I grew up in the time when Hip Hop was new fresh and had a lot of social structure. Today Hip Hop has become somewhat of a joke. Rappers used to speak on social topics, parties, and real life events, now days it’s all about who has the most money, the biggest car, or the most women. The odd thing about today is most rappers don’t make the money the old rappers made; due to the internet and free music downloads. The internet has changed the music industry, so artist have to find other ways to make income like commercials and T.V. appearances. Reality T.V. began to gain popularity with the show cops (1989) but became popular with the younger generation in 1992 with MTV’S The Real World. In 2002 P.Diddy was the first to introduce the world …show more content…
to Hip Hop artist in a reality T.V. show named “Making the Band 2.” Now days Hip Hop reality shows are huge and have a large fan base used to promote and market old and new talent. Despite the popularity and success of reality T.V. shows like “Love and Hip Hop.” They portray a negative image of young black people, sexually exploit women, and promote violence to young audiences. Hip Hop fans would argue that entertainment has nothing to do with our society, but it is a known fact that children mimic artist as if they are demigods.
Michelle Obama said that even though millions of African Americans are now free to do as they choose, many of them are ignoring their educational opportunities, being carried away with what the media offers them. Dolores Tucker, president of the National Political Congress of Black Women said "Our young people are being exploited, they are being forced to glorify rape and murder and drugs. Young black rappers will not get a contract unless they use lyrics that are pornographic and …show more content…
violent." Television Programing says it all; commercials cost big money because T.V. is the biggest tool in persuasion. The book Mass Media Effects Research says, “The power of advertising to elicit consumer behavior in children and adolescents is the second most investigated problem in the literature on communication and behavior. According to KidsHealth.com, T.V. characters often depict risky behaviors, such as smoking and drinking, and also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes. In a survey conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute; many girls think Reality T.V. programs reflect reality, with 75% saying that competition shows and 50% saying that real-life shows are “mainly real and unscripted.” All of the girls in our study feel that reality shows promote bad behavior. The immense majority think these shows “often put girls against each other to make the shows more exciting” (86%), “make people think that fighting is a normal part of a romantic relationship” (73%), and “make people think it’s okay to treat others badly (70%).” Jersey Shore, It gives the idea that premarital sex, smoking, cussing, fighting, and dressing in a revealing style is normal. There are many video’s floating around the internet of children imitating various characters from this show. (The examiner, 2010) Alcohol is also a big issue in these shows I have yet to see a single show without someone drinking an alcohol beverage. Rappers argue they do these shows for a check to support their families, but I believe you could use that same excuse for any degrading job. Famous people have responsibilities to children who look up to them, the fact is most artists choose to do whatever media they can do just to stay relevant in pop culture. When I was in the music industry we would often say “Any media is good media.” Most artist don’t think about the long term effects of the things they do or say, they just do what it takes to make money. According to Digital Music News, NBS found that 80 percent of artists receive less than one new Facebook like per day. Overall, over 90.7 percent of artists can be considered undiscovered. In a recent article on theGrio, Sil Lai Abrams argued that the proliferation of Black performers in reality television programming is doing nothing to help create a positive reality of the African American experience. The old saying; “Money is the root of all evil” may in fact be why so many artist say they have sold their soul for fame. Women are degraded in Hip Hop reality shows, I often see half dressed women, talking trash and fighting.
As an older man, I find these behaviors take away from the beauty of these young girls but sex sales and that’s what most people want to see. According to Nielsen ratings, Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta: is the most watched show among black women in the 18 to 49 age demographic. Sil Lai Abrams is a NABJ award-winning New York City based writer, inspirational speaker, and domestic violence awareness activist; stated in theGrio article “L&HH is an opportunity for us to be entertained and feel morally/intellectually superior all in one shot.” I agree but this doesn’t pertain to children with developing and influential minds. “What I see now on television for the most part is a disgrace, as far as how we’re depicted,” says Diahann Carroll, the first African-American woman to star in her own television show, Julia, in 1968. Phylicia Rashad, the actress who played Bill Cosby’s lawyer wife in the 1980s comedy The Cosby Show, recalls what the late NBC executive Brandon Tartikoff told her after the show went off the air. “He said it was going to get much worse before it got better in terms of diversity,” she says. “He was
right.” I remember being a child and imitating my favorite T.V. show characters, they usually were super heroes and good guys. Now days there are few good guys on T.V. and more of these reality shows with negative attitudes and sexual exploitation of women. I couldn’t imagine how a parent would feel watching a daughter or son wearing tight cloths and speaking sexually. It’s a fact; now day’s kids are exposed to a lot more than when I was a child and it seems a bit scary because some things in life are better if you learn them later in life when you are able to fully understand them. Young people are susceptible to influence and I’m afraid a lot of old fashion morals will be lost. Remember the old saying, “Once you say it: you can’t take it back” well I believe many things apply to this. Once the mind has seen or learned something it’s hard to forget, especially unnatural events. All the negativity on Reality Shows are being watched by a culture that has all the knowledge of the world at their fingertips, but statistics say they spend a considerable amount of time focusing on the negative drama in Reality Shows. Due to the internet and satellite T.V. it is impossible for parents to monitor what their children are exposed to. Kids these days can watch anything from crime to porn on the internet at any time. The question is what can parents do? The answer is; talk to kids rebuild morals and explain the difference between reality T.V. and real life. It is very easy for a smart child to get lost in what’s hot and what’s not; most adults can tell you that from experience. The last picture I displayed in this essay is a turkey I smoked on Thanksgiving for my family, it was great and my family enjoyed it; my point is small things in life can create the best and happiest times. Life has more to offer than fighting, having sex with multiple partners and using drugs and alcohol. It’s hard to get some people to stop and notice the things in life that are truly beautiful. We live in a society that offers so much that it’s hard to notice the precious and special things we have. One thing I noticed about these Reality Shows are the surroundings, these people live in mansions and have people to clean up after everything they do. It’s sad that most people don’t appreciate what they have until it’s gone. Reality stars focus on drama to keep fans watching, the, what’s next, who done it scenario. In reality most of these people have things that people who work hard, cherish and appreciate. My advice to kids watching these shows is simple; if you had a million dollars would you sat around arguing and creating drama over pointless topics or would you enjoy the rewards life has given you? Life is short just ask anybody over 50 they’ll tell you that. People, enjoy life and don’t focus on the negative as much, appreciate what you have and who you have it to share with. Remember your reality is what you make it.
For example, the essay discusses the problem of there not being enough eligible Black men attending college (Henry, West, & Jackson 245). The definition of eligible could be interpreted as attending college and on a path to some sort of success. Because there is a shortage of eligible young men “Black females believe that they must succumb to the whims and pleasures of men in order to find a mate” because this is the image being shown to them when young ladies in hip hop videos do seductive things in order to gain the attention of the a male (Henry, West, & Jackson 245). One of the most terrible effects is that the music destroys black women 's self perception making it hard for young Black women to “ exhibit personal pride” (Henry, West, & Jackson 245).
Hip-Hop became characterized by an aggressive tone marked by graphic descriptions of the harshness and diversity of inner-city life. Primarily a medium of popular entertainment, hip-hop also conveys the more serious voices of youth in the black community. Though the approaches of rappers became more varied in the latter half of the 1980s, message hip-hop remained a viable form for addressing the problems faced by the black community and means to solve those problems. The voices of "message" hip...
When looking at the landscape of Hip-Hop among African Americans, from the spawn of gangsta rap in the mid 1980s to current day, masculinity and an idea of hardness is central to their image and performance. Stereotypical to Black masculinity, the idea of a strong Black male - one who keeps it real, and is defiant to the point of violence - is prevalent in the genre. This resistant, or even compensatory masculinity, encompasses: the hyper masculinity rife in the Western world, misogyny, and homophobia, all noticeable in their lyrics, which is in part a result of their containment within the Black community. The link of masculinity and rap music was established due to this containment, early innovators remaking public spaces in their segregated neighbourhoods. A notion of authentic masculinity arose from the resistant nature of the genre, but the move to the mainstream in the 90s created a contradiction to their very image - resistance. Ultimately, this in part led to the construction of the masculinity defined earlier, one that prides itself on its authenticity. I’ll be exploring how gender is constructed and performed in Hip Hop, beginning with a historical framework, with the caveat of showing that differing masculine identities in the genre, including artists
Since the early to mid 90’s, hip-hop has undergone changes that purists would consider degenerating to its culture. At the root of these changes is what has been called “commercial hip-hop". Commercial hip-hop has deteriorated what so many emcees in the 80’s tried to build- a culture of music, dance, creativity, and artistry that would give people not only something to bob their head to, but also an avenue to express themselves and deliver a positive message to their surroundings.
In the predominantly patriarchal history of the world masculinity and what it means to be a man have differed from culture to culture. When it comes to African American culture, particularly what it has meant to be a man has no clear set of universal rules or guidelines. There are a few different sources such as hip hop and television many young black men across America draw their sense of masculinity from. While hip hop music in particular has had and continues to have a very strong influence on both masculinity and femininity of the youth, young black youth in particular has been affected the most .
In the words of rapper Busta Rhymes, “hip-hop reflects the truth, and the problem is that hip-hop exposes a lot of the negative truth that society tries to conceal. It’s a platform where we could offer information, but it’s also an escape” Hip-hop is a culture that emerged from the Bronx, New York, during the early 1970s. Hip-Hop was a result of African American and Latino youth redirecting their hardships brought by marginalization from society to creativity in the forms of MCing, DJing, aerosol art, and breakdancing. Hip-hop serves as a vehicle for empowerment while transcending borders, skin color, and age. However, the paper will focus on hip-hop from the Chican@-Latin@ population in the United States. In the face of oppression, the Chican@-Latin@ population utilized hip hop music as a means to voice the community’s various issues, desires, and in the process empower its people.
From its conception in the 1970's and throughout the 1980's, hip hop was a self-contained entity within the community that created it. This means that all the parameters set for the expression came from within the community and that it was meant for consumption by the community. Today, the audience is from outside of the community and doesn’t share the same experiences that drive the music. An artists’ success hinges on pleasing consumers, not the community. In today's world, it isn’t about music that rings true for those who share the artists' experiences, but instead, music that provides a dramatic illusion for those who will never share the experiences conveyed. This has radically changed the creative process of artists and the diversity of available music. Most notably, it has called in to question the future of hip hop.
Hip-Hop is a cultural movement that emerged from the dilapidated South Bronx, New York in the early 1970’s. The area’s mostly African American and Puerto Rican residents originated this uniquely American musical genre and culture that over the past four decades has developed into a global sensation impacting the formation of youth culture around the world. The South Bronx was a whirlpool of political, social, and economic upheaval in the years leading up to the inception of Hip-Hop. The early part of the 1970’s found many African American and Hispanic communities desperately seeking relief from the poverty, drug, and crime epidemics engulfing the gang dominated neighborhoods. Hip-Hop proved to be successful as both a creative outlet for expressing the struggles of life amidst the prevailing crime and violence as well as an enjoyable and cheap form of recreation.
Hip Hop culture has been the same throughout the years, such as expressing themselves, in their songs there are always themes and hinted quotes they tell their audiences on how they feel or what they did. Also in Hip Hop one of the biggest stereotypes is selling drugs. The film Notorious displays, what Hip Hop Culture is, such as rapping to express themselves and portrayal of drugs.
Hip-Hop is produced on the role of coercion and power. The diversity of the culture supposes to create meaning not chaos. Social order is maintained by domination, and the power of the song lyrics. The black youth is more likely to be victimized by crime than any other group. Hip-Hop influence the music that we listen to that a new artist can directly affect how we dress, talk, dance and etc. For example, “prison inspired hip-hop styles like sagging black pants and oversized t-shirts” (Baxter & Marina 2008, 110). Sending a culture shock across the country, some may believe it could be a good thing and others may believe it could be a detriment to our youth and
Hip hop has permeated popular culture in an unprecedented fashion. Because of its crossover appeal, it is a great unifier of diverse populations. Although created by black youth on the streets, hip hop's influence has become well received by a number of different races in this country. A large number of the rap and hip hop audience is non-black. It has gone from the fringes, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms. Because it has become the fastest growing music genre in the U.S., companies and corporate giants have used its appeal to capitalize on it. Although critics of rap music and hip hop seem to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language, this genre offers a new paradigm of what can be (Lewis, 1998.) The potential of this art form to mend ethnic relations is substantial. Hip hop has challenged the system in ways that have unified individuals across a rich ethnic spectrum. This art form was once considered a fad has kept going strong for more than three decades. Generations consisting of Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Asians have grown up immersed in hip-hop. Hip hop represents a realignment of America?s cultural aesthetics. Rap songs deliver a message, again and again, to keep it real. It has influenced young people of all races to search for excitement, artistic fulfillment, and a sense of identity by exploring the black underclass (Foreman, 2002). Though it is music, many people do not realize that it is much more than that. Hip hop is a form of art and culture, style, and language, and extension of commerce, and for many, a natural means of living. The purpose of this paper is to examine hip hop and its effect on American culture. Different aspects of hip hop will also be examined to shed some light that helps readers to what hip hop actually is. In order to see hip hop as a cultural influence we need to take a look at its history.
In the late 1970’s hip-hop/rap music emerged as one of the most popular musical genres, and it remains as one to this day. However, there is a big difference in the content of a song like Sugar Hill Gang’s 1978 single “Rappers Delight” and a modern day rap song. When hip-hop music first began it served as a type of party music that was made primarily from African American men. The music quickly gained popularity, and before long, members of all races were enjoying it. However, in the early 1980’s hip-hop music became more of a mirror into ghetto culture rather than just upbeat enjoyable music. Rappers began to write edgy lyrics celebrating street warfare, drugs, and promiscuity. Unfortunately this style of hip-hop never died off, and now it
Black culture in our society has come to the point where it is allied with pop culture. The most popular music genres, slang terms, to dance forms it all comes from black culture. Hip hop emerged from black culture, becoming the soul of it that is seen in the media. Hip hop helped the black community by creating new ways of expressing themselves, from breakdance, graffiti, rap and other music, to slang. This culture was rooted in their tradition and created from something new. Hip hop created a new form of music that required the use of turn tables, ‘cuts’, loops, rhythm, rhyme, stories, and deep-rooted emotions, but also incorporated black oral forms of storytelling using communal authors.
Music has been around since the beginning of civilization. Music was used to tell myths, religious stories, and warrior tales. Since the beginning of civilization music has greatly progressed. Music still tells a story, we know just have many genres to satisfy the cultural and social tastes of our modern society. Hip Hop is a genre of music that has significantly grown the last couple of decades. It's increased popularity has brought it to the forefront of globalization. Technological advances has made it easy for Hip Hop to spread out globally. This occurrence of globalization is a key example that as our cultural borders are broken down by technology, our own cultural and social practices become fluid. Although there are many positive and negative comments about the globalization of Hip Hop, it is a reflection of the growing phenomenon occurring all over the world.
Not only is hip-hop a way of expressing ones feelings or views, but it is a part of the urban culture and can be used as a communication tool. Slang originally came from hip-hop music and has become a very popular use in today’s society, especially the urban parts. Hip-hop is a standout amongst the most compelling musical sorts on the globe. There are rappers everywhere that know what amount of an impact their music can have. Some entertainers attempt to utilize that force of impact to do great (Ruiz INT).