Essay about African American

Submitted By billylewis10
Words: 625
Pages: 3
Open Document
Original and Contemporary Rap: One and the Same

Identity-formation by white oppression is something that is still existent in today’s music genre: rap but not a total focus in contemporary rap music much like it was in the late 1970’s, the 1980’s, and 90’s. Even though, some rap music of today strays from the lyrics of white oppression, most rap music still expresses the means of identity-formation affected by social construction just like original rap music. Contemporary, twenty-first century, rap music expresses two concerns: social construction on identity-formation and the life of the rapper. Rap music, when it first broke out, was viewed by society as a deviance from social construction, and the rappers were aware- but they in way- did not care. In King of Rock, a rap song released in 1985 by Run-D.M.C, the rappers’ lyrics, “I won’t stop rockin’ till I retire…It’s all brand new, never ever old school…Cause they don’t make no songs like these!”, shows that they know their music is different, but no matter what they will not change because they were content with the new identity-formation. A contemporary song that shows that same idea of the “I don’t care attitude” towards social construction on identity-formation is Look at Me Now by Chris Brown, featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. This song was released in 2011. The whole song is about how the rappers do not care about what other people think because the life their living and who they are, they are completely contempt and satisfied with. “You ain’t never gonna stop me… Look at me now, look at me now. I’m getting paper.” These lyrics claim that no one is going to change who they are- their identity- because who they are and what they are doing now, getting “paper” which is money, is showing that they are successful. Early rappers expressed their lives through their raps. Eminem’s The Real Slim Shady explain’s his life through his lyrics. “Will Smith don’t gotta cuss in his raps to sell records; Well I do, so fuck him and fuck you too!” Here, Eminem made a reference to when Will Smith made a point that he does not have to be explicit with words in his rap songs to sell records and win awards, but Eminem clearly states that he will write his songs how he wants. This not only refers to his
Show More

Related Documents: Essay about African American

African-American Influence On African American Music

INTRODUCTION African-Americans have had a notable influence on American music. Since the days the slave trade began African slaves brought over, to this New World, their customs and tradition of music. They used music to give themselves some sort of cultural and ethnical identity in the New World. They also brought a rich African heritage, including songs. Adapted to reflect the experiences of life of hard labor on plantations, these slave work songs, laments, and shouts of protest evolve into…

Words 1159 - Pages 5

Personal Narrative: African Americans And African American Cultures

in the fact that I was African American. My mother raised me to carry myself like I was a part of an elite club whose members had faced many trials and tribulations and no matter what continuously prevailed. She made sure to let me know that I came from good stock and that I should never walk with my head down. Once I entered school and started learning what I was told to be complete “American History” I was even more interested in how far my lineage went and about the African culture that we originated…

Words 1202 - Pages 5

African American Hardships

African Americans have faced many hardships throughout U.S. history. Though they still face discrimination today, they have made many significant contributions to every aspect of the American society. Within this chapter, we will discuss some of the many hardships they were forced to endure at the White man’s hand. African Americans were brought to America from Africa for the sole purpose of slavery. It was not a new concept to Europe or Africa, but the forced migration of African Americans…

Words 917 - Pages 4

African American History

African Americans have made many strides in their history in the United States. Over the past 150 years, African Americans have made great advancements as a people in the US. Current situations in the U.S. have accentuated the African American’s struggle for Civil Rights that they have fought for in the past 150 years. Many say that the African American in the United States have not progressed and is still fighting the same battle as they did 150 years ago. In this paper, I will show that some struggles…

Words 495 - Pages 2

African American Art

The Eyes Looking at African American Art: Then and Now African American art was a very big part of the Harlem Renaissance and is just as important today. The audiences for this art have changed throughout the decades. Many artists during the Harlem Renaissance have influenced art during that time period and continue to today. Presently there are museums and celebrations to honor African American art. This is a very big change from the Harlem Renaissance. Even though the Harlem Renaissance was…

Words 1105 - Pages 5

African American Propaganda

to serve in the military. In order to fill these vacated positions, the War Manpower Commission recruited African Americans and women,. Segregation was still practiced during this time period, so the Negro Manpower Service was created (Carter). Unfortunately, both African Americans both received unfair wages in comparison to white men (Winkler). Although, the actions of African Americans in both production and in the military would help advance civil rights (Carter). Some propaganda was aimed…

Words 1178 - Pages 5

African American Violence

The promise of freedom after the Civil War was shipwrecked by new and old forms of violence inflicted on African Americans. Kidada Williams observes that the shapes of white violence used to subjugate enslaved and free blacks before and during the Civil War both “continued and intensified” in its aftermath. The postemancipation challenges to African Americans of maintaining and creating their families, communities, and institutions were troubled by whites who believed emancipation posed a threat…

Words 1263 - Pages 6

African-Americans In Advertising

The first appearance of African-Americans in advertising came about during the 1870s. During the 1870s, there was a lot of tension amongst African-American and White people in society because of the recent end of slavery and the racist attitudes of many White people at the time. Most advertisements at this time focused on soap and its cleansing effects on whomever who used it. “With the rise of colonialism (imperialism) and the spread of European/White nationalism, European culture became obsessed…

Words 524 - Pages 3

African American Diets

Why are Africans so dying so young? It because of the famous American diet. Over the years Africans The average American diet consists of fats and sugars. In the past Africans were known for eating fresh home-grown ingredients that contained little fat and sugar. The obesity rate was low and so were the health problems. Now there diets took a sharp turn in the opposite direction and they developed American eating trends. The American diet consists of nothing but sugar, carbs, and fats. Americans…

Words 947 - Pages 4

African American Parenting

Parenting Among African American Families While African American parents face the same developmental tasks that all parents face, they also have to overcome additional tasks to make sure their will children survive and grow up to be functioning adults not only within their own group of people, but also within other groups of people (McAdoo, 2002; Julian, McKenry, & McKelvey, 1994). African American parents have a tougher time facing the numerous tasks they have as parents. African American parents and…

Words 955 - Pages 4