African American Lit Rap music Essay examples

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Intro to African American Literature
Paper 1

Thesis Rap music is defined as a genre of African-American music in which rhyming lyrics are chanted to a musical accompaniment. When we think about the start of Rap, names such as Kool Herc, Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, NWA, and a lot more come to mind. As we listen to their music and when asked about their lyrics they would say that they just rap about what they see around their neighborhood, their lives, and to bring awareness about what goes on in society. Now if we fast forward to the present day and listen to rap from persons such as Lil Wayne, Juicy J, 2 Chainz, etc. rap has gone from bringing awareness to showboat a fantasy lifestyle. In the beginning rappers like Run-D.M.C had songs out that shed some light about what they had to go through or they’re friends or neighbors to sort of say hey we know how it is here is songs saying that we have been there keep your head up. One song in particular is their song “Hard Times”. The lyrics state, [“Hard times spreading just like the flu
Watch out homeboy, don't let it catch you
P-p-prices go up, don't let your pocket go down
When you got short money you're stuck on the ground
Turn around, get ready, and keep your eye on the prize
And be on point for the future shock
Hard times are coming to your town
So stay alert, don't let them get you down
They tell you times are tough, you hear that times are hard
But when you work for that ace you know you pulled the right card
Hard times got our pockets all in chains
I'll tell you what, homeboy, it don't have my brain
All day I have to work at my peak
Because I need that dollar every day of the weak
Hard times can take you on a natural trip
So keep your balance, and don't you slip
Hard times is nothing new on me
I'm gonna use my strong mentality
Like the cream of the crop, like the crop of the cream
B-b-beating hard times, that is my theme
Hard times in life, hard times in death
I'm gonna keep on fighting to my very last breath”]. They are basically saying that hard times can happen to anybody when they say “hard times spreading like the flu” also that prices of things are going up in the community and they’re telling you that times are hard and its tough but peoples wages aren’t going up as well to keep up with the rising costs. They are trying to uplift the audience basically saying yes we know all this but do not let the hard times get the best of one, keep fighting to do your best, be the cream of the crop and eventually you will overcome the hard time. N.W.A also known as Niggas with Attitude is a perfect example of how artist tried to shed light on what was happening all around them in their community to bring awareness to get justice basically shouting for help. In their most controversial song entitled “Fuck the Police” an extract of the lyrics say, [“Right about now NWA court is in full effect, Judge Dre presiding in the case of NWA versus the police department Prosecuting attourneys are MC Ren Ice Cube and Eazy muthafuckin E.Order order order. Ice Cube take the muthafuckin stand.
Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothin but the truth so help your black ass?
Why don't you tell everybody what the fuck you gotta say? Fuck tha police
Comin straight from the underground
Young nigga got it bad cuz I'm brown
And not the other color so police think They have the authority to kill a minority
Fuck that shit, cuz I ain't tha one For a punk muthafucka with a badge and a gun
To be beatin on, and throwin in jail We could go toe to toe in the middle of a cell
Fuckin with me cuz I'm a teenager With a little bit of gold and a pager
Searchin my car, lookin for the product Thinkin every nigga is sellin narcotics
You'd rather see me in the pen then me and Lorenzo rollin in the Benzo
Beat tha police outta shape and when I'm finished, bring the yellow tape
To tape off
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