Pre-Reading Week Twelve

Hip Hop has evolved in many aspects giving artist a “voice.” Not only has Hip hop influence society today from past records and new records but also hip-hop has become a new revolution for example, in the 2008 elections Obama was the voice of the young people. Artist made songs about Obama and took a stand during interviews about how important it is to vote.  Obama not only won the election by his debates and plan but also by hip-hop helping his message spread nation wide. Therefore, Hip-hop can be used to further social justice to make a change in our society and nation. Although these great aspect about hip hop making a movement into social justice there are down falls. Many individuals who see hip-hop as a disgrace to music critique the genre. Stating it is a discrimination against women, improper, and false allegations. In my opinion they are wrong. I see hip-hop as a tool for social justice because it is a less censor voice to the nation. For example, the Obama is a social justice to the nation because he delivers Americans what is happening in our nation and what we have to do to stop it. Rather than being more blunt about the topic he needs to speak proper and informative versus Hip-hop artist can inform the listens what is happening but are les censor.Hip hop can be a powerful tool of activism because it artist use hip-hop as a voice to reach out  to listens and open their eyes to what is really going on in our nation. Activism to me is a a person taking a stand to a issue. Hip hop is a more conscious genre than others because hip hop is portray as powerful and gives listeners a sense of control. Where as other genre are not directed towards major issues. I choses this video because this song was a huge hit when it came out. It also open peoples eyes to killings, racism, and discrimination. The Black Eye Peas symbolize a huge question mark in the video asking the listens where the love meaning where is the love and peace our nation once had? Now our nation is falling part killing each other and the government is hiding the truth away from us. This song is a great example of activism. 

word count 405

Pre-Reading Week 11

·      I believe the purpose of hip-hop is to heel and give listened strength to over come something in their lifes. Also another purpose I believe hip-hop is informs listeners what is going on in the world.

·      The majority of hip-hop artist are black. The consumers of hip-hop are diverse there are many races who listen to hip-hop or have listen to hip-hop and have bought an artist album or mix tape. Hip-hop is not really pro-homogenous. Therefore, you hardly see any rappers are may be gay “come out of the closet.”

·      Hip-hop is so popular because not only dose it bring awareness to society but also it gives listeners a foundation, anything is possible if you believe. Hip-hop is very popular because people can dance to the music not only to the lyrics but also to the beat. Hip-hop is problematic in some case for example, when rappers write in their lyrics about murdering a human, gang affiliation, claiming territory over another neighborhood, drugs, sex, and jail. Giving young listeners the idea and mentally to do the same so they have the same life-style as their favorite rapper.  Once this occurs conflict between individuals and gang’s members occur.

·      Rock feels he has to defend rap music today because rap music is more discriminating towards women and uses sexism. Rock also feels the music that is release is more blunt about having women dancing on a mans private parts. Where as in the past hip-hop era music was less discriminating toward women and told a story rather than rapping about sex, booty shaking and titty showing.

·      Some positive aspect of Hip-hop is it has united the world by people being able to relate to a certain person and their life-style. Hip-hop has also given us great rappers such as Tupac, Notorious B.I.G, Michael Jackson, and Whitteny Huston.

·      The roe in  Hip-hop towards women has evolved where as in the past Little Kim, Salt and Pepper and Missy Elliot had to fight and act like a man in order to gain respect from the public. Back then women rappers were not as popular as it is today. Today Nicki Minaj has opened the doors for other female rappers by her aggressiveness and “bars” in rapping. Her versus in many songs she has wrote or is featured in dominant male rappers. I believe there is still misogynistic to a certain point in Hip-hop because if a female is serious about proving herself rather than having a sex appeal to the rap society, she has a better chance to gain respect rather than being taken a joke.

Word Count 433