The Importance Of Racism In Hip-Hop Music

MC Lyte is a Hip-Hop legend , she exemplifies the true meaning of the “Golden Age of Hip-Hop”. MC Lyte is still to this day a visible force in Hip-Hop music, Hip-Hop culture, Hip-Hop youth, and various other aspects. From the very beginning of her rap career in the late 1980s, she let it be known that she is not “Paper Thin” and she can stand strong amongst the male-dominated rapping scene during that time. MC Lyte is more than just a female rapper, she is a international speaker, DJ, icon, Hip Hop veteran, entrepreneur, and author. All of these nouns describe “one of the most prolific and well-respected female Hip Hop artist of all time” (“Get Lyte Now”). MC Lyte is a Hip-Hop legend that has made a cultural impact on the music industry by

In “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet”, author Jamie Ford depicts the friendship between Henry Lee and Keiko Okabe, a Chinese American boy and a Japanese American girl whose ethnic backgrounds impacted their destinies in drastically different ways during World War II. After the attacks on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese, the United States government ordered all persons of Japanese ancestry to evacuate their homes where they would then be sent to internment camps. Keiko and her family being considered Japanese even though they were truly Japanese Americans, were sent to an internment camp. While Keiko was imprisoned, Henry had to come to terms with what it meant to be Chinese, an obedient son, a trustworthy friend, and a loyal American all while having to deal with the racism and discrimination towards people of Asian

This film claims to that there is white privilege in music. The film says that in the history of soul music there is an advantage for the blue eyes singers over the black soul singers. He gives the example, Adele and Sam Smith are both British artist who are well in control of the genders instead of the Jazmine Sullivan . Because there is a myth about today's black artist. The myth is that there is not enough Black artist, that they are not trying hard enough, and they are not writing or making enough soul music. I do agree with the point of view in the film. In today's music, White artist have the advantage over Back artist. I believe this is because we are still discriminating over Black people. For instance, the film talks about how mysteriously

Colin Kaepernick, a football players for the San Francisco 49ers, recently spoke out about racial injustice, and people went mad. Why? Because he stepped out of the place they thought he belonged in. This sends the message that it is okay for a black man to entertain white people, it is okay for white people to profit from him, but how dare he speak out about the inequality he and his community faces. Additionally, Hughes brings light to the issue of cultural appropriation in the lines, "It was the period (God help us!) when Ethel Barrymore appeared in blackface in Scarlet Sister Mary! It was the period when the Negro was in vogue" (1127). Basically, it was not okay for a black person to be black; they were looked down on for this reason... their skin was a different color. But a white woman could paint her face black, "act" the role of a black person, and everything was fine. Being black was "cool," unless you were actually black. We see this cultural appropriation heavily in modern trends. For example, black women have been chastised by white people for their bodies for the longest

Like in the song No Hands by artist Waka Flocka in the lyrics he says “ Drop it to the floor, he love the way that booty go and all he wants to do is sit back and watch you go while he proceeds to throw his cash.” In other words these lyrics are saying that women are nothing more than entertainment for men. Which gives the author a more purpose to be mad at the fact that the industry can degrade someone for their own success, which is true because all the songs about women have made millions off of it. McLune goes to to support her argument by acknowledging conscious artists, like when she gives credit to Tupac Shakur when he says the following quote “ we were given this world, we did not make it”. She has been providing good points and there’s a reason for her to be upset at artist for mimicking black women and she perceives to be very passionate about this topic, as if it’s entitling her. Therefore her reactions that

As time passes, people often think of their pasts and what they have done in their life, both positively and negatively. The lyrics of the song resonate with everyone, even the famous singer Macklemore who produced the song “Good Old Days.” In the song, he reflects on his past and the times he missed or regretted. Macklemore also writes “We’ve come so far, I guess I’m proud” which also shows that he’s happy with the choices he made and that they have gotten him to where he is now—a famous musician and writer. The music in the song has an upbeat and appealing tone to it with excellent lyrics, which made it a top 40 song in the U.S. The song, “Good Old Days,” by Macklemore featuring Kesha gives listeners a unique, deep emotional connection with one’s past and future in a simplistic, but pathos way. The lyrics are very simplistic which helps to make the song relatable to its listeners.

Chapter 1: What does the Civil Rights Movement gave to the African-Americans compared to Hip Hop as a subculture/movement.

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.

Ever since its birth in the 1970s in West Bronx, Hip Hop has been known as “Gangsta” music and most commonly associated with black culture. Since its creation it has become a fast growing genre of music and has growing fame all over the world. The popularity of it has increased to all races, age and gender. However the growing popularity of hip hop has come with several controversies among scholars. Some scholars argue that the growing popularity of the genre is very helpful to low income families who can use this as their outlet into going to Universities, on the other side some believe associating the genre to black culture is bad for the culture as a whole and they should not be associated together.

With the enormous success of hip hop what started as pure art and a mechanism to bring awareness of what was going on in the black community, has transformed in a lucrative business. The negative aspect of this is that since big corporations control the music’s distribution channels, in many cases the rap artist is forced to produce the type of music that according to the owner is marketable. Unfortunately, the image of a young, poor, vulgar black male with a criminal or violent past is consider marketable. This is not the case for those who have their own recording label or those under their wings. They are free to still express the reality of

In the United States what has been a huge topic is the exposure of racism. Hip-hop artist and rappers have become the voice of many communities by expressing the everyday struggle people of color overcome at some point in their lives. Kendrick Lamar an artist from Compton has been the voice of the black community and of the youth. Kendrick has been known to touch on issues such as murder, financial issues, and racism. In his latest album “DAMN.” Complex Magazine describes his lyrics to be extreme and risky“ In a world on the brink of global war and in a country on the brink of fascism…”. In his song “XXX” he touches the issue of racism and how people are becoming discouraged to become something of themselves due to the world that deteriorates people of

This song have showed us very different representation of what it means to be our own person and what this world has come to. Macklemore shows us makes us realize we buy things based on what’s popular and makes us fits in, how we let material items determine our identities and change who we are as people, the people we look up to make us do things and how Americans buy items based on an advertisement. He brought back a way that was effect knowing we would listen because it came in a form that was direct, but you would not understand if you did not listen so closely. With what message we were giving are you really going to let matlertic items make you as a person or are you going to be yourself creating your own identity by standing outside

As new black artists began creating music leading into the 80s, historical events were beginning to allow artists to use music as a platform to discuss social and political injustice in ways that had never been seen before. One specific gangster rap group, N.W.A (Niggaz Wit Attitudes), used this so-called platform to shed light on the injustices of a black man living in the city of Compton in the most raw and purest way possible. (Wahl, 1999)

We all know that the power of the Black community in America came from deep in their soul. Their strength and will to fight segregation , and their love can be felt in the civil rights movement. Their ability to express their minds in a non- violent way connects to the soul music that James Brown created. James Brown’s music was a mixture of R&B and gospel. Which in a way connects to what Dr. Martin Luther King was trying to do during the civil rights movement.

Do you believe rap music is the cause of violence and hostile behavior in teens? Yes, because it persuades them toward a real negative mindset and lifestyle. The influence it posses on teens is extremely huge plus very misleading. Its lyrics paint images of a life filled with drugs along with guns that teens believe in. As a result of rappers being so influential it makes others easily convinced. Over the years rap culture has changed from being motivational to a negative industry. The more time teens spend watching videos put them further at risk as they are more likely to engage in careless or in some cases illegal activities. Once known as a inspirational outlet and a way for people to express their everyday struggles rap has since become extremely controversial and deceptive to the youth.