"You can buy your hair if it won't grow, you can fix your nose if he says so, you can buy all the make up that MAC can make, but if you can't look inside you, find out who am I to be in the position to make me feel so damn unpretty, I'll make you feel unpretty too" (TLC Unpretty).
This Chorus is that of a popular song performed by one of the most popular and influential Girl groups of all time, TLC. The packs a powerful message that TLC is trying to get across to their fans and listeners. The popular girl group trio, TLC that reigned in the 90's, during the beginning of the feminist/ Girl power movement. The group members were Tionne Watkins known as T-Boz, Lisa Lopes known as Left Eye, and Rozonda Thomas known as Chilli. The song Unpretty
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The group has been nominated and won various awards for their accomplishments in the music industry. TLC has won Soul Train Awards, MOBA (Music of black Origin) Awards, NAACP Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Grammys, Kids Choice Awards, those are only to name a few(Wikipedia). According to The Philippine Daily inquirer "TLC is the most influential female group the world has ever seen". (Wikipedia). Vibe magazine also states that there would be no other all black female R& B group that would have the same commercial impact as TLC (Wikipedia). Their huge fan base was their platform to deliver messages about self -worth and empowerment. Even though TLC was very successful group, that did not make them immune to real life struggles. The group had many obstacles that were often made public. These public struggles got them more attention because they seemed to share the same issues as their fans which made them more relatable. From illness, bankruptcy, to relationship issues, arrests and rehab. The Group was far from perfect, but they were relatable. Being relatable allowed them the opportunity to be able to reach their fans and listeners on a personal …show more content…
The point that the group is trying to make is expressed in the Chorus that is repeated multiple times throughout the song. The use multiple use of the word "You" in the chorus makes the message very personal. One may feel that the singer is talking directly to them. The Lyrics of the chorus states, "You can buy your hair if it won't grow, you can fix your nose if he says so, you can buy all the make up that MAC can make, but if you can't look inside you, find out who am I to be in the position to make me feel So damn unpretty, I'll make you feel unpretty too" (TLC, Unpretty). It is apparent that TLC is trying to relay the message that the things you can change on the outside, hair, makeup, plastic surgery, will not make you feel better on the inside. Self-worth and loving yourself internally is what matters the most. It also sends a message that if you continue to give anyone the power to make you feel insecure or worthless you can only blame yourself because you have allowed
Think about your favorite female MC album of all time. It could be Eve’s Ruff Ryders’ First Lady from 1999, Roxy Brown’s Broken Silence from 2001 or Queen Latifah’s All Hail the Queen from 1989, but whatever album you picked should make you think of MC Lyte for at least a quick second. If you enjoy listening to Eve, Queen Latifah, Trina, Missy Elliot or even Nicki Minaj you should know MC Lyte. MC Lyte made a huge impact in the world of hip Hop, so much that she is respected by men and women for being one of hip hop’s pioneers. MC Lyte made a great impact in the world of hip hop as she paved the way for all the female artists by making sure her voice was heard, while remaining true to herself.
The music video of “Crooked Smile” by J. Cole illustrates a story that not most people see. The music video reenacts the incident that involved the slain of Aiyana Jones. Although the music video portrays a tragic event, the lyrics of the music video tell a different story. The lyrics tell a message to people, especially females, to love themselves and to not worry what others think of them. In the music video “Crooked Smile,” Cole illustrates the war between the government, drugs, and the innocent victims who are caught in between them. With the song and music video combined, the message to its viewers is to find change and peace not only in the community, but also in our minds.
“You Was Right” by Lil Uzi Vert is fairly easy to understand lyrically. The essence of the song deals with unfaithfulness in a relationship as well as the aftermath. Lil Uzi Vert spends a large portion of the song admitting his mistakes to his presumed girlfriend in hopes of making things right between them. The song starts off with the hook, which rests upon the premise of how Lil Uzi Vert should have stayed loyal rather than taking another girl home with him. For example, he says, “You was right, I was wrong” (6) in an attempt to console his girlfriend and apologize. Following the hook, the first verse centers on Lil Uzi Vert’s riches due to his success as a rapper. He ties that in to his relationship by expressing how he wants to share his wealth with his girlfriend. At this stage in the song, Lil Uzi Vert is attempting to win his girlfriend back with his money and general success as a rapper. The hook then repeats itself to indicate that the argument between Lil Uzi Vert and his girlfriend is still continuing. The second verse signifies an escalation in their conflict, as he says, “You just locked the door, so I gotta text you” (42). His girlfriend is refusing to even listen
It starts by describing a young woman in college, stating, “she has no idea what she’s doing in college, the major she majored in don’t make no money, she won’t drop out, her parents will look at her funny (West).” By doing this the song establishes that this woman wants success but she doesn’t know how to obtain it since she was basically pushed into pursuing a career in college that she was unsure of in order to obtain success. The song furthers the story of the woman when she states that she gives up and goes on to say that her tuition money is enough to buy a few pairs of new shoes. The desire for success and frustration of not being able to achieve it, is what essentially leads the woman of taking this shortcut of dropping out of school to acquire material possessions in the “now” instead of the slower more standard route of finishing her education and finding success through that. Kanye West then describes in the song his addiction of material possessions when he began to acquire wealth from his music career. He says in the song “Man I’m so self-conscious, that’s why you always see my with one of my watches,” showing that he took the route of obtaining material possessions as soon as he acquired money to try and show others his success (West). He furthers this point by stating “then I spent 400 bucks on this, just to be like, you ain’t up on this,” showing it wasn’t just one instance, but a constant reoccurrence of showing off his material possessions to constantly try and present himself to others as
The above advertisement for Olay Total Effects Pore Minimizing CC cream demonstrates modern day fixation on celebrity culture and photographic subterfuge to avoid truth. The model represented is a conventionally attractive woman whom, because of how healthy she appears, looks prosperous. The quote beside her “I’m not an airbrushed kinda girl, I just want to look it” conflicts with her appearance. From this we learn that she is an average woman infatuated so much with the celebrity look that she too wants to display herself as one. “air brushed kinda girl” implies that those who constantly look airbrushed (celebrities) possess negative personality traits ergo, one would not like to act like them. The assumption that celebrities are
The video promotes a realistic portrayal of women while undermining negative societal expectations put to those women. Furthermore, the message behind it, one calling people to accept themselves and to not feel the need to strive towards unreachable goals set by the media, can be applied to the lives of not only women but men as well. While the song was obviously meant for women, it is still holds the important message for people of any gender, age, or race to understand that being true to and learning to accept one’s self can only lead to positive
Today it is hard to imagine a female celebrity without seeing mental images of someone stumbling out of clubs, under the influence of drugs and alcohol, or exposing their skin. What has happened to the role models that were once defined by people like Audrey Hepburn, Mother Teresa and Eleanor Roosevelt. In between the chaotic mess of people like Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, and the Kardashians is an under-rated role model, Taylor Swift. Just at the age of twenty four, she holds the prestige of winning seven Grammy's becoming one of the greatest musical sensations. Aside from her music, her keen attitude is receiving accolade from many people. Taylor Swift is the best role model for girls of because of her clean public image.
Whitney Houston is considered one of the greatest singers of our generation. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, she holds the record of being the most rewarded female artist of all time. I chose her as my topic, because she represents resiliency and tenacity, despite her troubled experiences with drugs and her personal life. Whitney Houston comes from a family with an amazing, musical pedigree; her mother, Cissy Houston, was a successful back-up singer for Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley. Dionne Warwick is her first cousin, and Aretha Franklin is her godmother.
The second song, Change, also shows the problem with systematic oppression. J. Cole recounts the time that he saw his friend get shot. This is the main point of the whole album and the song revolves around the tale of this friend who is killed. The last song, 4 Your Eyez Only, brings everything back together and tells the full narrative of his friend’s unfortunate fate. While attacking the life that many people glorify and empathizing with those who are stuck in this life, J Cole closes out his fourth album on a hopeful note. Using the perspective of his deceased friend, he writes a song (the actual album), for his daughter, condemning all that is bad and hoping for her to grow into a somebody. In a heart touching verse the father states “Maybe you hate me, maybe you miss me, maybe you spite
In Britney Spears song “Criminal” she says, “I know you told me i should stay away.” These words mean that she was advised to stay away but she does not listen. It shows how she made her own choice knowing something might happen. In her words, she teaches that advisement is good but your own choices are what matter.
“My love, she keeps me warm.” Without context, these song lyrics have no impact or power behind them. However, if told that these words were sung by a female vocalist, and preceded by the lyrics “I can’t change, even if it tried, even if I wanted to,” suddenly the words have meaning as a woman sings of her love for another woman (Haggerty, Lewis, Lambert, 2102). These lyrics come from the 2012 song “Same Love” by Macklemore with Ryan Lewis and featuring Mary Lambert. In the song “Same Love,” Macklemore raises his voice against the issues of discrimination, gay rights, and marriage equality that we see in today's era. He uses two fallacies in the song, but Macklemore’s use of the three rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos in his song “Same Love,” have a great level of success in proving the importance of gay rights and marriage equality.
Today they still inspire many other hip hop artists like Young Jeezy, Le$ and Rick Ross. Their southern style in which they do not like to take credit for is imitated by young artist everyday. Their stories of making it even when the odds were against them will always be inspirational especially to the artists in South Texas. I will always have a place for their music in my heart. I never had to live any of the moments that their songs were about, but it has always been nice to live through their rhymes.
In contrast to the previous lyrics of despair and feelings of worthlessness, she goes on to sing about how she is unbroken, which is a powerful motif as her album takes the word as its title. ‘Unbroken’ is an apt name as it relates to show how she has not been completely broken by the circumstances she was in:
... most successful “Hot 100” artists. As of 2014, they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart with twenty. They have received 10 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award for Best Original Score and 15 Ivor Novello Awards. Collectively included in Time magazine’s compilation of ‘the 20th Century’s 100 most influential people’, they are the best-selling band in history, with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide.
The first line says “I’m weary of the ways of the world”. I think this connects more to what is going on outside of my control, like terrorism or world hunger. Situations like this do not directly affect me ,but can damage my sense of hope. The song goes on to say “You’re feeling like you’re chasing the world, you’re leaving not a trace in the world, but you’re facing the world” (16-18). These are my favorite lines because they explain three major point that contribute to my insecurities. The first part connects to me feeling like everyone is ahead of me in their success. The second line deals with me not feeling like I am contributing to the world enough and the third line connects to me having to compete with others in the world. Listening to this song makes me feel like I am not the only one that has insecurities and it is okay to doubt yourself sometimes. While listening to this song in college I try to remember that I am just human and doing my best is the best I have to offer. As Solange says “..., do you belong? I do I do”.