Focus on Hardcore Rap today and Social Movements

Short Writing Assignment 2: Focus on Hardcore Rap today and Social Movements

Learning Objective: You have the tools from the previous SWA to now demonstrate the ability to develop arguments, ideas, and opinions about forms of hip hop musical expressions, grounded in rational analysis and in an understanding of and respect for the historical context of expressions and artifacts, and to express these ideas in written form.

Assignment:

The BlackLivesMatter movement and its partners are shaping a new dialogue and invigorated activism for equal rights in the 21st century. #BlackLivesMatter was born online after the not-guilty verdict in the killing of Trayvon Martin and moved to the streets after the killing of Michael Brown, it has since become an international movement (no hashtag) allied with other groups and a rallying cry for social justice. For this assignment, you will examine hip hop spaces and write your essay based on how a specific song represents the complex and varied ways that rap artists have addressed social inequality in the United States 25 years after conscious rap and g-style narratives from pioneering artists (ca. 1984-1996) like Public Enemy, KRS-One, N.W.A., Ice-T, 2pac, Paris, Geto Boys, Queen Latifah, TLC, Lauryn Hill, De La Soul. Don’t just list circumstances. Try to connect links to the earlier rap generation of the 1990s and then dig deep and analyze how these factors have successfully and positively influenced the objectives of social movements, or how some rap songs (lyrics, videos, music) have negatively influenced the objectives of social movements. Race has always been a part of the ways we discuss hip hop music and often reflect the social structure of the United States. Discussing issues of diversity in the U.S. is a concern of this University and Hip Hop culture studies. This assignment offers students an opportunity to tackle the current challenges our country faces.

Key Terms and Concepts to consider in your essay: Diversity in the U.S., Social Movements and Protests through the arts/music of hip hop culture, Feminisms, Racisms, Sexisms, Hardcore Rap styles of the 1980s and 1990s, Hardcore Rap styles of the 2010-2020, #Black Lives Matter.

To help you get started and to provide insight on how hip hop can inform rapper’s “ambivalent” participation in the movement, you will read about the history of the most recent movement by one of the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. Activist Alicia Garza challenges not only forces us to consider all of the black bodies (plural) that are affected by anti-black racism, it also means considering black space as a conceptual site of social protest. Dr. Shonekan’s TED talk can help frame the attempt to understand a worldview and experience that might not match our own.

Please note that the Black Lives Matter movement is one part of the fact that all lives matter. Since our focus is on rap music, draw on songs and lyrics from rap music to support your argument.

Part 1: Background Research

Read the following and use to support your argument and watch Dr. Shonekan’s TED talk to consider our differing worldviews and experiences:

(Required) Garza, Alicia. “A Herstory of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement.” The Feminist Wire, October 7, 2014. Web. http://www.thefeministwire.com/2014/10/blacklivesmatter-2/Links to an external site.
(Required) selected chapters from your textbook (ch.7-10) to support your ideas.
(Required viewing for perspective only) Shonekan, Stephanie. “SPF, WTF? A Surprising Metaphor For Race And Privilege [TEDxKC].” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 1 September 2013. Web.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5d-azS2uHULinks to an external site.
(Links to an external site.)

(Recommended but not required) Any relevant scholarly research articles from jstor.org or EBSCO
a scholarly work refers to one that is peer-reviewed (not Wiki or similar websites).
Part 2: Topic Choice

Choose a topic from one of the 4 columns below that you will use for your assignment. Explain how these artists under the topic you have chosen address social inequality in their work (sorry for the weird formatting. It’s a Canvas quirk I’ll try to fix):
Rap as Protest Music:

Innercity Strife and Conflict Today:

Women as Object and Subject in contemporary Hip Hop:

Challenging notions of Gender & LGBTQ+

Lil Baby “The Bigger Picture” (2020)

The Game “Don’t Shoot” (2015) featuring Diddy, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Diddy, Fabolous, Wale, DJ Khaled, Swizz Beatz, ETC.)

Master P“Breonna Taylor” (2020)

Kendrick Lamar“Alright” (2015) Consider the works of Black Hippy artists

Joe Budden “Freedom Freestyle” (2016)

Or your choice

Chicago Drill Rap: Rico Nasty “Rage” (2018)

Lil Herb “‘Fight or Flight’ (2014) Remix with Common & Chance the Rapper

Kendrick Lamar “Alright” (2015)

Jasir X: New Nat Turners” (2013)

Or your choice

No Name “Song 33” (2020)

Master P “Say Her Name” (2020)

Cardi B “Bodak Yellow” (2017)

Young Ma “Eat”
(2016)

“Q.U.E.E.N.” Janelle Monáe featuring Erykah Badu (2013)

Noname “Samaritan” (2013)

Angel Haze “Cleaning Out My Closet” (2012).

Or your choice

Michael Blume “Lifting You” (2018)

Angel Haze (ft SIA) “Battle Cry” (2014)

Mykki Blanco “Wavvy” (2012)

Le1f “Wut” (2012)

THEEsatisfaction “Deeper” (2012)

Big Freedia and “sissy” bounce artists

Or your choice

Part 3: Write-Up

In one paragraph, set your tone and inform your reader that you are about to address the complex and inconsistent ways that rap artists have addressed social inequality in the United States 25 years after artists like Public Enemy, KRS-One, N.W.A., Ice-T, 2pac, Paris, Geto Boys, Queen Latifah, TLC, Lauryn Hill, and De La Soul addressed the issue through their conscious rap/G-style narratives. Can you do it in an interesting way to draw a reader to continue reading your work? (0-5 points)
Required elements:

Example: Focus on why it is necessary to address definitions. Or, you could choose to explain how key terms have been used. Or, you could provide a brief socio-historical analysis of golden era Hard Core hip hop culture.
Introduction: What background information does your reader need to know in order to understand your argument (not just a claim)?
Frame your argument with the past (social, historical, cultural elements) in order to explain the present [E.g. you are interested in violence and women: start with Eve’s “Love is Blind” (1999) and bring in Angel Haze (2012)].
Your last sentence should be your argument.

In the following 2-3 paragraphs, introduce your evidence to prove your argument. NOTE: Your opinion alone is not sufficient. Draw on the sources listed above (at minimum, one contemporary song) to help support your argument and draw on the data from the URL link, your textbook, and/or you may draw on other academically sound materials and include that source in your WORKS CITED page. (0-10 points)
The following must be included in your analysis:

A lyrical analysis of the hip hop song(s) you selected
Definition of the style if more modern [e.g. Drill Rap is a regional, hardcore thug-rap style from Chicago that grew from the extreme gangsta rap (horror-core rap) of the 1990s like…].
Sound analysis of the song(s) (while this might be difficult, it is necessary; be as descriptive and analytical as you can). This analysis should include concepts as sample choices, soundscapes, homages to past performers, linking to previous genres, etc.
How do/does the song(s) serve the lyrical messages: A good source is http://www.whosampled.com (Links to an external site.)
Discussion of the interactions between race and/or gender and music or race and/or gender and music-making
3. In the following paragraph, anticipate a counterargument or counterarguments to your ideas: What might a reader pose against your argument or your reasoning? This can be difficult, but it is useful to anticipate an opposing point of view in order for you as a scholar to come back with a rebuttal. (0-5 points)

None of us are 100% unbiased. Acknowledge your own biases and how they might impact your argument. For example, I am an older fan, white male, and my only engagement with blacks in America is through music videos and streaming songs on my iPhone… OR … I am African American, female, and admit that I am frustrated with what is going on in my country, but I am also frustrated that we in this country and Black Lives Matter movement members ignore how violence has impacted black females… OR … I was a victim of black-on-black violence in my old neighborhood, etc. End by re-establishing why your argument is more right than wrong. Double-check: Make sure your argument from your introduction (#1) is clear now that you have posited a counterargument.

In the final paragraph, explain why it is important to be critical of the society we live in as well as people’s ideas and why a critical thinker like yourself has a duty to challenge authoritative voices. (0-5 points)
Include the following:

Revisit a definition of Diversity in the U.S.
Revisit how hip hop is part of the conversation.