Pre-reading questions for week twelve

I believe hip-hop can be used to further social justice but it mainly depends on the rap and hip-hop artists if they want to actually provide music that will solve social and political problems.  I think hip-hop is more seen as a tool for critiques because I have never really heard of hip-hop or rap songs that deal with social justice or equality. Their music mainly focuses on degrading women, war, and like shooting people. Furthermore, I believe it’s more of a critique because those who are in the music industry wouldn’t want to make music that would un-interest people in buying their cds. For example, if people hear lyrics that talk about social justice, it might cause some debate or oppressions within them. Hip-hop can be a powerful tool for activism because these artists producing this music can use their voice for good instead of bad. For example, rappers like maybe 50 Cent or Nelly can write lyrics that don’t have anything to do with degrading women or getting shot. Instead, they can write music that has to do with solving these types of issues or the type of problems many people go through like violence, rape, etc. I don’t necessarily believe that it is more useful for this than other genre of music because I think any music artists of any genre can produce music that deals with social justice. It all just depends on the artists and if they are willing to actually go through and deal with the oppressions of the people. Although I do believe that it’s useful for all genres, I think hip-hop and rap is a more affective tool for activism because most teens listen to hip-hop and rap more today. Like I believe its beat and sometimes lyrics has more meaning to it for some teens. I found the song “Runaway Love” by Ludacris (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BNh3PumyAE) as an example of an artist who I believe is using hip-hop in a more conscious matter. I found this to be powerful and good because in his song, he explains how these girls are getting abused by their family and no one is doing anything to help them. Although he doesn’t explain how or what we can do to help, he does explain the situations about how cruel reality can be. I think some of the barriers to hip-hop artists creating and marketing critical hip-hop are the oppression of the people. If they ever produce music that literally talks about what they have gone through or things other people have gone through, it will cause lots of debate and fights over it which will probably lead less people in buying their music. Also, other barriers might be themselves. They probably don’t want to produce music that will make them re visit their past and struggles they have gone through.

 

Words: 473