2. HIP HOP/RAP
• Rap has a multitude of stereotypes stemming from the culture it derived from in the late 70s and then
actualized in the late 80s to early 90s into what it is to day.
• Rap has its original roots in Africa and has maintained its roots in black culture whether it be in less notable
places like Jamaica or the places that made it what it is today like New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta all of
which possess impoverished areas that helped the stereotype of its grimy and violent nature that is known,
loved and hated today, notable examples of this are N.W.A, Biggie Smalls and Tupac who caused controversy
with their imagery of violence, drug use, sex and other things that challenge tradition of white suburbia.
(Tupac: top left, Biggie Smalls: bottom left and N.W.A: right)
• Misogyny is a strong stereotype linked with Hip Hop/Rap
because of the slurs used, (bitch) the treatment of women in
Hip Hops/Raps history (the rapper Dre’s abuse towards
women) and finally the role they play as hyper sexualised signs
of a rappers wealth and power with very little room to be
different.
• Racial tension is a key theme carried by a lot of rapper due
to it being a part of black culture within America and was
and still is used as a way to either escape or focus on the
inequality of race in America to fight against.
There is a history of race crimes caused by police officers
that is the cause for hatred in Hip Hop culture and one of
the main reasons why crime is glorified in Hip Hop music
and why criminality is seen as a part of Hip Hop.
3. BLUES/JAZZ
• Age demographic: it is seen as a genre meant for the older generations due to the peak of Blues
and Jazz being in the 1920’s and because of this it is seen to possess themes and message of a
older time due to many of Jazz and Blues most famous musicians being of that era e.g. louis
Armstrong, Duke Ellington and John Coltrane etc.
• Many Blues and Jazz musicians are idolised not just as innovative but as masters of the musical
arts and as cultured and distinguished individuals.
• Jazz and Blues has always had a very underground aesthetic to it that made it so alluring and
intriguing, in the 1920,s its new more lesse fair approach and focus on issues not fully
acknowledged made it never reach the mainstream which is the same today.
• Like rap Jazz and Blues deal with racial issues due to the music derive from black culture in the
south.
4. ROCK• Its is a very flashy and idol centric style of music with people like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the
Rolling Stones who were admired for their exuberant lifestyles.
• Rock possesses a wild ecstatic mentality and mood that resonates in the music and performances for
example wild guitar.
• It is normally a genre specific to Caucasian people though there are example of other races who have broke
the stereotyping.
• Unlike other genres where the music is more specific to a person of artist, genres like rock have more of a
focus on a band of people rather than simply one person.
• Unlike other genre that have less variation, rock has changed its style throughout history to reflect the
culture who's its main demographic e.g. Psychedelic rock in the 70’s, punk rock in the 80’s and alternative
rock in the 2000’s. This allows for there to be multiple variations on the stereotype of each
subgenre like the rebellious nature of punk or the drug related origins of Psychedelic rock or the boy bands
of pop rock.
5. METAL
• Metal possesses very dark, gloomy themes that play a lot in that carry threw in there slow
hauntingly melodic tones which is reflected in the masculine and sometimes controversial titles
to the band like Morrowind, Vektor and Bucket of Afterbirth.
• It is a very thematic style of music with grand costumes and sets that are usually created by such
artist the clothing that a lot of metal musicians possess are that of leather and/or black and
relatively dark clothing with spikes and chain, they also have face paint and or mask to
emphasize the thematic nature of metal.
• They have very hard, raw and loud tunes made by their shrieking raspy guitars and galloping
drum and vibrating bass guitars which all comes together to produce aggressive music with loud
and blistering sounds.
6. COUNTRY/BLUES
• Much country is focused on the lives and experiences of the south of America and
southern culture with a plethora of specific terms and cultural references that other ay
not understand or identify with like farm life etc.
• The aesthetic of country music is usually that of denim, cowboy hats that again are
very culture specific to southern Americans.
• Instrumentally country and blues are usually orientated around the acoustic guitar and
is very shallow when it comes to other instruments.
7. DISCO/ELECTRONIC MUSIC
• Flashy clothing with bright sporadic colour and a strong essence on bright lights e.g.
disco and coloured dance floors.
• Uses many artificial sounds and gives the futuristic impression many times.
• Focuses mainly on the individual (producer) but some groups are none.
• Many electronic musicians possess an aesthetic of chrome and bright neon colours
similar to the origins of disco in the late 70s-80s.
8. REGGAE
• Has Caribbean origins and is primarily associate to Jamaica, furthermore Reggae is very
afro-centric and is notably for its abundance of black musician.
• Another stereotype of Reggae is its ties to Rastafarianism due to a majority of its
musicians being of the religion this then also gave Reggae the stereotype of being
associated with marijuana do to use of it in Rastafarian worship.
• Its is also associated with the hair style dreadlocks again due to its association with
Rastafarianism.
