2. May also be called “rap music”
A genre of music characterized by stylized, rhythmic music,
usually accompanied by a rhythmic, often rhymed speech –
called rapping (Merriam-Webster)
Hip hop is than just music:
An array of different texts –
- images (music videos)
- fashion (Phat Farm)
- style (accessories, gestures)
- location (urban/inner city)
- and of course, a musical style, consisting of several different
subgenres including
Hip hop is a highly visual genre that speaks heavily
through style, fashion and everyday experiences
Composed of signs that seem to be connected to African
American culture
4. Assumption: “Gangsta is about African-Americans”
WHY?
Visually: Most major stars are African-American
Some exceptions: Vanilla Ice, Eminem, Macklemore
HOWEVER , most Causasian rappers still need sponsorship of African
Americans to gain acceptance and popularity
Verbally: Pervasive use of the “n word”
Vanilla Ice T.I. Kanye West Snoop Dogg Lil Wayne Eminem Drake
5. A derogatory term to refer to African-Americans that originated in
the late 1800s to early 1900s
Universal use in hip hop by African Americans, encountered most
often in today’s hip hop music as “nigga” BUT still considered highly
inappropriate and offensive for people of other races to utter
WHY the return of a derogatory term?
Solidarity: Some argue that the “n word” is used in today’s rap music as a sign
of solidarity. The “n word” may be used similarly to the Queer theory, wherein
activists who are feminists, gay, lesbian, transgender, etc. use a previously
(and sometimes still) derogatory term “queer” as a sense of empowerment.
The refusal to be brought down by a term of negative connotation is both
liberating and shows that they are unwilling to be viewed as inferior or
abnormal, much like feminist criticism.
BUT if the “n word” were completely defused of offense, its use by people of
other ethnicities would be acceptable – since it is clear that is not acceptable,
the “n word” is still in a state where the term refers to Afrtican Americans
Neutralizing the world’s impact: Repeated use of the forbidden word
throughout hip hop music may reduce its negative connotation
6. Represents African-Americans in terms of images and
terms that people of other races, especially Caucasian,
may think but cannot say
Listening to hip hop music and/or repeating lyrics gives
others a chance to use to use words they may yearn to use
but are unable to
Racism
Solidarity
Being black is “cool”
Marxist Theory: Gangsta rap both expresses and naturalizes a
racist ideology it perpetuates false, racist assumptions, while at
the same time denying and assuring that the assumptions are false
False claims perpetuated in Gangsta rap:
1. African-American culture is violent
2. African-American culture is sexual
3. African-American culture is materialistic
7. 1. African-American culture is violent.
2. African-American culture is overly sexual.
3. African-American culture is materialistic.
8. “A motherfucker who's known for carryin gats
and kick raps that make snaps
Adapts to anything violent that I'm located at
If you see me on the solo moves best believe that I'm strapped
4-4, .tre-8 or AK-47
Cos slowly but surely send you on a stairway to heaven
Just put my finger on the trigger and pull back
and lay a punk motherfucker flat”
- Nigga Witta Gun, Dr. Dre
9. Under a historical context, African-Americans have more often
been the recpipents of violence
At present, there exists a bias that African-Americans are the
perpetrators of violence – WHY?
The media: News coverage focuses heavily on street crime, compared to
white-collar crime, which, incidentally is much more pervasive in today;s
society. There are also many more police crime dramas on television today
than perhaps any other programs, and violence is at the forefront of these
shows. African-Americans are often the subjects of these roles – why?
Characteristically, African-Americans are more likely to be of lower SES
and thus many often live in urban areas where there are higher rates of
incarceration, crime, poverty, single-parent families and lower
graduation rates
Gangsta rap perpetuates the claims of violence
Ongoing references to firearms (glocks, Macs, etc.), sounds of gunshots
in the songs, visual predominance of guns in music videos, fighting
Some rap artists DO have violent pasts, and the words in their songs
reflect this (ex. Tupac and 50 Cent)
Extending these images of violence evident in rap songs in everyday life
further perpetuates the myth
10. “Talking big boy rides & big boy ice
Let me put this big boy in your life.
That thing get so wet & get so right
Let me put this big boy in your life, that's right.
I want your body, I need your body.
Long as you got me, you won't need nobody.”
-Whatever you like , T.I.
11. The notion that African-Americans are preoccupied with sex to an extensive degree
compared to other cultures has remained a racist ideology for years
Stigmatizes African-American culture as lacking morality
Justified sexual exploitation of Aftican-American women by Caucasian men and the
brutal suppression of African-American men
Racist view: “moral inferioiry counterbalances brutality”
View of women as sex objects
Visual rhetoric: Gangsta rap often paints the picture that women are meant to be
looked at. In music videos, groups of women surround the male star, many looking
desperate to touch him, while the star accepts their attention with a smug sense of
satisfaction. third image on the previous slide shows Snoop Dogg sitting comfortably
while several women, the objects, surround him
Feminist criticism: Men are often the center of images in film in general, giving the
ultimate power to the male subject, while women surround the men as the objects.
The first image on the previous slide shows several naked, painted women
surrounding Kanye West, who clearly stands out in relation to the women. Lyrics to
rap music also often use the terms “bitch” and “ho” which have almost become a staple
in referring to women, but show both disrespect and supposed inferiority.
It’s no secret that many rap songs indulge in sexual references (ex. “Whatever you
Like” by T.I. featured on previous slide) – these further perpetuate this racist ideology
12. “I’m a Bad Boy, wit a lotta ho's
Drive my own cars, and wear my own clothes
I hang out tough, I'm a real Bo$$
Big Snoop Dogg, yeah he's so sharp
On the TV screen and in the magazines”
-Drop it Like it’s Hot, Snoop Dogg
13. Though Capitalist society almost goes hand-in-hand with being
materialistic, racist ideology asserts that African-Americans
are highly preoccupied with material items in comparison to
other ethnicities. WHY?
Racist assumption that African-Americans are more likely to steal
Racist assumption at African-Americans obtain possessions more
for showing off than quality (ex. Grillz, bling)
Music videos often depict African-Americans surrounded by expensive
cars or partying in mansions or poolside, further perpetuating the notion
that African-Americans are simply obsessed with their material items
Image 1 on the previous slide shows Lil Bow Wow at a young age,
surrounded by vehicles. Images 2 (with Nelly, Kanye West and Jay-Z) and 3
(Lil Jon) show rap artists posing with large amounts of money and bling.
Lyrics reinforce racist ideology by using constant references to
brand names of expensive products, alcoholic drinks, cars, etc.
14. The images and lyrics associated with gangsta rap music may help
serve to perpetuate racist ideologies that exist toward African-
Americans (Marxist theory)
African-American culture is NOT defined by violence, sex, or
material items and yet gangsta rap lyrics stress these notions heavily,
while also enhancing their strength in the imagery of music videos,
album covers, and advertisements (Visual rhetoric)
Some artists do regularly experience violence and thus write about it in their music, just as
some artists do have large ties to material items, BUT this has nothing to do with race should
not conclude that these notions reflect African-American culture in any way
Not all hip hop artists glorify sex, money or violence. Many talk about
important social or political issues, talk about love and family, or
knowledge and truth.
Gangsta rap says what people cannot, perpetuating a racist ideology
15. Brummett, B.(2011). On gangsta rap: Written with the help of
the reader. In Rhetoric in popular culture (3 ed., pp. 235-
245). Thousand Oaks, C.A. SAGE Publications, Inc.
Lyrics: A-Z Lyrics Universe (x)
Images: Google images
