Straight Outta Compton

Many regard hip hop as offensive noise but many of the music’s elements have roots deep in American history and helped shape the country as we know it today. It’s earliest roots date back to the rhythmic music of tribal Africa. Much of the music consisted of drum beats and rhythmic chanting accompanied by melodic vocals and other minor instruments, such as, shakers, string instruments, and flutes. Today’s rap music is also centralized around heavy beats and the same rhythmic chanting, which we…

Music Causes Violence Have you ever heard of a rapper named Chief Keef? Chief Keef had been banned from performing in Chicago because his music is said to be too violent and causes others to act out in violence because of his lyrics. His music was much too violent for him to perform in his own home state of Illinois. His music has been said to be affiliated with gang crimes. Chicago's police department's will not allow him to perform as an attempt to “curb violence” (KollegeKidd Staff).…

1. Introduction Kanye Omari West. Who is he? His first name answers this question by itself. As his mother, Donda West mentioned in her book she wanted her child to have a name that represented his culture and stood for something. Kanye is an Ethiopian name that means “Only One” and I think it totally describes what Kanye West represents (West, 2007, p.46). Six out of seven solo albums debuting at No.1 and total of 34 million albums sold. Winner of 21 Grammy Awards and other 68 nominations as a…

During this year ceremony of Oscars Chris Rocky, who was leading the gala, said, “It`s the 88th Academy Award which means this whole black no nominees thing has happened at least 71 other times.” Like the American cult the American cinema changed its portrayal treatment of persons of color. However, racism has not been fully eradicated. One of the areas where it is clearly seen is the Oscars. Chris Rock`s words raised a controversy in the media as it is not a new but still unresolved problem…

How are African Americans Portrayed in Media? Today, in America, there is still a sense of distinct separation between the blacks and whites. Although America is one of the most diverse nations in the world, there seems to be a biased casting in the media. Media is one of the most important factors in american society, and ***Although there are both negative and positive connotations associated with african americans in media during events like the civil rights movement, murder cases, the…

that is diversity. Although television shows and some films have been doing a fair job of casting diverse characters, non-white actors are still lacking winning numbers. The problem is not just diversity, but also gender equality. Movies like Straight Outta Compton and Hidden Figures have shown great success in the box office and yet they are the last to get recognized. How can this problem be resolved? Start at the root…

Media is one of the biggest influences we have in society today and their constant mistreatment of women is one of the biggest issues of today. Media defined by Webster’s dictionary as “the main means of mass communication (especially television, music, radio, newspapers, and the Internet) regarded collectively”. The media is the largest method that for people to receive information about the outside world and the constant barding and discrimination only becomes obvious once people step outside…

Music is such a powerful force of nature, so powerful that is can give birth to a culture. I would like to focus on Rap culture, its essence, power, and influence. I have been blessed to be born when Rap was in its infancy, as I grew I got to watch Rap grow as well. From hanging out on the streets being doubted to getting recognized at the Grammy’s to having its own award show, but along the way record companies managed to steer Rap of its intended course and purpose from the voice of the…

Spoken word, rhyming lyrics, spitting bars, or rapping. It is the technique of an individual expressing content with a particular rhythm or beat. “Rap” has been extremely important for a people of all genders and ethnicities for many past generations and it is especially influential in the current modern culture. The history of this word goes back to the 16th century, said to be originated in Africa, and over time it has evolved with generations to become the great phenomenon to currently be…

As Kelly Brown Douglas notes in her book Stand Your Ground, one of reasons for perpetuating slavery after the other Western European countries abolished it was due to America’s belief in Manifest Destiny. White Anglo-Saxons assumed they were called by God to rule the “New World”, but also to rule the Africans they had enslaved. In essence, God chose white people over all other races to be the ruling elites who dominate the world. They are the chosen people, in similar ways to Israel, who were…