Ethnography of African American Youths and the impact Hip hop and rap music makes on them.

This ethnography contains an inquiry into the culture of African American youths and how the so called “hip hop culture” influences them. Through the lens of African American youths this study explores the impact of hip hop on the youths’ sense of fashion, language and their own identity. This study also draws from Dimitriadis (2001) and Kitwana (2002) and many others. The time spent with Black youths who listen to these two genres of music is well documented. The different opinion of these youths is significant and allows for a better understanding of the youths’ interest and reverence of rap and hip-hop culture. This study was chosen because of the wide spread literature of hip hop music that deal with fashion, music and identity and also because hip hop music has been a source of inspiration for this youths and it was time to understand why. Looking back at the 1970s and 1980s music language was hip. Many teens were known to sing along raps such as “These are breaks” it was vulgar language but one full of hip rhymes. Literature records that the youths’ fashion in the 1980s were influenced by these music and fashion has never been that hippest. This document contains the methodology that was used to conduct the study, which are observations interviews and surveys. It also contains a discussion of the results of the study.

Taking a look at the past the culture of African American has been enriched by the oral traditions of their fore fathers who were there during the time of slavery. Over the centuries, slave narratives were the sound of experience of many African American experience. Over the centuries their culture depended on family, community and church since they were the determinants of the beliefs of these people. Black youths have grown up being disciplined with the language and culture of their fore fathers (Kitwana, 2002). However, as time went by things were changing and things such as hip-hop music and rap were influencing the beliefs of these youths. Often hip-hop music is presented through the media using negative images and faith-based communities and political leaders dismiss hip hop with the excuse it does not benefit these youths at all.  

Despite the reasoned opinion of faith-based communities and political leaders these youths are misjudged because of wearing sagging pants, baggy oversized t-shirts and listening to loud music. Initially these youths were seen as vulgar and rough but this ethnography has proved otherwise. The interviews from the study explain that sagging of pants originated from prisons, since these prisoners were not allowed to wear any belts therefore their pants were always hanging (Dimitriadis, 2001). This shows the impact these incarcerated members of the Black community had on the youths and from these many of rappers and hip-hop music started to sag their pants and they are responsible for influencing the generations that came after them.

Hip hop is a fascinating genre of music. It has a special connection to the youth culture in schools and in the outside community. If teachers, educators and churches had more information on hip hop culture and its impacts on youths all positive and negative impacts they would develop a better curriculum that would be responsible for fostering academic achievements within the context of a school environment. In primary grade teachers mostly engage students in music as they are in the process of learning (Dimitriadis, 2001). As they continue from one grade to another, they are taught using visual arts, movement and dances. The students are more likely to attain success using creative techniques such as hip hop and rap music. When the education curriculum meets all the needs of these students it gives the students a chance to achieve and utilizing their full potentials. Since this study is limited to the youths only and mostly those that are still in school. An observation of African American youths in the upper elementary and mostly in the fifth and sixth grade revealed that many of them have issues with their behaviors and academic performance and most of these students were wearing clothes that can be associated with the hip hop music genre, interviews with these students revealed that they were more informed about hip hop and the earliest and latest gurus of rap. Interviews with these students also revealed they were ready to learn but in a different style.

The core purpose of this study was to explore how this popular pop culture, especially the hip hop culture can be used to engage black youths in culturally relevant practices. It is clear that this genre of music had an impact on the identity, fashion and the language of these youths (Dimitriadis, 2001). By using hip hop culture teachers and educators can be able to address the curricular need of these students who seem to requires a different method of being taught. This study aimed at addressing questions such as, how do Black students understand hip hop in an academic context and how doe rap addresses the societal issues of African American students. Lastly, how can hip hop be used in a positive way impact the culture of students and especially African American students.

Changes in American society are responsible for influencing changes in the curriculum. Many times, the youth depend on the media and because of rap and hip hop the image, voices, attitudes and language of black youths has changed. The silenced voices of black youths have now started being voiced using hip hop (Weaver, 2005). Despite the study focusing on black youths, Hip hop encompassed the culture of African American, Latinos, Native Americans, and white within the east and west of the coast. Youths of all culture have started to embrace rap music. Kitwana (2002). projects that more youths of today are turning to rap music, rap music video and the faces, attitude of youths are been found to have some elements of black youths.

 From the observation done more urban schools are increasingly becoming more diverse as large number of students who are culturally diverse become admitted to these schools. The background of these students differs a lot from the background of their teachers, it is important to develop a curriculum that will cater for all those students (Cochran-Smith, 2004). A culturally relevant pedagogy that empowers students intellectually, socially, emotionally and politically by using cultural referents to impart knowledge. The Black minorities are many in these schools and their culture and mostly the pop culture should be incorporated into the methods that are used to teach them.

Gay (2002) notes the traditional system of education is only responsible for the achievements of white students which it does by building a positive aspect of the European culture and contributed to the underachievement for many students of students of color by ignoring the strengths of their culture. It is high time that the culture of these Black youths becomes incorporated into the education system. Along the way of conducting this study few challenges occurred. This study was conducted on these youths mostly in schools. And building a rapport with these youths who were the focus of the study was the main challenge. Before conducting interviews, these students had to sing a consent form to show that they were aware that they were part of a research being carried out and in order to ensure that all ethical procedures of carrying out an ethnographic study was followed. a small percentage of these youths refused to sing their consent form a sign that they were unwilling to participate in the study.

General interviews included structured and semi-structured, informal and retrospective interviews. In open ended questionnaire the students were asked to identify the legends of hip hop that they know and popular hip hop songs that they are familiar with. Audio taped interviews that contained questions such as; Who is the best rapper and what is their most popular albums, and hip hop is known for its realism and what is the greatest problem that is facing the generation of youths that identify themselves with hip hop. Observation and interviewing went for about three weeks. This study found out that hip hop can be used to address the educational, societal and cultural needs of our young people. Responses such as students want hip hop to be incorporated into their classroom work, students are influenced by social media ands students embrace fashion and style of hip hop were gotten from the students. The Journey of hip hop from the margins of the cultural mainstream marks a pivotal moment in the history of America (Watkins, 2005). Hip hop is a global appeal and its here to stay and further studies should be done on it and how it can further be incorporate in all levels of education.

Conclusion

 The above is a result of an ethnographic study conducted on African American youths in order to understand the impact hip hop and rap music has on them and how it can be incorporated into the curriculum in order to contribute to their academic achievement. The study was conducted through lots of observations and interviews. It was noted that many youths engage and identify themselves with hip hop due to the negative image that pop culture is associated with however that should not be the case. In regards to the above scenario, hip hop culture is here to stay and the youths are not likely to stop identifying themselves with it especially the black youths, therefore, to cater for the diversity of these youths in their learning environment pop culture should be introduced one way or another into the education curriculum.

 

 

 

 

References

Cochran-Smith, M. (2004). Walking the road: Race, diversity, & social justice in teacher education. New York: Teachers College Press.

Dimitriadis, G. (2001). Performing identity/ performing culture: Hip hop as text, pedagogy, and   lived practice. New York: Peter Lang.

Gay, G. (2000). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, & practice. New York: Teachers College Press.

Watkins, W.H. (2001). The white architects of black education: Ideology and power in America, 1865-1954. New York: Teacher’s College Press.
Kitwana, B. (2002). Hip hop generation: Young blacks and the crisis in African American            culture. New York: Persus Books Group

Weaver, J. (2005). Popular culture primer. New York: Peter Lang.