Hip-Hop: Integral Force of Contemporary Culture or Oppressive Variable?
For the 11th Grade Honors Independent Research project, each student researched and designed his/her own independent study on an event or era in U.S. history that is of interest to them and connects to the overarching themes studied in the first semester and second semester. Students analyzed the social/political/economical of their time period by selecting a combination of primary sources, secondary sources, film, and fiction readings in order to design a final presentation. This presentation of independent learning was exhibited at Fort Lewis College on February 5, 2015. By researching an event that inspired and engaged them, students were able to work on their project outside of class in addition to other overlapping projects and assignments. This extra work taught Honors responsibility and independence, which are crucial skills to obtain before leaving for college/professional positions. Below you will find my Honors project, research synthesis, and Honors reflection.
Hip-Hop Research Analysis Essay
By: Lyle Bryson on 2/5/2015
Ever since the civil rights explosion of the 1960’s, minorities in the United States have been fighting an uphill battle for equality and liberation in the face of racism and cultural exclusion. Out of this struggle was born new forms of expression and media that allowed minorities to express themselves in face of adversity. Not more than two months ago, new situations involving police and minority individuals would be relayed to thousands of Americans each day, painting a portrait of injustice and divided ideology in the U.S. In this climate, the words/actions of popular artists in all media forms are having more of an impact on societal expectations than ever. This is especially true for hip-hop and rap, which have undergone substantial evolutions since their establishment decades ago. For my honors research synthesis I aimed to look at how modern hip-hop was oppressing and/or liberating minorities in the United States, but I recently have changed my focus. Rather than looking at how modern music has solidified stereotypes and prejudices against minorities of all races, I have theorized a cultural arc connecting the past to the present that may bring with it the resurgence of true hip-hop, and how this medium can serve alongside film, poetry, and other media to define how we approach race issues in the present day. While the lyrics and culture associated with popular and underground hip-hop are associated with oppressive and demeaning attitudes towards the minority or “outcast” community of the United States, lessons of old hip-hop combined with the adaptability of free-flow modern street styles have the potential to drastically empower historically oppressed communities.
As KRS-One claims in “Hip-Hop vs. Rap”, “Rap is something you do, hip-hop is something you live.” In contemporary culture, it seems as if this ideology has been thrown to the wayside in the search for quick genre labeling. Now, rap and hip-hop are often grouped with haste, disposing of the identity associated with rap and/or hip-hop. To clarify this idea, KRS-One establishes the fundamental elements of hip-hop and street culture in “HipHop Knowledge”: breaking, emceeing, graffiti art, deejaying, beatboxing, street fashion, street language, street knowledge, and street entrepreneurialism - trade and business. Where rap could be associated with the act of emceeing, KRS-One offers that hip-hop is living all 9 of the elements cohesively. Instead of the contemporary view surrounding hip-hop as a genre, looking back we can see how hip-hop ideals were more of a subculture in the United States.
Breaking – the first element mentioned by KRS in this interview – has experienced a cultural shift that is not commonly acknowledged by many. Beginning in NYC, the breaking or “B-Boy” movement was an avenue of self-expression and liberation in the face of gang affiliation and violence in the Bronx. This movement was a way for young boys and girls to express their personalities and “flow” while accompanied by the hip-hop beats and lyrics of old school MCs and DJs. These days, breakdancing has taken the place of breaking in the contemporary identity of dance. Although this medium has been changed by silver-screen choreography and monetization of dance as an art form, some could argue that dance is still a way for some to experience emotion and connect to the traditional values of beats and breaking. In The Freshest Kids by Israel, a supporter of the breaking movement makes a claim about the future of dance culture: “Those who really want to stay true to the culture, it’s going to always be breakdance.” This quote demonstrates the power that a movement can have. Despite the generations that have passed since the beginning of breaking/breakdancing, most cultural aspects have remained, and those who are true to the culture will always find expression in this medium.
The second element mentioned by KRS, emceeing, has transformed greatly with the introduction of gangster rap in minority communities. The spoken outro of A Tribe Called Quest’s track “Sucka Nigga” displays the paradox that some rappers experienced after this shift: “You're not any less of a man if you don't pull the trigger / You're not necessarily a man if you do.” For me, this line represents more than the mental struggles associated with the contemplation of murder. To me, this line is a metaphor for the state of contemporary emceeing, in which rappers are subjugated to rapping about hood life and mentality in order to maintain a status quo. Although the ideas of drugs/violence are not exclusive to hip-hop of the 21st century, we begin to see a shift in lyrical styles as this genre begins to take on the “gangster” influence.
This struggle for internal vs. external acceptance is demonstrated well in Kendrick Lamar’s “m.A.A.d City”, “If I told you I killed a nigga at 16, would you believe me? / Or see me to be innocent Kendrick you seen in the street / With a basketball and some Now and Laters to eat / If I mentioned all of my skeletons, would you jump in the seat? / Would you say my intelligence now is great relief? / And it's safe to say that our next generation maybe can sleep.” In this passage, Lamar is reminiscing about his past and present in the gang based environment. He does this by contrasting the image of innocence that most wish to associate with children against a truth about his dark past. The tone of this line shows the remorse of Kendrick’s past, which has become less common in today’s hip-hop culture, where most artists will capitalize on the violent and hateful tones craved by the consumer populace. Although street elements of violence/drugs/objectification of women have always been existent in hip-hop culture, the enhancement of these ideals has caused the focus on these ideals to rise exponentially in hip-hop and rap.
In addition to the change in respect for the true essence of the street, the demoralization of women has become a larger and larger force in the face of industrial hip-hop. Girls have become an accessory of the mainstream rapper, and the introduction of twerking and similar dances has cause the focus to travel below the belt. As Common raps in “The Light”, “And tune the fate of this union, to the right pitch I never call you my bitch or even my boo / There's so much in a name and so much more in you / Few understand the union of woman and man.” The lyrics throughout this track illustrate the deep love that Common feels for his partner and how he could put nobody above her. This sense of respect and romance for women has been lost on the modern day lyricist, and has created negative moral values for the past decades. In this line from “The Light,” Common refuses to use the word bitch out of respect for his partner. This might seem strange to someone who has seen this word become a commodity in the toolbox of the modern rapper.
The sixth and ninth elements mentioned by KRS (street fashion and street entrepreneurism) have also transformed greatly. Commercialization and popular media have been partially responsible for the focus on money and material possessions in parts of hip-hop community. As Kanye West claims in “New Slaves”, “What you want, a Bentley? Fur coat? A diamond chain? / All you blacks want all the same things / Used to be only n*ggas, now everybody playin’ / Spending everything on Alexander Wang.” This lyric is an example of the commercial aspect associated with modern hip-hop culture. It is a common assumption that 21st century rappers and lyricists must fit a certain mold in order to uphold an outdated and fake identity. KRS-One warns about this commercialization in “HipHop Knowledge”: “But in 2000, I seen how I wanted to live I wasn't no executive So I picked up the mic and I quit my job Said to Simone I gotta get with God She said, "Don't worry bout these dollars and quarters Record companies ain't got nuttin’ for ya." Here, KRS is warning against the “ownership” that records companies can have over artists, and how unless you are searching for money, the record companies don't have anything to offer. From emceeing to dancing, from deejaying to street culture, the hunt for money will only result in monotonous and uninspiring music. The ambition that KRS demonstrates here is what artists of the modern age need to adopt, and only then can they truly cast aside their images and egos.
The ideologies of street language and street entrepreneurism have possibly undergone the most evolutionary change of all the elements mention by KRS-One. Along with the traditional ideas of what it means to be a minority in the U.S., the evolution of identity and sense of self has caused some U.S. citizens to be caught in the “middle ground”: belonging to a skin color, but also living within the framework of privilege and success. As Childish Gambino exclaims in Hold You Down, “Ambition drove the hearse / But niggas got me feelin’ I ain’t black enough to go to church / Culture shock at barber shops cause I ain’t hood enough / We all look the same to the cops, ain’t that good enough?” This lyric shows the discrimination that has been generated as a result of class separation within races. While this may not cause as much mental and ideological change around the idea of inequality as rappers writing about an explicitly impoverished lifestyle, it is still important to the larger conversation about race and diversity that is taking place at this very moment in the United States.
This struggle for identity is the reason that hip-hop can be utilized to inspire a generation, for better or worse. In recent years, hip-hop education has become a way for minority students to explore their ethnicity and culture in a concentrated environment. Teachers and professors have found that when students analyze and deconstruct popular and old hip-hop lyrics, they can begin to recognize bigger social norms and ideologies in their own lives. As Lauren Leigh Kelly claims in her article on hip-hop education in the English classroom, “In the same way that the introduction of rap gave voice to a group hardly heard before by America at large, the study of rap in the English classroom can give voice to those students who are rarely heard, and often silenced.” The ability for students to explore their identities through lyrics and poetry enables them to embrace and express themselves as individuals and minorities.
By making connections from the past to present, and giving students anecdotes that transmit timeless ideology, teachers can connect students to real world issues and ideas. After reading the lyrics to the song “Homecoming” by Kanye West, one student asked, “If this isn’t about a girl he was in a relationship with, then who are the kids he left behind?” This question led to a discussion of family structure, abandonment, role models, and expectations.” As we see in Kelly’s example, students are able to approach social issues more easily and more eagerly if they can connect it to media and mediums that fit their social styles and culture. By openly discussing these topics with other peers and students in a classroom, minority students can begin to find their own ways of defining success, and can begin to see the bigger picture rather than being compartmentalized by society.
Although the lyrics and culture associated with hip-hop as a genre have been framed for moral emptiness and negative connotations towards minority communities, the rebirth of hip-hop paired with the forces of original street culture have the potential to empower historically oppressed communities greatly. We are reaching a critical point in the fight for race equality and justice worldwide. If modern musicians in all genres begin to recognize the societal implications that their words and actions can have, we may reach a point where hip-hop doubles back on itself, and the arc of strong community and beliefs can come back to the 21st century. By embracing the 9 elements of hip-hop – or some slight variation thereof – the rappers of today and tomorrow could get in touch with the soul and essence of what street culture is. As KRS-One claims, “Rap is something you do, hip-hop is something you live.” This reality is not far around the corner, and with the joined effort of all races, all musicians, all street performers, all artists; we might begin to realize the true potential of hip-hop, and how it can unite minority communities worldwide.
As KRS-One claims in “Hip-Hop vs. Rap”, “Rap is something you do, hip-hop is something you live.” In contemporary culture, it seems as if this ideology has been thrown to the wayside in the search for quick genre labeling. Now, rap and hip-hop are often grouped with haste, disposing of the identity associated with rap and/or hip-hop. To clarify this idea, KRS-One establishes the fundamental elements of hip-hop and street culture in “HipHop Knowledge”: breaking, emceeing, graffiti art, deejaying, beatboxing, street fashion, street language, street knowledge, and street entrepreneurialism - trade and business. Where rap could be associated with the act of emceeing, KRS-One offers that hip-hop is living all 9 of the elements cohesively. Instead of the contemporary view surrounding hip-hop as a genre, looking back we can see how hip-hop ideals were more of a subculture in the United States.
Breaking – the first element mentioned by KRS in this interview – has experienced a cultural shift that is not commonly acknowledged by many. Beginning in NYC, the breaking or “B-Boy” movement was an avenue of self-expression and liberation in the face of gang affiliation and violence in the Bronx. This movement was a way for young boys and girls to express their personalities and “flow” while accompanied by the hip-hop beats and lyrics of old school MCs and DJs. These days, breakdancing has taken the place of breaking in the contemporary identity of dance. Although this medium has been changed by silver-screen choreography and monetization of dance as an art form, some could argue that dance is still a way for some to experience emotion and connect to the traditional values of beats and breaking. In The Freshest Kids by Israel, a supporter of the breaking movement makes a claim about the future of dance culture: “Those who really want to stay true to the culture, it’s going to always be breakdance.” This quote demonstrates the power that a movement can have. Despite the generations that have passed since the beginning of breaking/breakdancing, most cultural aspects have remained, and those who are true to the culture will always find expression in this medium.
The second element mentioned by KRS, emceeing, has transformed greatly with the introduction of gangster rap in minority communities. The spoken outro of A Tribe Called Quest’s track “Sucka Nigga” displays the paradox that some rappers experienced after this shift: “You're not any less of a man if you don't pull the trigger / You're not necessarily a man if you do.” For me, this line represents more than the mental struggles associated with the contemplation of murder. To me, this line is a metaphor for the state of contemporary emceeing, in which rappers are subjugated to rapping about hood life and mentality in order to maintain a status quo. Although the ideas of drugs/violence are not exclusive to hip-hop of the 21st century, we begin to see a shift in lyrical styles as this genre begins to take on the “gangster” influence.
This struggle for internal vs. external acceptance is demonstrated well in Kendrick Lamar’s “m.A.A.d City”, “If I told you I killed a nigga at 16, would you believe me? / Or see me to be innocent Kendrick you seen in the street / With a basketball and some Now and Laters to eat / If I mentioned all of my skeletons, would you jump in the seat? / Would you say my intelligence now is great relief? / And it's safe to say that our next generation maybe can sleep.” In this passage, Lamar is reminiscing about his past and present in the gang based environment. He does this by contrasting the image of innocence that most wish to associate with children against a truth about his dark past. The tone of this line shows the remorse of Kendrick’s past, which has become less common in today’s hip-hop culture, where most artists will capitalize on the violent and hateful tones craved by the consumer populace. Although street elements of violence/drugs/objectification of women have always been existent in hip-hop culture, the enhancement of these ideals has caused the focus on these ideals to rise exponentially in hip-hop and rap.
In addition to the change in respect for the true essence of the street, the demoralization of women has become a larger and larger force in the face of industrial hip-hop. Girls have become an accessory of the mainstream rapper, and the introduction of twerking and similar dances has cause the focus to travel below the belt. As Common raps in “The Light”, “And tune the fate of this union, to the right pitch I never call you my bitch or even my boo / There's so much in a name and so much more in you / Few understand the union of woman and man.” The lyrics throughout this track illustrate the deep love that Common feels for his partner and how he could put nobody above her. This sense of respect and romance for women has been lost on the modern day lyricist, and has created negative moral values for the past decades. In this line from “The Light,” Common refuses to use the word bitch out of respect for his partner. This might seem strange to someone who has seen this word become a commodity in the toolbox of the modern rapper.
The sixth and ninth elements mentioned by KRS (street fashion and street entrepreneurism) have also transformed greatly. Commercialization and popular media have been partially responsible for the focus on money and material possessions in parts of hip-hop community. As Kanye West claims in “New Slaves”, “What you want, a Bentley? Fur coat? A diamond chain? / All you blacks want all the same things / Used to be only n*ggas, now everybody playin’ / Spending everything on Alexander Wang.” This lyric is an example of the commercial aspect associated with modern hip-hop culture. It is a common assumption that 21st century rappers and lyricists must fit a certain mold in order to uphold an outdated and fake identity. KRS-One warns about this commercialization in “HipHop Knowledge”: “But in 2000, I seen how I wanted to live I wasn't no executive So I picked up the mic and I quit my job Said to Simone I gotta get with God She said, "Don't worry bout these dollars and quarters Record companies ain't got nuttin’ for ya." Here, KRS is warning against the “ownership” that records companies can have over artists, and how unless you are searching for money, the record companies don't have anything to offer. From emceeing to dancing, from deejaying to street culture, the hunt for money will only result in monotonous and uninspiring music. The ambition that KRS demonstrates here is what artists of the modern age need to adopt, and only then can they truly cast aside their images and egos.
The ideologies of street language and street entrepreneurism have possibly undergone the most evolutionary change of all the elements mention by KRS-One. Along with the traditional ideas of what it means to be a minority in the U.S., the evolution of identity and sense of self has caused some U.S. citizens to be caught in the “middle ground”: belonging to a skin color, but also living within the framework of privilege and success. As Childish Gambino exclaims in Hold You Down, “Ambition drove the hearse / But niggas got me feelin’ I ain’t black enough to go to church / Culture shock at barber shops cause I ain’t hood enough / We all look the same to the cops, ain’t that good enough?” This lyric shows the discrimination that has been generated as a result of class separation within races. While this may not cause as much mental and ideological change around the idea of inequality as rappers writing about an explicitly impoverished lifestyle, it is still important to the larger conversation about race and diversity that is taking place at this very moment in the United States.
This struggle for identity is the reason that hip-hop can be utilized to inspire a generation, for better or worse. In recent years, hip-hop education has become a way for minority students to explore their ethnicity and culture in a concentrated environment. Teachers and professors have found that when students analyze and deconstruct popular and old hip-hop lyrics, they can begin to recognize bigger social norms and ideologies in their own lives. As Lauren Leigh Kelly claims in her article on hip-hop education in the English classroom, “In the same way that the introduction of rap gave voice to a group hardly heard before by America at large, the study of rap in the English classroom can give voice to those students who are rarely heard, and often silenced.” The ability for students to explore their identities through lyrics and poetry enables them to embrace and express themselves as individuals and minorities.
By making connections from the past to present, and giving students anecdotes that transmit timeless ideology, teachers can connect students to real world issues and ideas. After reading the lyrics to the song “Homecoming” by Kanye West, one student asked, “If this isn’t about a girl he was in a relationship with, then who are the kids he left behind?” This question led to a discussion of family structure, abandonment, role models, and expectations.” As we see in Kelly’s example, students are able to approach social issues more easily and more eagerly if they can connect it to media and mediums that fit their social styles and culture. By openly discussing these topics with other peers and students in a classroom, minority students can begin to find their own ways of defining success, and can begin to see the bigger picture rather than being compartmentalized by society.
Although the lyrics and culture associated with hip-hop as a genre have been framed for moral emptiness and negative connotations towards minority communities, the rebirth of hip-hop paired with the forces of original street culture have the potential to empower historically oppressed communities greatly. We are reaching a critical point in the fight for race equality and justice worldwide. If modern musicians in all genres begin to recognize the societal implications that their words and actions can have, we may reach a point where hip-hop doubles back on itself, and the arc of strong community and beliefs can come back to the 21st century. By embracing the 9 elements of hip-hop – or some slight variation thereof – the rappers of today and tomorrow could get in touch with the soul and essence of what street culture is. As KRS-One claims, “Rap is something you do, hip-hop is something you live.” This reality is not far around the corner, and with the joined effort of all races, all musicians, all street performers, all artists; we might begin to realize the true potential of hip-hop, and how it can unite minority communities worldwide.
Humanities 11: Honors Independent Research Project Reflection
By Lyle Bryson on 2/6/2015
The Humanities 11 Honors Independent Research project was very engaging for me on a personal and political level. I found that by investigating a culture and music group I am interested in, I was able to make my learning more personal. This personal learning allowed me to reflect on how I can make my educational opportunities into whatever I want. While I listened to traditional hip-hop culture in contrast and comparison with modern hip-hop culture, I had to think critically, and analyze the nuances involved in art and music. One quote that particularly struck me was a quote by KRS-One that I used for my art piece as well as in my research analysis: "Rap is something you do, HipHop is something you live." This quote changed my orientation around the subject of hip-hop as I knew it, and I couldn't be more thankful that Jessica introduced me to this concept during my studies. It made me think about how all cultures can have an impact on each other, and that although oppressive and negative forces exist in the world, we must take hold of the values of our generation. How do we want to be remembered? As I looked back on the past culture of hip-hop and rap, there was a clear and tangible vibe that jumped out of each picture. For better or worse, the 21st century rappers are upholding this tradition in their own unique way.
All of this being said, no notable accomplishment comes without some amount of extra work, whether big or small. Although I enjoyed putting the pieces of my Honors project together and watching it evolve, I can't say that I wasn't stressed about the process at one point or another. At first, I found ease in the Honors assignment. A few due dates here and there were nothing worrisome to me. As the deadline drew closer, however, I realized that I had left some aspects of my project to the last minute. This increased the stress that I felt around the project, but in the end it allowed me to create a product that I was proud of and stood by with pride. In future projects that may span over a long period of time, I would like to create reminders in my planner and phone to keep me on track to my goal. This would allow me to avoid the unnecessary stress and worries associated with last-minute-tasks. With the time I saved on my project, I would be able to work on other classwork, and not have to worry about assignments that may be due on the same day as my final project is due. *cough cough* Chemistry Lab *cough cough*
So although I encountered challenges during the span of this project, I found that studying something I was interested provided great mental value and connection. I exhibited strength in my art piece and in sections of my analysis, and I exhibited weakness in my procrastination and "do it later" attitude. I would gladly do this project all over again, and I am glad that I was able to take you on a journey of a world past and a shaky but vibrant future. Thank you.
All of this being said, no notable accomplishment comes without some amount of extra work, whether big or small. Although I enjoyed putting the pieces of my Honors project together and watching it evolve, I can't say that I wasn't stressed about the process at one point or another. At first, I found ease in the Honors assignment. A few due dates here and there were nothing worrisome to me. As the deadline drew closer, however, I realized that I had left some aspects of my project to the last minute. This increased the stress that I felt around the project, but in the end it allowed me to create a product that I was proud of and stood by with pride. In future projects that may span over a long period of time, I would like to create reminders in my planner and phone to keep me on track to my goal. This would allow me to avoid the unnecessary stress and worries associated with last-minute-tasks. With the time I saved on my project, I would be able to work on other classwork, and not have to worry about assignments that may be due on the same day as my final project is due. *cough cough* Chemistry Lab *cough cough*
So although I encountered challenges during the span of this project, I found that studying something I was interested provided great mental value and connection. I exhibited strength in my art piece and in sections of my analysis, and I exhibited weakness in my procrastination and "do it later" attitude. I would gladly do this project all over again, and I am glad that I was able to take you on a journey of a world past and a shaky but vibrant future. Thank you.