Rap Hip Hop’s Effects on Black America Via Social Aspects Attitudes

African Americans as a culture are under constant attack socially, intellectually and racially and in today's world this is supported primarily by how the mainstream media portrays present day rap/hip-hop, by giving it a bad name whilst telling john public that a certain stereotype is okay. By doing this the media has become complicit in the castration and twisting of the voices of black America and this only aide's commercialism and tricks the younger generation into seeing consumerism as an act of rebellion. The history of hip hop & rap music is closely linked to the political issues & the culture of black people. This music was needed to fuel the fight during the Civil Rights Movement and was supposed to be that next step in the transformation and transition of black people from slavery to freedom. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America, (1994) a book written by Tricia Rose project discusses how rap music has taken a turn for the worse and how the black community has easily followed the same path. Rose discusses the evolution & plight of the black man in American History, Social conditions, Intellectual life, Race identity and Rap (Music) History and criticism. Rose argues that the original intended message of rap & hip hop has changed and in its present form seems to be in a fight with its self. On one hand fighting for a cause and on the other hand destroying the identity of women and other classes of people who are under attack by society. The topics discussed are sure to appeal to the black community, women and persons who seek to have an equal footing for all people in the African American community at home and abroad. I will analyze the authors argument that African Americans suffer from effects of stereotypes & social injustices & this has caused a deterioration of the political and social conditions because of rap & hip hop and what we can do to change the perceptions and habits. present research documents argument, claims, audience, purpose, and how these things support the argument along with the use of evidence.

Rose begins by discussing the origins of rap & hip-hop music and she touches on the business aspect of and rap and how the media focusses on the illegal sampling of other music to make rap music. Rose highlights the role that rap music, dancing & graffiti played in its development and illustrates how cultural ignorance has led to the moral break down in society. Rap deals with complex issues that relate to social, cultural and political matters. Caughy, M. O. in the book. The Influence of Racial Socialization Practices on the Cognitive and Behavioral Competence of African American Preschoolers. Caughy surmised that a child's development as it relates to being brought up in poverty and the effects of living a community setting affected by the processes that derive from poverty (1). This correlates to what Rose is saying in terms of how important re-education in fixing the present issues that exist in the black community. Rose discusses songs from various artist that attempted to speak to the social ills of rap music. Asante writes artist like KRS Ones, who proclaimed: To crush the stereotype here's what we did/ We got ourselves together/So that you could unite and fight for what's right. (p10). Despite rap's suppression it continued to thrive & welcomed artist who had little guidance and the results of this lack of guidance showed how modern rap/hip-hop has descended & now caters to the lowest common denominator because the values and ideals of the new up and coming artist has been already tainted and the list of positive artists is small, and they all regurgitate the same negative messaging instead of using hip-hop as the culture expression it was intended to be. Rap & hop hop seldom showcase positive messaging because it has lost its initial mandate which is to speak on social & economic issues that affect today's society. If we turn on any tv today we can see movies & music that depict persons of my color in a basic stereotype, either they are killing each other having sex with multiple partners or doing drugs.

Misogyny and black on black violence in rap/hip-hop and its negative impact is affecting how black people view themselves and this is causing the erosion of the black community. Author Belgrave, Faye Z., in the book. The Influence of an Afrocentric Worldview and Demographic Variables on Drug Knowledge, Attitudes, and Use among African American Youth. (3) addresses similar ideas when she stated, "The negative consequences of drug us, abuse, and activity are many" (p2). Belgrave blames school drop-out, crime and incarceration, teen pregnancy, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases on drugs & the pervasive culture exist in the African American society due to a lack of economic prosperity, and education.

Rose asserts and connects with Belgrave about African Americans and the deterioration of the political and social conditions due to the effects of rap & hip hop and what we can do to change the perceptions and habits. As Asante stated "With its sands scattered to the winds of the world hip hop joins scores of other vibrations that were born in the Black community. "and that other countries have adopted hip hop outside of U.S. Therefore, hip hop if changed in its homeland can have a ripple effect and change the overall culture that has been attached to it. The up and coming artist if educated and paid appropriately will reflect the values of traditional Rap & Hip Hop. If we change our songs and ignore the stereotypes the media would soon follow. Educations about where the music came from and where its going and adequately paying artist would make them less of victims to the cooperate big wigs. Asante questions the purpose and the motives of the record companies and how hip-hop music impacts their bottom line and not necessarily the artist. Asante compares The Hip-Hop Generation & Post Hip-Hop Generation explaining the differences between them pointing out how commercialism and consumption has played a massive part in the deconstruction of hip hop, defining how Hip-Hop has betrayed itself by not being used as a tool for rebelling or standing up for what's right.

Rose asserts that the lack of emcees and influential people to disseminate the positive cultural expression of black America has contributed to a fall in the quality of music and a directional shift of the music. Asante writes that these emcees are vital to the future of rap & hip-hop music because they in the past they were the guardians of the music and reflected the values of traditional rap & hip hop (p7). The true meaning or actions of Post-Hip-Hop has encompassed the present generations current day struggles along with hip hop's past struggles, but the lines of battle drawn in the sand has become blurred because many other movements & fights have emerged causing many fights to be fought and no battles to be won. These movements are the women's movement, anti-war movement, gay rights, anti-globalization just to name a few. A civil fight for one of these movements alone could take a lifetime so the idea that cooperating could make things better for all at the same time seems laughable. In effect each will cannibalize each other of resources & man power and The fight would just be A fight. Civil Rights & Equality for Blacks in all aspects of society should stand on its own. Its over 400 years that Africans have been fighting for freedom and equality and the same fight continues. Asante writes that during the Civil Rights Movement black music was called freedom songs. It was even stated that the lyrics were very important, even more so than the music. (p4). Are we doing enough to rebuild our cities in order to stimulate growth and bring back money to the hands of the poor black community? Is the artiste investing in programs that help the young up and coming artist who need to learn the ropes? I think better can be done in respect of the business aspect of rap music, this would undoubtedly allow for the transfer of power of most if not all of what we deem as culture back to the hands of whom it was torn from.

In his review of Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America. author Baker, Houston A., Jr. Supported and extended Rose when he wrote From its first commercial success during the 1970s, rap's powers of persuasion were never in doubt. Its powers of adaptation and global influence, however, have proved both surprising and frustrating to even the most tireless adult detractors of the form. (2)

Rose also spoke about female rappers and how their voices influence rap music. Rose speaks of the marginalization of black women's contribution to rap and the music industry. Rose gave examples of works from artist like Salt 'N' Pepa, Queen Latifah & several other female writers & artist. As Asante stated "With its sands scattered to the winds of the world hip hop joins scores of other vibrations that were born in the Black community. " (p2), other countries have adopted hip hop outside of U.S. Therefore, hip hop if changed in its homeland can have a ripple effect and change the overall culture that has been attached to it. The up and coming artist if educated and paid appropriately will reflect the values of traditional Rap & Hip Hop. If we change our songs and ignore the stereotypes the media would soon follow. Education about where the music came from and where it's going and adequately paying artist would make them less of victims to the cooperate big wigs. Rap shares similar origins of previous black oral music traditions. Rose discusses the study of jazz in the 1920's and how the black culture was being imitated by white entertainers and fans. Asante writes about the adoption of hip-hop outside the U.S signifying that the black art forms are taken by other cultures and races and finds itself appropriated and in some cases misused and misunderstood. (p3). This merger of cultures contributes to the loss of cultural expression and gives way to any influence presented my public or private entities. (p7).

Rose speaks of rappers going unnoticed by the mainstream music industry & the popular cultural industries until the entrepreneur Sylvia Robinson brought attention to the art form. When Hollywood realized rap would be a force in the future everyone jumped on board. Asante questions the purpose and the motives of the record companies and how hip-hop music impacts their bottom line and not necessarily the artist when he says Instead multinational corporations like Viacom, Clear Channel, and Vivendi, through their radio and television outlet, control how most people hear and see hip hop. (p 6). Asante compares The Hip-Hop Generation & Post Hip-Hop Generation explaining the differences between them pointing out how commercialism and consumption has played a massive part in the deconstruction of hip hop, defining how Hip-Hop has betrayed itself by not being used as a tool for rebelling or standing up for what's right. (p10).

When we turn on the radio or look at printed media, we can see images or hear music that encourages us to engage in vulgar & dangerous acts which are not in keeping with who we are. The modern era of rap & hip hop has given way to the systematic destruction of people of color or might I say anyone who looks different from white. The education of people of all colors needs to be reintroduced and revised because at this the only organization that can help this generation reverse the way we think, and act is the media. This topic is still prevalent and is a perfect example of the social ills that exist in society involving brown and black people.

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