Sunday, August 30, 2009
Key Words: Blackness and Hip-hop
To date, we have discussed the four elements of Hip-hop, (MCing, DJing, Breaking and Graffiti) and their relationship to the music and culture. We have also began to trace Hip-hop's dominant links to African American culture. As you write about the key words BLACKNESS and HIP-HOP this week, think about the multiple ways that each if these elements are interpreted across categories of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc. Here are some prompts for you: Is Blackness only expressed by African Americans? Only in Hip-hop?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hip hop culture and “blackness” have always been known to be together but you don’t have to be black to make a statement in hip-hop. When people think about hip hop and rap they automatically think of African Americans as the main type of people behind the microphone. These day’s it doesn’t matter what color you are. If you can spit and rhyme then you can make it. You might have to go through some obstacles to get there but you can make it. There are many artists today that have reached out into hip hop that are not black. To name a few that are white are Hollywood Undead, Lil Wyte, Red hot Chilli Peppers (with their funk), Vanilla Ice, Fort Minor, Kottenmouth Kings, and of course the one and only Eminem. There are many races and ethnicities in hip hop from Hispanic, Chinese, and even Jewish. Matisyahu is a Jewish reggae rapper from New York and he defiantly is not your typical “rapper.” “Blackness” can be expressed by all races; “blackness” can a state mind or where you’re coming from. The “Check yo self before you wreck yo slelf” article describes how if you grew up in a tough neighborhood or lived in poverty and had to deal with different atmosphere of gangs then you can be considered “black.” “Blackness” can be in many types of music from R n B, rock n roll, and funk. “Blackness” or some type of urban influence can be present in many types of music. It doesn’t always have to be hip hop. Country music even has an African American rapper now named Cowboy Troy. There are so many different types of cultures and different types of races that are going to be in hip hop. In the future and maybe even right now there are some that we don’t even know about yet.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, hip-hop has been synonymous with the idea of “blackness” in the minds of many. However, I believe that this is not necessarily true. In the article “Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self,” “blackness” appears to be a label for a person of low socioeconomic status with an experience of a series of particular hardships, i.e. gang life and police brutality. To say that this “blackness” is only able to be expressed by African Americans is both misleading and an insult to the African American people. In saying this, it insinuates that African Americans cannot rise above a life of hardship and discrimination. It is true that police brutality and life in the “ghettos” unfortunately happens to a disproportionate amount of African Americans, but it is not “owned” by them nor should it only be expressed by them. “Blackness” is not only expressed in hip-hop, but it is a major focus on most of the songs. Other genres express “blackness,” for example, jazz and the blues tell of hardships and inequality. I believe that in time “blackness” will become archaic as racial lines blur.
ReplyDeleteIn old hip-hop, the scene was dominated by, if not solely, African Americans, and it was their way of expressing themselves in a society where they felt they were suppressed. All the fans were black and all the singers were black, but recently there have been notable white rappers that have had great success and hip-hop has a huge following of white fans. We are living in the “hip-hop generation” where it is arguably the most influential music of our time. The music is still associated with “blackness” in many ways with TV channels like BET playing solely hip-hop and rap music and channels such as MTV that have “Sucker Free Sunday” where hip-hop music dominates the air time on Sundays. Hip-hop music still express “blackness” in the music, singing about things such as the police treatment of them, society’s treatment, and being a nobody at birth, but making it big in hip-hop scene, but it also noted that these themes are sung by black hip-hop artists as well as the distinguished white rappers.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of great art is the fact that it is rooted in the natural world. It comes from human experience and it can be felt and understood universally. This is a major factor as to why Hip-hop has been able to stand the test of time and remain a driving force in the ever-changing popular culture. The most profound aspect of Hip-hop is its ability to cut to the core of a subject in a few lines. Hip-hop represents a unique perspective of the world that can be derived from its origins in 'blackness'. It is true that Hip-hop was created in cities by people who needed an outlet to express their views. It emanated from the blackness of society; the poor, the forgotten, and the uneducated. These people were not given opportunities to be heard, so they created their own opportunities through the culture of Hip-hop. And, yes, it is a culture that is seemingly dominated by African-Americans. But, it is not exclusively African-American nor did it ever set out to be so. It is meant to touch as many people as possible because that is what is necessary if any type of change is going to occur within our social structure. Hip-hop is not solely intended for the blackness of society, either. It needs to be understood by all social classes and all races because it is the representative voice for a large portion of the modern society in which all people are members.
ReplyDeleteBlackness and Hip Hop are two cultural ideas that evolved out of the African American cultural influences. The fact that they are ideas infers that while both can be described as physical attributes such as the color of one’s skin or the written lyrics to a song, they are much more than that. While I, as I believe do many people, constantly link the two terms together as going hand-in-hand with one another, it is clear that both have spread outside of the African American community and no longer describe one particular racial background or style. Rather, Hip Hop and Blackness to me have evolved to describe an aura of self-identification and confidence that describes one’s personality sans boundaries or prejudices.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of Blackness is not just expressed by African Americans and only in the United States. As Todd Boyd expresses in his “Check Yo Self before You Wreck Yo Self,” Blackness does not refer to a group of individuals, but rather as a ‘state of mind’ or a ghetto mindset. Boyd uses examples like “Irish are the Blacks of Europe, and the Dubliners are the Blacks of Ireland” to show that Blackness refers to those who come from a lower class and have had hardships and that ‘Blackness’ is not an adjective used for African Americans. Jamaicans of African descent also embody a different type of Blackness than the Blackness experienced by African descents here in the United States.
ReplyDeleteBlackness also occurs in many other places other than Hip Hop. We can see the cultural idea of Blackness in several genres of music including slave work songs, Blues, Disco, and R&B. Blackness, however, specifically in Hip Hop refers to languages (styles of speech, linguistic codes and cultural expressions), styles of self-adornment (clothing and hair) and embodied gestures (crotch grabbing, pounding and break moves).
I believe Hip-Hop to be an evolved movement that has continued to withstand the changing times due to its deep rooted foundation. The origins of Hip-Hop can be linked back to the days of slavery when the call-and-response form of music was illustrated. Samples taken from several genres such as blues, ragtime, and funk have all compiled to reference its enriched history. Hip-Hop derived from the poor neighborhoods of the South Bronx where African Americans began to self-identify themselves to “blackness.” At that time, what it meant to be black was primarily a reference to someone growing up in the inner-city undergoing socio-economic problems. However, as Hip-Hop gained more popularity the idea of “blackness” began to resonate globally to anyone who could relate to the Hip-Hop culture. In the article “Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self” Todd Boyd mentioned that white rapper Vanilla Ice could identify with “blackness” because he faced gang violence and was in a lower class status. The beauty of Hip-Hop allows for expansion of new cultural ideas such as styles of speech and clothing attire which can be used by anyone around the world to distinguish as a “blackness” identity.
ReplyDeleteWhen hip-hop first began to surface as a genre of music and also as a way of life in the 1970s and 1980s, it was used as a way for African-American's living in less than ideal socioeconomic conditions to express themselves and send out a message to ther audence about what was really gonig on in their world. In songs such as "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash, we can see the dismal picture he paints with his lyrics describing the day-to-day events that happen in the ghettos, like the Bronx. For example, he describes the vermin, like cockroaches and rats, which inhabit the area. Also, he explains that his neighborhoods and people have been overlooked and abused so much that he refuses to be pushed anymore. Many African-Americans who lived in these conditions could understand what Grandmaster Flash was describing. They could relate to this "blackness" because they were also living this way. When groups such as Run-DMC began preaching about how they were "proud to be black ya'll", this allowed hip-hop to be a new outlet for "blackness". African-America living in these run down areas connected with these MCs which started an unbreakable bond between African-American culture and hip-hop music. I do not believe that "blackness" is just about African-American people. The great thing about hip-hop music is that a middle-class white girl from Iowa, such as myself, can grow up listening to hip-hop, and not just enjoy the beats and music, but can really relate to or "feel" the message these MCs are trying to get across. In my opinion, "blackness" represents anybody who embodies the visual, musical, and artistic aspects of hip-hop music.
ReplyDeleteWhen the words “Blackness” and “Hip-Hop” are being portrayed it is often hard not to associate the two on the same level of means. This kind of confusion may also cause certain negative stereotypes towards the African American community. However, when looking back towards the history of hip hop it is clear that this generation of music came from African Americans rapping about their lifestyles, their accomplishments, their disappointments, their living environments and so fourth. As we can see, hip-hop was portrayed only to black people for the certain aspect that those happen to be the people that started this whole generation of music. However, that is not to say that now in this day in age “blackness” and hip-hop are classified solely black people. Over time it has developed into a revolution of people differing in age, sex, ethnicity, and so on. These kinds of differences amongst these rappers makes for a more diverse generation of music, making the hip-hop nation not merely focused directly on blackness only.
ReplyDeleteAs I looked at the class on the first day, it was apparent that the racial breakdown consisted primarily of white students. I believe most people would find this odd in a class on hip-hop because of the association of hip-hop with blackness and the African American community. However, as the chapter, “Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self” states, blackness is more than simply the color of one’s skin, in relation to hip-hop. I feel though, if you do not possess that clear visual marker of blackness, you then need to prove other markers of “blackness” to prove yourself within the hip-hop community.
ReplyDeleteRappers who had more of a “white” persona or carriage of him or herself were regarded as fake. Like Boyd says, “Rappers who resisted this emphasis were regarded as impostors of the tradition”. What seems to have become the prevailing norm within hip-hop was to explore the theme of coming from the hard streets and working your way towards the “bling”. If you did not express this lifestyle (even if you did not experience it) you would be considered an impostor within the hip-hop community. I feel it is then difficult for people who do not fit the status quo of hip-hop to become accepted within the community.
Blackness is not just a race or ethnicity, but it can be defined as a culture. Those who have experienced poverty or class struggles can define themselves as being “black,” like Vanilla Ice did. Blackness also includes cultural politics of discussing racial and economic inequalities, but Cornel West claims that political messages in rap music are being displaced by gansta rap. Class struggle is common throughout African American communities, and “ghetto” and “hood” are dominant metaphors in music about these issues. Also, the Young Black Teenagers, an all white rap group, claim that blackness is a state of mind.
ReplyDeleteHip hop includes many elements, such as verbal call and responses, tradition African dress and culture, and other visual elements that identify with blackness. Michael Dyson claims that rap and hip hop is misunderstood as “violent,” and many rappers such as KRS-One have spoken out against violence. He also describes a generational gap within the African American community, due to the sometimes negative references made in rap music. The divide between the “ghetto poor blacks” and the “middle and upper class blacks” stems from socioeconomic differences, which are generally the subject of hip hop music. Finally, it is important to note that hip hop includes musical elements from other styles of music, such as jazz, the blues, and worker songs of the 1800s.
I think it’s difficult to define a word like “blackness”, it’s entirely too broad of a topic to completely specify. One definition that was given in class was not exactly, but something to the effect of, “Sonic, oral, visual, stylistic, artistic, embodied, and or theatrical expression of life experiences of people of African dissent or African Diaspora.” I agree with this definition, but it begs the question “What is it to ‘be African.’” Defining “blackness” is a never ending question. You can dig and dig but it seems like it always leads to another question.
ReplyDeleteIn class, we talked about whether other cultures embody “blackness” or not. I feel like other cultures and races definitely contain “blackness”. There are many different African traditions that other cultures borrow from; whether it be musically, spiritually, poetically, etc. This sharing of cultures happens all of the time. It’s not just limited to “blackness”.
Again, I thought that it was interesting that these articles weren’t more current. In the first, Boyd’s argument that contemporary rap is becoming depoliticized as it enters mainstream American culture is only more applicable currently. The movement of rap music has left the socially conscious and culturally critical hip-hop on the sidelines as the empty pop-rap has proliferated. Commercial success has seemingly been an insidious solvent to previously relevant rap.
ReplyDeleteAnother issue I found interesting that was present in the readings was that of the complicity of black communities and even rappers themselves in the societal problems they decry. Dyson points to the fact that gang violence is just as disruptive and destructive as wanton police brutality, problematizing songs such as “Fuck tha’ Police” (i.e. why not, for instance, “Fuck tha’ Gangs?”). I think that NWA’s position is closest to this sort of idea, but the question was immediately apparent: in the face of such societal oppression and economic disadvantage, what else was left for urban blacks at the time if not sardonic lyrics and cutting social commentary?
I don’t really know how to define “blackness”. I do not agree with the idea that “blackness” as a state of mind; mostly because there are too many different ways to define being black and they are not the same for every person. For example the group Arrested Development was adorned with a more afro centric style and that was their version of blackness. Whereas NWA had a harder “thug” persona and that was their version of blackness. I feel like the label of black is for African American people, but the oppression/hardship that is associated with African American people can be spread across different races and elasticities. Many different groups of people do express this “blackness”, like in Boyd’s essay the Irish identify as the blacks of Europe, or any other non-black rappers that have emerged over the years. The blackness in hip hop is not only expressed in the music, but in the style of dress, language and mannerisms of people who are in/admire the hip hop lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteEssentially, blackness is a term used to describe some exhibition of behavior that is normative for a person of color. This is not to say that a person who is not of color wouldn't be able to be characterized as having this attribute, but simply to say that origins of blackness are found in the hood or in the ghetto. Historically the dominant race in the hood is black. Blackness and Hip-Hop are inextricably linked concepts due to the fact that Hip-Hop was made famous by people who grew up or have some claim to hood space. Those who are not of color may identify themselves as having blackness because they may have grown up in a black neighborhood or felt that they can relate to those who are black more than they can to their own race becasue they have endured similar struggles in life. Ice Cube was a big critic of those who compromised their identity in order to get ahead in life. Such people are said to have lost their "black card," or "to be a white black person." This proves even more that more than black people can exhibit blackness. If a black person can't be considered black and have a black card then it must not be a question of color anymore.
ReplyDeleteToday, many people of all races, shapes, and sizes participate in Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop is not only a type of music, but it is also a style of dress, asthetic features, and art (graffiti included), and overall a form of expression. Most would admit that the element of Blackness in Hip-Hop makes it that much more entertaining.
Defining blackness has alawys posed a personal issue for me that stems back to my middle school days. In the article written by Todd Boyd, he reveals that blackness is usually associated with negative connotation. The most significant example from the composition would have to be Vanilla Ice Identifying himself as "black" due to his living arrangements to identify with his fans. Now it would appear that the media itself has capitalized off a specific pessimistic facet of American American culture; making blackness something that can be obtained like a merit badge of street cred. I applaud Boyd for juxtaposing the styles of Arrested Development and Ice Cube exposing how one placed a passive emphasis on returning to the Afrocentric roots of our ancestors (the intellecutal "African") while the other placed an aggressive emphasis on his disgust for popular culture and Blacks own self-oppression. Arrested Development is made to be a symbol for the minority of rap artists who choose to be outcast in the growing popularity of gangsta rap, while Ice Cube is made to be the mouth piece for radical change.
ReplyDeleteI think that African Americans are not the only ones who express Blackness. We have seen through various media outlets that various Hip-hop artists come from a wide variety of races. This is much more prevalent as our society in general becomes more accepting with new cultural changes. Blackness seems to be more like a lifestyle. The article “Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self” discusses how Hip-hop includes a lot of political discussion or controversy, but artists today have evolved hip-hop and other types of music continue to speak a message about life overall. It does not solely include political and financial issues, but about normal every day issues too that affect everyone. This could be why more and more people are listening to hip-hop in popular culture.
ReplyDeleteAlthough hip-hop originated in the inner-city neighborhoods in New York City as a creative outlet for troubled African-American and Hispanic youth to express and discuss the social, economic, and political factors that were affecting them, it has grown from a racially exclusive form of expression to a diverse cultural phenomenon. The term “blackness” is associated with an individual’s acknowledgement of their ties to the African-American culture but within the past two decades, blackness has become a term used for individuals of a race who are sympathetic to the African-American culture. In Todd Boyd’s Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self, he suggests that rapper Vanilla Ice is a prime example of this “cultural authenticity.” Despite not being African-American, Vanilla Ice was able to identify with blackness based on his association with lower-class African-Americans. Along with Boyd’s example, there are many other artists within hip-hop that can relate to the oppression faced by African-Americans today including Beastie Boys, Eminem and Atmospehere. So to say that blackness is only experienced by one race and one culture is unfair. Although other cultures may not relate to the same exact kind of oppression that African-Americans experienced, they can relate to it in other ways including socioeconomic status and lack of opportunity.
ReplyDeleteOne point of view of I liked to reflect on is that “Blackness” and Hip-hop are terms that can play off of each other. Reading through The Culture of Hip-hop, I noticed that there was no one idea. It was built on a basis of unlimited terms and experiences. I also feel that “Blackness” plays with this idea of no limitations. Everyone has his or her own idea of “Blackness” and Hip-hop. That is what makes it so unique. But from my understanding “Blackness” is seen more as a stereotype or an adjective. We talked about how “Blackness” can be, “sonic, oral, visual, stylistic, artistic, embodied, and or theatrical expression of life experiences of people of African dissent or African Diaspora”. My brother bumps rap all the time down the street, wears the flat billed hats, tries to use the slang, and makes sure his shoes are always white. This could be an idea of showing his “Blackness” but I feel like it is more of a support not just a stereotype. It is his expression and appreciation towards experiences of the ‘African dissent’. They created something he enjoys and loves. “Blackness” is a way of being united to others who enjoy similar interests such as Hip-hop. Without Hip-hop or all the genres that created Hip-hop where would have “Blackness” come from? I do not feel like the “mind set” of “Blackness” would have been understood or socially known without Hip-hop or music in general. I also feel that defining “Blackness” is not defining “What it is to ‘be African’”, but because of having an African background look what was created.
ReplyDeleteBlackness and hip hop are really terms that I think feed off eachother, while each still has their own individuality. A lot of hip hop and blackness go together such as styles and slang that are around today. There also is a blackness for African Americans who don't listen to hip hop, more of the old school people who listen to jazz or older music more from their generation. Although it may be different it still offers similar ideas that hip hop does, but it just makes the person more comfortable with their own blackness. Hip hop does play a huge roll in defining blackness for today's generation, as it talks about what it means to black and it what takes to get by certain situations that people can relate too. I think this could be why hip hop is so popular and why people all over the world listen to it
ReplyDeleteBlackness is an attitude and a way of life. It is a way to connect to something bigger than yourself. Blackness is not only stylistic and cultural, but also spiritual. Though hip hop is rooted in blackness, it has since spread itself throughout other roots and has sampled other cultures and genres. Hip hop is a status report on what is going on in the emcee's world, it is set to a beat and allows many to hear about the suffering and struggles of few. But as was discussed in lecture, many audience members just come for the beat and don't pay attention to the messages in the songs.
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, blackness and hip-hop are words that go hand in hand with each other. Whenever a new hip-hop rapper emerges, once would usually think that they are African American. On the contrary, there has been successful hip hop artists that are white. Marshall Mathers aka Eminem may be one of the most successful rappers since the nineties. Other white rappers or groups that may be considered are Vanilla Ice, the Beastie Boys, Marky Mark, and Paul Wall. "Blackness" is a term that doesn't necessarily represent all African Americans. "Blackness" is expressed in many ways throughout hip hop from things such as lyrics, clothing, and some traditional African American beats. Blackness is also expressed in ways that are not hip-hop. This may include blues, jazz, and gospel music. Many people today, even if they're not black, express their blackness by the way they dress or the music they listen to. There are many people who tend to wear clothing that is more baggy, flat-billed hats, gold or silver chains, and long/tall t-shirts. These articles of clothing have become more and more popular among people from the age of teenagers to people in their late 20s. It sort of helps them form an identity by expressing their 'blackness.'
ReplyDeleteFor the most part, especially in the beginning hip-hop has been strongly if not fully correlated with the idea of “blackness” in the minds of most. In the article “Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self,” the term “blackness” appears to be a label for a person who struggles to get by and who has gone through many difficulties in life such as not being able to pay bills, getting beat up, going to jail, ect. People correlate “blackness” with African Americans leaving people who listen to this music to question are all African Americans struggling with the hardships of “blackness”? Is it only African Americans who go through these struggles? I don’t think so. I think the term “blackness” could describe anyone who goes through these hardships of any race or ethnicity. The other issue I have with this term is that because hardships and struggles are strongly connected to “blackness” in hip hop doesn’t that lead the listeners to think every African American is out there struggling to get by? Of course not there are successful African Americans but hip hops “blackness” doesn’t exactly portray that.
ReplyDeleteI’m not so convinced that ‘blackness’ in hip-hop is an essential talking point. Don’t get me wrong, certain parts of ‘blackness’ had to be present in the creation of hip-hop, but I also believe that given the right conditions, any racial or socioeconomic group could have created hip-hop. As with any oppressed people up against a wall, African Americans in New York birthed a unique style of expression to reach people about the injustices and overall hard times that were facing their community (I.E. police brutality, poverty, gangs, crack & heroin). On the other hand, hip-hop as a whole could not exist in the way it does without fundamentally ‘black’ features. The inherent braggadocio, representation of territory, and genre-specific slang coupled with an affinity for jewelry, loose clothing, and body language is what makes hip-hop so good. Saying this, I seriously doubt that an oppressed impoverished group of white or latino people could have started and kept alive some of the traditions, speech, style, and actions that are present today in hip-hop.
ReplyDeleteI don’t believe “Blackness” is only expressed by African Americans but by all people in different countries. It is expressed all over the world not as just a race, but also as a culture. When I hear the term “Blackness”, I assume a person or people who have went through many hardships and grew up in the “ghetto.” I feel that’s what gives singers or poets today a way of respect if they’ve grown up in these areas. However, I think “hip hop” and “blackness” are extremely similar in a way because they build off each other. As we talked about slang in class the other day, I believe all of todays popular slang has evolved through “blackness” and “hip hop” because hip-hop was started through blackness. Hip-hop does not just consist of songs but a story of the life for blacks that grew up in the “ghetto” and all of the hardships they experienced. Singers express themselves in this way to let people know what the real world is like out there and to feel like they are connecting not only with their community but all people in the world.
ReplyDeleteHip-Hop was thought of and created in the neglected communities in the South Bronx. These communities were suffering from poverty and lack of social opportunities. To deal with their emotions and frustrations, the people of the communities began to make music “art”, better known today as Hip-Hop. Many people believe Hip-Hop to be only a part of the African-American community, which is indeed false. African Americans began Hip-Hop for many reasons, one being to embrace the idea of “blackness”. “Blackness” in Hip-Hop is thought to be language, styles of self-adornment, and embodied gestures. But “blackness” does not refer only to African Americas, but to other members of the community such as Jamaicans, Latinos, and Asian Americans. In fact, many people can relate to “blackness” because it is not just a tangible idea, but more of a state of mind. Hip-Hop has allowed members of many communities and ethnic backgrounds to unite and embrace their “blackness” to express their emotions through art.
ReplyDeleteUsually people associate Hip Hop and Blackness together, but don’t truly understand what Blackness means. In the reading “Check Yo Self Before You Wreck Yo Self,” it gave an example of “rapper” Vanilla Ice, if you can call him a rapper. Vanilla Ice would claim himself as a person growing up in a poor neighborhood, witnessed gang violence, and other lower class experiences to help gain him the title of being “Black.” Because he grew up around the same experiences other African Americans were undergoing, he was associated with the Black community. But Blackness isn’t just about being African American, it is about experiencing and getting through rough times. As for the example we were given in class about the immigrants of Ireland being referred to as “Blackness.” When we start to discuss the term “Hip Hop” many people may relate that to poor urban, uneducated African American, but it is much more than that. Hip Hop was a way of life, an expression, a way to be heard. Although African Americans mostly dominated Hip Hop, you still had groups like the Beastie Boys that used Hip Hop to express themselves.
ReplyDeleteBlackness and HipHop, Misunderstood?
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of Blackness as it relates to hip hop has undergone many transformations throughout its rather brief history, and also created several interesting cultural phenomenon. Over the years I feel the term “blackness” has meant different things to different racial groups. Although in its origins many would argue blackness is not solely about being black, I feel that in most recent times it has commonly been seen this way. Growing up in the mostly white suburbs I saw several interesting issues arising from this question of blackness. If a white kid in my high school for instance, listened to hip-hop, dressed a certain way, say with baggy jeans, fitted hats, and talked a certain way, they would most likely be seen as “trying to be black”. This I feel dictates that the hip hop culture had become almost solely a black culture, with level of blackness being dictated by how closely a stereotype is fit. The same interactions could also be seen in contradiction in other racial groups, both in my high school, but in hip-hop as a whole. Some of the best lyricists are highly educated men and women, in a field that would almost demand a high level of intelligence in order to most effectively convey a message heard by so many in such a competitive field as hip-hop. Although this may be true, in many instances the opposite has been seen to be true when it comes to levels of blackness in the modern hip-hop community. At a low level you could see black students in my high school who dressed a certain way and maybe pushed themselves for academic excellence as “trying to be white”, for simply not playing a stereotype. In the rap game on a greater societal level, you have rappers bragging about dropping out of hs, and selling drugs. This almost seems to boost their street cred, or a more modern misinterpretation of “blackness”, whereas artists who move away from the ghetto image may be seen as sellouts, or losing some of their blackness. Overall I feel the misinterpretation of blackness has created several interesting issues in todays society.
Blackness is something that is a part of all aspects of hip Hip-Hop. It is not necessarily expressed only by African Americans. This is clear, as white rappers have become a prominent force in the culture. As well, Latinos and Asians have made a name for themselves in the Hip-Hop community. Early on, “Blackness” referred to the struggle that Africans Americans faced with poverty and living the inner city life. Now, as Hip-Hop culture has progressed, it is apparent that this idea has rubbed off on other races and ethnicity. This is not to say they relate to the idea of being Black but the struggles of living a lower class life. Blackness is not only expressed in Hip-Hop, either. We see this theme expressed during the Civil Rights era, as the leaders of this movement strived for an end to the struggle they faced.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about Blackness in Hip-Hop a few things come to mind. These things are clothes, styles, backgrounds. Clothing is very prevalent in Hip-Hop today, some of it was started by Run-DMC when they started where their gold rope chains, this quickly caught on and we began to see many other groups and artists wearing them, other things that were big are things like which were extremely popular a few years ago. On Tech N9ne’s new CD in a song called Let Me In they talk about how hairstyles and facial hair are identifying factors. Cars are another popular thing, artists are always talking about spinning rims or window or how their windows are so dark nobody can see inside. I have a new perspective about how some artists view their origin, or their background, in dealing with where they grew up. The reading tells us about how Vanilla Ice views himself as having a “black” background because he grew up in poverty. The same situation could be said of Eminem, his background of growing up in Detroit is a very common theme in many of his songs and even has a movie about it.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of "blackness" is traditionally a touchy subject, but I would say that touchy subjects _make_ hip-hop. Time and persistence have gradually opened the playing field; what was once the sole product of lower-class urban African-Americans has now been co-opted by anyone with enough talent and empathy to relate to these initial conditions. I would say that the only current prerequisites are a thorough knowledge of one's conditions and a familiarity with the genius that came before in this turbulent genre. With these in mind, people of every race can identify with elements of "blackness" in their musical output: a lack of means for self-expression, speaking out against conformity, and a general feeling of being the underdog. Indeed, on a global scale it is hard to argue with the logic of, say, a North Irish MC who self-identifies as black in his war-torn homeland. The crucial factor is a refusal to buy into prescribed roles, but rather a willingness to transmute widespread suffering into legitimate art. The prevalence of non-African-American hip-hop is the best evidence that its creators felt "The Message" in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAt first glance “blackness” and “Hip-hop” are two words that are connected but as one breaks down the terms it becomes apparent that the words are independent. “Blackness” and “Hip-hop” were heavily linked in the early days of Hip-hop. Artists would rap about their blackness through the medium of Hip-hop. Topics such as politics, culture, and social inequality were addressed to vent frustrations of African-Americans. However, as time progressed blackness became a mindset for those who felt they were the underdogs. People from Northern Ireland and Rob Van Winkle began to identify with the idea of blackness because of their lifestyle and how they were treated. Hip-hop then transcended skin color with groups such as Run-DMC who incorporated the essentials of Hip-hop and mixed them with a Rock and Roll riff thus gaining a bigger audience by incorporating various styles of music. Blackness and Hip-hop are two ideas that were initially linked but now thrive independently.
ReplyDeleteBlackness is described as an expression of life experiences toward the African Diaspora. This is based of an idea that who we are is what we’ve done. The experiences, heritage, and outcomes all shape the image of how Blackness is defined. Hip-hop became a way of self-expression. Influenced by a group’s response to socio-economic influences and the 4 elements that come together to compose this genre. Blackness is now seen as a companion to Hip-hop. An attitude that allows reasoning behind the type of identification that comes along with Hip-hop music and style. Identity is an important part in both terms, and together they frame the independence and viewpoint that sets apart this identity.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop and Blackness go hand in hand because not only have African-American/Black people primarily defined what hip-hop is, but inversely hip-hop has also greatly defined this generation of black people. No, I don’t believe only African-American people express hip-hop because many other races in many other regions outside of America exhibit many of the identifying factors of the hip-hop generation. There is an increasing following of hip-hop culture and music in Asia, Latin America, and in various parts of the Caribbean islands to name a few. These people may not exhibit all the defining factors but they do express some critical elements from the B-boys, the DJ’s, the clothing, the parties and concerts, and the general “swag” that attributed to Hip-Hop and Blackness in America. Some Asian people that I see on campus dress “hip-hop” very well I might add. Even television shows like Americas Best Dance Crew, you see a wide variety of people and races dancing and breaking to mainly hip-hop music. Even the hosts have varying backgrounds. Also, Blackness is not only expressed in hip-hop. From a musical standpoint, blackness can be seen in other genres like Jazz and the Blue’s and more recently in what is now considered Pop, and Rock Music; the latter 2 are infusing their way into hip-hop music as well.
ReplyDeleteI thought the author of check yourself before you wreck yourself had an interesting concept of "blackness" in hip-hop. He states that it is more than the color of your skin. He relates it to social class status one comes up in. He uses two examples of white rap groups, Vanilla ice and young black teenagers, who identify as black based on how they grew up. I also like what he says about how hip-hop and rap has moved away from its political roots and has become a commercialized method of romanticizing growing up in the "hood" or the "ghetto". I see this change in hip-hop and rap too but there are artists that still talk about relevant issues and those are the groups that will be immortalized over time and remembered as the greats. Not the ones who took the route of producing what the industry wanted them to produce. In my eye that individuality and non-conformity is Blackness in Hip-hop. Staying true to its foundations whether black or white
ReplyDeleteAlthough the terms “blackness” and “hip hop” are undoubtedly the same idea in many American’s minds, I believe they are two separate ideas. I believe they have a relationship similar to a Venn diagram: two different concepts that overlap and share many of the same qualities. Hip hop can exist without blackness, as shown by many white rappers. Some of these rappers (like Eminem) share many of the same qualities as African American rappers and in general, qualities that define blackness. The Beastie Boys, however, are a white hip hop group whose lyrics and image are not typically associated with blackness. They are one example of hip hop existing separately from blackness. Similarly, blackness and African Americans are not always mutually exclusive. In “The Culture of Hip-Hop,” I read how rap can essentially divide middle class and lower class African Americans. Those from the middle class are African Americans but may not necessarily be associated with blackness (in the context of our class). Likewise, there are many other minorities (like Latinos) who live in low SES, listen to and identify with hip hop, and who would fit into our concept of blackness.
ReplyDelete