ipl-logo

Summary Of Once Hip Hop Culture Is Invisible By Questlove

793 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effects of hip hop in todays culture

Questlove presents an interesting, and authoritative, argument in his essay series. It’s a discussion of the evolution of hip-hop, its roots and future directions and the impact of both of these. Not only is the essay series a discussion of hip-hop, but it is a discussion of art as a whole, the hip-hop culture and the culture of black America. For me, the first essay served as a great general introduction to the overarching theme of Questlove’s work and the current status of hip-hop as both an art form and culture. His statement that “Once hip-hop culture is ubiquitous, it is also invisible” makes so much sense. This concept can be applied to a number of things—once something is popular, it is also somehow meaningless—but it applies to hip-hop especially, which was formed in its very essence as a response, exemplification of “the other” and “the different.” …show more content…

These kinds of messages are much more appealing for me, as a (still) novice listener. Other genres with these same kinds of themes are more appealing to me personally than the mainstream hip-hop vibe, because they are relatable. I think, at its core, music is about people and coming together—for a cause or a jam session or just a good time. Questlove talks about that a little in his final installment: we should focus on the ritualistic aspect of music first, rather than the commercial “product” that is music. I completely agree. Questlove’s focus in the final essay on music as a cultural force leads me to wonder: do all cultures need some kind of unifying force? As hip-hop served this for black culture, what is the unifying force for other cultures? Is it cultural traditions, like Día de los Muertos? Or is it food, like latkes? Or some other genre of

Show More
Related

Rhetorical Analysis Of American Writer And Musician By James Mcbride

429 Words | 2 Pages

American Writer and Musician, James McBride has written multiple books and has voiced his opinions in magazines as well as newspapers. In this particular essay, which appeared in National Geographic in 2007, he talks about how hip-hop has influenced the world and how he realized that he has missed an important part of his life. There are many rhetorics used in this essay, -“Irony, Metaphors, Hyperbole and Allusions. ”- are some of the more notable ones. While talking about his biggest nightmare, a feeling of disjoint comes into his mind, “It is no longer…hip-hop planet.”

Read More

Introduction To Prophets Of The Hood By Imani Perry

597 Words | 3 Pages

In this paper, I will synthesize Imani Perry’s “Introduction” to Prophets of the Hood and Eithne Quinn’s “Alwayz Into Somethin’” to argue that hip-hop includes violent content because the reunion of Black culture led to open discourse that allows rappers to critique the violence within their communities as a product of the post-Fordism era and aspects of survival culture and that the white mainstream media misinterpret. In the “Introduction” chapter of the book Prophets of the Hood, Imani Perry addresses that the white mainstream media categorizes things in a black-and-white manner, leaving no room for nuance. Perry exemplifies this by writing, “[white mainstream media] does not foster debate when it comes to hip-hop, but rather encourages censorship of ideological diversity through condemnation or praise” (6). Perry implies that white mainstream media's discomfort with the nuance presented within rap causes unfair categorization and analysis of the genre; the media chooses to erase it, minimizing it as an art form and mode of generating meaning and critique.

Read More

Visual Manifestations Inspired By Hip-Hop, By Krista Thompson

747 Words | 3 Pages

When people imagine hip hop, they think of DJs, street style, gold chains, and graffiti – images that project a style that matches the loudness of the music. In a well-argued essay, Krista Thompson questions the visual manifestations inspired by hip-hop through an analysis of Kehinde Wiley and Luis Gispert’s work to gain a better understanding of the relationship between light and sound with regard to African American culture and black urban youth. She defines the word “bling,” details the history of hip-hop, and discusses the history of surfacism and materialism to uncover what hip-hop represents, what bling reveals about the ways of seeing, and how visual production propagates Black commodity. After detailing the emergence of hip-hop, Thompson discusses the connection between materialism and surfacism, and she explains how materialism

Read More

Mama Said Knock You Out Analysis

441 Words | 2 Pages

Byron Hurt is the creator of the documentary “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes”. In this documentary Hurt creates valid points of how hip-hop is all about conquering and violence. An author interviewed in this documentary, Kevin Powell, says, “We live in a society where manhood is all about conquering and violence…. And what we don’t realize is that ultimately that kind of manhood ultimately kills you.” This quote is remarkably true –as well as sad.

Read More

Richard Kyle Hip Hop Summary

2420 Words | 10 Pages

There is a great huge deal about the racial divide in Hip-hop culture between the African Americans and Latinos. Breakdancing and graffiti there were more Latinos in that aspect but in a sense it was only in that aspect that’s why there the African Americans take ownership of hip-hop. The divisions follow the divisions that exist now in society. There are people that fight over whether or not white or Asian people can be apart but that is the only problem with the racial divides. One of the source’s strengths is Terry’s emphasis on “The culture coming out of Black culture”(Manly) in the different essences such as: African Americans would get the credit for it being misogynistic while on the other hand other people get the credit for being the creator of it.

Read More

Hip Hop Planet Speech

1186 Words | 5 Pages

Hip Hop is seen as something inspiring, but most people see it as a way to speak out the truth about a problem. As in “Hip Hop planet” being able say the truth can sometimes worsen any situation because sometimes what we say can promote violence and whatever happens after is not in our control. The essay is about how hip hop has changed into speaking out the issues that need to be taken care of in order to maintain a proper society. McBride talked about how rappers use violent lyrics to degrade women and gays and because of this it shows how the music has evolved into something entirely different that no one would have ever expected to have changed. In James McBride's essay “Hip Hop Planet,” he argues that hip hop has a negative influence on American Culture despite people thinking of it as inspirational and how people live through different experiences in life despite of your race.

Read More

Analysis Of Hip-Hop's Betrayal Of Black Women

633 Words | 3 Pages

In her essay “hip hop’s betrayal of black women,” Jennifer McLune implies that “(h)ip-hop owes its success to the ideology of women-hating” (193). She does not agree with Kevin Powell’s article that hip-hop does not mean to “offend” black women, but instead artists are only letting out their temper throughout their music. McLune feels infuriated that many artists in hip hop (including black men) rap about their community and downgrade their own women. In the hip-hop genre, sexism is mainly used, not only by black men but also by many other race hip-hop artists. Artists assume that women-hating in their rap songs will be accepted by women, but do not realize that it is affecting all women.

Read More

West Coast Hip Hop Essay

315 Words | 2 Pages

In The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader, David Brackett States that “mainstream media coverage of hip-hop almost single-mindedly conveyed a sense of moral outrage and panic” (472). In stating this Brackett is emphasizing the idea that although artists in the West Coast hip-hop scene may convey valid points, their use of “vulgar,” “aggressive,” and “hard-edged” (471) language was a key component in the media concluding “that rap music was neither ‘music’ nor ‘black’” (Samuels 24). The West Coast hip-hop scene was popular in the sense that it had great beats and conveyed a significant message, however the artists aggressive style of delivering these messages unintentionally caused public outcry and critical disapproval of rap as music. These negative ideas surrounding rap began to change dramatically and in a positive manner through the emergence of the East Coast rap scene in the mid-1990’s and the release of Christopher Wallace’s debut album Ready

Read More

Hip Hop Community Analysis Essay

476 Words | 2 Pages

As many genres of music are up for interpretation by the listener, hip-hop is no exception to the rule. At its root, hip-hop, or rap music, is the voice of the subaltern, a voice for people that were actively living in urban poverty and felt that their voices were not being heard by greater society. Today’s hip-hop goes beyond the voices of the subaltern and has expanded into the wide abyss of consumerism and mainstream media. Hip-hop is no longer just a subculture, it is a sensation. While the socially conscious origins of hip-hop are still in practice, the genre has expanded to meet capitalist-oriented

Read More

African American Culture Essay

456 Words | 2 Pages

The rap music, sharing its root with other forms of traditional African-American music, bore artists like N.W.A. who documented these secular problems through their records. “They wanted to talk about what they were going through, seeing” and have transformed the way of delivering messages (NPR). In conclusion, the post-black era bred improved diversity and complex identity in African-American culture. Many African-American figures even today are changing the landscape of black identity in the United States.

Read More

Hip Hop Culture In Mcbride's Hip Hop Planet By James Mcbride

921 Words | 4 Pages

Hip Hop was the wildfire that started in the South Bronx and whose flames leapt up around the world crying out for change. James McBride’s Hip Hop Planet focuses on his personal interactions with the development of Hip Hop culture and his changing interpretations of the world wide movement. Many of his encounters and mentions in the text concern young black males and his writing follows an evolution in the representation of this specific social group. He initially portrays them as arrogant, poor, and uneducated but eventually develops their image to include the positive effects of their culture in an attempt to negate their historical misrepresentation.

Read More

Hip Hop Culture Summary

624 Words | 3 Pages

The sources of this speech, according to Cutler, come from face-to-face encounters, online resources, and popular media such as movies. Her research shows how white middle class youth might become romanticized by hip hop culture through their interactions with it in both real life and through media sources. Investigation into recordings of Mike’s conversations with his friends reveals not only

Read More

Hip Hop's Negative Effects On African American Community

106 Words | 1 Pages

Hip Hop has helped to express the pain for the poor and oppressed people. It had a huge influence on people of all races, ages, social class. Most rap songs have a positive message which is used to help the community. Hip Hop has been used in a positive way to promote social equality and educated people of the world about the oppression. I do agree that hip hop has helped shape and form the African American community.

Read More

Garden Of Eden Culture Analysis

1671 Words | 7 Pages

At first I thought this issue is merely cultural, now however, I think it goes deeper; this is a creation issue. In the Garden of Eden God made everything and it was good. The God told Adam to “take care” of the Garden (Gen. 2:15), Adam’s family was to “take care” of the earth. God wanted them both to use and to preserve.

Read More

The Negative Impact Of Hip-Hop And Its Influence On Politics

714 Words | 3 Pages

These days most people who listen to rap/hip-hop are mostly teenagers or young adults. Hip-Hop can affect these people’s ways of thinking and could possibly influence them enough to make them want to be just like their favorite Hip-Hop idols. Additionally, this could make them more aggressive and have a higher chance of taking drugs (oureverydaylife). However, not all Hip-Hop is bad; some Hip-Hop songs actually can help some people who are going through tough times or depression. Also, some hip hop songs could motivate people to follow their dreams and to never give up because once they see their idol’s struggles before they were famous they would know that anything is possible if you don’t give up.

Read More

More about Summary Of Once Hip Hop Culture Is Invisible By Questlove

Open Document