As you blog on key words POLITICS and IDENTITY in relationship to Hip-hop music and culture this week, think about the intersections, overlap, contradictions that occur when presenting one's political views. Some prompts to consider are as follows: In what ways are identities inherently political? Is it possible to separate politics from personal identity? How do institutions and individuals present political perspectives? What types of direct actions do individuals and collectives take to assert political ideas? Think broadly about Hip-hop's impact on the construction and performance of identity in our everyday interactions. How does race, ethnicity, gender and disability shape political perspectives in Hip-hop?
Hip-hop itself could be considered a politic movement. For all that it possesses, whether it be the uprising of the black culture, the power from lyrics or the polyculturalism seen from within, hip-hop is a movement and a statement. Yet, politics and hip-hop have never been so noticeable since the election of Barack Obama, who has been viewed as the people’s president. The voice for those who have no voice. The president for all classes to love. Look back to MTV’s “Rock the Vote.” This campaign tried to get youth involved in voting and politics. MTV, being a prominent television station for the youth and for a hip-hop culture (although it is nothing like it used to be), used the power of media to try and persuade the youth that their vote does matter, and it is their future. During the election the Obama apparel became a huge hit. From shirts, to hats, to purses, Obama became the face of fashion, as the shirts were more than just an American flag and his name. They clothes were stylish, hip and appealed to many stars. Many hip-hop artist were seen wearing Obama clothes in his support, and as history has shown, what artists wear, public catches on and wears as well. Just look at Kanye glasses. Hip-hop helped influence an election and help Obama become the 44th president. Many voters followed Obama strictly because famous people were. See in Will.I.Am’s video the influence that stars have with the help of the media. Even see Kanye’s “Geroge Bush hates black people” comment and the reaction that it had. Hip-hop hold influence and has influenced whether we believe it or not.
ReplyDeleteToday’s Hip-hop was made possible by the politics of yesterday. So many of the
ReplyDeletefounding fathers of hip-hop were speaking out as political critics, and it’s because of their popularity that artists today can abuse the radio. “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy was a song advocating civil rights, but it also aided in advancing hip-hop’s popularity across the nation. It was through the songs and lyrics that artists really expressed their political concerns, beliefs, and opinions. Here are some lyrics from the Dead Prez’s song “Police State”: “I want to be free to live, able to have what I need to live. Bring the power back to the street, where the people live. We sick of workin for crumbs and fillin up the prisons.” Dead Prez express his concern that the government is too powerful, the quality of life is too poor, and opportunities for good work are too few. A concept to remember about the politics, hip-hop relationship is that politics have always been a major part of hip-hop’s past. That’s what enabled so many artists to send a real message, a personal message to their fans about how THEY felt; how THEY wanted issues to be solved.
Politics have been a feature of hip hop music since the beginning of the genre in the 1970s, with social and racial inequalities making up the environment into which the form was born. Since then there have been various ups and downs to the movement, with many critics viewing the dissolution of politics in hip hop with the birth of ‘gangsta rap.’ Boyd sees hip hop as taking the same path as Blaxploitation cinema – “works of African American grassroots financial struggle turned into valuable products of the culture, [before they] were duplicated, depoliticized, and ultimately rendered devoid of all cultural significance” (Forman & Neal, 327).
ReplyDeleteToday, politics in hip hop have taken on a new life, with the 2008 Presidential election of Barack Obama spurred on by rap artists old and new, who together were able to mobilize a force of youths to vote him into power. When hip hop became firmly embedded in the popular mainstream, it became impossible for rappers to avoid current issues in their lyrics, with some more than others choosing to incorporate politics somehow into their music. Artists known for this in the past include KRS-One and Arrested Development, but contemporary artists would include Kanye West, Talib Kweli and Eminem. It quickly becomes difficult for an artist to separate themselves from the politics they represent, as Kanye has recently discovered in several public outbursts. It is this media obsession with politics that leads to a wider debate of race and class that has no choice but to enter into the arena of hip hop. It remains to be seen if hip hop can take this debate to a new level.
When one begins talking about politics, many people tense up. Politics becomes a touchy subject for most and for the rest of us; it’s something that is considered boring and unimportant. For me, I have political views and these views help make up my identity, but I don’t typically think of them as political views. I think about it more as what I think is right or wrong, not Democratic or Republican. Because of this, it is a major part of my identity along with everyone else. This is the main reason that people don’t like talking about politics; it attacks our personal views and hurts us on a more personal level.
ReplyDeleteFor Hip-hop politics, it is even more personal. Hip-hop politics usually involves the cry for social change. This includes civil rights, equal opportunities, and the right to vote. Many individual’s and groups show their political views by voting or rallying for a cause. These can be violent (i.e. vandalism, assaults, murder) or non-violent (i.e. strikes, marches, sit-ins) action (Lecture 11/15). All of these attempts to show their political views also are an attempt to show how they personally feel about a given situation. Politics attempt to give a voice to the masses, but often times fails to reach all audiences. With Hip-hop Politics, it helps those who often feel left out of politics find a representative that expresses the same views as themselves.
Many people think that politics only involve a certain category of topics, but little do they know, politics are incorporated into everything including Hip-hop. Whether or not people realize it, politics have had a huge effect on Hip-hop from P. Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign to rap songs that introduce Obama as being our first black president. In Young Jeezy’s song “My President” featuring Nas, he talks about how Obama has plans to change our country and how proud the black culture is that America finally has an African American president (Youtube). Most identities are thrown under a political category, usually due to their social class or race because that is the automatic reaction to designating people’s class. In the African American community especially, hip-hop has effected politics the most because many “old school hip-hop headz…are activists, artists, educators, academics, administrators, entrepreneurs, hoping to use hip-hop to awaken a younger generation in the way it began to politicize them,” (Ards 313). Many of these artists, “like Public Enemy developed a politically conscious rap perspective,” through politics (Hodges-Persley Lecture 11/15). These early rap groups are the ones who started this movement in the black society to get people to raise their voices and vote for what they believe in. Race, gender, ethnicity, and disability shape people’s character and their political perspectives by letting them have the freedom to believe in what they choose to and to support certain political parties.
ReplyDelete“After Spike Lee’s School Daze in 1988 and Do the Right Thing in 1989 many young African American college students began to use Hip-hop as a galvanizing force to organize young African Americans politically” (Lecture 9/15). While the 2008 presidential campaign might have provided the most obvious sightings of Hip-hop’s involvement in politics, this partnership had been created years ago. “In the late eighties, Chuck D of Public Enemy declared rap the black CNN and argued that the visceral, sonic force that got people grooving on the dance floor could, along with rap’s social commentary, get them storming the streets” (Ards 313). Politics was arguably considered an idea of thought that solely pertains to middle to upper class white Americans. It was widely perceived that only white people with money had an opportunity to spark change politically. Hip-hop helped create a movement that not only popularized politics with its attraction to youth but also made politics a topic of conversation for a broader population. In the CNN video “Rap the Vote” it can be seen that Hip-hop has been an aiding factor in broadening the varieties of participants in the culture of politics.
ReplyDeleteFor many people, identity and politics go hand in hand, whether it is because their political views shape their identity, or because of stereotypes of identity, they are grouped with certain political views. Like identity and politics, Hip-Hop and politics have also intermingled since Hip-Hop got its start. Hip-Hop has always been associated with social change, defined by Charles L. Harper as “significant alteration of social structure and cultural patterns through time”, as social frustrations are what pushed many early Hip-Hop artists, including Public Enemy, Ice Cube, and NWA, to use their music to convey a message in hopes of social change (lecture, 11/16). Hip-Hop artists know their audience is the American youth, and several organizations came to the surface, using Hip-Hop as a basis to promote various political agendas, while engaging young people with politics. One of these organizations, CHHANGE (Conscious Hip Hop Activism Necessary for Global Empowerment), launched by former Nation of Islam minister Conrad Muhammad, hosted a Million Youth Voter Registration Drive in an effort to raise the number of young people heading to the polls at each election (Forman and Neal, 313). A similar campaign, Rock the Vote, started in 1990 also encouraged young people to vote through the use of popular culture and Hip-Hop. The positive reaction by American youth to both of these movements disrupted the stereotype of young people being disinterested in politics. Though society has difficulty separating identity from politics, it is important for one to remember that identity and the stereotypes that accompany race, gender, disability, and ethnicity are not always correct, especially in terms of political beliefs and participation.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to view Hip-hop from a political schema because many of the lyrical content involved in rap music consists of bashing the government, for example NWA’s “F*** the Police”, overtly expresses the artists’ opinions on the police force. My first exposure to the voice of Hip-hop artists on a large scale in politics was during the Obama campaigns. Countless television ads featuring famous Hip-hop artists along with other well-known celebrities was successful in spreading awareness about the upcoming election, but more importantly, it also lead to the formation of a strong association between Hip-hop and the Democratic political party. Perhaps the level of media attention given to such initiatives is the cause for this connection between Hip-Hop and the Liberal government, but as seen in lecture on Monday with groups like the “Young Cons” Hip-hop music transcends political affiliation. P. Diddy’s “Vote or Die” campaign was geared towards the youth of America and intended to empower teenagers who were coming of age to vote, which it did. Although “old school” artists like Afrika Bambaata and others have been creating music with political commentary singe the beginning of Hip-hop itself. Whatever the form of awareness, it is clear that the Hip-hop movement is versatile and strong enough to continue to adapt and grow in a way that artists will be able to reach out to the public to express political opinions through music and media.
ReplyDeleteHip-Hop and politics will always cross paths as some point. And as pointed out by Dr. Persly, you don’t have to associate with the left in order to like Hip-Hop. It, being hip-hop, crosses both lines, red or blue. I personally associate my views with the right side, but I can’t go a day without listening to rap or hip-hop. Sure some of the things they say go against my views, it is still music to my ears. I think a lot of artists identify themselves with the left, because for most artists, they grew up with hardly anything. To quote Tupac, “I don’t think Bush is a bad person or bad president, because for the upper class, he’s a perfect president, and that is how society is built, the upper class runs it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN_PCNY2ZHI).” What he says is a great example that people on the right are great for the upper class, and the people on the left are great for the lower class. Hip-hop also poses a way to spread the word on something. “If nothing else, rapping about revolution did raise consciousness (Ards 312).” This past election, many hip-hop artists used their ability to get easy airplay in order to spread awareness that America needed votes more than ever, and to have everyone go out and vote.
ReplyDeleteWith Hip Hop in the context of Politics, it can certainly be a double-edged sword; both positive and negative outcomes. The most positive outcome that Hip Hop can bring to politics is exactly what went right with the Obama campaign: it mobilized the youth vote tremendously. In any liberal democratic government, the youth vote is the most important vote to obtain for the simple fact that the future generations are going to be affected the most and will be molded by the policies that will be implemented and so forth. With will.i.am’s “Yes, We Can” video, I thought that it was pretty effective in utilizing pathos through the music to try and garner support, as well as will.i.am’s other Obama-charged productions. But the negatives I see are two-fold. The first is the intense use of pathos and music and passion to talk about politics. This is sort of a realist perspective, but when people are heavily emotionally motivated to vote, I think that it excludes rational criticism of political figures and their policies. The second is finally the fact that the depth of Hip Hop has been misconstrued within the public, even though Hip Hop is entangled in our daily lives somewhere, somehow. Ultimately, I think that when a population becomes hyper emotional about politics, they get caught up in the hype and forget to think that politicians have their own political agendas, and that’s what we all need to be aware of, and there are some people in these liberal democratic societies who will not think about that. I am willing to admit that I voted for President Obama, and I felt as though I made a correct decision based on what President Obama’s policies were, and how I can positively be affected by those policies.
ReplyDeleteLyrics to Flo Rider’s Low
ReplyDeleteShawty wore that Democratic Blue
Pin with an Ass
The left side was lookin at her
She hit the Pole
Next thing you know
Shawty did vote vote vote vote vote vote vote vote
Them liberals with those plans and them pro choice fans
She turned around and gave that Patriot Act back
She hit the Pole
Next thing you know
Shawty did vote vote vote vote vote vote vote vote
I ain't never seen nuthin that'll make me go, this crazy electoral vote
Had a million dollar vibe and a bottle for O
Dem democrats, they stole the show
So political, she was liberal
Professional, thinkin Obama yo
Hold up wait a minute, do i see what I think I whoa
Did I think I seen shorty just vote
Ain't the same when the race is that close
Make it rain, I'm makin it snow
Work the pole, I got gun control
Imma say that I prefer Pe-lo-si
I'm into that, I love the big D MO
She threw it back at me, DIPLOMACY
This ain't a problem, I know how to vote
Shawty wore that Democratic Blue
Pin with an Ass
The left side was lookin at her
She hit the Pole
Next thing you know
Shawty did vote vote vote vote vote vote vote vote
Them liberals with those plans and them pro choice fans
She turned around and gave that Patriot Act back
She hit the Pole
Next thing you know
Shawty did vote vote vote vote vote vote vote vote
Politics and identity are intertwined in hip-hop in ways that some other genres of music do not see. According to Rha Goddess, the view of poverty consciousness and beliefs about resources, accessibility, and viability completely frame hip-hop artists perception of self and of others and they dictate their behavior, thereby creating their reality (Chang, 340). Hip-hop artists belong to a community which has struggled from it's very beginnings to create a voice and promote their ideas and views. Not only do the individuals within this community voice their opinions through their art, but larger entities such as the National Hip-Hop Political Convention gives a voice to the group as a whole. By stating that they give a voice to a community that has been historically neglected and that they aim to ensure a community free of misogyny, violence, disease/infections, and increase values, the NHHPC politically organizes a way for hip-hop artists to come together and find common ground (Lecture, 11/15/2010). One example of how a hip-hop artist has used his fame to voice his political opinion is when Kanye West voiced his opinion of George Bush during a televised relief effort for Hurricane Katrina. I think that personal identities are not separate from politics because politics is something that shapes personal identity. Rha Goddess explains this perfectly when she says that these beliefs become embedded in the culture, individually, interpersonally, and institutionally (Chang, 343).
ReplyDeleteMost people wouldn’t care to put the two subjects of hip-hop and politics together. Despite common belief on the two subjects relating with one another, these two have a mutual relationship. One way that hip-hop has helped influence politics would be spreading the word to the younger generation through song, public appearances, benefit concerts, and the media as a whole. For instance, MTV’s flagship programs featured stars such as Sean “P.Diddy” Combs and 50 cent encouraging the youth of America to be heard with their organization “Vote or Die”. Another organization “Rock the Vote” is an NPO geared toward building political power for the young people in our country. It was founded twenty years ago “at the intersection of popular culture and politics”(rockthevote.org). This is a great example of how a political organization focuses on the youth and more specifically those interested in popular culture. Above are two prime examples of how politics and hip-hop relate with one another.
ReplyDeletePolitics and hip-hop. The older generation might find that these two concepts couldn’t mix because of the so called lack of “professionalism” and knowledge they might find in hip-hop. Clearly though from the very beginning, hip-hop has been a political engine for the lower and middle class. Songs like “the message” by Grandmaster Flash describes unrest in the ghetto and Public Enemy’s “fight the power” that told the audience to fight the established current government at the time to provide equality and fairness to everyone. There was also a campaign back in 2006 by Sean “P Diddy” Combs to reach out to younger Americans to go out and vote with slogan “vote or die” (lecture 11/15). Though that didn’t really work out as planned, it helped hip-hop spread its political voice to not only the younger crowd, but also the crowd that originally listened to hip-hop in its early roots. Recently however there has been an uptick of artists who have lyrically and publically supported Barack Obama to become President of The United States. Common, Nas, and Young Jeezy were well known artist’s that made it known about their endorsement for Obama with the songs “The people”, “Black president” and “My president is black”.
ReplyDeleteWhen politics are brought up in conversation, people may either take a very strong, or very weak opinion on the matter. Even when their response suggests they may not be involved in politics, that alone is showing you how politics still shapes their identity. Part of their identity is the fact that they do not take a strong stand one way or the other, and this may be caused by politics in the past. There are many elements to a person’s identity, and politics is only one. Therefore, it is possible to separate politics from the other elements of a person’s identity. Institutions and individuals take many actions to present political perspectives and ideas. Whether they are part of a protest, or decide just to register to vote, people are showing an assertive attitude toward politics. Gender, race, ethnicity and disabilities shape our political perspectives in Hip-hop through what we see in the media. Celebrities in the media, especially in Hip-hop, have been known to show very strong opinions on different issues in the world. The people that know of these different celebrities either are fans, or don’t pay attention to them. This could altar their mindset into thinking certain topics were either extremely important, or not important at all, according to who and what they see. An example is the Kanye West clip of him calling President Bush a racist. People of different races may see this clip and either look up to Kanye, or disapprove of him. This could cause them to change or maintain their perspective on politics.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop is very political. There are issues of race, gender, and sexuality. The language and lyrics are political, as well as the dance and graphics. Every aspect of Hip-hop that we have discussed in class has been political. Politics is not something I ever really talk about. It has just never been something that has been very important to me. I am a middle class, white girl who has never really had any problems with being discriminated against. Politics is not something I consider that has shaped my identity. I find politics boring and not very useful. This class has changed my perspective some and made me realize that there is much more to politics than the presidential election. What we learned about in high school about politics and the movements towards equality for blacks and women is much different than what we have learned in this class. “Social change can be created through direct political organization, but also through music, art, dance, fine art, and other forms of expression” (Lecture 11/15). I had never thought about politics in this light. Without Hip-hop forcing different races and cultures together, I do not think we would be where we are today.
ReplyDeleteOver time, just like rock, the hip-hop community has increasingly become more involved in politics. Just about every election year, music outlets such as MTV encourage young voters to get involved in the voting process by including influential artists, thus including hip-hop artists. Most recently, the 2008 election brought attention to people like Kanye West, who had quite a strong opinion of the previous president and was in Obama’s corner. There’s also action in the activism corner with artists such as Public Enemy and Nas, who have often had fighting words of criticism of the government and authority. The presence of hip-hop personas brings the world of politics to a big population that is often forgotten along the way. The people who often don’t vote or don’t feel obligated to get involved simply because they don’t completely understand the issues, with hip-hop artists putting issues in the most simplified terms creates a new channel of conversation and debate. I’m not sure if it’s possible to separate politics from personal identity because I see an individual’s identity often includes their moral code, which leaks into their political opinions.
ReplyDeleteAs hip-hop began to evolve many artists and groups used their music as a way to express their feelings towards the government or current laws. Hip-hop artists have always used their music as an outlet to express their feelings, and politics is just one example of a topic that will always be controversial or questioned by not only citizens of the Unites States but hip-hop artists too. For example Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” speaks out about civil rights and the ability to use free speech. Hip-hop has been an outlet for artists to state their political opinions. As we recently talked about in class, hip-hop has become a very effective tool for marketing and appealing to the younger audience. Will. I. Am was able to use his power in the industry as well as his entourage of celebrities to promote Barak Obama in his song “Yes We Can.” Artists such as Talib Kweli and Chuck D recently came out with songs in response to the new immigration laws in Arizona. Hip-hop is a tool that artists can use to get a message out to their listeners. Lil Wayne was able to state his feelings towards George Bush in a song titled “Georgia Bush” on his mixtape Dedication 2. The songs message is clear that Wayne agrees with Kanye West’s statement “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.”
ReplyDeleteAs stated in lecture on Monday, “hip-hop is used as in forms of direct action to achieve political goals outside of normal social/political channels” (Lecture 11/15). Hip-hop can be used as a very powerful political movement. In my opinion, politics and hip-hop have not been associated with each other so much until the Barack Obama election. The video featuring the kids that are covering a T.I. song to influence people to vote demonstrates how hip-hop can be incorporated into the political system. Hip-hop can be used protest or promote certain actions for a political candidate. I also think that hip-hop provides a whole different identity to politics and can attract some individuals to become interested in the political system. Considering that I am a person that has zero interest in politics I have noticed that I am more apt to pay attention to hip-hop’s representation to politics because I find it more entertaining than the other dull representations of politics. Hip-hop has shown to have a role in politics even before the popular Obama/McCain election. Since I was a child I remember MTV and Nickelodeon having commercials trying to promote people to vote such as the “Rock the Vote” campaign. Hip-hop and other media have been used in television/music to influence individuals to become active in an election. I think that hip-hop can help broaden the voting population by simply providing a different perspective to the voting process.
ReplyDeletePolitics are a big part of our society and are seen everywhere, including hip-hop. In lecture, we touched on how the movement for social change was helped spread through hip-hop and this was a strong example of how the genre expressed its political views (Lecture 11/15). Hip-hop is another way of getting a message out through things like rap or graffiti. It is the same as if someone was writing articles about their opinions on issues. I do feel that identities correspond with politics. Our beliefs are an expression of how we are raised and how we grew up. We are influenced everywhere, for example, in the CNN Kids “Rap the Vote” video the kids were interacting with politics in school (Youtube). Politics does reflect the beliefs of individuals and groups as well. However this is were it gets sticky because often the general idea of the group might not match up exactly with the idea of the individual and vice versa. For example, in Kanye West’s “Hurricane Katrina” video he states that George W. Bush hates blacks (Youtube). Just because Kanye is a prominent figure in hip-hop does not mean that his views are the same for all those who associate with hip-hop. Politics clearly can become messy easily and has many grey areas because every individual has their own beliefs and in a sense is a combination of many different political views that make them who they are.
ReplyDeleteGraffiti Photo: http://www.artofobama.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/obama-this-550x412.jpg
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking of hip hop and politics most people don’t imagine them coming together as a whole. Believe it or not, politics influence the hip hop music industry extremely. Tupac is one of the best rappers ever know (in my opinion) because he spoke about was really going on in our society, such as politics. There are many other artists that let politics have a big role on their life as well. For example: an organization was put together by 50 cent as well as P. Diddy that based on helping young adults be heard in America. This organization is called “Vote or Die”. Also, when thinking about the different elements of hip hop, graffiti has been influenced by politics as well. If you look above, you can see an image of artwork that is reveling a message referring to our president, Barrack Obama. The artwork is saying “this message approved by Obama”. This graffiti artist is basically giving a message that Obama approves this particular kind art, especially if he is making art to increase his votes. Even though, the artist could be wrong, because Obama might not approve of this art, he is still supporting Obama, and campaigning for him. This again shows how the hip hop industry communicates with politics.
Politics and the hip-hop identity are inseparable. One of the first big strides the African-American community made towards giving themselves autonomy and identity was the Black Power Movement. The ideologies that are rooted in the Black Power Movement has been its way through the decades and helped form the Hip-hop identity. Public Enemy’s message was of a high radically political nature that followed the ways of Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael. PE’s and NWA’s style are reminiscent of the Black Panther Party, another radical political force. This is an example of how politics can help form identity, but not all of hip-hop is connected to just radical politics. Individuals can express their ideas through politics, whether by party affiliation or by actions such as violent (i.e. vandalism, assaults, murder) or non-violent (i.e. strikes, marches, sit-ins) ways (Lecture 11/15). Because how political parties stand for different ideals that different individuals support, I think it is impossible to separate politics from personal identity.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop has been using its popularity with urban youth to portray political messages since its birth. An early example can be seen in Mele Mel’s “The Message” when he points out problems with the urban community to “organize youth and effect social change” (lecture 11/15). Baldwin points out that hip-hop is “a practice that started in urban America but is infecting the morals and family values of suburban teens” (Foreman and Neal 159). Hip-hops popularity with all young Americans makes it a perfect platform to reach out to these historically apathetic voters. Artists such as Kanye use both their music and their identities to persuade listeners into the political views that they hold. In his song What It Do, What It Is Kanye raps that he gave Barrack his vote. This combined with his famous quote about President Bush not caring about black people would lead a listener to believe that Kanye is a democrat. Subtle things such as this may be the reason why a large percentage of young people are democrats. Many have identified with the rappers, and therefore also identify with their political affiliation. Although hip-hop involvement in politics has brought attention to important issues, its bias has lead to a young voter who is not fully informed about both sides of the issues. Artists strive to be more issue oriented, and less party affiliated, in order to inspire an educated young voter.
ReplyDeleteI think Rha Goddess’ discussion about Scarcity and Exploitation is important for the hip-hop community to think about and to digest because of the immense success that “sellout” artists have achieved. Her argument is that creativity can come from any source that the artist can find inspiration from, and not only from an artist’s lack of initial resources. The goal should not be to “make it” but rather to create what is important and hasn’t been witnessed before. Artists artificially limit themselves because they are concerned about their public persona and how deserving they are of their monetary wealth. In essence, poverty consciousness exists in hip-hop culture because of the difficult history that many artists have, and because some people who have their lives pretty good long for a struggle to make their own psyches feel as though they are worthy human beings. Talk of a mature hip-hop movement, away from the typically negative associations which have formed about hip-hop culture (misogyny, violence) must exist in order for a mature hip-hop movement to evolve. In my opinion, hip-hop has always been political because groups of individuals have collectively (although sometimes independently and at the same time) made decisions about how to live their lives. Therefore, political involvement through hip-hop is “an idea whose time has come,” according to Lisa Sullivan. When rappers are talking on the microphone about the realities of their lives, they can and do talk about issues, and the popularity of their music will ensure that a broader audience will be exposed to their opinions. What is important to remember, however, is that hip-hop will not save you? Rapping about an issue does not have the same impact as direct political involvement, such as voting and attending rallies has, in order to perform actual political change.
ReplyDeleteAs of late, Hip-hop has had an immediate impact on politics. As hip-hop began to evolve many artists and groups used their music as a way to express their feelings towards the government or current laws. Hip-hop artists have always used their music as an outlet to express their feelings. Politics however is just one example of artists using their voices to express their feelings. During Barack Obamas campaign, I saw a lot of different hip hop artist come out and speak on behalf of Obama. Stars like Common, Nas, and Young Jeezy were well known artist’s that made it known about their endorsement for Obama with the songs “The people”, “Black president” and “My president is black.” Songs like, “bombs over Baghdad by Outkast, Yes We Can by Will.I.Am, and Minority Report by Jay-Z all have specific ties to politics and events that affected the world. Hip hop has helped voter up rise with African Americans. According to our readings, “In the African American community especially, hip-hop has effected politics the most because many “old school hip-hop headz…are activists, artists, educators, academics, administrators, entrepreneurs, hoping to use hip-hop to awaken a younger generation in the way it began to politicize them,” (Ards 313). It is obvious that the Hip-hop movement is strong enough to continue to adapt and grow in a way that artists will be able to reach out to the public to express political opinions through their own music and media.
ReplyDeletePolitics and identity can be intertwined for most people. Whether it be a certain religion, race, or being raised in a certain region of the country, people of the United states form identities based on characteristics of these three components of one’s life. Similarly, the lifestyle and genre of Hip-Hop identity and politics have been intertwined. In Rha Goddess’ article, she points out that “the view of poverty consciousness and beliefs about resources, accessibility, and viability completely frame hip-hop artists perception of self and others and they dictate their behavior, thereby creating their reality (Chang, 340). As social frustrations are what pushed many early Hip-Hip artists, including Public Enemy, Ice Cube, NWA, to use their music to convey a message in hopes of social change (lecture, 11/16/10). Not only has Hip-Hop historically emphasized their cultures struggles, but recently the Hip-Hop industry has influenced society to understand politics in a different light. By doing this, Hip-Hop becomes relatable to the younger members of society, allowing them to view opinions of politics by today’s biggest icons. For example, the CNN Kids “Rap the Vote” took a modern day song (“Whatever You Like” by T.I) and created a political song for middle school students to weigh out the positives and negatives of each political candidate. This helped these children understand what each politician stood for, rather than liking them for appearance or because their parents liked that candidate. Also, Will. I. AM was able to support Barack Obama in is promotional video “Yes We Can” by involving other familiar celebrities and artists. Together, these icons created a song out of Obama’s inspirational speech, allowing others to view many different celebrities promoting Obama. From the examples above, as well as many others, the Hip-Hop industry played a major role in the past election. I think Hip-Hop’s contribution to politics can reach a diverse population of people, which in turn broadens the voting population. They can achieve this by supplying a different perspective to the voting process. This can help people challenge their conventional roles of identity and politics of which they were born into, allowing them to create their own identity within politics.
ReplyDeleteIn relationship to hip hop music and culture combined with politics there has always been an agenda, hidden or emphasized. Hip Hop artists have been implementing political themes in their music for years, that is nothing new. Hip Hop artists have been implementing political agendas in their tours and performances, still nothing new. What is new is the degree is which Hip Hop has been involved with politics, specifically the 2008 presidential race. That was a race where institutions and individuals presented their political perspective on an enormous scale. Hip Hop celebrities such as Mos Def, Common, Jay-Z, Jadakiss, and Russel Simmons are only a few of the multiple artists that supported and campaigned for Barack Obama during the presidential race. These people have a channel to communicate to their many fans, their mannerisms, their lyrical content, their beliefs, their experiences, all outlets to exchange ideas. “The food you buy, the places you frequent, the clothes you wear, etc. all are associated with politics” (Lecture 11/15/10). Like Dr. Persley stated, everything we say and do is associated with politics in one way or another. Same with these artists, they are figures many look up to. People may enjoy or look up to them because of they like their music, or the like their determination, work ethic, style etc. regardless there are many individuals who listen to Common and Russel Simmons. Now when Common, Mr. Simmons, Kayne, present the importance of politics I think it opens up people ears. “Hey I like Mos Def, he’s been really involved with this years elections, I wonder what’s going on, I think we should check it out.” Totally a hypothetical situation but still a situation that does happen. We are a people that is influenced by others and when we see one doing something curiosity killed the cat and soon enough we are evolved as well. That is how I think that Hip Hop and Politics have been intertwined for years but more specifically the past 5 years. It is a epidemic that I think our country can benefit from. The more people involved the more unified and aware we are, Hip Hop and its artists are a great channel to get more people involved.
ReplyDeleteHow you feel about politics makes up much of your identity whether you realize or not, no matter what walk of life you are from. Even if you do not pay attention to politics, that is a conscious decision you made as an individual. If you do have political affiliations they are based on how you feel the major issues should be taken care of, in the environment around you. Your political attitude is directly related to your attitude about life. I think the hip hop artists that do have political rap lyrics use rap to convey how they are feeling about anything because it is their creative outlet. In theses cases it just happens to be a response to the political happening in their own areas or cultures. In a lot of early rap there was a lot of anger towards police corruption. This gave those who were being abused by the police in urban areas a media outlet and a voice to let everyone know what was going on. This is well demonstrated by much of N.W.A.’s early work. I think our generation, new voters, ages 18-40 is the very aware of hip hop and can be influenced by it. Politics is so a part of our identity that even our own President can relate to it. Obama was seen showing Jay-Z’s signal of brushing some “dirt off your shoulder” in the inaugural address. Whether he was doing it subconsciously or not I think that these younger voter’s could relate to that, upping his likeability and it as a result; arguably his political power.
ReplyDeletePolitics provide a foundation to how our country is run. Policies and procedures give structure to every day live. I think music and in our case, Hip-Hop, is a medium in which political messages can be delivered. When artists incorporate politics into their work, I think they are supplying an important message to an audience that is at times turns a blind eye to politics. Hip-Hop allows for the younger demographics in our country to relate to the happenings in our nations political scheme.
ReplyDeleteHip-hop and politics were very evident in the 2008 political election and ultimetly helped elect our current President, Barack Obama. The P. Diddy campaign of “Vote or Die” stated aim was to get young people to vote. They used viral and lifestyle marketing to relate to the young audience and get them to the voting booth. Another example of music and politics is MTV’s “Rock the Vote,” which begain in 1990 and encouraged young people to vote through the use of popular culture and music.
Although MTV and a variety of Hip-Hop artists have attempted to get the young vote involved in the presidential elections, I think it should imperative for the media giants and pop stars to encourage voters to vote during all election times. The recent mid-term elections saw a drastic drop in voters from the 18-35 demographic. Hip-Hop/music and television are the easiest ways for my generation to relate to politics. If my icons are involved in the political spectrum, it gets me intrigued. I am not saying that is there fault, but every election matters and effects everyone’s well-being then perhaps there needs to be more of an emphasis to vote during presidential and mid-term elections.
I didn't think much about hip hop in politics before the 2008 elections. But when if came around to the 08' when all the well known celebrities like Oprah and Will.i.am. were backing up Obama campaign in the hip hop and media world. I believe that hip hop not only help with the candidates publicity but it also got the young people to start voting and it also helped the youth be aware that they have a voice to vote and that they too can make a difference. I feel that hip hop help influence youth on their political rights more so then the government could have done itself. By that i mean that hip hop reach out to a diverse group of people through the media and the artists that are influencing their fans.
ReplyDeleteBut one the most recent hip hop related in politics was about Arizona Immigration Bill, my favorite rapper Talib Kweli raps about the injustice of the bill in his song Paper Please. I do believe that hip hop in politics is a great idea either its through a rap song or by helping with a presidential campaign, its getting people from the hip hop fan base involved. I do believe that for years to come hip hop still be growing into the political scene as hip hop is still growing.
My President is Black, My Lambo's Blue.....
ReplyDeleteTo many, it may seem that these two concepts won’t be able to intertwine because of the lack or seriousness found in many of rap and hip-hops lyrics of today. In hip-hop’s beginning, hip-hop was based upon the social struggles of the middle and low class black familiar. Hip-hop was a non-violent way for artists to stress these social and political struggles within their community. Songs like Grandmaster Flash’s The Message speaks of this social unrest in the ghetto. Public Enemy’s Fight the Power, is a simple story which tells the audience to fight their social distress and troubles, and fight to help provide equality and fairness to everyone. Sean “P-Diddy” Combs launched a campaign back in 2006 by to reach to the youth of American to go out and vote with slogan “vote or die” (Lecture). More recently however, there was an array of artists who lyrically and publically supported Barack Obama during his campaign for President. Jeezy, Nas, and common were among the few artist that helped this campaign thrive with their songs: My President is Black, Black President, The People.
The most recent election featuring current President Barack Obama and former presidential candidate, John McCain, featured many influential hip-hop aspects through media outlets. Hip-hop artists such as will.I.am gathered fellow hip-hop artists and major celebrities to inspire both young and old citizens of America to vote. Videos such as “We Are the Ones” and “Yes We Can” are examples of hip-hop artists using their political voices to reach the general public; however, the most recent election was not the first time hip-hop was seen making a political statement (Youtube). According to lecture, Spike Lee’s “School Daze” and “Do the Right Thing” became a force in organizing black college students to form political groups (Hodges Persley Lecture 15 November 2010). Hip-hop in politics has been around since Public Enemy’s “The Message” and clearly is not going anywhere in 2010. Artists such as will.I.am and P Diddy’s political campaigns to encourage the youth of America to vote are some of the only reasons, I believe, thousands of young men and women recently voted. Hip-hop has influenced society in so many ways and politics is just one more way hip-hop is making its mark on American society. Although President Obama cannot credit his election, he can most certainly tip his hat to the celebrities that joined forces to promote his election.
ReplyDeleteWhen discussing Hip hop and politics, sterotypes for race, party and identity sometimes become evident. Hiphops demeanor of expressing self individuality would often be immidietly tied to liberalism or democrat. Because of this association people jump to the conclusion that if democrat/liberal equals hip hop, and hip hop equals black, then democrat must equal black. Although this stereotype may fall true in cases, there are many African Americans that would deem themselves conservative or republican. There are many conservative black organizations that practice Christianity and often associate themselves with the republican party. While hiphop is often associated with liberalism, there is more concern on getting people out there to vote and express their opinion rather than pushing one side or the other . Gangsta rap’s influence on politics can be found in the passage: “Arrested Development engaged an empowered critique of both external racism and the internal neglect that set them apart from other rap acts in the early 1990s. This political stance endeared them to many as the embodiment of a progressive discourse surrounding culture, society and politics.”(Neal 325)
ReplyDeleteHip-hop, as any culture or subculture, is unavoidably political; from its earliest iterations, Afrika Bambaataa, Public Enemy, and Mele Mel were situating themselves and their communities politically (Lecture 15 November). Because of hip-hop’s connection, however complicated, with black urban culture, many hip-hop artists speak to urban blight and racial injustice (e.g. Mele Mel’s “The Message” or Ice Cube’s “Stay True to the Game”). The largest actor in between hip-hop and social activism is consumer culture and American hyper-materialism. Hip-hop activists are very aware of this problem, and lamet that it’s “very difficult to mix education and consciousness with capitalism” (Ards 317). Unfortunately, many critiques of serious problems affecting the urban lower class have, through hip-hop commodification, often “been reduced to mere spectacle, as opposed to a sustained critical interrogation of domination and oppression” and are more easily compared to the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s than to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. (Boyd 327). Angela Ards convincingly believes that for a hip-hop movement to work, it must look beyond racial dichotomies, be “youth led and defined,” and must “deal with the irony of using hip-hop,” which is in some its iterations, largely misogynistic, violent, and oppositional (Ards 323).
ReplyDeleteThe identity of Hip hop artists shapes their political views. Whether it be; social, racial, gender, or ethnic; many of the artist have experienced oppression due to one of these factors. Hip hop artists use their identity to speak out about their social and political ideals. Afrika Bambaataa and Mele Mel’s song “The Message” spoke about politics of their community and worked to use hip hop to organize youth and affect social change (Lecture 11/15/2010). Many artists use their music to get a voice out for their political opinions; it’s not just all “party rap”. “We are the Ones” by Will.i.am. is a song that brings hip hop artists, along with other celebrities, together to speak for change and the Obama election. Their whole point is to mobilize many people especially young people. (Lecture 11/15/2010) Hip hop artists have can have a great effect on a large majority of younger people, even ones who normally wouldn’t get involved in politics. The most recent of hip hop’s political movements are mainly about voting. Rap the vote, Citizen Change, and Barack the Vote are all campaigns that use hip hop to get young people to vote. Hip Hop artists can identify with a wide range of people and help to jump start political and social movements.
ReplyDeleteA large founding element of hip-hop is rooted in a political outcry. Since bands such as Public Enemy, and Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five began recording songs with a combination of relevant cultural swagger and political issues, hip-hop has served as the political informant for its listeners. The political manifestos often heard scrawled over classic urban beats, arguably serve hip-hop audiences in a more effective manner than political messages that appear in other mediums of art. The reason why is simple, in large part those who identify with hip-hop as a viable means of expression often hail from the lower, more marginalized classes of society. This being the case, it takes a movement, an art form, to appeal, capture, and harness the attention of countless Americans who otherwise would not pay any attention to political issues. As it often is with a marginalized class, political activism is not a high priority due to the lack of voice. That’s where hip-hop comes in. Every political movement requires mobilization and education, and that’s the platform that many hip-hop artists are running on. Present day, there are artists such as Talib Kawli, Mos Def, Dead Prez, Immortal Technique and countless others who package their albums in a politically relevant fashion while staying true to the nature of hip-hop.
ReplyDeleteThough it has gained the momentum it has always strived for in terms of influence and encouragement of political activism, hip-hop has had a voice concerning each presidential election since Regan (no matter how quite). The eighties rap group Whodini went so far as to back Regan’s get tough on drugs campaign with their hit single “White Lines” which denounced the use of crack and cocaine. More recently however, we can all recall the impact that hip-hop had on the 2008 election of President Obama. I cannot think back long enough in history to give credit to a congregation of so many different social echelons. As a Denver native it was truly awesome to see backpackers alongside neo-hippies alongside suites alongside secret service agents. Beyond that, I have never attended a night fulfilled with more musical passion and political outcry then witnessing the same cohort of individuals ALL rocking out at a reunion Rage Against The Machine concert and pumping their fists in the air, fighting the power at a reunion Public Enemy concert. Which, mind you, were both free, as all political forums should be. After participating in the truly hip DNC, it would have been impossible for me not to rock the vote.