AFS 2010 Blog #4

Saundra Wells

AFS 2010

Blog #4

HIP HOP vs. AMERICA

 

After reading and listening to the various rap artist on the talk panel with scholars and media personnel. It is evident that the rap industry plays a large part in America’s youth lives.

In the “Hip Hop” world of music the idea of imaginations running wild is a definite awareness for the impressionable youth since the beginning. The Rap industry has held a mystique within their own since rap became as big as rhythm and blues, even as large as jazz among blacks in society today. Hip Hop started out as what seemed to be a retaliation against the rules of society or life, because of the willingness of the Hip Hop artists to go against the “norm” to express themselves through their music. The idea that classic music from artists in the past was used as background harmony for today’s hip hop artist to verbalize their distinctive opinion of today’s world seems a little strange.

The movies Boyz in the Hood and Jungle Fever, both movies produced by a black man to show one regular day in the lives of blacks. Boyz in the Hood provided a vivid portrayal of the gang life Los Angeles whereas a black family headed by a mother no father in the home was raising her two sons and one was an athlete that showed promised of being able to go to college and escape the street life. The other son was a product of the majority of his neighborhood, he was a gang member that was familiar with guns and violence and accepted it as a norm. The idea that a different life could exist outside of the neighborhood in which they were being raised in was not on the fore front of their thoughts each day they woke up. The movie Boyz in the Hood followed this typical east LA family through their normal day and the day contained the shooting of the promising athlete, and the retaliation of more shooting by his gang banger brother. The idea of revenge for the shooting of his brother was one that just seemed normal especially for the atmosphere they lived in. This is the format or explanation that several Hip Hop stars spoke of on the panel in the videos that I had the opportunity to see. Hip Hop vs criminology is what the rap stars were focusing on the idea that what they rap about in their songs is an everyday happening for some. The music behind the story is what makes it entertaining for some and others are shocked by the expression of violence and sexual innuendo’s made by the videos.

 Everyone in this life experiences many different lives, no two are alike. I mean if you look at Jungle fever and see that a “professional” black man who has a beautiful wife and child at home still made the decision to have an affair with a “white” woman. That affair was the start of many unpleasant situations that affects their loved ones as well as highlights the prejudice between whites and blacks. The movie really shows the typical cheating man with another woman who does not think of how his actions will affect his devoted wife or how it will affect his entire family. Again just as the rap artists expressed on the talk panel, rap is real life.

 The Black community accepted rap as a way of expressing the idea of real experiences in life. The way that the expression is portrayed may not be as favorable as some would have it to be, but it is what it is true experiences. The interpretation of each rap video or song is left up to be determined by those that choose to listen to the hip hop music. The rap videos appears to exploit the sexuality of black women, this is done with conflict because the lyrics although are degrading to some others find them a representation of real life. Because black women have experienced the harsh side of violence since slavery days. The chapter two words Black Community speaks of the spread of rap contributed to the promiscuous of sex and the chapter suggests that the spread of Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases came about because of the popularity of rap. I do not see it as such, promiscuity has been around a long time.

The idea of power is displayed in many rap songs, power demonstrated by the actors in the videos showing guns and money along with pretty women dressed in sexy outfits. The videos had and has a big influence on the thought process of young children, especially those who live in areas whereas they are exposed to violence on a daily basis, from street fights to drive by’s. Although children who live in the “suburban” areas and may be the product of a two parent family, are still influenced by the rap industry. Back in the day rock n roll too had underlying sexual tones. The “twist” caused dancers to gyrate their bodies and this was taken as sexual. Who would have thought that this would go any further.

 All of the negativeness that America experiences did not start with the evolution of rap it was always here and just viewed differently. In slavery days the rape of a black female was acceptable because this is what the entity that ruled (white males) had no problem with it. It was wrong but acceptable, now rap who does the same sexual suggestions but with music for entertaining is blasted and put down.  The effect of the portrayal on these few minute rap videos just displays the episodes that has happened to many in this world whether or not we want to admit it. In today’s society children are still influenced by trends, if it looks interesting then they will try it even if the parents do not approve. I am speaking of children of all colors. The rap music is a lot bigger now than the United States it is all over the world and children from all walks of life are trying to be like that star of the rap videos, because it looks interesting.

The Rap music some like and some do not is here to stay whether we want it to or not. The rap videos with all of the glitz and sexual content along with the profanity some have in it will only get worse depending on what sells.

     

AFS 2010 BLOG #3

Saundra Wells

Blog #3

AFS 2010

 

The chapter by Gina Dent on Black Pleasure Black Joy, presented many angles of pleasure one may get in this society and consider it to be a joy. The idea that one may find pleasure in the humiliation of another black person raises the question as blacks Why are so used to being degraded? Well when we were brought forcefully from Africa to be slaves in every sense of the word, we experienced the feeling of humiliation as disgraceful things were done to us. In this chapter Ms. Dent along with other authors on the subject of Black pleasure Black joy help to create some explanations as to blacks have accepted this plight and made it a normal way of life.

In this chapter Andre Lourde  author states “”as our deepest knowledge ,a power that , unlike others spheres of power, we all have access to, and that can lessen the threat of our individual difference.” Lourde was extending an explanation of the pleasure a woman may experience just being a woman and having the freedom to choose what she finds to be stimulating to her most inner being. Joy of course is more of a place we find ourselves when we want to feel elated in our being.

Just as in the video by Bell Hooks she commentates on the treatment of women and the feeling of joy within a black woman, it is not so much as a natural situation the black women are not given a fair chance within the media. The black woman is exploited and treated as if mistreatment is natural. The verbal and mental attacks are natural, because they are used to it. Even in the movies blacks are given parts that are considered to be how their “culture” is perceived. The idea that the sexual exploitations of blacks are okay because they bring in the money to the box offices, and make the producers lots of money. The role of blacks as dope sellers, car thieves and illiterate are okay because they (Blacks) can play these roles well because these are everyday happenings in their lives.

Another view of Black Popular Culture as noted in the chapter by Dent, “it has become increasingly clear that black criticism will have to begin to make use of the more sophisticated cultural analysis that depend on understanding the complexities of video imaging, the dynamics of representation, and reception theories.

In the video by Hooks, she has part that highlights the OJ Simpson trial. The excerpts from the trial actually shows the triumphant moment that Simpson was declared not guilty for killing his wife and another male friend. This tragedy was a terrible injustice to those family members who were forced to watch and relive the last minutes of their loved ones life. The whole trial per Hooks was “spectacle” it concentrated more on the person on trial (OJ) than on the victim (Nicole Simpson) of domestic violence. This clearly was exploited as a black thing and not as a perpetrator and victim. The whole trial was geared to place blacks against whites, all of the evidence that was presented was magnified as the police out to get another black person. When you think of the outcome of this trial you have no choice but to think of the lost concept of the trial, which was to prove that he was being set up by the police because he was black.

In the chapter on rap music the question of what should be done with rap music should it be “censored, studied, or struggle to change it?” This quote actually outlines the way that rap music affects the black community in one person’s opinion.

According to the opinion of Hooks, she states that rap music is “most obscene” and she considers it to be a “perfect paradigm of colonialism.” One that gives the young white consumers the opportunity to take out of rap what they want. The idea of the degradation of black females is big in rap music. It causes damage to “black life”, by elevating the terrible crimes of rape and sexual abuse of black females. The idolization of rap artists because of the money they make selling the lyrics that seem do nothing but cause demise of a female’s stance in the black culture. Although the white CEO’s are busy getting wealthy on the exploitation of the black culture. The idea that black rap artists have not redefined the mode in which they utilize these words to make money, because of the amounts of money they get for the abuse of words put to music.

We need cultural criticism today because of the ignorance that some people may have as to what damage their behavior causes to our culture. As stated previously the music industry is definitely one that has integrated depreciation to the black culture, and have been allowed to do so because of the money that has been offered to them. The need of cultural criticism gives a way for individuals to express their opinion on the actions of society. Critical thinking is an important life skill for people today to be able to express their opinions or thoughts on many situations that affect our society. To me cultural criticism is valuable because it can provide knowledge, understanding, and insight to those that want to be heard.

In society today we are in need of critical analysis on political matters that affect not just the black culture but other cultures also. The laws that are being upheld and set forth are making the society we live one that is questionable, for example the institution of marriage, the idea that the law cannot define whether or not a marriage is between a man and a woman or just between two people that find comfort within each other. The law is challenged and needs to define in order to create stability for the people of this society. Each culture is entitled to an opinion as to how the changes in law would affect them.