Prophets Of The Hood Rhetorical Analysis

In chapter three of Prophets of the Hood, Imani Perry analyzes Hip Hop music by recognizing certain aspects of songs. Perry believes that the most critical feature of a song is its figurative language such as metaphors and similes, which make the song more interesting and create a feeling or expression related to the song. She emphasizes the importance of the lyrics of a song and its ability to tell a story. Perry details the four formats of the stories of Hip Hop songs: narrative, exhortation/proclamation, description, and battle. In addition, Perry focuses on the realism of Hip Hop because “it tells us something about the political, artistic, and philosophical ethos of the music” (Perry 86). Perry’s main point is that although Hip Hop music may be vulgar, it ultimately warns people about “the dangers of illegal activity or mistreatment of others or oneself…and finds arguments …show more content…
N.W.A.’s record “Straight Outta Compton” was one of the first songs that popularized Gangsta Rap and West Coast Hip Hop, and many Black and White youth became attracted to this type of music. They rapped about the violence and crime in the city of Compton, ultimately portraying Compton and South Central Los Angeles as ghetto and filled with gang violence. Although the song contains vulgar language and profanity, the meaning of the lyrics demonstrates the reality of Compton at the time. On the other hand, Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First” illustrates a hopeful perspective. Latifah’s record promotes an Afrocentric feminist view, detailing the importance of females in the rap music industry and females feeling confident and strong. This song influenced society in that it raised issues about race and gender in society. “Ladies First” offers a positive outlook, while “Straight Outta Compton” presents a more negative