The primary obstacle to the well-being of children in African-American communities in urban areas stemmed from dysfunctional families. Being sexually abused, not having a job, and not having a father figure in the home are leading factors to a dysfunctional family. Tupac Shakur is known for using his songs to advocate for social and political change, challenging the system, and using his music videos to portray the reality of injustices, poverty, and many other issues that occur in the African-American community. According to Edwards (2002), Tupac’s upbringing contributed to his complete persona and artistic behaviors and also to the central differences between his raps and his poetry (p.61). Shakur's legacy is deeply rooted in hip-hop and
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In Los Angeles during 2000, the unemployment rate for African-Americans was double the rate of Whites and Asians. According According to Cawthorne (2016), The employment rate of African-American men showed no increase even during the economic booms in the 1980s and 1990s. In a 1994 interview for MTV Tupac stated the following: “Everybody's smart to know we’ve been slighted and we want ours. And I don’t mean by ours 40 acres and a mules because we’re past that.” (MTV, 1994) He is referring to economic inequality in the U.S. and how oppressed people have continuously been in the same deprivation for years. Many African-American communities have been underscored the best education, health care, and multiple other necessities that could improve their success in life. When they have no access to these, that keeps them from progressing. He also stated, “But, we need help. For us to be on our own two feet, us meaning youth or us meaning black people, whatever you want to take it for, for us to be on our own two feet we do need help” (MTV, 1994).He is stating that African-Americans need help to be stable in the economy and society. Everyone needs help to be independent, but no one understands that when it comes to the African-American community. Black people have been dependent on the white man for centuries and that has been a major obstacle for many African-American
In Los Angeles during 2000, the unemployment rate for African-Americans was double the rate of Whites and Asians. According According to Cawthorne (2016), The employment rate of African-American men showed no increase even during the economic booms in the 1980s and 1990s. In a 1994 interview for MTV Tupac stated the following: “Everybody's smart to know we’ve been slighted and we want ours. And I don’t mean by ours 40 acres and a mules because we’re past that.” (MTV, 1994) He is referring to economic inequality in the U.S. and how oppressed people have continuously been in the same deprivation for years. Many African-American communities have been underscored the best education, health care, and multiple other necessities that could improve their success in life. When they have no access to these, that keeps them from progressing. He also stated, “But, we need help. For us to be on our own two feet, us meaning youth or us meaning black people, whatever you want to take it for, for us to be on our own two feet we do need help” (MTV, 1994).He is stating that African-Americans need help to be stable in the economy and society. Everyone needs help to be independent, but no one understands that when it comes to the African-American community. Black people have been dependent on the white man for centuries and that has been a major obstacle for many African-American