As a student of politics, this weeks readings really grabbed my attention to two central debates that we have scratched the surface of during previous discussions, but are still working on grasping. First, what is the relationship between the Civil Rights movement and the emergence of the Hip Hop Nation? Second, an obviously related question, how has hip hop served as a tool for political action and expression, and is that a facet of hip hop that is in decline?
The relationship between hip hop and the civil rights movement has been approached by many of the authors we have read, and I will not even attempt to venture a theory. Here are some things I have noticed however. First, Mark Anthony Neal asserted in “Postindustrial Soul” that, the “Black Public Sphere of the postindustrial city represented a de facto state of racial segregation that was, arguably, much more insidious than segregated black spaces prior to the Civil Rights movement (366).” If this is indeed true, does that give legitimacy to the emergence of a distinct style of response that focused on expressions of nationalism and hatred towards the establishment? A response to an establishment that included not just police, but members of the black establishment that had failed to deliver on the goals they sought. I don’t know if I could defend that argument fully, but I do think Ice Cube has a right to ask people to do a little introspection.
The question of the politics of hip hop seems to require a greatly nuanced answer to me at this point. I listen to artists that are often cited in the readings as being the promoters of a socially conscious hip hop, so my gut reaction to this question would be that political messages are central. Social activism seems to be alive and well in hip hop, just ask Wyclef and the “We are the World” second generation. I loved Henry Louis Gates (see Beer Summit) appearance in the reading “Rap, Race and Politics” where he pointed to the importance of “signifying” in rap. I think he has a point, but a Harvard professor and students who read about hip hop may see that connection; but, I can see how it gets lost to the consuming audience of hip hop.
I had a favorite quote of the week from the reading, I’ll leave the post with that and some links I wandered to while thinking about these readings.
“In the end, Hip Hop is neither the cultural beast that will destroy black America nor the political panacea that will save it, but it is part of the ongoing African-American struggle constantly reaching for higher and higher modes of liberation” –Clarance Lusane, “Rap, Race, and Politics” (361)
Beer Summit
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/magazine/14fob-q4-t.html
We Are the World 25
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glny4jSciVI
Music from the Civil Rights movement, Live at the White House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZhWttIll_8
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Tom, I also liked the quote at the end of your post. However, I'm not sure if I agree with Lusane's phrasing about hip-hop's evolution as part of "higher and higher modes of liberation." I just don't know if I would classify most of the rap music played on the radio today as higher or more liberated than hip-hop at its inception. However, you make a good point that some of the less mainstream artists have stayed true to their political roots, and so maybe the solution is to find a way to make their music reach broader audiences. However, I'm sure this is more easily said than done.
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Also liked the parting quote. I think Clarance Lusane is right regarding hip hop being neither a overwhelmingly positive or negative force regarding race politics. But like Katie said, most of the radio hip hop lacks the message to enlighten the African American community. However, I believe that there is still an element of hip hop that continues to challenge to status quo. All in all, hip hop is first and foremost a mode of expression, and like most modes of expression, some is political, some is commercial, some is art and some is only an outlet for the artist. We need to make this distinction in order to focus,not on hip hop, but political hip hop. In this regard, then, I agree with Clarance Lusane and I believe that any positive political message hip hop puts out on the street can't hurt the cause, can it?
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