First of all, I have to say that this was one of the most informative, and interesting reads I've been assigned while at Drury. The format Dyson choose to use, long interviews, was perfect for working through difficult concepts and arguments. Dyson could have made this a strictly academic work with extensive citations and still made his point, especially for someone trying to give hip hop studies a place in serious academic debate. He chose to make it accessible, and for that I thank him.
Here were some of my favorite points he makes:
Dyson makes the argument, I think successfully, that you can't simply pin the "femiphobia" that exists in hip hop as unique or original to the male emcee, though he is accountable. These artist are "keyed in" to a patriarchal structure that exists in most sectors of American society, the board room, the congress, and in sport. In this way, rap is considered more a projection of society, rather than playing as much of a role in the construction of social structures. (p.22)
Another point I found interesting was Dyson's claim that "I'll take Jay-Z over a Bill Cosby" (p.58). While I'll agree that Cosby has more recently been a "bitter curmudgeon," and he does represent the conservative older generation that Dyson sees as part of the cause of a confused and undereducated younger generation, I have to say Cosby has never seemed to lack "courage" to me. And Jay-Z is no Che Guevara. It seems like this dialog, though thought provoking, tended to point out the conflicting points and not to the potential for compromise and understanding that I think the rest of his work sought to express.
Finally, I love the expression "Crude Crotch Politics" because in many ways, as Dyson points out, that is the nature of the status quo that is in no way unique or new. Dyson calls it a "retrograde" (111). This critique, as the first point I discussed about the societal influence of attitudes about sex, tries to distinguish that what hip hop focuses on is not organic to itself, but often simple societal commentary. This is a compelling point, and it makes it easy to let the modern emcee off the hook for his words. But, as the persistence of "Crude Crotch Politics" demonstrates, what role has Hip Hop culture played in reinforcing an outdated, and violent social structure? And, though it may be commentary, and all based on "real" and "authentic" experiences, the continued expansion and consumption of these attitudes that establish "Crude Crotch Politics" will continue to reinforce the status quo. So though I think Dyson is incredibly on point, but does this perspective allow us to let these guys off the hook?
Hope you all enjoyed the read as much as I did, look forward to discussion tomorrow.
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I agree that the patriarchal system built into hip-hop should be held accountable for the rampant "femiphobia". But I also believe that, to a point, women can also be held accountable for the way they are viewed. For every stereotype and issue that rises up, there is some sort of truth underlying it. Women tend to fall into two categories as Dyson describes and this is also how women are viewed in the hip hop culture. They cannot differentiate outside of those two groups. It is an interesting setting, but as far as I can tell, there is more blame on outside society than there is on the artists of hip-hop. They are only describing what they see; it is us that takes their descriptions and apply them to everything else.
ReplyDeleteI dig what you are saying Tom about Dyson's love for Jay-Z. I think that Jay-Z is a great example of someone who has succeeded without compromising too much. But at the same time, I wouldn't call him an SPC rapper or anything. In fact, I would almost say that he props up the system of bling/violence/misogyny as much as he critiques it. Whether J is being ironic with his words or not, it's definitely troubling how much faith Dyson puts in J's ability for change.
ReplyDeleteTom,
ReplyDeleteI thought that your thoughts on Jay-Z and Cosby were interested and closely resembled some of my own. This relationship between the older and younger generations of African Americans in popular culture caught my attention in Dyson’s book, especially after some of the articles we read last week about the advantages of linking members of hip-hop and the Civil Rights Movement together. Even thought Dyson was pretty critical of Cosby, I still think that it’s important to have some of those older influences speaking up in the media in order to encourage younger members of society.