HIP HOP AND BLACKS STRUGGLES
The struggles of the African community throughout the history of the United States have been appropriately chronicled. From the days of slavery to the days of systemic racism, segregation and the Civil Rights Movement era, these struggles against cultural, political and economic oppression are the experiences that have shaped the black community. Right from the Harlem Renaissance era, the community has used art, music and literature amongst others to portray its sufferings, dreams and aspirations as well as to highlight its plight to the rest of the world. Hip hop music today is a representation of this struggle it is a contemporary youth tool that is furthering the dreams and aspirations of the Civil Rights Movements.
A look at the kind of music that dominated the scenes during the Civil Rights era reveals that it was in tandem with the day to day sufferings of the community it verbalized these sufferings while urging for the change in status quo. This music carried with it the desires of millions of blacks rotting in poverty and highly disillusioned by the post-industrial era in America. This was the message that was taken up by the pioneers of Hip Hop such as the Furious Five and Kool Here who took the struggle to a higher level. Through their music, they articulated the sad situation that most African Americans found themselves in, leading a life revolving around drugs, endemic poverty and struggling against a system riddled with endemic racism. Micheal Franti is another example of one such Hip Hop artist that has managed to tackle the core of the African Americans problems by focusing on issues that have been the centre of attention of activists for ages. Through the use of a rap-reggae fusion, Michael Franti analyses the issues of oppression and discrimination experience in capitalist America.
This artist, as do other socio-political rappers, borrows a leaf from the Harlem Renaissance when a flurry of literature began to flow from the African American community starkly highlighting the issues afflicting the population and urging for a resilient struggle. Bessie Smith and Clarence Williams are profound examples of artists who took the black struggles to a higher level during the Harlem Renaissance through their Blues song Jail House Blues. The starting line of their song, Lord, this house is goin to get raided, yes, sir, sets the tempo of this great hit and reflects the enthusiasm and hope brought forth by the Harlem Renaissance age, the passion of which was represented in music. (Angela, 1998, p302)
An argument that Hip Hop is a continuation of the struggles of African America however recognises the deep-seated conflict that has arisen between the Civil Rights era generation and the contemporary struggles. The Civil Rights Movement was more organised and dramatically changed the existing social and political structures in conjunction with organisations such as CORE and NAACP, a fete that is yet to be accomplished by Hip Hop. Other than this possible point of departure, Hip Hop shares similar objectives with CRM and also a similar ideology. A look at Lauryn Hills The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album for example demonstrates her struggles, hopes and also the desires to find her own destiny where she says But deep in my heart the answer it was in me and I made up my mind to find my own destiny (Lauryn Hill, 1998). Although possibly talking about her experiences, this song captures the imaginations of millions of blacks caught up in similar difficult situations those entangled by a web of derailing factors brought about by the environment they find themselves in.
Undoubtedly, Hip Hop is a strong modern tool that represents black struggles. There a number of pitfalls however that stands in its way of striking a popular chord with the populace like the CRM. The demeanour of the Hip Hop artists for example has been cited as one of the factor that has put it into loggerheads with some of the senior citizens who find the mannerism of the contemporary artists too offensive for the popular taste. Hip Hop is also seen as introducing a culture that is contradictory to the aspirations of the African American population. The prevailing perception is that Hip Hop culture preaches violence, glorifies instant wealth, sex and drugs at the expense of other social and politically constructive ideals such as education. Kanye West for example prides himself of being a College Dropout while other rappers such as DMX are constantly in and out of jail. It is this image that is seen to contradict the ideals of CRM and can be seen as the main point of departure.
Today, the dreams and aspirations that have characterised the struggles of the African American population are being presented through Hip Hop music. The African American community continues to be afflicted by the problems of poverty, racism and policy brutality that have been the concern the community for ages. Like the CRM that used demonstrations and riots to highlight the plight of the black community, Hip Hop has encompassed the use of lyrics, graffiti and poems amongst others to illuminate on the raging inequalities in America.
A look at the kind of music that dominated the scenes during the Civil Rights era reveals that it was in tandem with the day to day sufferings of the community it verbalized these sufferings while urging for the change in status quo. This music carried with it the desires of millions of blacks rotting in poverty and highly disillusioned by the post-industrial era in America. This was the message that was taken up by the pioneers of Hip Hop such as the Furious Five and Kool Here who took the struggle to a higher level. Through their music, they articulated the sad situation that most African Americans found themselves in, leading a life revolving around drugs, endemic poverty and struggling against a system riddled with endemic racism. Micheal Franti is another example of one such Hip Hop artist that has managed to tackle the core of the African Americans problems by focusing on issues that have been the centre of attention of activists for ages. Through the use of a rap-reggae fusion, Michael Franti analyses the issues of oppression and discrimination experience in capitalist America.
This artist, as do other socio-political rappers, borrows a leaf from the Harlem Renaissance when a flurry of literature began to flow from the African American community starkly highlighting the issues afflicting the population and urging for a resilient struggle. Bessie Smith and Clarence Williams are profound examples of artists who took the black struggles to a higher level during the Harlem Renaissance through their Blues song Jail House Blues. The starting line of their song, Lord, this house is goin to get raided, yes, sir, sets the tempo of this great hit and reflects the enthusiasm and hope brought forth by the Harlem Renaissance age, the passion of which was represented in music. (Angela, 1998, p302)
An argument that Hip Hop is a continuation of the struggles of African America however recognises the deep-seated conflict that has arisen between the Civil Rights era generation and the contemporary struggles. The Civil Rights Movement was more organised and dramatically changed the existing social and political structures in conjunction with organisations such as CORE and NAACP, a fete that is yet to be accomplished by Hip Hop. Other than this possible point of departure, Hip Hop shares similar objectives with CRM and also a similar ideology. A look at Lauryn Hills The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album for example demonstrates her struggles, hopes and also the desires to find her own destiny where she says But deep in my heart the answer it was in me and I made up my mind to find my own destiny (Lauryn Hill, 1998). Although possibly talking about her experiences, this song captures the imaginations of millions of blacks caught up in similar difficult situations those entangled by a web of derailing factors brought about by the environment they find themselves in.
Undoubtedly, Hip Hop is a strong modern tool that represents black struggles. There a number of pitfalls however that stands in its way of striking a popular chord with the populace like the CRM. The demeanour of the Hip Hop artists for example has been cited as one of the factor that has put it into loggerheads with some of the senior citizens who find the mannerism of the contemporary artists too offensive for the popular taste. Hip Hop is also seen as introducing a culture that is contradictory to the aspirations of the African American population. The prevailing perception is that Hip Hop culture preaches violence, glorifies instant wealth, sex and drugs at the expense of other social and politically constructive ideals such as education. Kanye West for example prides himself of being a College Dropout while other rappers such as DMX are constantly in and out of jail. It is this image that is seen to contradict the ideals of CRM and can be seen as the main point of departure.
Today, the dreams and aspirations that have characterised the struggles of the African American population are being presented through Hip Hop music. The African American community continues to be afflicted by the problems of poverty, racism and policy brutality that have been the concern the community for ages. Like the CRM that used demonstrations and riots to highlight the plight of the black community, Hip Hop has encompassed the use of lyrics, graffiti and poems amongst others to illuminate on the raging inequalities in America.
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