...Hip-hop on the silver screen has in the modern era been awarded a significant portion of blockbuster film soundtracks, showcased in films such as The Fast and The Furious series and, perhaps more relevant to this coursework: Straight Outta Compton. In order for one to make a proper distinction between the concepts of a “hip-hop film” and “hip-hop in film”, one must first understand the basic semantics of the argument proposed. The core difference lies in that the “hip-hop film” implies an overarching theme of hip-hop culture prevalent within the film, foretelling the potential viewer that the film may include forms of expression like breaking, DJing, graffiti work, and MCing. A film like Straight Outta Compton is a perfect example of a “hip-hop...
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...movement. For the music genre, see Hip hop music. For other uses, see Hip hop (disambiguation). Graffiti of "hip hop" in Eugene, Oregon Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic subculture that originated in African-American and Hispanic-American communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx.[1][2][3] DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, B-boying and graffiti writing.[4][5][6][7] [8] Since its emergence in the South Bronx, hip hop culture has spread to both urban and suburban communities throughout the world.[9] Hip hop music first emerged with disc jockeys creating rhythmic beats by looping breaks (small portions of songs emphasizing a percussive pattern) on two turntables, more commonly referred to as sampling. This was later accompanied by "rap", a rhythmic style of chanting or poetry presented in 16 bar measures or time frames, and beatboxing, a vocal technique mainly used to imitate percussive elements of the music and various technical effects of hip hop DJ's. An original form of dancing and particular styles of dress arose among fans of this new music. These elements experienced considerable refinement and development over the course of the history of the culture. The relationship between graffiti and hip hop culture arises from the appearance of new and increasingly elaborate and pervasive forms of the practice in areas where other elements of hip hop were evolving as art forms, with a...
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...2012 “…I feel like murder but hip-hop you saved me…” (Lupe Fiasco) But what is Hip Hop? No one really has a concrete classification for this term, though many have their own opinions on what the culture of Hip Hop is. Some view the culture of Hip Hop as a door into a different culture, something one has never experienced first hand. While others claim that “…hip hop is primarily responsible for every decline and crisis world-wide except the war in Iraq and global warming…” (Rose) because of the negative influences it has on many people. Numerous parents believe their children shouldn’t be listening to this type of music due to the explicit lyrics. There are countless opinions of what Hip Hop means, but no one really converses about one actual definition. To me, Hip Hop is a way for people to express their opinions and experiences within their music. Hip Hop is distorted throughout history. It originated in the streets of New York City during the late 60’s early 70’s, specifically in the Bronx. Back then it was just a style of poetry, like a type of freestyle that young black men performed. Quickly this style started to become popular and the black youth began “…engaging in verbal duels with contenders like a linguistic match…” (Gates). Due to the geographic location of this formation of Hip Hop, it is considered a “black art form”. Other ethnicities such as the Caribbean and Latin peoples probably had some contribution towards Hip Hop, but it’s still considered black...
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...Is hip-hop the reason for a corrupt society? Is hip-hop the downfall of Black America? Is it the blame for my violent acts? One may ask him/herself these questions while examining the blames of hip-hop, but these questions are a bit unethical. How can hip-hop be the blame for most violent crimes when these same crimes that are being committed was still here before hip hop, this could be an excuse that one use this as an excuse for being caught. Someone that may be a recurrent listener of hip-hop, a fan, may commit a crime that is not related to hip-hop. A fan of the hip-hop genre should not be held accountable for the domestic violence crime if he/she listens to hip-hop. Hip-hop should not be pulled into the fray because hip-hop is just for...
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...Black Women in the Media Media is defined as a form of mass communication through the use of radio, television, the Internet, music, film, and etc. Throughout history, American media has not only been used as a form of communication and entertainment, but it has also been utilized to spread stereotypes and hegemonic ideals reinforcing the racial hierarchy that has continued to survive even after the abolition of slavery in the nineteenth century. According to Tilicia L. Mayo, Indiana University communications graduate, images in the media contain the ability to teach many different lessons. Mayo states, “Contemporary films and television shows deliver images that communicate ideologies such as class, standing and position in society” (vi). After the abolition of slavery, White America searched for means of social control through the media since they lacked the power of legal control. Black women, being of the lowest racial and gender classes in America, have repeatedly been stereotyped and victimized through the use of degrading images in contemporary media. The origins of these images can be found in the racist ideologies of the African slave woman created by White Euro-American slave owners. The images of black women in American media have directly affected how black women and other people in society define black womanhood. This influence directly shows how people utilize fictitious and stereotypical images from the media in trying to understand the stereotyped group and...
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...genre grew in popularity and became a global, the ‘hoodie’ was also becoming more and more popular as a result. The fashion eventually spread to Europe also; ‘In addition to Puma and other brands like Nike and Adidas, Dresden graffiti artist Simo explains, ‘”the hoodie, baseball cap, and leather sneakers were the three most important things” in hip-hop fashion’. The link between ‘hoodies’ and hip-hop predominantly arose in the US due to several artists wearing hoodies in their music videos. It is clear that hip-hop culture contributed to the rise in the popularity of hoodies during the 80’s and 90’s, after its early beginnings in the 70s. The following quote summarises hip-hop’s influence on the popularity of hoodies and why they became more frequent as a result; ‘As hip-hop culture spread in the 1980s, the hoodie became part of the look associated with street style. When hip-hop went mainstream, penetrating homes in white middle-class suburbia and beyond, hoodies remained a key part of hip-hop's global commercialized look, with rapper Eminem memorializing the hoodie's oversize style in the 2002 film "8 Mile."’ It is clear that hip-hop culture’s use of hoodies in mainstream fashion brought the items of clothing away from the ‘workers utility’ label, although hoodies are still used as a means of warmth outdoors, this was not the only way in which they were...
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...and identity that increasingly occur amongst youth throughout the world, but what factors best explain the participation of young people in these subcultures? Also, how do these factors operate? The purpose of this paper is to argue that the participation of young people in youth cultures is best explained by 2 factors; the media and one’s ethnicity. This argument is will made with particular reference to punk and hip hop subcultures as well as brief discussion of Indigenous subculture. The paper will begin with an over view of how subcultures are used to form identities and invent cultural meaning which will be followed by a discussion of the mass media’s influence on youth in today’s society and how and why the media is a major factor in determining youths involvement in different sub cultures. The influence a young person’s ethnicity has on their participation in subcultures will then be addressed with reference to Cohen’s (1955) version of strain theory and how this effects the formation and involvement in subcultures such as indigenous subculture and hip- hop. A conclusion will then be given stating that both ethnicity and the media are the best means of explaining youth participation in subcultures as they are largely influential in determining youth involvement in, as well as the original formation of subcultures. Sub- cultures are often seen as a way of forming collective identities from which an individual identity can be achieved outside that which is ascribed by class...
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...Philosophy of hip hop Student’s Name University Affiliation Report on Film ‘From Mambo to Hip Hop’ ‘From Mambo to Hip-Hop: A South Bronx Tale’ is an hour long documentary that narrates a story about the inventive life of the South Bronx, starting with the Puerto Rican immigration and the acceptance of Cuban rhythms to form the New York salsa resonance; enduring with the fires that damaged the neighborhood, but not the innovative spirit of its inhabitants; accounting the ascending of hip-hop from the ruins; and finishing with reflections on the influence of the neighborhood’s songs to make sure that the endurance of a number of generations of its people, and, in the course, take the world’s pop customs by storm. ‘From Mambo to Hip-Hop’ dances all the way through the account of a region that took care of two musical movements: the mambo that developed into salsa and the hip-hop that cropped up from the most distressed days of the South Bronx. Created by Steve Zeitlin and Elena Martinez , who are principals in the New York ‘folklore group City Lore’, and directed by Henry Chalfant, who is a longtime speaker of the South Bronx who worked together on a documentary from the early 1980’s “Style Wars,” “From Mambo” dashes by, driven by tempo that varies through the decades. Mambo and hip-hop are the type of dissolving pot experience that New York stirs and heats. Their ancestry is African, refracted through the Caribbean and the town. In their early stages...
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...Hip Hop: A Way of Thinking? Since the development of hip hop nearly three decades, it has become a ubiquitous form of music in the nation, influencing the youth with its edgy music and empathetic lyrics. First pioneered in the streets of New York as a response to the oppression of blacks during the civil rights movement, hip hop and its successful influence on its listeners, especially the black youth, was able to thrive due to its uncanny ability to adapt and respond to the problems that that era presents. From the socially and politically conscious hip hop (SPC hip hop) during the civil rights movements to the mainstream music we hear on the radio today, the difference in message projected by today’s modern, hyper-masculine hip hop onto society compared with that of SPC hip hop has become a controversial subject criticized by American media such as Byron Hurt’s movie “Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” and Tricia Rose’s article “There Are Bitches and Hoes.” With regards to the negatives that hip-hop music could have on society, the songs “Let Nas Down” by J. Cole, “Come Get Me” by Jay-Z and “Bitches Ain’t Shit” by YG each respectively complicate, exemplify and extend Hurt’s claims that hip hop artists solely produce generic, hyper masculine mainstream music for the production of records; glorify violence and negatively portray women as sexual objects in order to prove their man hood. When the song “Let Nas Down” by J. Cole is analyzed through a historical context and compared...
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...Music is unique to human beings. We are the only species on earth capable of making and comprehending music. It has existed since the early stages of human life; it is believed that music was developed before language and speech. It has the power to change our moods and behavior, as well as affect the way we go about the things we are simultaneously doing. Music is constantly changing and evolving, and many times it shapes our current culture. There is argument over whether the music nowadays has a negative effect on America’s youth. Hip-hop takes the blame for many social problems in America, however many people overlook the influence it has and are unwilling to learn what it is about. Music, and more specifically hip-hop, has a positive influence on people and our culture in several different ways, including the way it affects the human brain, and the way it shapes and changes our culture and society as a whole. Music has an effect over people on a neurological level, which goes unnoticed by many. Music makes the human brain operate and can be beneficial at very early stages of brain development. Music helps immensely in learning and memorization; babies can even speed up their auditory comprehension due to musical exposure. Adults speak slowly to babies, annunciate syllables, and emphasize the pitch of their voice according to whether they are saying a demand or a question. For example the pitch of your voice goes up when asking a question and goes down or stays even throughout...
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...the weekends, my neighbors sometimes decide to serenade the entire block by turning up their traditional Spanish music. I don’t mind, however I am Columbian,but the message that the music delivers is universal. The soulful blend of vocals and acoustic guitar speaks of heartache, while the fiery trumpets and trombones speak of passion. No other music delivers so direct and powerful a message about love than Hispanic music, a music which has influenced modern hip-hop. Every afternoon, I hear on the streets the lively, hip-hop beat of “Reggaeton,” a music that blends Jamaican and Latino influences. But the influence of different cultures is hardly restricted to music. Not only have contemporary movies began incorporate elements from diverse cultures, foreign films have also become more popular in America. These films broaden our understanding of the struggles and triumphs of cultures around the world, connecting every individual to the global community. Not only in film has the merging of different cultural influences benefited Americans. In Ohio, the culinary heritages of the world converge. As a lover of unique foods, I am grateful for this diversity. Underneath every culture, the people remain the same; they experience the same...
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...pioneered by Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing, and the civil rights themed song Fight the Power composed by Public Enemy. In the Fight the Power music video, which was also directed by Spike Lee, Chuck D denounces the marches and speeches of the 60s and calls for more radical action, promising that "the young black America... ain't goin' out like that '63 nonsense." The clip documents a large rally in Brooklyn’s, Bed-Stuy against the racially motivated violence that had plagued the city. This landmark song and video are widely considered hip-hop greatest, and helped to mobilize a new youth culture with a civil rights movement of their own. The song became more than just a feature in a movie. Fight the Power means something big, refusing to let racism keep Black African Americans down. Furthermore, it's about not just talking the talk, but also walking the walk (Shmoop). In our dissertation, we will concentrate on why Spike Lee wanted to write Do the Right Thing and the message he wanted to send to America. Then, we’ll move into Public Enemy rising as civil rights leaders for black youth and their aggressive approach for equality along with their composition of Fight the Power. We’ll then shift into text and the meaning behind the lyrics of Fight the Power. In addition, we’ll also focus on the civil rights movement that followed after the song and movie were released and how it became an anthem for black youth in urban areas. Then into the transmission of the film and song and how...
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...Shall Always Remain the Same: Hip-Hop from a Protagonist’s Point of View The Hip-Hop culture and all it stands for has saturated a generation in an unprecedented way. It has begun to shape and unify a diverse population of people. Hip-Hop, for many, provides an outlet to express your thoughts and for others, Hip-Hop is a lifestyle. The influence of Hip-Hop has become universal. It has transcended from a cultural genre to having a larger audience not made up of solely African Americans. It has gone from the slums, to the suburbs, and into larger corporate rooms. McDonald’s, Addidas, Nike, Coca Cola, Sprite, and other corporate giants have capitalized on this phenomenon. Although critics of Rap music and the Hip-Hop culture seemed to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language Hip- Hop has potential to unify individuals and promote change. This genre of music has transformed generations across the country. Hip- Hop possesses a level of maturity and a sense of cultural belongingness that has become a protest form for people all over the world. The art form, now simply known as Hip- Hop, began with three New Yorkers: Busy Bee Starski, DJ Hollywood, and DJ Afrika Bambaataa; they are credited for creating the term Hip-Hop. It all began in the early 1970’s with house parties and basement beat shaking music in upstate New York. The beats were very melodic, Africanized, and soulful. Hip-Hop is music for Blacks and Latinos...
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...BLACK POPULAR CULTURE AS A MEANS OF ACHIEVING INEGRATION "We as a society successfully eliminated the need for achieving integration through political agitation for civil rights and opted instead for knowing each other through cultural text. In what way(s) has BPC contributed or contradicted this statement?" Since the early 1900s, many legislative steps have been taken to achieve equal civil rights for all American citizens regardless of race, gender, age, or ethnicity. Throughout this time of integration, however, there was much political agitation to achieve this equality. It can be said that, “we as a society successfully eliminated the need for achieving integration through political agitation for civil rights and opted instead for knowing each other through cultural text.” That is to say, nowadays we do not pursue integration through political agitation but rather through discourse and education on various cultures, including black popular culture. There are several ways in which black popular culture has both contributed and contradicted this statement. In regards to its contribution, literature from famous black authors has served to better achieve integration through education of its audience on the black reality. Secondly, high school and university courses such as African Studies classes also illustrate how nowadays integration is achieved through cultural text as opposed to political agitation. Additionally, scholarly writings such as the article “The...
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...Def jam recordings Def Jam Records, created by hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons, is one of the most successful black-owned record labels in the history of the United States. Its success and influence on music and popular culture are paralleled only by Motown Records in the 1960s and 1970s. Russell Simmons founded a production company called "Rush Productions" in the early 1980s which housed Run-D.M.C. and Kurtis Blow. In 1984 Simmons met Rick Rubin, a rap and rock producer who was then attending New York University. The two met in Rubin’s dormitory room where Def Jam Records was born. Def Jam Recordings, Inc. operates as a hip-hop record label. The company comprises of a number of artists including Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Ne-Yo, Young Jeezy, Fabolous, Melissa Etheridge, NAS, Chrisette Michele, Ludacris, Rick Ross, and Duffy. The company was founded in 1984 and is based in New York, New York. Def Jam Recordings, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, Inc. Universal Music Universal Music was once the music company attached to film studio Universal Pictures. Its origins go back to the formation of the American branch of Decca Records in 1934. The Decca Record Co. Ltd. of England spun American Decca off in 1939.MCA Inc. merged with American Decca in 1962. The present organization was formed when its parent company Seagram purchased PolyGram and merged it with Universal Music Group in 1998. However...
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