocence and purity, but now women dress in revealing clothing and are preyed on by the indecent society. Proper mannerisms have vanished and young people have become straightforward and sometimes even rude. Respect for elders and wisdom has dwindled (The Revolution in Manners and Morals). What is the cause of this cultural shift? In Boston during 1684, a group of strict Puritan religious leaders wrote a letter to the community addressing the issue of dancing. Men could dance together and women could dance together, which was viewed as a natural expression of joy. Also children could dance with their parents’ permission. However if a male and female danced together it was seen as an inexcusable sin before God (An Arrow Against Profane and Promiscuous Dancing). Puritan religious leaders warned...
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...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 who...
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...epidemic in the 80s helped the youth of today, to make better choices in life concerning this addictive drug. Crack, was highly-addictive and swept through plenty areas of cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Miami. In the end it caused devastating effects for black and Latino Americans. As crack cocaine was becoming popular and rising epidemic, hip hop was evolving alongside it. It was in the 1980s that crack cocaine and hip hop became the two leading fundamentals of urban street culture. It is not suggested that hip hop caused the crack epidemic, or vice versa. But, it can be argued that both fed off each other, particularly hip hop off the crack culture itself. Crack cocaine quickly gained popularity among users in the 1980s due to its cheap cost, and the quick, intense high it left. Compared to freebase cocaine, which involved a complicated ritual involving Ether, crack cocaine had become simplistic and easier to manage. The drug was “made from powder cocaine, it was safer to make than freebase cocaine”. As crack and dope became parts of our neighborhoods, they started to have an impression on our culture through music and television. Epidemics are always a great time to remind America that racism still exists. For example, epidemics happen to everybody but white people. The holocaust happened to the Jews, HIV happened to homosexuals (although white, they must not have been Christian and thus didn’t count), and inevitably, crack cocaine happened to the African...
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... Hip-Hop has grown exponentially from its meager beginning in New York City, with influence globally resembling religion in the way it impacts the lives of its most fervent followers. Rap, Hip-Hop?s musical component, has provided outlets for artistry and entrepreneurship for individuals in the inner city who wouldn?t otherwise have one. Despite the positive effects that the musical genre has had on countless lives, it has fairly been criticized for its glorification of misogyny, violence, and drug use; unfortunately, tendency to promote fiscally reckless behavior is often ignored. A rather popular song on urban radio over the...
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...When you hear the word Oreo what’s the first thought that come to mind? That right! A delicious cookie treat that goes great with a glass of milk. But in nearly every black neighborhood this fantastic treat is what blacks use to describe other blacks who don’t live up to the black expectation in America. The Urbandictionary.com defines Oreo as a person who is black on the outside and white on the inside. But what does that mean? Basically its saying people can appear to be black, but don’t necessarily act black. For example somebody who speaks clearly, someone who enjoys music other than hip hop or R&B, or just any black person who deviates from the cultural norm. Let’s take Carlton for example. Yea that’s right I’m citing The Fresh Price of Bel-Air, but who hasn’t learned a valuable life lesson from that show. In the episode titles “Blood is thicker than mud,” Carlton is denied membership to an all-black fraternity because he is seen as too white wash. Of course Will was immediately accepted but later turns the offer down after his cousin questions why people couldn’t accept him for who he was. This just shows that his black on black oppression is not a new topic and has been occurring for decades, but if you aren’t black then you don’t see it. Fortunately for y’all I brought in an Oreo to drop some knowledge on you suckkas!! Before we continue we need to label this problem is better known as internalized oppression. Which is defined by Community Tool Box publication...
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...IS HIP HOP DEAD? Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………..2 1.FOOTSTEPS/ BRIEF HISTORY ……………………………………………………….3 2.THE HIP HOP GAME/ INDUSTRY ………………………………………………….7 3. UNDERGROUND ………………………………………………………………………..10 5. SAMPLING …………………………………………………………………………………11 6. CREATIVITY IN THE TWO WORLDS ……………………………………………..13 7.SALVATION …………………………………………………………………………………16 CONCLUSION …………………………………………………………………………………17 BIBLIOGRAPHY INTRODUCTION The phrase “Hip-Hop Is Dead” can be found everywhere around hip hop community discussions during the last years. Rapper “Nas” titled his eighth album in 2006 with this statement, and has caused a controversy among rap artists and listeners all over the world. But comparing today`s hip hop music with the roots of hip hop can we really claim that hip-hop is really dead? If so, what are the facts that lead in the death of hip hop? What does its demise mean for the average fan? How to bring it back? Does it mean the genre will go down in irrelevance like what happened in disco music? All these questions will be investigated during this paper, and to understand this complicate statement itself, we should figure out what the statement really means. Maybe it is the fact that most of the genre’s songs and music videos look exactly the same. Maybe it’s the mainstream hip-hop game’s emphasis in ridiculously shinning jewelry, the sexism and the focus on money and women. Better yet, according to Mickey Hess, “hip-hop’s...
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...This article was downloaded by: [University of California Santa Barbara] On: 13 April 2012, At: 11:44 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/gred20 Scared Straight: Hip-Hop, Outing, and the Pedagogy of Queerness Marc Lamont Hill Available online: 20 Jan 2009 To cite this article: Marc Lamont Hill (2009): Scared Straight: Hip-Hop, Outing, and the Pedagogy of Queerness, Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies, 31:1, 29-54 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10714410802629235 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.tandfonline.com/page/termsand-conditions This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae, and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions...
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