Identity And Exploitation In Mos Def's Africa

In the 1990’s Hip Hop lived its prime, sub genres started to appear and famous groups, MCs led the whole community, providing a voice to a group of people trying to deliver their message. Through their lyrics they were able to express their opinions about society, the government and the treatment of African-Americans in the U.S. for decades. The black community used this platform to protest against social attitudes and try to change them. The famous MCs like 2Pac, Biggie, Snoop Dogg and rap groups for instance the one and only Wu Tang Clan or the generally known gangster rap group from Compton called N.W.A. were orators of a generation with the intention of raising the black culture and community from the oppression remained in the

It is likely that inclusion of such material would be appealing to readers that would possibly have bought Douglass’s narrative, but also, the reader might assume that the events surrounding Douglass’s life as a slave caused him to form his own opinions about religion and its effect on society. The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave is a novel that reveals the ills of a society tainted by slavery. Using religious undertones and candid language, Douglass conveys to the reader many of his views on slavery as well as society and the religion that fuels

Throughout the narrative, the author includes his personal stories about experiencing the violence of slavery first-hand. For example, on page 20, he writes about the first time he witnessed a slave, his own aunt, getting the whip. “The louder she screamed, the harder he whipped; and where the blood ran fastest, there he whipped longest…I remember the first time I ever witnessed this horrible exhibition… It struck me with awful force. It was the blood-stained gate, the entrance to the hell of slavery…” The author including his experience of his aunts whipping, in detail, appeals to the emotions of the reader. By appealing to the emotions of the reader, Frederick Douglass can build his argument of how awful slavery was and how the slave owners used Christianity to justify what they did.

consistently fed the industry and their listeners with the rivalry and hatred for each other. With their demonizing character and lyrics, both presented themselves as prime examples of the internalized racism ate up by the present generation of African Americans. Though the West Coast entertainer did empower his race and community with encouraging words like Dr. King, his egotistical actions towards other Hip-Hop artists contradicted his hopes for black unity. 2Pac and B.I.G.’s rivalry continued through various songs, public recognition and performances, and finally resulted in action of

Slave narratives provide eloquent arguments against the inhumane practice of slavery and serve as crucial documentations of America’s reprehensible history. Frederick Douglass, a famous black abolitionist, fearlessly published his Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass seven years after his escape from bondage. Douglass powerfully details the physical hardships of a male slave and the evils that occurred within slave plantations. Similarly, Harriet Jacobs–once free–published her narrative, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Jacobs tackles the emotional tribulations inflicted upon herself and other women of color by their white masters.

Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself and Harriet Jacobs’ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl discusses how slavery dehumanizes and breaks down an individual to no worth. Douglass’ and Jacobs’ accounts are similar because they lecture against slavery with the work and obstacles they went through. Jacobs says, “For years, my master had done his utmost to pollute my mind with foul images, and to destroy the pure principles inculcated by my grandmother, and the good mistress of my childhood. The influences of slavery had the same effect on me that they had on other young girls; they had made me prematurely knowing, concerning the evil ways of the world.” (827) Jacobs explains that slavery has attempted to take a toll on her life with its physical, emotional, and mental abuse. Women in slavery were mistreated sexually as well, and in this case, Jacobs faced sexual oppression at a young age.

Introduction: During the 1800’s, Slavery was an immense problem in the United States. Slaves were people who were harshly forced to work against their will and were often deprived of their basic human rights. Forced marriages, child soldiers, and servants were all considered part of enslaved workers. As a consequence to the abolition people found guilty were severely punished by the law. Slavery in the US was firstly introduced in 1619 when tobacco and crops had to be grown effectively.

Christianity was used as a means to justify slavery in that it would encourage ideas of equality and brotherhood. The abolition movement in Britain, spurred the spread of Christianity to the slaves. The role of the Anglian Church as well as the church of the planter class was ineffective. The most influential was the Baptist followed by the Moravians and Methodist.23 However, at the start of colonial slavery, converting the slaves to Christianity was not considered a good idea. There were differences in the opinions of the Plantocracy as to whether or not the slave population should be Christianized.2 While some Planters felt that this would reinforce obedience, others feared the possibilities of a Christian slave as they thought that if their slaves were Christianized they would demand their rights as human

During the Haitian Revolution through August 21, 1791, to January 1, 1804, slaves were imported from Africa and oppressed by the white, French population. The slaves were outraged at the mistreatment and decided to revolt against their masters. There were many causes that started the revolution, such as social, economic, and political inequality between the white French and everyone else. The revolution itself also had an important legacy that inspired hope for the future of those oppressed as well as more negatively, death and tragedy. The Haitian Revolution was caused by oppressive slavery and discrimination against all but the French elite and led to the death of French and Haitians alike, the French’s expulsion from the island, and the spread of hope and freedom to other oppressed people all over the world.

This dehumanization of slaves was what helped otherwise Christian people treat slaves as nothing but pieces of property bought and paid for. Stowe illustrates this in dialogue between Senator Bird and Mary by saying it was considered Christian to not feed hungry and homeless slaves (91-92). She also shows the devaluation of slaves as people by describing the heartbreak of breaking up families by selling them separate from each other. When Harry was sold he would have been separated from his mother. The slave holder Haley rationalizing these separations by keeping them secret while they were happening so as not to cause a scene.

Black culture is actually devalued in the show because it does not show hip hop as the art form it is but as a joke. This is seen by how Hakeem only raps about money and girls or how Lucious made a comedic diss track while in prison. Hip hop is devalued in real life but we also have examples of what real hip hop is. We do not have that in “Empire”. It is messaged to the masses that the only thing black people care about is getting money and that anything from jail time to broken families is worth gaining success.

Therefore, they were more than likely on their as prisoners, since Africa was invaded and people were stolen to be slaves. Black people have been fighting since the Native Americans were invaded and taken over by the English settlers. Slavery and freedom, unfortunately, go hand in hand with one another. People cannot expect people to be slaves without trying to escape for their freedom, the reason freedom exists is because slavery was formed. What is worse is that they were stolen from their home to become a servant, then they were whipped if they tried to escape or tried to stand their ground.

Additionally, Hip hop is considered as contemporary African-American rhyming games. Previously, rhyming games are used as an inspirational comical approach to indicate race relations between African-American slaves and their white masters and escaping plantations. Such as "Bre 'r Rabbit tales" . Hip-hop journalist Davey D connects the African oral tradition to modern rap: "You see, the slaves were smart and they talked in metaphors. They would be killed if the slave masters heard them speaking in unfamiliar tongues.

An example of brutality and hardship is the murder of Aminata parents which scared her for the years she was alive. No child should witness such vicious atrocious acts. The picture of slaves being roped and beaten symbolizes hardship because that picture is what realistically happen to black people when slavery was still present in the world.The final theme that connects to the theme just talked about (hardship/brutality) is death. Aminata had to face death situation so often in her life. Death symbolizes the death of the African culture.

Arson and murder were also happened in many enslaved African women’s resistance. Another very common method of resistance was to run away. Once slaves had been hunted down, they would have to face the miserable punishment. In some case, if their owner didn’t capture them, their owner would public the runaway advertisement on newspaper with reward. In the film, the slave owner captured the slaves who tried to runaway; the way he used to punish his slaves was forcing other slaves to whip those runaways hardly.