This week's lecture and readings discuss Hip-hop's commodification in the media. How do you see Hip-hop's influence in popular media such as commercials, television, film and journalism (print media)? How is Hip-hop commodified by artists, corporations and/or the media? Think broadly about the different elements of Hip-hop. Do you see Hip-hop music and culture as a product that the media often disassociates from the artists that produce it? Why or why not? Where does the notion of "blackness" figure into this equation? Try to remember to give specific examples in your responses.
As the age of hip-hop continues we see different ways of how it has intertwined within all cultures. A polyculturalistic entity. As seen is Kanye West’s cameo on Entourage and MC Hammer’s KFC commercial, the hip-hop industry is continually expanding into new forms of publicity and fame. In other commercials, such as the Swagger Wagon and the Kia hamster ads, we see hip-hop taken into a form of comedy and entertainment. The Swagger Wagon takes white parenthood and tries to make it “cool” and “hip.” It uses hip-hop to show how even white parents can take a gangster identity, all the while expressing it comedically by using a stereotype of middle to upper class whites compared to the poor ghetto. The Kia commercial takes what we are used to seeing in hip-hop and urban culture and replaces the human beings (often times African American) with hamsters. Both commercial are wildly entertaining and both have similar messages underlying them: success. Both have nice cars that they each own. Both discuss how their lifestyle has proven to be the right choice. Both show that they are in control of their lives. This is seen in Kanye’s cameo as well. He owns a giant private jet with stewardesses who give messages and please men with alcohol. Hip-hop has become a great tool for advertising the positives of products. In the ipod commercial, although the dancers (who are all great) are silhouettes, it is obvious that many, if not all are black. The main identifier: their hair. Sesame Street and Willow Smith could have been in this commercial.
ReplyDeleteAdvertisers are always looking for the next big thing to jump on to get people excited to go out and buy their products. Hip-hop has become a great advertising tool because it is so relevant with today’s culture, especially the 18-30 year old market. Look no further than shows that are popular with this age group, Entourage, East Bound and Down, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and How to Make it in America. All these shows have at one point incorporated hip-hop elements in their shows to appeal to the audience, from the Kanye and Eminem cameos in Entourage, to Kid Cudi in How to Make it in America. Commercials such as the Kia and KFC ones used hip-hop to entertain the audience into saying “hey we are hip just like you! So come buy our products!” When talking how hip-hop survived the 90’s conservative criticisms, Wang sums it up “The 90’s saw many of the initial fears of hip-hop being co-opted or selling out as largely unfounded. By the decade’s end hip-hop didn’t cross over to the pop world; instead the pop world came charged, gift basket in hand to court hip-hop” (Chang 169). Overall, Hip-hop influences will continue to have an enormous impact on the way it is viewed and portrayed in commercials and entertainment.
ReplyDeleteIt’s very interesting to see the amazing impact hip-hop has on media in today’s society. A couple years ago, Diet Pepsi put out an advertisement that featured P. Diddy. Basically, Diddy’s car broke down, a Diet Pepsi truck drove by and gave him a lift to an awards ceremony (where, obviously, mass media swarmed). Seeing Puff get out of the vehicle, everyone went out and bought a Diet Pepsi truck. An interesting campaign on Diet Pepsi’s part, because that’s the way it works. Society takes what they see their icons using or wearing and they input it into their lives. That’s the impact producers want hip-hop to have on consumers. Hip-hop can be used against the ones who spend their lives making it, as well. Kanye West was featured in a South Park episode that portrayed him as an arrogant man, then a gay fish. Hip hop is definitely present in media, which brings me to my next point: the media doesn’t generally disassociate hip-hop from the artist—at least, it doesn’t intend to. The media just tries to tie together two industries: entertainment and service. The responsibility lies with the public who claim to support hip-hop. Kia doesn’t claim to have made the song “The Choice is Yours,” but many Americans, and hip-hop fans included, may only know the song through that commercial.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop is everywhere in the media. The media uses it to sell a variety of different products and ideas to the public. For most, hip-hop is exciting and innovative which makes it marketable. Commercials, Ads, television and films show many aspects of hip-hop including graffiti, breaking, and MCs. Oftentimes hip-hop artists are depicted in the commercials to convince people to buy the products by making the products look cool and popular. This was done because hip-hop is considered to be fashionable and “hip.” According to Wang, “They saw in hip-hop the potential to bring people together – not just national but internationally as well…” (Wang 168). Hip-hop is commodified by the artist and producers because they use it to sell products and ideas. When an artist gets big enough in the business, they can then sell themselves to television and advertisers for profit. People want to see popular and famous people using the same products as themselves. It makes them feel like they have something in common with their idols. I don’t feel that they are disassociated from the products because they are the reason the product sells. In the KFC commercial, the advertisers use MC Hammer’s popularity to sell the new popcorn chicken. They believe that if you want to be like MC Hammer, than you would buy the KFC in order to do that (Youtube “KFC Commercial with MC Hammer”).
ReplyDeleteThe media is able to recognize new and improved ways to sell their products. For some companies, like Ice Hot, having Shaq endorse your product may increase your sales. Companies like General Mills also use professional athletes to sell Wheaties. Advertisers are able to use popular icons to make a higher profit. Just as cartoon characters are used to sell products to kids, Hip-hop can be used as a way of advertisement. Hip-hop has a large enough following to attract a large majority of people. All forms of Hip-hop including breaking, graffiti, DJing, and MCing can be used in advertisements. Recent HP commercials have featured Dr. Dre and Jay-Z. Now not everyone knows who Dr. Dre and Jay-Z are, but during their commercials, hip-hop beats are playing in the background. So even if a person is only slightly into Hip-hop, the commercial can still be appealing to them. “By the early 1990s, it was clear that hip-hop had become one of the most enthralling and compelling forces in American popular culture…” (Wang 169). Wang goes on to say that no one really knew what would happen to Hip-hop in the long term, but it is easy to see that the popularity of Hip-hop has grown exponentially. Since Hip-hop is so popular and so much a part of today’s culture, advertisers you Hip-hop whenever they get a chance.
ReplyDeleteHip hop has become a commodity in mass media. It is shown in everything from commercials to television to magazines. The commodification of hip hop means it has moved into a part of the mainstream culture. A commercial for a minivan features a suburban couple rapping about their “swagger wagon” using braggadocio to tell about how their van and lifestyle is better than the rest. (YouTube 25 October 2010) I would have never thought that a commercial aimed at middle-aged parents would feature a rap, but that just goes to show how far hip hop has reached with its influence on popular media. Kanye West’s cameo on Entourage shows his lavish lifestyle as a hip hop artist including private jets and attractive flight attendants ( YouTube 25 October 2010). This type of cameo is not uncommon and it only emphasizes the stereotypical lifestyle that the media portrays of hip hop culture. Hip hop magazines only enhance the media image of hip hop. “Vibe” and other publications helped to fuel the East vs. West Coast Battle, the “urban couture” that included designer labels and top shelf liquors before rappers had it in their rhymes and the “rags- to-riches” stories that rappers promote in the music (Wang 170). All of these journalist portrayals have influenced the rap scene. The commodification of the hip hop industry has changed the image of artists and made it into a mainstream culture that can be used to sell a product, a magazine or even ratings.
ReplyDeleteCommodification refers to the marketing practice of giving commercial value to something previously considering without value, though not necessarily worthless. In terms of hip hop, we can see commodification at work through the commercialization of the music, the rappers, the dancing and the ‘swagger’ etc. This commercialization has led to many rappers such as Nas and KRS-One asserting that “hip hop is dead,” and that its original meanings have been lost. Brent Rollins suggests that this commodification made hip hop the face of African American culture all over the world, and furthermore “the broad hip-hop culture agenda was lost at that point” (Chang, 2006, 44).
ReplyDeleteHip Hop has become greatly adopted by the media as a popular form mostly due to the marketability of rappers and the ‘ghetto lifestyle,’ which many (white) consumers may buy into before returning safely to their lives outside of the real-life ghetto many African-Americans face up to daily. ‘Blackness’ becomes an imagined experience, not just for whites but all ethnicities, and its meanings are increasingly lost in the corporate machine. Due to the commodification of blackness, the sense of ‘authenticity’ within rap music becomes lost, something that is always held in high esteem in the rap game. Originality appears to be lost, an issue Jay-Z criticizes in "Death of Auto-Tune." Authentic black rappers seem to be saying “let’s get back to basics” and the media visibility of hip hop does not seem to fit into this ideology.
In todays world, Hip-hop is seen as what is cool and trendy. This is due to the glamourous lifestyles that popular artists live. Their motto seems to be the bigger and more blinged out the better. This representation of wealth and living larger than life can be seen in the Kanye West cameo on Entourage (Youtube). Kanye is wearing expensive clothing, has a private jet staffed with beautiful women and can afford to travel wherever. Since becoming rich is something that most people aspire towards, Hip-hop has become commodified and commercialized. If Hip-hop celebrities are advertising a certain product it is likely that it will become popular with the general public. KFC used MC Hammer to push their popcorn chicken to sell and make it look like the cool thing to eat (Youtube). The commodification of Hip-hop doesn’t always involve a famous figure. Different aspects can sell as well. For example, in the ipod commercial featuring the song “Hey Mama” people are dancing and having a good time while listening to the MP3 player (Youtube). Hip-hop also sells when its portrayed comically. In the swagger wagon commercial a white suburban family raps about their sweet car (Youtube). I personally love advertisements that involve Hip-hop because it is something from my generation that I can understand and relate to. It is obvious that Hip-hop sells and is an important tool in marketing strategy.
ReplyDeleteIn the ever-growing era of hip-hop, we see more and more references to the whole spectrum of hip-hop through television commercials, film, and journalism. It is very common to flip on the television and see a commercial that has some type of reference to hip-hop in it like the Kia hamster ad for example (YouTube). Everywhere we look now there is some sort of media that has been influenced by hip-hop because it is a fast growing industry that catches people’s attention. This idea of commodification is used by artists, corporations, and other types of media by enhancing the base of hip-hop to make it more consumer friendly and relatable. For example, the “Hey Mama” iPod commercial catches the viewer’s attention and makes them want to dance and be like the people on their screen because it looks like fun. In addition, in the video H.O.V.A. by Jay-Z, everyone wants to be like him because he is so rich and flashy so they want to be “cool” like him (YouTube). In my opinion, I do not think that hip-hop artists are disassociated with the music and culture because for the most part, hip-hop is supposed to represent where people came from and the struggles they have gone through in their life. Most artists today express this and tell their story through their history. When considering “blackness,” the stereotypical idea of it is what the majority of hip-hop culture is from its passion to its “gangsta rap.”
ReplyDeleteEvery time you turn on the TV or radio you hear some sort of advertisement for the next big thing. Since I was little and remember seeing commercials with Michael Jordan wearing Hanes boxers, companies have used this technique to sell their product. Just as I was writing this blog, a commercial came on with Drake promoting a digital camera. This is just one example of the commodification of Hip-hop. Today, popular culture has such a huge influence on our lives that just by seeing your factor actor, singer, artist, etc wearing a certain brand or rockin’ the new i-Phone you automatically think you have to have it too. Journalists in magazines have also helped make the shift of Hip-hop intro mainstream popular culture. “However, Vibe seemed uniquely equipped to chronicle the transition of the two rappers – and, by extension, hip-hop – from regional heroes to internal stars” (Chang 170). Hip-hop used to be something that was underground and looked down upon but “far from the pugnacious, underdog position that hip-hop occupied in the 1980s, by the turn of the millennium, the music and culture became the dominant center of youth culture in America – if not the world” (Chang 172). This is how hip-hop got where it is today.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop started as an “underground” hobby that many people in low-income housing used as an outlet. Today, hip-hop has found its way into blockbuster-hit movies, and commercials for powerhouse companies such as McDonalds and Dr. Pepper. Hip-hop influences can be found on almost everything, from hit TV shows such as Entourage and Americas Got Talent, to movies such as 8 Mile and Hustle and Flow. Hip-hop has become more prevalent in today’s society because it is a very successful marketing tool and advertisers have realized its effects and influences. Hip-hop has always been a way to bring people together. According to Wang, “They saw in hip-hop the potential to bring people together– not just national but internationally as well…” (Wang 168). Because hip-hop has that effect it is an effective tool for advertising and a successful device for other media outlets. I think the past stereotypes of hip-hop being offensive and degrading has started to shift and become accepted by today’s younger generations. This allows media to appeal to its major target markets in the ages of 16-30. Also the idea of blackness has started to evolve from being “hood” or what most of the older generations see hip-hop culture to be to a more accepted way of bringing people together from different cultures and backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteIn relation to hip-hop, commodification is when artists, whether they be MCs, graffiti artists, or breakers try to make their work appeal to large masses of people even if it means that they must stray from their roots. Often, the corporations who are in charge decide how to present a certain artist and the artist goes along with it so that they can gain publicity. Before hip-hop had the influence that it does today, there were artists just creating art as an expression of their life experiences. As described in "Words and Images: A Roundtable on Hip-Hop Design", it is stated that in the 90s in a billboarded environment, graffiti became advertising for the invisible and also that a shifting of the look of pop culture from a white suburban ideal to one that was multiracial and urban took place (Chang, 117). I think that the ways in which hip-hop is portrayed in the media have changed from this view to one which is created by those distant from the true heritage of the genre. Cey Adams states that when Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet sold many copies, that all of sudden, everybody that didn't care wanted to be a part of what was happening (Chang, 120). This shows how corporations are just in it for the money and do not care about the actual culture that they are representing. Many of the record labels that produce hip-hop are run by rich, white males who encourage rappers to take on the hood, ghetto aesthetic because they know that it will sell records. This produces stereotypes and presents a view of "blackness" that is not true to how many African Americans live their lives.
ReplyDeleteHip-Hop is virtually everywhere in mainstream media these days. More and more commercials are airing featuring big name hip-hop artists including Drake, Dr. Dre, and Jay-Z just to name a few. Hip-hop’s success has reached limits no one could have ever imagined, it only makes since to advertise using key elements that can be tied back to Hip-Hop. Hip-hop’s style has had a tremendous impact on the clothes, and accessories that are worn by the celebrities and athletes that we see on T.V. everyday. The majority of today’s society is engulfed with these icons and superstars, and most everyone can agree that hip-hop has the most influence on mainstream style and media. This really came apparent in the early 1990’s “it was clear that hip-hop had become one of the most enthralling and compelling forces in American popular culture”(Chang 169). The author is speaking directly about hip-hop and its true rise in the early 90’s, becoming a dominant force in mainstream media and popular culture.
ReplyDeleteIn the early days I could see aspects of hip hop keeping under the radar of the media as they thought it was just another fad era like Disco. However, since hip hop has clearly stood its ground over the years it looks like the media and advertisers are using it as another big opportunity to cash in. The hip hop world has been commoditized into goods that may have not been normally though of at the time of its introduction. Some aspects like MC Hammer getting his own cartoon (as seen in lecture) may be seen to some as “selling out,” but other artist are using their popularity to bring the culture into a more useful sense. TI’s wife, Tameka “Tiny” Cottle has recently set up a charity for Alzheimer’s. When people with this kind of popularity gives attention to a specific cause it helps others jump on to be a part of it. Last year the Kansas Union displayed Tyler Coey’s graffiti inspired artwork in its gallery. Breaking and other hip hop dance styles are showing up in dance studios around the country. I think that hip hop has been so good at finding its way into the media and our daily lives that people might not even associate the art they see as something to do with music. Does a 60 year old man who likes the smell of Old Spices new “Swagger” scented deodorant associate it with hip hop vocabulary? Maybe but probably not, however it is most likely helping sales with the younger crowed.
ReplyDeleteToday, Hip-Hop is seen everywhere in the media, especially commercials, film, television, and journalism. The media uses Hip-Hop to sell a variety of products. For example, most of today’s commercials use references of Hip-Hop to entice audiences of every type. Hip-Hop culture has become a fast growing industry that catches peoples’ attention. The style of Hip-Hop has an impact on clothes and accessories that are the trends of today’s society. Commercials such as the Kia hamster ad, use Hip-Hop as a comedy and entertainment. In Wang’s article, he states, “they saw in hip-hop the potential to bring people together-not just nationally, but international as well” (Wang, 168). The artists and media producers commodify hip-Hop in society because they use Hip-Hop to sell products and ideas. Many Hip-Hop artists are big in today’s pop culture, meaning that they are able to sell products efficiently because many people look to them, and want to use the same products as their favorite celebrity. Today Hip-Hop brings together people from different backgrounds and cultures, because this industry is growing steadily. The most famous Hip-Hop icons, such as Kanye West, are depicted with very nice and expensive things. For example, in his cameo on Entourage, he is surrounded by expensive things such as a plane, nice clothing and jewelry. This entices viewers, by them too wanting to live the lifestyle that he lives.
ReplyDeleteToday hip hop motifs are present in almost all aspects of main stream media. From the beasts that go into car commercials to the dress and style of self adornment seen on the Disney channel, the hip hop influence is prevalent throughout a wide spectra of commercialization. It no longer is just limited to the young crowd, these days advertisers use hip hop to reach a variety of audiences from many different age ranges. This is in part due to the fact that the generation that hip hop originated in is now an aging population, to keep up with the times marketing agencies have adapted and incorporated a more modern approach. Ten years ago, suburban parents were concerned with their children’s interest in rap and R&B fearing that it would lead to defiance and aggressive behavior; today hip hop is generally accepted due to its popularity in consumer culture. Even sitcoms and talk shows dominated by predominately white upper class citizens have explored the impact of hip hop on their ratings: for instance shows like Ellen Degenerous or Degrassi and the view have all done entire episodes dedicated to the art of hip hop. This exposure indicts the African- American struggle and results in the commodification of the urban experience. Many believe that just because they seemingly witness these accounts through the media that they receive insight into the deeper challenges faced.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop today has developed into a commodity in the mass media. The hip-hop culture is shown in everything from magazines, commercials, movies, television shows, and etc. The commodification of hip-hop describes how the hip-hop community has been intertwined with America’s mainstream culture. For example, artists such as Eminem and Kanye West have made cameo appearances in the popular television show Entourage. Also, Kid Cudi has appeared in the television show How to Make it in America. These cameo appearances are a great demonstration on how hip-hop has mixed with popular media today. Hip-hop also shows up in many other forms such as in fashion. Characters on television or people portrayed in magazines put off an image that they have got from elements of hip-hop. One of the newer examples of hip-hop in mainstream media would be with the Kia hamster ads. Hip-hop has been used in these Kia ads to provide a comedic and entertaining commercial. All of these examples represent a hip-hop lifestyle. In today’s media there are a lot of hip-hop references shown in many types of media. Hip-hop has continued to develop into many different forms in the public.
ReplyDeleteThere is always a fear in the hip-hop community of becoming a “sell-out”, someone who puts making money over producing art. The commodification of hip-hop has led to this growing fear. The commodification started when artists “saw in hip-hop the potential to bring people together-not just nationally, but international as well” (Chang 168). They brought the hip-hop aesthetic to tv, film, commercials, and journalism. Adding hip-hop aspects to these things brought a young audience towards them. For instance, incorporating the hip-hop classic “You Can Get with This” into a Kia commercial, the car company is trying to attract a young consumer and make their product “tight” for them. Many companies realize that the age group most influenced by hip-hop will pay attention to their product if they associate elements of hip-hop with it. Many times the commodification of hip-hop brings with it the commodification of African American culture. What is hip-hop becomes what is African American. Such associations can lead to stereotyping that all African Americans are a part of the culture, when this may not be the case. Instead of associating a race with hip-hop, an area should instead be utilized. Commercials, tv, or film that seeking to incorporate hip-hop should not focus on making them black-centric, but rather depict the urban background that hip-hop was born from.
ReplyDeleteDue to Hip-Hop’s popularity with much of society, especially youth, popular media is greatly influenced by Hip-Hop. Commercials especially are influenced by Hip-Hop culture, whether it be through the music, imagery, or the appearances of Hip-Hop artists who endorse the product, like MC Hammer and KFC. Hip-Hop is also used in commercials to make them more appealing through humor. Both the “Swagger Wagon” commercial for Toyota and a commercial for the Kia SOUL feature Hip-Hop imagery and music to make the product seem more enjoyable, desirable, and culturally relevant. Hip-Hop imagery is also important when considering graphic design and logos, as graffiti is especially relevant. Businesses aimed at youth often use graffiti-inspired typefaces as well as artwork. Hip-Hop designer Brent Rollins considers street graffiti advertising in itself. “Graffiti is design in that it’s advertising – moving billboards and publicity” (Chang 119). In fact, some graffiti artists have moved from doing street graffiti into the corporate world to create Hip-Hop based designs; one of the most well known is Cey Adams. Cey got his start in the 1980s as a street artist and in the late 80s co-founded The Drawing Board, one of the first and most influential Hip-Hop design houses up until the late 90s (Chang 118). Hip-Hop has grown immensely in terms of popularity in American pop culture, and continues to influence design and advertising in today’s commercial world.
ReplyDeleteAs the hip hop industry continues to grow and expand its borders, mainstream society is seeing a bigger hip hop influence in almost every aspect. Dr. Dre is seen on Dr. Pepper commercials, Kanye West and Eminem are seen on Entourage, Drake is seen on Sprite commercials, Three 6 Mafia has even won an Academy Award and even Diddy and Jay-Z have started multiple clothing and alcohol companies. Hip hop and rap also dominates the Billboard Chart, especially when a famous, popular rapper/ MC drops a new album (watch out for Kanye West’s new album as well as Lil’ Wayne and Kid Cudi). Given the jump start with hip hop, these rappers have expanded into mainstream media and, in a sense, taken it over. I can recall as a kid growing up, all of my friends hated listening to hip hop and rap music. As we have grown up, and these hip hop artists are now everywhere, drinking everything, playing everything, we have all been exposed to them enough to where we have become avid hip hop fans. “By the turn of the millennium, the music and culture (of hip hop) became the dominant center of youth culture in America – if not the world” (Chang 172). Hip hop continues to influence more and more people and with characters like Kanye West always in the spotlight for whatever reason, hip hop does not seem to be dying, or even thinking about slowing down, but rather is continually evolving and adapting to our culture and creating some groundbreaking music.
ReplyDeleteThe Hip-hop industry has become a multi-million dollar commodity. According to dictionary.com, a commodity is something of use, value, or advantage (dictionary.com). Hip-hop artists such as T.I. and Jamie Foxx are now also recognizable actors in Hollywood and the public eye. Many Hip-hop artists are multi-faceted with talents such as designing clothes, acting, producing and hosting television shows. P-Diddy had a stint on reality television while he searched for female and male singers and dancers on MTV’s “Making the Band”. Other artists such as Snoop Dogg and Ludacris have participated in either reality television or A-list movies. The commodification of Hip-hop has been a long time coming as more and more artists are breaking through the stereotypical confines of a what a typical Hip-hop artists should appear to be. I believe Oliver Wang addresses the commodification of Hip-hop best, “However, the 1990s saw many of the initial fears of hip-hop being co-opted or selling out as largely unfounded. By the decade’s end, hip-hop didn’t cross over to the pop world; instead, the pop world came charged, gift basket in hand, to court hip-hop” (Chang 169). In my eyes, hip-hop was never a sell out. Hip-hop expanded its horizons as American popular culture as a whole began to embrace it.
ReplyDeleteThe more our society develops; it seems that there is more of a hip-hop influence on it. We see Sprite commercials that have Drake singing, to having MC’s make guest appearances on popular shows. We can’t forget about the Cam’Ron and Dame Dash episode of Bill O’Reilly(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnhUYWbW3jQ&feature=related). Many rappers now believe that because of this mainstreaming, hip-hop is dead, and now people are only rapping to make money. You have songs like Nas’ “Hip Hop is Dead” where he says “What influenced my raps? Stick-ups and killings, kidnappings, project buildings, drug dealing.” Now all you hear on the radio is so-called artists such as Souljah Boy talking about how he has pretty boy swag. The lyrical content played on the radio now is at an absolute minimum with artists who are just trying to gain popularity. In a sense, someone like Souljah Boy is smart for taking advantage of society, based on the fact that society is very easy to appease.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop is seen on television, heard on the radio, and read in magazines. Today hip-hop cannot be ignored because it is everywhere and should be explored. The artists who produce hip-hop give hip-hop its culture. I think the media wants to put a big umbrella on hip-hop and commodifies it as gangster, money, rims, etc. This could be partially because a large group of today’s hip-hop artists rap about these things and that when people commidify things it is usually in a negative sense. When in reality, hip-hop started in the early 70’s and covers a much more than what MCs rap about like the style of clothing, breaking, and graffiti. At certain times I think the media does dissociate hip-hop from the artists. This can be seen more predominately in TV stations like CNN and FOX. I believe these networks do this because they don’t have a solid understanding of what hip-hop fully is. Other TV stations like BET and MTV seem to give a more rounded view of hip-hop by going more in depth with the artists and their productions. I believe hip-hop is closely associated with blackness because almost all the MCs who are mainstream have been black. One reason Eminem became so popular was the sole fact that he was white.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop culture has continued to gain popularity since its origin and elements are now seen in countries all over the world. In recent years the media has begun to use elements of Hip-hop as commodities in advertisements and endorsements. Hip-hop artists, songs and even simple references have been used to promote everything from KFC to ipods and cars. These Hip-hop references are successful in sending the message to the public that whatever product is being advertised in “cool” and “hip”. Kanye West appears in a cameo role on the hit series Entourage alongside famous Hollywood A-list celebrities like Martin Scorsese, Scarlett Johansson, James Cameron and Jessica Alba to name a few. The fact that Kanye is able to help out the main cast by giving them a ride in his private jet equipped with fine dining and beautiful flight attendants. The show obviously depicts him as a high-roller, which shows that Hip-hop stars have achieved the same level of fame and success as other famous Hollywood Actors, Actresses and directors.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of journalism and commodification, Trapped in between the Lines: The Aesthetics of Hip-Hop Journalism by Oliver Wang in my opinion discusses the issue. In the article hip-hop magazines The Source (founded in 1988) started as a magazine “by, for, and about hip-hop fanatics” (Chang 167) and at the time saw hip-hop as an “underdog culture” (Chang 168). But then years wen on and hip-hop started to be more of a popular culture and numerous magazines started to pop up and the magazines started to commercialize and commodify. Eventually leading to writers of hip-hop magazines coming together and making their own magazine Ego Trip which “produced a publication without making the same comprimises or commercially pragmatic decision when it came to who to write about and how to write about them” (Chang 171). Which the creative freedom was taken away from the popular mainstream publications and the writers had to start their own short lived magazine to write what they wanted to write. And this example could be related to mainstream hip-hop, the underground scene, and the artist control of their lyrics.
ReplyDelete“The 90’s saw many of the initial fears of hip-hop being co-opted or selling out as largely unfounded. By the decade’s end hip-hop didn’t cross over to the pop world; instead the pop world came charged, gift basket in hand to court hip-hop” (Chang 169). For example the 50 Cent makes $400 million dollars from Vitamin Water with the help of his advertising, hip hop has crossover from the music world to the business world, and most rappers are making more money advertising for a product then they're own records sell making them entrepreneur. When MC Hammer did a commercial for KFC he wasn't just reaching out to everyone who likes his music but specifically to the African American Culture, which is rich in southern soul food including fried chicken trying to attract more consumers. In a recent Yahoo commercial they company was using Kanye West's song Flashing Light in their commercial to attract the attention of people who know the song or have heard it expecting Kanye to be in the commercial, but to their surprise its just the song in the background of the commercial. Now a days hip hop is being incorporated in the mainstream media and attracting consumers like no other thats why companies are having more hip hop celebrities in them to make their product more well known.
ReplyDeleteWe live in a society that is entrenched in the minutia of Hip-Hop culture, often times disassociating artists from what we see and hear. For example, the Rock the Vote campaign’s logo was designed by graph artist Cey Adams, and looks clean and square, unlike anything a graffiti vandal would design, although Cey was such a person before. In “Words and Images: A Roundtable on Hip-Hop Design” several individuals weigh in on taking graffiti to the mainstream through computer renderings, which really devalues the credibility of the artists because the public thinks the computer has done all of the work. Similarly, writers face attacks from critics for trying too hard to mimic the rhythms or wordplay or the music into their works, with the result of being viewed by readers as sell outs (Wang). I think that’s true. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so why talk about a beat when you should listen to it? The KFC commercial with M.C. Hammer only solidifies racial stereotypes in my mind because a black man is espousing the deliciousness of fried chicken. But it’s not always the case that blackness is associated with the commodification of Hip-Hop. For example, the Swagger Wagon commercial is filled with “white” stereotypical attributes, such as drinking tea with pinky extended. So the commodification of Hip-Hop happens with the specific intent of selling some product not usually associated with Hip-Hop culture, highlighting the aspects of a subculture in order to have increased sales within a certain demographic. I wouldn’t be surprised if my mother saw the mini-van commercial and felt the need to tell me about it, just as I wouldn’t be surprised if a younger generation of consumers were lining up to by the Kia being advertised because they can positively associate their vehicle with something they had seen.
ReplyDeleteAll different elements of Hip-hop are shown throughout various forms of popular media. Hip-hop in the media has become a way to draw in a larger audience and influence its growth in the media. For example, a company may use Hip-hop artists in advertisements to youth as a way to intrigue them. Youth often look up to these artists because of their fame and level of “coolness” and companies see that as an efficient way to market their product. It is almost as if they are saying that the product is a part of Hip-hop. In doing so, successful companies are not only advertising their product, but they are also advertising Hip-hop. By showing that they associate the company with a certain MC, break dancer, or graffiti artist, they are encouraging support for that Hip-hop element or artist. They are even able to find an artist not yet discovered and turn them into a celebrity by increasing people’s familiarity with that person. They use Hip-hop in advertisements as a way to show that Hip-hop is a part of the new culture and is not just a phase that is going to pass through. “They saw in hip-hop the potential to bring people together– not just national but internationally as well…” (Wang 168).
ReplyDeleteI don’t think Hip Hop would be in the place it is today without the advancement of media on a global scale. This may be true for a lot of aspects of our society, but we see Hip Hop and all of its’ elements impact so many people. In terms of which media impacts Hip Hop the most, I believe we have to look television (commercials included) and print media. BET dedicates its’ programming to Hip-Hop on a near 24/7 scale. There is also VH1 that broadcasts and sponsors a Hip Hop Honors Award and crated a program that tributes the greatest Hip Hop songs until now.
ReplyDeleteHip Hop is exciting, young, fresh and constantly setting trends. These adjective make Hip Hop incredibly easy to sell, which I believe is a main reason why Hip Hop is commodifying the market place. Society classifies Hip Hop artists such as Jay-Z, Drake, Eminem, Snoop Dog and Kanye as super celebrities. There every move is tracked and judged. This contest tracking allows them to sell themselves into cameo spots and main roles for movies, TV and advertising campaigns. Their roles and talents in the Hip Hop game has gotten them to a high place and their fame is allowing for a trickle down effect for everyone who makes money from their talents and fame.
Hip-Hop music has become as much a part of American society and culture as apple pie or baseball It has grown exponentially from its humble roots. And with the money and success came the corporations knocking on the door wanting to cash in on this musical genre and lifestyle that everyone seems to connect to in different ways. You can’t look anywhere without seeing hip-hop influence on TV, the radio, fashion, slang, or any other media and cultural trends. Erik B. and Rakim’s “Paid in Full” had the lines : “Thinkin of a master plan
ReplyDeleteCuz ain’t nuthin but sweat inside my hand
So I dig into my pocket, all my money is spent
So I dig deeper but still comin up with lint
So I start my mission- leave my residence
Thinkin how could I get some dead presidents”. The master plan wound up being buying in to the idea of commericializing hip-hop. Each element of hip-hop culture has been commercialized; graffiti is used on the likes of Marc Ecko’s shoe designs, breaking has been used in everywhere from “The Simpson’s” to Australia’s hit show “Sunny Heights High”, and DJing and MCing has been dumbed down with big beats just to make top hits on the radio. On MIMS’ track, “This is Why I’m Hot” he literally says “I can sell a mill saying nothing on the track.” Commodification and commercialization of hip-hop has taken it away from its lyrically centered days, Talib Kweli explains the rap game these days in his line from the song “Country Cousins” where he claims, “These days people don’t seem to listen if you ain’t talking money.”
In hip-hop’s position as a major music genre, responsible for many platinum albums each year, it is necessarily a media machine. This mediatic representation takes on many forms, some subtle and some garish. Hip-hop advertising certainly allies itself with free-market capitalism as fiercely as any other type of advertising and shamelessly markets products as indicative of a lifestyle or a status position. This identification with free-market capitalism seems ironic in that the conditions that have produced the urban blight felt in many urban communities have been produced by this very system. Hip-hop is not any longer the voice of the urban poor singularly, but represents a large market of urban and suburban youth. Oliver Wang’s “Trapped In Between The Lines” explains that hip-hop now acts as “an entry poing into larger discussions of society,” and holds within in all of the contradictions of our American society. MC Hammer’s KFC Commercial stands in stark contrast to Nas’ “Hip-hop is Dead” video. The hip-hop community represents at once those who actively participate in consumer culture and those who critique it.
ReplyDeleteGreg Tate states “I feel like hip-hop was more multicultural in 1975 than it is in 2005, in that its diasporic roots were more acknowledged and celebrated, and in that the immigrant communities that contributed to its genesis were also acknowledged and celebrated” (Chang 44). While hip-hop might have been more multicultural in the past, it is more polycultural now. Hip-hop should be given the opportunity to grow and with growth comes change. Hip-hop encompasses more cultures and identities the longer it thrives. Hip-hop is also diving into other realms of society such as commercials. This trend of hip-hop spreading out should not be seen as invasive. Many people believe that artists are “selling out” by appearing in commercials. MC Hammer appearing in a KFC commercial should be seen as MC Hammer trying to further his career and broaden in scope. MC Hammer specifically probably hurt his career by performing in commercials because it has been more entertaining to laugh at him than with him. Companies want to appeal to their target audiences and gain popularity. The artists thrive symbiotically with these companies because they are getting paid while the company is gaining popularity. The idea of keeping hip-hop “pure” or “authentic” might eventually keep hip-hop from expanding and reaching a greater audience.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop is everywhere throughout the media. The media uses hip-hop to market different products, and ideas to the public. For most, hip-hop is exciting and innovative which makes it marketable. Commercials, advertisements, television and films show the many different aspects of hip-hop, which includes graffiti, breaking, and MCs. There are even some instances where hip-hop artists are depicted in the commercials to convince people to buy the products by making the products look cool and popular. An example of this could be a few years ago, Diet Pepsi put out an advertisement that featured P. Diddy. In the commercial, Diddy’s car broke down, a Diet Pepsi truck drove picked him up and gave him a ride to the awards ceremony. Therefore everyone started driving Diet Pepsi trucks to look “cool.” In today’s society, hip-hop is definitely a popular trend. Being wealthy and hip is also a form of hip-hop, meaning going from rags to riches. This can be seen in one of my favorite television shows, Entourage. Kanye West was a cameo in one of the episodes and he was showed off to be wearing expensive clothes, has his very own private jet staffed with beautiful women, and he can afford to travel wherever he wants. I don’t know any body that would not want that type of luxury in their lives. Since Kanye is a hip-hop star and he has all these things, it makes people watching want to be a hip-hop star to also have these types of accommodations. Hip-hop used to be underground and looked down upon but according to Change “hip-hop is far from the underdog position that hip-hop occupied in the 1980s, by the turn of the millennium, the music and culture became the dominant center of youth culture in America, if not the world” (Chang 172).
ReplyDeleteIf you are trying to hide your children from the hip hop industry, it is going to be quite hard. Hip hop is EVERYWHERE, and we can’t deny it. It is in commercials, tv shows, as well as on billboards. When watching the commercial “Swagger Wagon”, I was very humored but at the same time it made me realize how broad hip hop really is. Hip hop is having a great affect on the media because it will sell to the customers. This is why they used a hip hop theme and called the vehicle the “swagger wagon”. This is making the audience think they will have “swag” if they buy this car, even though they are buying a car that is known for older people to drive. The basic reason for putting hip hop into the media is because it’s attracting the young audience. It is also going to help their product sell more because it makes the billboard or tv show unique.
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