Since the dawn of time, music has always been apart of humanity. Although the style of music is ever changing, many believe it to be a vessel filled with ideas and thoughts that can reach millions. To be specific, in the 90’s numerous artists believed their music to be the spark needed to change the world into a better place. Prominent rappers in the early 90’s “rose from the slums” (Shakur, Tupac) and were geared to shed light on the “black community struggle” in hopes of sparking change, to quote the late Hip-Hop icon Tupac Shakur: “I might not be the one who changes the world, but I guarantee you that I will spark the brain that will change the world, that’s our job!”. This essay will discuss three songs and one poem by Tupac, extrapolating what he was trying to communicate to what music can communicate using specific music analysis methods.
Part Time Mutha Tupac’s debut album “2pacalypse Now”, is when the artist began to shed light on how those that live in the ghetto, struggle from an early age, handicapping them to becoming something of worth. The song “Part Time
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Tupac communicated his love and forgiveness for his mother Afeni Shakur in the song Dear Mama. The song communicates the struggle mothers within the ghetto go through to raise their children. Tupac’s lyrics depict that we should not take our mothers for granted, by shedding light on what they go through to raise men and women. The song starts off with Afeni speaking, and at (00:12) background music and lyrics begin to play. After each negative incident Tupac sings, for example: “We were poorer than the other kids”, the lyrics halt and a sharp beat occurs for 1 second (00:34), keeping the listener engaged in Tupac’s childhood story with his mama. Tempo is slow, allowing the listener to focus on what Tupac has to say, whilst mode is major with a happy
The theme of lines 1-5 in, ¨Untitled 1¨ by Tupac Shakur is that African Americans have been oppressed, over many generations. He describes the world, ¨as a ghetto, that they cannot leave,¨ referring to ghettos such as
In one of the chapters, ‘Where Did Our Love Go?’ the author reveals how blacks in America use the music to express their anger and commitment to emerge as great people in an unfair community. Most songs are written to educate the society on the negative effects of racism. They encourage the society to love one another and embrace unity. The human nature is founded through a social platform where philosophers claim that people were created to love one another and live with peace and unity. Through this book, it is clear that the blacks in the hip-hop generation are money minded. However, this is expected in a world where the economy is tough. The author claims that the youth are the people who are majorly affected by racism. Many of them have been arrested for pity mistakes which are magnified in the courts due to the impression that the society has on the black people. They engage in dirty activities like drug dealings that that put them on the wrong side of the
In the short story “Tupac and My Non-Thug Life” by Jenee Desmond-Harris she talks about the death of Tupac Shakur and the impact it had on her and her friend Thea. I think its interesting that although Harris and Tupac are polar opposites she uses the connection of their race and applys it to this “coming of age” journey. Harris expresses that Tupacs music made her feel apart of something and that she valued the racial equality being voiced through his music. I can relate to this on multiple levels. For example when I’m feeling down and listen to sad music that i can relate to. Listening to music and lyrics that you can relate to brings you a sense of belonging like you arent the only one that has ever felt this way.
In Adam Bradley’s “Rap poetry 101” he shows us how rap is more than just songs being sung, it is poetry; it is something that has an empowering ability to make the familiar unfamiliar.In this chapter Bradley creates a new viewpoint too rap. Bradley shows us how rap and poetry has become a very similar piece of art that should be further appreciated. In the chapter poetry 101 Bradley describes how rap is a form of public art, and how rappers have become our greatest public poets. The importance of rap as poetry is shown throughout Bradley's book as well as the evidence behind the reasons rap is poetry.
Tupac Shakur was one of the most influential music artist of the 20th Century. “Murda, Murda, Murda, and Kill, Kill, Kill…” these are they lyrics to one of the songs written by Tupac Shakur. Amidst all the controversy surrounding his personal life, this artist has managed to overcome all obstacles and spread his hope/hate message to a surprisingly receptive audience. Tupac’s music is borrowed from the styles of early rap and hip-hop yet its appeal rested in Tupac himself. His persona of “Thug Poet” opened up a portal into the new genre of “Gangsta Rap.” This new style of music revolutionized the music industry and allowed several new artists to break through in Tupac’s creation, Gangsta Rap, such as; G-unit, Eminem, and many others.
One of Williams main topics of concerns is the wrong messages that “public airwaves” are sending to their listeners and followers. Williams claims rap and other medias are representing and sending the wrong message about African American communities. She mentions that rap music once held a positive message but now rap music is bombarding the public with the use of profanity, violence, and obscenity throughout their lyrics and music
Johnson, Freddie Lee, and Tayannah Lee McQuillar. Tupac Shakur: The Life and Times of an
“The Hip Hop Wars What We Talk About - And Why It Matters” by Tricia Rose explores what hip hop has done to society in recent years and what people think it has caused. Though it has become one of the most commercially successful genres in mainstream music Tricia Rose explains that the topics in hip hop music have narrowed. Commercial hip hop mainly consist of black gangstas, thugs, pimps, and hoes. In the book she looks into the different points of views of people who think whether hip hop invokes violence or if it reflects life in a black ghetto and if it slows down advancement for African Americans in US. The author goes back and forth with the opinion of the mass on hip hop, she says people view hip hop as a music like heavy metal which people associate with violence but she refutes most of these points by showing the positives of hip hop.
“Keep ya head up things are going to get easier, keep yah head up things will get brighter”. Tupac had such a great talent, which made majority of his songs classics. Most of the rap
Rap music from the 1990’s to the year 2000 is known in hip hop as “the golden era”. This era is all about individuality and innovation of creating music in one of the newest musical art forms. Rap music started out as the expression of young black youths in the inner city of New York. Rap music is rhymed storytelling accompanied by highly rhythmic, electronically based music. It began in the mid-1970s in the South Bronx in New York City as a part of hip hop, composed of graffiti, breakdancing, and rap music. From the outset, rap music has articulated the pleasures and problems of black urban life in contemporary America. Rappers speak with the voice of personal experience, taking on the identity of the observer or narrator. Rap music has lost a lot of it purity and essence due to the multimillion dollar business. Rap music is always critizied because of it’s violent and sexual nature but its just reporting what is views in this cold world.(Rose, 1994)
Jeffries, M. P. (2011). Thug Life: Race, Gender, and the Meaning of Hip-hop. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
The movie was about racial discrimination and violence with teens. The movie was placed in Harlem and showed how teens struggled with the police, gang violence and family related issues. He also starred in the movie “Poetic Justice” with Janet Jackson and played a character named Lucky. While starring in this movie, Tupac began to be more recognized as both a rapper and an actor. After the movies were produced, Tupac released 2 more albums, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... and Thug Life Volume: 1. In his album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... he portrays his political and social views of the black community; in this album the song, “Keep Ya Head Up” became a gold certified single.The album Thug life: Volume 1 was by the group Thug Life which was started by Tupac and included Big Syke, Mopreme. The Rated R and Macadoshis. Due to controversial rap, the album had to be modified and re-recorded. The song “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” was later played in 1998 from 2Pac’s Greatest Hits Album. After these albums were released, many artists and record companies were reaching out to Tupac asking for advice and tips. Artists then began to follow Tupac and his ideas and he was named The Father of Rap. Rap artists began to rap about poverty, the police and other real life problems. At this time the police started to have a big impact in the songs. During his career rap became more and
Throughout the emotional lyrics of Tupac Shakur’s song “Dear Mama”, he constantly reveals trial and tribulation. Shakur sympathetically expresses the obstacles he endures due to the undying support of his mother who displays sacrificial love. He explains the abnormal circumstances in which his family undergoes such as poverty, single parenting, and even feelings of hopelessness. Shakur characterizes his mother as a heroic figure, who outshines the negative aspects of his life by providing the essentials only a mother could both physically and morally instill in her child. The artist brilliantly captivates his audience by revealing personal information from his childhood in which many can relate to.
Contrary to what many may believe, the violence found throughout rap music is not something that artists fabricate in their music for entertainment; “it is simply a manifestation of the actual violence in America’s streets and neighborhoods” (Salem 7). In the 1980s, “young audiences responded to the rap performers angry words about social injustice, racism, and drug abuse” (Encyclopedia8). Studies show that “rap music is merely a reflection of its environment” and rap artists “are not the creators of the environment” (Salem 10). These views prove that one cannot judge rap by its composition, one can only blame oneself. If one wants the violence in rap music to go away, one has to take a stand, and help to decrease crime in communities “by dealing with the actual violence on America’s streets” (Salem 11)
Dixon, Travis L., TaKeshia Brooks. “Rap Music and Rap Audiences: Controversial Themes, Psychological Effects and Political Resistance.” Perspectives. 7 April 2009. .