During research, the movement to me seems like it was at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Five Percenters always had trouble with the law even if it wasn’t their fault, but they did have some troublemakers in the group. In the 60’s and 70’s it was a dark time for the movement but it became a social butterfly in the 80’s when members of the nation started to be heard. Not only was the Five Percenters was on a rise but Hip-Hop too. I think that Hip-Hop and the Five Percent Nation helped each other out; pretty much they went hand and hand.
Stapleton tells us that many believe the concern over sexual violence is not as big a concern of racial problems. Stapleton throws us the idea that many hip-hop artists felt that hip-hop was being considered objectionable because white youth were consuming it. Stapleton uses this to reveal where a large amount of criticism is coming from in both racial and genre issues. Stapleton brings up a gathering of hip-hop artists and rappers showing us that serious discussions were being had about the genre and the changes in it. We see in Stapleton’s words how hip-hop has become a dangerous genre and how responsibility lies in the artists, managers, record companies, and parents when it comes to the music.
Those were positive rappers who wanted to have an effect on people’s lives. However in the late 90s leading up to the current day rappers, rap music has definitely changed. Rappers today only rap about women, sex, drugs, and violence. Anderson and Stewart state “Some commentators have criticized rap for its lack of traditional Eurocentric musical characteristics” (Anderson & Stewart, 316). Today’s rap music downgrades women in many different ways which has an impact on the African American community.
Rapping came from a long list of artists starting from Afrika Bambaataa “the Godfather” and Clive Campbell “DJ Kool Herc” to Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. “Lil Wayne.” Yet these hip hop artists are affecting the way people perceive African Americans as a “lower class group of people” in many ways. From the music they sing to the way that they dress and political influence, more people are looking over African Americans and finding another missing link to success. More African Americans are missing opportunities to succeed in life, because of what rappers sing, and majority of it is degrading to African Americans by heavily focusing on sex and abusive behaviors. These kind of stereotypes the African American group as being a lower than Caucasians. Lil Wayne is the best musician in our era, but his music shows no respect and consistency for young girls, including other rappers as well.
The sound is loud, and for the most part has aged well. The mosh pit of noises that occurs in The Night Of The Living Baseheads is truly outstanding while still being listenable. Regarding the annoying sounds, it’s clear that Public Enemy doesn’t really care if you like it or not, it’s the fact that they dare you to not like it is what makes it listenable. And honestly I don’t think the ‘whistle’ sample of Rebel Without A Pause is as bad as the constant squeal sound in Don’t Believe The Hype. The other factor that takes away from this album is the two rock-rap songs, (She Watch Channel Zero!?
The sexual prowess of African American males is still exaggerated by black and white Americans alike” (Smith 15). With this comes “a deep-rooted insecurity in African American men as a result of sexual stereotyping,” which results in negative carry-overs into other aspects of black men’s lives. (Smith 16) This, of course, affects the black man’s entire life; thereby, affecting black women, children, and all American’s lives. The beauties of black men are being covered over by white owned entertainment industry conglomerates that continue to promote these negative stereotypes via the images and styles of its artists. For example, rap lyrics[4] repeatedly chant about “hoes,” “bitches,” “niggas,” “pimps,” “playaz,” “blunts,” “gangstas,” ad infintium, and continue to perpetuate black role models who epitomize these negative stereotypes of black men.
Some of which were poverty, racism, and peer pressures. They began combining beats and words together to form hip hop. Unintentionally, they took the oral tradition which their ancestors passed on. Hip hop is often thought to be just a combination of curses and electronic beats labeled “music.” Society has adopted a negative perception on the message which hip hop artists send to its audiences. Hip Hop is not solely about sex, drugs and money.
We have to look at how the whole Rap music genre started. Looking at rap today, most people associate it with gang violence, rape, murder, disparaging acts towards women, and many other terrible activities that unfortunately happen in America today. In West’s chapter “The Necessary Engagement With Youth Culture” from Democracy Matters, he speaks about the development of the hip hop movement and where it began as well as what it has become. West, in so many words, admits that a lot of today’s rap music is a “full scale mirror of the best and worst, the virtuous and vicious aspects of our society and world.”(10) The rap music today derives from the poor kid, usually a young African American. They try to express struggles that are going on in their own lives, and what they see around them.
Graffiti Art Around the world there are many different types and styles of art. Art is an action and a passion that many people use to express themselves. Different forms and types of art have been criticized and even ostracized in certain countries. Graffiti is one form of art that is questioned and often looked down upon by several individuals. A significant majority of individuals label graffiti as vandalism, but certain minority groups respect and practice graffiti as a form of artistic expression.
There is more vulgarity in the media today compared to the 1900’s when radios and newsprints first became popular. Music was censored and newspapers discussed the news and important fundamentals. Today there are multiple radio stations with a variety of different music and countless types of talk shows, some more vulgar than others. Any age group is able to access these stations. Today, some of top played songs contain lyrics that are about sex.