Hip Hop Revolution

In the book, “Hip Hop Revolution: The Culture and Politics of Rap”, Ogbar encounters the controversial topic of Hip Hop Revolution by discussing cultural politics that are frequently associated to the revolution of rap music. Ogbar also examines negative effects of hip hop which were in particular supposed by the ordinary perspectives of American culture in order to criticize its prevalence. Ogbar’s opinion towards rap music is primarily focused towards African-American production and extensively in the direction of purposed issues of civil rights in relation to prior African-American cultural beliefs which deter realness of hip-hop music. The author’s argument as well purports Hip hop content in terms character, lyrics and artistic videos to develop its authenticity. The book induces a perspective that hip hop encompass diverse elements which seemingly terms comprehensive criticisms against hip hop to be absurd (Bonnette 5). Content in hip hop may induce a variety of purposes in the community since it may include differing forms of delivering intended messages which may be classified in terms of its expression, use and actual meaning. This demonstrates that hip hop definition is arguably dependent on its changeable authenticity. The nature of realism in hip-hop is therefore the baseline of its irregular artistic movement. It is thus reasonable to detail that media manipulation is held to account for the negative images evidenced in minds of the general public. Negative attributes of hip-hop are enhanced by differences in understanding of both cultural and social politics between African - American relations as a result of media. In relation to Ogbar’s opinion, it is important to note that dominance of Black Power positions the real development of hip pop evidenced in the contemporary artistic sector.

Hip hop in the earlier era of the twentieth century surfaced underperformance due to partial representation in comparison to minstrel figures and so, characterizing a defeat in the cultural production due to aspects of racism. However, affluence of Black Power signified modern evolution of hip pop and also, modification of black image in the entertainment industry by proving that hip hop was a means of raising cultural needs (Rabaka 159). Arguably, sufficient version of black image progressively, diminished powers of minstrel figure and so, boosting performance of hip-hop in the music industry. Symbolization of Black Power in the later 1970s enhanced the growth of hip-hop music unlike prior years where minstrel power overruled American entertainment sector. The move was significant since it facilitated a new shape for hip hop and also attracted audiences from all races that is; the power instilled new perspectives of hip hop in the American community thus increasing the number of audiences. For instance, black power a lot resisted minstrel democracy which enacted strong hindrances to the prosperity of hip-hop arts. Representation of blackness in the industry rejected barriers posited by some black writers’ in the past century before the modern era of hip hop. Presence of Harlem Renaissance opinion in support for hip hop curbed the emphasis of opposing black writers such as Du Bois who communicated desires to alleviate African-American criticisms in the minstrel dominated industry. On the contrary, Harlem Renaissance instilled accommodative depictions such as illustration of poorness hence terming hip hop as an artistic form of expression (Ogbar 2). Black Power accrued potential of dismissing Minstrel’s clarifications towards hip pop in 1990s. Minstrel-like figure included variety of negative illustrates for hip hop prior Black Power since they commonly characterized hip pop with gangster rap, greed, violence and hyper sexuality.  Nevertheless, Ogbar describes illustrates hip hop artists such as Mos Def and 50 cent who influenced notions of hip pop authenticity. Demonstration of authenticity by referencing hip hop legends initiates the great role that black representation to facilitate successful revolution. For instance, the content of these rappers by far focused at criticizing harsh conditions in their environments and not to influence chaos in the community (Watkins 3). On the other hand, Ogbar (2007) conceptualizes illogicality of pre-historic criticisms by illustrating that hip hop has continued to encompass positive receptions from all races including the Whites which signifies the need to terminate cultural notions that value authenticity of rap on the basis of racism (36).

Notions of race and gender persistence can be termed as the base line of dismantling absurd perspectives presented by media manipulation. Obstruction of such perspectives was essential as far as redemption of black image in reference to attitudes and black behaviors was concerned. Ogbar in turn critiques that race was used to elevate popularity of hip hop in the industry by communicating the realness of hip hop. Ogbar argues that “rappers affirm their ethicality as non African American in order to declare their legitimacy in rap music” (Ogbar 2007, 38). Therefore, the use of the marks associated with black image played an important role of initiating the relationship between hip hop and music commercialization particularly in areas that rebelled genuineness of hip hop. To be precise, the use of distinctive marks was one form of cultural production used to deliver genuineness of hip hop to media. Nevertheless, the form of production was aimed to communicate authenticity in order to diminish negative myths presented through media manipulation and in turn transform the black image. Continuance spread of the black marks especially through media and white MCs enhanced an essential change in hip hop since prevalence of such marks symbolized aspects of positivity in blacks (Ogbar 2007, 41). Cultural production influenced a change in the audience psyche which was unconnected to formerly accepted notions of blacks. Cultural production with racial distinction is majorly purposed to settle black labels in areas with negative attitudes towards hip hop as a result of media manipulation. Additionally, gender is as well a matter of consideration in cultural production. Suggestible, the main agenda of gender pervasiveness is to lessen effects of conceptualized myths that blacks encompass gender inequality. This insinuates that cultural production entertains involvement of all genders in the hip hop industry so as to attract all forms of audiences. It can be argued that commonness of all types of genders particularly the females in the industry eliminates notions of social inequality and so, delivering ethicality in hip hop. Ogbar is for the opinion that cultural production has availed diverse opportunities for women including in rap marketability and also provides equal opportunities for women rappers who have gradually thrived in hip hop (Collins 2004, 3). Capability to signify equality in cultural production dismantles media’s myths of gender inequality which were formerly grounded on illogical assumptions thus reforming the black culture.

Harmful manipulation in media enhances development of severe impacts which hinder accommodative relations between Blacks and non-black in the American community. For instance, negative manipulation creates negative perceptions in White Americans and as a result instilling negativity of Blacks in their psyche. For instance, Ogbar demonstrates that harmful manipulation of the media classifies rap music as a threat to morality which in due course supplement to cultural wars between Black and non-black Americans. Incoherent manipulation speaks out allegedly made criticisms of hip hop unsuitability posing unkind deviance to the moral principles of the real culture in America (Higgins 2013, 40). The media characterizes the Blacks especially youths of color terming them to be inactive in accordance to acceptable norms. Incoherency of supportive connections of black culture to facilitating moral downfall leads to cultural intimidation against the black image by white Americans. Nevertheless, the media is responsible of linking all-inclusive social politics of unethical behaviors to the rap music. The media is evidenced to have been manipulating the American community to act against rap music on reference to violent behaviors characterized in the hip-hop industry as a result of lyrical transformation. For this reason, Americans and in particular white Americans were forced to direct their outrages of violent behaviors towards the black image.

The analysis insinuates that Ogbar’s views on hip hop revolution reasonably reflects sets of audiences who find themselves struggling to associate with hip hop content as a result of crucial manipulations impeded to the art by the media. The book elements the extent to which media impacted prosperity of hip hop in the prehistoric- twentieth century by manipulating aspects of rap inappropriateness on the basis of cultural and social politics towards rap. For instance, the book evidences reasonable debates which in actuality demonstrate manipulative ideologies linked to cultural and social politics such as race, gender inequality, realness of Rap and music authenticity.

Work Cited

Bonnette, Lakeyta M. Pulse of the People: Political Rap Music and Black Politics. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2015. Internet resource.

Higgins, Ethan Maxwell, "Rejecting the rejecters: The latent effect of policy on subculture"         (2013). Online Theses and Dissertations. 179. http://encompass.eku.edu/etd/179

Ogbar, Jeffrey O. G. Hip Hop Revolution: The Culture and politics of Rap. University Press of    Kansas, 2007

Ogbar, Jeffrey O. G. The Harlem Renaissance Revisited: Politics, Arts, and Letters. Baltimore     [Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010. Print.

Rabaka, Reiland. The Hip Hop Movement: From R & B and the Civil Rights Movement to Rap     and the Hip Hop Generation. , 2013. Print.

Watkins, S C. Hip Hop Matters: Politics, Pop Culture, and the Struggle for the Soul of a Movement. Boston: Beacon Press, 2005. Internet resource.