Hip-Hop and To Kill a Mockingbird

Drugs, violence, and crime, the life of the stereotypical criminal black man. People’s perspectives on stereotypes like these can be influenced and changed. Bob Ewell, from To Kill A Mockingbird, greatly affects his community. Lyrics in mainstream hip-hop often seem to promote violence and crime, but often it is the artists’ mouthpiece to reveal how these stereotypes are still in place and have impact on the black community. In both hip-hop and To Kill A Mockingbird, we see how these characters with access to money and power have the ability to influence others’ views based on stereotypes. Those with access to traditional sources power can affect change in society.
Those with access to traditional sources of power can affect society by utilizing their status to influence the perspective of a stereotype. Jay-Z, with his prestigious empire of wealth and international impact, is a perfect example of this sort of power brokering. Jay-Z has become a cultural icon to the black and minority masses, having seen him grow from a young hip hop rapper to a music and film producer, actor and extremely successful entrepreneur. Through lyrics, both his own and of other rappers he produces, he manipulates his massive fanbase to support his movement to stop the racist stereotypes put in place against blacks and other minorities by the (typically white) elitist leaders of business and politics. For example, Jay-Z blames his childhood experience on Ronald Reagan, who was President from 1981-1989, which was during the crack epidemic. Through the following lyrics from the rap Blue Magic, “Blame Reagan for makin’ me into a monster” (“Blue Magic”), Jay-Z highlights to his listeners the oppressive actions of the elitist leadership. His use of “...

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...ieved. The color of Bob Ewell’s skin gave him power, therefore the jury believed Bob Ewell’s lie as the truth and Tom Robinson’s truth as a lie. Bob Ewell was able to persuade the jury and town that Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, had raped his daughter by provoking the stereotypes of black men.
Jay-Z and Bob Ewell both use race, money, or popularity to affect society. With access to these traditional sources of power, each character uses their position to either oppose or endorse the stereotype of the criminal black man. Jay-Z uses the outlets that his empire provides him to openly persuade his vast audience that stereotypes are bad and thus pushes for change. Bob Ewell manipulated the outcome of the trail because of the communities tendency to believe in stereotypes. Stereotypes and the people that promote them still exist today and can be very hurtful.