The music industry encompasses a variety of genres. Nevertheless, some are favored more than others. The Grammys demonstrates these recurring issues while BET advocates for change impacting the future of music. In his article, The Grammys Fumble Hip-Hop and R&B. Here’s How to Fix It (2017) Author, Jon Caramanica claims that those of the more successful artists continually get nominated, while break-through artists of minorities and lesser influence don’t get the recognition they deserve for the Grammys. In view of the author's motivational tone, this article is intended for those who listen to Hip-Hop & R&B and watch the Grammys, between 16 and 24; these are the people who are striving for change. On BET, however, they do not conform to any …show more content…
The author, Jon Caramanica claims at the Grammy’s black artists tend to be "poorly represented in the biggest categories, and the hip hop and R&B categories tend to misread the genres they aim to celebrate favoring the established over the insurgent" (Caramanica). R&B and Hip Hop in the modern-day era are undermined by artists who don’t deserve awards but receive them due to the corruption embedded in the music industry. The author appeals to pathos and speaks to audiences resonating with the cultural backgrounds emphasized by these artists. Caramanica addresses the complex combination of unrelated genres favoring former artists who have surpassed their pinnacle and ignoring new-coming artists leading to "a problem that has leached the Grammys of credibility in many genres is its tendency to favor established artists who are making irrelevant mid- and late-career work" (Caraminica). Furthermore, this quote exhibits the constraints felt by these artists of this genre when it comes to being noticed for their arduous efforts. In addition, by employing pathos, the author intends to make the audience empathize with artists who aren't given as much opportunity to persuade a want for development within the …show more content…
The Academy's members vote for the winners in each category, and the results are often unpredictable. In some cases, the winners may not reflect the popular opinion or the best work in a given category further undermining the integrity of the Awards. Caraminica exclaims “the Grammys prioritize white artists in a black genre, even someone as lyrically challenged as Ms. Azalea.” (Caraminica). Rap, Hip-hop, and R&B are primarily known as African-American dominated genres of music this further exemplify the favoritism portrayed by the Grammy’s considering the popularity of YG’s debut album starring his hit song “My Krazy Life”. Even in a culturally assigned genre for “2015 Best Rap Album”, an artist of caucasian descent manages to win versus an African-American. Caraminica strives to influence a change in people's perception of the music industry, leading to a more inclusive space. Undoubtedly, he invokes this change by making the audience aware that black artists are being under-represented and not given the recognition they merit utilizing pathos to sway the
Commercial hip hop is too blindsided by making profit to assist in the rallies for Black justice the same way that hip-hop proper is doing. #BLM has liberated rap from its default setting today, and is beginning to break the white stereotype that hip hop is defined as a consumer market where “rhyming negro gentleman callers and ballers sold vernacular song and dance to an adoringly vicarious and increasingly whiter public” (para.6). Tate concludes with stating that #BLM’s “reclamation of hip-hop proper has brought complexity and revolutionary street cred back to the race conversation in commercial rap. The public can no longer be sold the noxious and recherché notion that 21st-century rap culture is only about trap-happy nigras getting paid for getting dumb, or coldstoopidwackretarded, even. Thanks to #BlackLivesMatter, the beautiful struggle against racialized injustice once again matters where rap and hip-hop proper live” (para
Modern globalization of entertainment allows artistic paradigms to respectfully intersect, appropriate, and evolve. In Music in America, Dvořák argues that the demographical origin of an artist cannot prohibit an artist from producing music of another origin. Throughout the excerpt, Dvořák provides numerous examples of artists composing famous pieces that possess musical characteristics of certain cultures the artist does not originate from like Verdi’s Aida and Bizet’s Carmen. In fact, Dvořák argues that proper representation “need not necessarily be of the same blood,” but instead, requires accurate expression of the underlying morals: “Our (musicians’) mission should be to give pure pleasure, and to uphold the ideals of our race.” Dvořák’s ideals of respectful appropriation can be seen in respected white hip-hop artists like Eminem and Mac Miller who share their experiences and ideals regarding social reform, mental illness, and poverty that resonate with the underlying ideals of rap and hip-hop.
This article focuses on the color-blind ideology that allows white people to participate in and appropriate hip-hop culture. Rodriquez notes that they do so by using the guise of inclusivity of all races to justify their participation in hip hop and to adapt characteristics of the culture without respecting Black identity. He uses his own interviews of several white audience members of hip hop concerts who identified as participants of hip hop culture. Rodriquez identifies two groups resulting from social collectivity to reinforce his argument: consciously collective white groups, who actively reinforce racial segregation and passively collective white groups, who unknowingly unite and reinforce systematic racism through their adherence to color-blind ideology. The participants of his research are part of the latter, who unconsciously reinforce systematic racism through treating cultural objects, namely aspects of hip hop culture, as shareable products and experiences.
Hip hop has a message that reveals the social inequalities of our nations. In addition, McBride wants people to keep an open mind about hip hop and new thing that they may not be used to. In conclusion, he declares hip
A psychedelic soul duo, the Black Pumas, found recognition at the Grammys. They ended up receiving “Grammy nominations for the Big 4 categories” but “many reactions were with surprise and confusion” (Conway 643). This explains how the Grammys have already created racist narratives, also influencing the fans. The fans are so used to seeing a duo like this being relegated outside the Big 4 categories, that it is hard to respect these artists because of the view that they don’t belong. The Grammy's influence also goes further than fans, as we can see the internalized racism on Billboard charts.
Hip Hop was the wildfire that started in the South Bronx and whose flames leapt up around the world crying out for change. James McBride’s Hip Hop Planet focuses on his personal interactions with the development of Hip Hop culture and his changing interpretations of the world wide movement. Many of his encounters and mentions in the text concern young black males and his writing follows an evolution in the representation of this specific social group. He initially portrays them as arrogant, poor, and uneducated but eventually develops their image to include the positive effects of their culture in an attempt to negate their historical misrepresentation.
In her essay “hip hop’s betrayal of black women,” Jennifer McLune implies that “(h)ip-hop owes its success to the ideology of women-hating” (193). She does not agree with Kevin Powell’s article that hip-hop does not mean to “offend” black women, but instead artists are only letting out their temper throughout their music. McLune feels infuriated that many artists in hip hop (including black men) rap about their community and downgrade their own women. In the hip-hop genre, sexism is mainly used, not only by black men but also by many other race hip-hop artists. Artists assume that women-hating in their rap songs will be accepted by women, but do not realize that it is affecting all women.
Early on, much of America viewed music African Americans were making as negative, and without much meaning coming from the suburb areas. But as time progressed, white Americans became more open to African American music, and this helped to desegregate much of the nation in the industry. “At long last, African American culture, via rock & roll, was being presented to mainstream American society in dignity-endorsing and unambiguously uplifting ways that ran counter to the antiblack racist assumptions that were previously projected onto African American life, culture, and aesthetics” (Rabaka 113). Rock and roll gave a large group of individuals, in a country that had dealt with all sorts of racist stereotypes for centuries, a feeling of freedom, and a chance to develop a serious social dialogue and cultural understanding to
Impact of African American Music on Popular Genres A. Hip hop 1. Rhythms and beats 2. Lyrics and themes 3. Case study: Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly" B. Rock 1.
Hip Hop is seen as something inspiring, but most people see it as a way to speak out the truth about a problem. As in “Hip Hop planet” being able say the truth can sometimes worsen any situation because sometimes what we say can promote violence and whatever happens after is not in our control. The essay is about how hip hop has changed into speaking out the issues that need to be taken care of in order to maintain a proper society. McBride talked about how rappers use violent lyrics to degrade women and gays and because of this it shows how the music has evolved into something entirely different that no one would have ever expected to have changed. In James McBride's essay “Hip Hop Planet,” he argues that hip hop has a negative influence on American Culture despite people thinking of it as inspirational and how people live through different experiences in life despite of your race.
In “Colleges Embrace Hip-Hop Studies”, Darrell Dela Rosa argues that hip-hop should be deemed scholarly due to the cultural and historical significance it holds. On the contrary, “Black Culture Beyond Hip-Hop” by Thomas Chatterton Williams comes from the stand point of hip-hop not being worthy of scholar because it is not what defines black culture but has attached itself to black street culture. While each article addresses hip-hop in a different light, both are geared towards how the world views hip-hop. Whereas Dela Rosa remarks that hip-hop is worthy of studying due to its historical value, Williams states that the hip-hop culture is not praiseworthy because of the correlation between it and black street culture. Dela Rosa claims that
Missy Elliot, Eve, and MC Lyte all have one thing in common they all have impeccable delivery and amazing storytelling skills (Bobbitt). From MC Lyte’s song titled “Cappuccino” to Eve’s song titled “Love is Blind” they both exemplify the artists amazing storytelling skills while showcasing prominent issues the African American community such as drug abuse and domestic violence. MC Lyte impacted the music industry significantly more than just these two artists it is widespread. Many male and female artists respect what MC Lyte has done musically for Hip
Hip-hop represented an evolution, bringing ultimate relevance to the discussion of Black excellence. (Ekpo
People have made accusations of the Grammys of robbing African-American artists of awards forever. Within their long 65 years of running, only 11 black artists have won album of the year. Furthermore, many artists who have had an unfathomable impact on the music industry do not possess a Grammy to show for it. Incredibly influential rappers like The Notorious B.I.G, Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, Nas, Ice Cube, and even Nicki Minaj have been nominated and robbed on many occasions. None of these artists (whom many consider part of the greatest rappers of all time) has walked away from the show with the famous gold-plated gramophone
The African American community has not gained full equality to this day. Even after fighting for many years this present day issue has come to light in Hip-Hop artists songs like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis song, White Privilege II. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are respected in their line of work because they have become very popular in today 's Hip-Hop music. Hip-Hop has been the newest way of news being broadcasted. As many artists like Macklemore have become more of an activist in this day and age.