TARAN MEST 4 BLOG: January 2017

Monday, 30 January 2017

Notes

7 ways to be creative:

Volunteer
Be creative
Beechcombing
No one comes from no where
Put eveything into eveything
Don't wait to be invited to the dance
The day after you finish what you do

Game designer:

Make contacts
Be creative
Don't think your idea is bad
Always do your best

Leon Mann:

Work where you feel comfortable
Be the best at what you do
Challenge people
Make contacts
Believe in your capabilities
New information
How we can make things better
Fighting for your career
Doing what you love

Shakuntala:

Racism
Donald Trump
Society changing
Marxism
Right wing
Schools and education
Media being changed
Advances in technology
Social fragmentation
Political socialisation

Tony garnett:

Technology has changed the way we produce things
Only need our own equipment to start
Able to do our own things rather than follow what an institution says
A lot of political mrs

MEST4 Preliminary exercise: evaluation

1) Why did you choose this particular recreation and how does it link to your main production?

We choose to recreate a music video by 410 which is a grime music video.
2) What difficulties did you face in producing this recreation?

One of the problems we faced was finding the right settings to use on the camera for shooting at night.
3) What are the strengths of the production?

The strength was that it followed the same choreography that they did in the video.
4) What aspects would you look to improve?

We would look to improve some of the props and the quality of the recording.
5) What lessons will you take from this process that will help you with your main production?

Being able to work at all times and producing at a high quality because of the camera settings.
6) Now that you are ready to start your actual linked production, explain clearly what you will be creating and how confident you are in delivering this.

We'll be creating a music video and feel more confident as we found the location and clothing which will help make the video look like a grime video.

Tuesday, 24 January 2017

recreation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTQro9GImUE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPupzAuU0P4

Friday, 20 January 2017

Lyrics

Come to your strip
Everybody run
Rounds with the mob
Niggas get spun
Kick down doors
Heard you're the plug
Take mans food
Thanks very much
Fuck shanks man I like big guns
Mash in my jeans ten toes on my ones
Owe me ps? Must be nuts.
Crying to yout face nigga wears my funds

Twelve inch on my waist that's stainless
Twelve inch on my waist
Go through Chest Plates
Little nigga this knife is dangerous
410K what where?
Say that to my face leave man on the pavement
Juice man then I bill up the pin head
Amm to the face and my amm needs patience

I just wan crash
Sykes tell em move hella amm
If you see me better run like Flash
Run a man down with a pole
Send nuff corn in a opp boys back (nuff)
Click-

Story Board Preliminary

Story Board: 410 (Sparkz, Y.Rendo & A.M) - Think Again [Prod. Bkay] (Music Video)

Shot list Preliminary

Shot Type	Duration (Seconds)
1 (FC)	Medium Shot of Character presenting hand gestures	3
2 (BS)	Low Angle Medium Shot of three characters. Steady Cam out to reveal a fourth person	3
3 (FC)	Cut back to Medium Shot first character presenting more hand gestures	4
4 (DG)	Medium Shot of Character surrounded by a group	4
5 (LH)	Medium Shot of Character waving hand.	1
6 (FC)	Medium Shot of first Character presenting hand gestures.	1
7 (BS)	Steady Cam shot of group turning right to reveal a character with a knife.	3
8 (FC)	Steady Cam Shot of first character hand gestures	2
9 (TB)	Medium Shot of two characters in an urban area	1
10 (FC)	Medium Shot of first Character with hand gestures.	2
11 (BS)	Medium Shot of the characters who appear to mimic holding a rifle	3
12 (DG)	Medium Shot of first Character pointing towards camera with a group surrounding him.	3

Tuesday, 17 January 2017

Preliminary exercise: Recreation task

Name of the text you plan to recreate:

410 (Sparkz, Y.Rendo & A.M) - Think Again [Prod. Bkay] (Music Vid)

Scene/section you will recreate:

0:32 seconds to 1:04

Location you will use for your recreation:

Dormers Estate

Actors you will require for your recreation:

Myself

Props/costumes you will require for your recreation:

Bandanas
Hoddies
Jeans/Joggers
Hats
Gloves
Ciroc bottle

Equipment you plan to use:

Camera
Computer

Any other relevant information:

*It will be shot at night/day depending on the noise the camera produces and lighting of location

Tuesday, 10 January 2017

MEST4: Linked Production planning

Your Critical Investigation topic:

To what extent does the rap music genre reinforce negative stereotypes of black African-Americans, with particular reference to ‘Straight Outta Compton’?

Your Linked Production brief:

Harlem Spartans - Call me a Spartan

Going to recreate a music video which is going to incorporate a grime song. It is going to highlight how the youth are represented in music videos to do with grime and rap and how this has a negative stereotype of black males in America.
Length/size of production (e.g. 3 minutes, 5 pages etc.):

3 minutes from the track will be used for the music video.

Give an example of an existing media text this is similar to what you plan to produce:

410 Sparks Again

Give an example of an institution that would produce or distribute your planned production:

SBTV
Linkup TV
GRM Daily
Mixtape Madness

How would your production reach its audience?

The production will reach its audience is by uploading it to YouTube. This would mainly be because a majority of the audience that likes this genre of music would most likely be browsing on YouTube. This would also be done through Instagram and Snapchat. These two are platforms that the target audience would definitely use meaning that the content will be available to them.

Who do you plan to work with on this project?

Aarun and Rehan

Friday, 6 January 2017

Critical investigation improved

“Rap is our invisible TV network. It's the CNN that black people never had”[1]

To what extent does the rap music genre reinforce negative stereotypes of black African-Americans, with particular reference to ‘Straight Outta Compton’?

This essay will discuss the different ways that the rap genre is represented and how it portrays black African males through the film 'Straight Outta Compton'. The film was released in 2015 and is based on historical events that took place during the late 1980s and 90s in South Central La with rap group N.W.A. The group is known for the harsh lyrics that were used talking about their reality because of the society they grew up in. There has always been racism which has existed in American and this is seen throughout the film. However, the artists were criticised for the songs they've produced, “negative rap songs and their accompanying videos often instil erotic sadism in the black male child[2]". This highlights the negative effects rap music has on black children because they see themselves as these stars and desire to be like them and a way we can see this desire for fame is in 50 Cents album which is called ‘get rich or die tryin’. This shows the importance that the rap genre has had on the audience as it has affected what they think they need to do in order to succeed in society through illegitimate means which rap promotes at times. Although we have these stereotypes about rap music, Hip-hop is a form of expression how we make and portray ourselves to the world; this shows that rap music can also be influential rather than portraying negative stereotypes of black males but is used to push away from these stereotypes. We can explore the lifestyle and meaning of what people are trying to talk about which 'Straight Outta Compton' does.

There's no doubt that black males have always had a poor representation in the media but do they reinforce this through the way they portray themselves in hip-hop videos. 50 Cent who is a well-established artist in one of his songs uses the lyrics “if I get locked up to a quarter century could I be count on you to support me mentally[3]”;the song is 21 questions and is seen to be a love hip-hop song yet the artist still portrays himself as a criminal being sentenced to prison in the video due to possession of drugs. “It’s undeniable that black men are in deplorable shape. The most tragic symbol of this condition, I suppose, is the black prisoner”. [4]From this the representation of black males are normal for society to see but when hip-hop is seen for a way to express the poor representation and being oppressed by society why is it that black males reinforce this negative stereotype. However, what if there is no correlation between the video reinforcing negative stereotypes of black males and it's just that racism lies at the foundation of the American legal system so regardless of what hip-hop videos are created it is all government based and black African Americans have no control on reinforcing or opposing the stereotypes given to them. This links with the theory of Stuart Hall who says we have dominant readings in the media and with negative stereotypes of black males being a dominant reading it is injected into people's ideology that they should be feared.

NWA, “What's NWA stand for, anyway? No Whites Allowed”, [5]the remark made by Jerry Heller when finding out about the name of the group NWA. The film is about the lives of rappers who are a part of the group N.W.A, it is about how they started off in the ghetto and worked their way up to becoming one of the best rap groups of all time. The representations of black males in the films are negative and are seen to be violent. The way they dress are seen to be as thugs which is seen to be a reason why they should be stopped randomly and searched in the street. We then find out later that the group was set out to fight against racism and have an impact on the ideology of Americans with the use of their lyrics. The police have come under a lot of criticism but have now started to feel how the citizens of America feel about them, “Fuck the police”; [6]harsh words which are used in the song by Ice Cube when released but also in the film. The song had come under a lot of criticism which lead to the group getting into a lot of trouble but isn't the cause of removing racism from society worth fighting for. Well, NWA thought that it was and hip-hop was a way for them to do this, “For sure, hip hop both saved and changed my life, on so many levels: I have been deeply immersed in hip hop since I was a preteen”[7]. The group started off in their teens and worked their way up, Hip-Hop for them was a way out of the hood and escaping the harsh reality of living up in America with racism. Throughout the film we see racism, an iconic scene was at the start where Ice Cube steps outside his house and is being searched by the officers for no reason who are all white which highlights the level of dominance white males had in America but also one of the officers saying to Ice Cube “I'm the only gangster”[8]. This from an officer harassing a black male without reason is enough for the audience to convey the power the law has. The group of young African American males were also searched outside of the studio because they fit the representation of someone who is a thug; “too many black men are jailed for no other reason, than that they fit the profile of a thug”. [9]We also see a black officer who is seen to conform to negative stereotypes and also harass the group of boys which later is referred to as a sell-out “black police showing out for the white cop”. [10]With NWA's rebellious attitude towards the law there are always criticism of how “negative rap songs and their accompanying videos often instil erotic sadism in the black male child” [11]which then leads to a lack of knowledge to the younger generations to buck the trend and move away from the negative stereotypes, “miseducation and racism has given rise to black poverty, crime, and other destructive behaviour”. [12]Even through the film we saw predominantly black males getting arrested which in society we are more likely to hear about crimes black males do on the news and “It is interesting that, as a group, whites have managed to escape being associated with crime” [13]. We hear Ice Cube say “officer can I ask why you jacking us right now.” [14] Moreover, the initial reason these songs are used in the film is to get out the message of racism yet the harsh lyrics are only reinforcing the negative stereotype by making young black African Americans sound aggressive; "hip-hop, the voice of the streets”[15], is a form of expression and an “art form is tossed aside as a ghetto game for black youth and that limited opinion is ignorant”[16]. This would link to theorists such as Blumler and Katz because the audience would identify themselves in some of the roles that are played in the film due to racism they might have experienced and other issues. There may also be some element of personal relationships where the audience can establish a relationship with the character because they might have grown up around the music and always idolised a specific rapper which is played in the film.

Over the years since the case of Rodney King there has been little to none change in terms of racism in society: although, black African Americans have a better lifestyle there is still large amounts of racism in society today. Public Enemy being one of the first groups to make a change “fight the power” [17]was an indication that things in society need to be changed and they used hip-hop to do this, “Our freedom of speech is freedom or death.” [18] During this period of time and even now people who are black need to put on a “white mask” [19]in order to be seen as an equal in society. We also have NWA and their music videos which show a large amount of police brutality in their music videos. This is seen in the music video straight outta Compton which shows the violence of the police as they’re getting arrested after running away but could also indicate that they’ve done something criminal which could be a reason these stereotypes are reinforced. Ice Cube “from a gang called n****s with attitude” [20] refers to the group as a gang and not artists. The artist has associated himself with people who are involved with illegal activity which is what a gang does. People could say that they’re a product of their nature and only do this because they have no other choice "I don't wanna do time but I'm forced to do crime."[21] 2pac was also a very influential role model, “I see no changes, all I see is racist faces.”[22] People in America had it worse when they were in poverty, “I’m tired of being poor and even worse I’m black”[23]. We can see that 2pac was rapping about the harsh reality that he lived in and saw people around him lived in. The ghetto was a place where people had to resort to crime to crime to survive but black people in poverty were seen to be worse than those who are black just because they were in poverty. In ghetto gospel he talks about those who are black role models fighting for a fallen cause “all come in like Malcolm X or Bobby Hutton died for nothing.” [24]In society people always view the youth to be violent “everyone’s ashamed of the youth cause the truth look strange.”[25]

We have recently had the 'Black Lives Matter' campaign which is still taking place on social media today, we see black males getting killed because of police brutality and it’s done for no reason whatsoever. Even today in society we have to still put up with racism which is why people are now outraged online which has started the campaign. It is set to get awareness about what is going on around us. The citizens of America coming from African American backgrounds have now found their voice and are now starting to fight back not through rap but through this campaign, it has changed people's ideology and helped with the awareness of the cause. Not only is this happening in America but it's also taken off in England which shows that this isn't only an issue in America but is global.

'Boyz n the Hood' is a film which was released in (1991), it was set out to show how the lifestyle of black males in America had to live in the ghetto and the way they were seen to be inferior in society. The film shows the racism that is faced in America, "black people have a complicated relationship with America. For us it's painful love." [26]The group of boys who are living in the hood are either in a gang or trying to get out of the poverty they’re in but it’s hard when you’re black and living in America, people aren’t trying to change who they are in order to do this "I'm not trying to give up my blackness”. [27]Furious Styles who was the father of Trey styles were trying to find a way for him to educate himself and not fall into the trap of joining a gang and throwing his life away. A black officer appears twice in the film but during the second time he harasses Trey because he’s black and sees the youth as being troublesome “the emancipation of a real n****r.” [28]'Boyz n the Hood' showed how the way people in America felt when they were black and in poverty, they didn't sugarcoat the issues that have always been around. The fact that the characters felt like they had nothing to achieve and resulted to crime highlights the struggle. This relates to Katz and Blumler theory of personal identity where the audience are able to identify themselves with the characters in the film. The dominant ideology was that black males are criminals so the film conveys the two types of mindsets for the audience to see; one being black males aren't all criminals and the other that black on black crime is only a way for the government to reinforce the moral panic of black males being criminals. Due to this being the case it has had an impact on hip-hop because the groups of people associated with the hip-hop are seen to be thugs or 'gangbangers' which gives hip-hop a negative look so people associate it with violence. This can be seen in the film as some of the characters fit the typical image of someone who is a hip-hop artist so being associated with this label it makes everyone else who dresses like this to be seen as a thug.

There may be multiple reasons why negative stereotypes are being reinforced but rap music is a form of expression which people can use to mediate their voices which can be for a good reason or a bad reason “this is why I say hip-hop has done more damage to young African Americans than racism.” [29] There are reasons why hip-hop has been seen to reinforce these negative stereotypes but we’ve had artists trying to fight against this but what if it’s just more than people rapping because it is seen to target a lower class audience which are more likely to be seen as black so not everyone will see all the negative images or the ones which show the harsh reality that people are in. Maybe hip-hop is an art which shapes more than peoples ideology but lifestyle but it does play a part in people’s lives.

Bibliography

Books cited

D, C., & Jah, Y. (1997). Fight the power: Rap, race, and reality. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Dyson, M. E. (1996). Between God and gangsta rap: Bearing witness to black culture. New York: Oxford University Press.

Dyson, M. E. (2007). Debating race: With Michael Eric Dyson. New York: Basic Civitas Books.

Lee, H. (1960). To Kill A Mockingbird. United States. J. B. Lippincott & Co

Porter, M. (2006). Rap and the eroticizing of black youth. Chicago, IL: African American Images

Rose, T. (1994). Black noise: Rap music and black culture in contemporary America. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England.

Rose, T. (2008). The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We Talk About Hip Hop--and Why It Matters. Basic Civitas Books.

Wheatley, S. (2010). Don't call me urban: The time of grime. Newcastle upon Tyne: Northumbria University Press.

T. (2011). Who's afraid of post-blackness?: What it means to be Black now. New York: Free Press.

Womack, Y. (2010). Post Black: How a new generation is redefining African American identity. Chicago, IL: Lawrence Hill Books.

Links cited

(n.d.). Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-racism-uk-post-referendum-racism-hate-crime-eu-referendum-racism-unleashed-poland-racist-a7160786.html

(n.d.). Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/08/dallas-shooting-a-democracy-as-racist-as-america-will-never-be-a/

Baton Rouge footage shows police killing of Alton Sterling – video. (2016). Retrieved December 05, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2016/jul/06/alton-sterling-baton-rouge-police-video

Charity, J., Diaz, A., & Drake, D. (2014). A History of Rap Songs Protesting Police Brutality. Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://uk.complex.com/music/2014/08/rap-songs-police-brutality/

Does Hip-Hop Drive Negative Stereotypes Of Black Men? | The MSU Spokesman. (2013). Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://www.themsuspokesman.com/2013/12/21/does-hip-hop-drive-negative-stereotypes-of-black-men/

Donaldson, L. (2015). When the media misrepresents black men, the effects are felt in the real world | Leigh Donaldson. Retrieved December 05, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/12/media-misrepresents-black-men-effects-felt-real-world

Growing up with racism in Britain. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://socialistreview.org.uk/351/growing-racism-britain

Hip-Hop Reinforcing Stereotypes Against Black People. (n.d.). Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://rapreinforcesstereotypes.weebly.com/

Marcin, T. (2016). Racism In America: White People Think It's Worse For White People, Research Finds. Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://www.ibtimes.com/racism-america-white-people-think-its-worse-white-people-research-finds-2393588

Myrie, C. (2016). Is white America blind on racism, or just playing dumb? | Clive Myrie. Retrieved December 05, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/18/white-america-blind-racism-majority-ignore-black-minority-bubble-privilege

Reggie Yates: How I confronted police brutality on the streets of Chiraq. (2016). Retrieved December 05, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/oct/10/reggie-yates-how-i-confronted-police-brutality-on-the-streets-of-chiraq

Siddique, H. (2016). Black Lives Matter protests block roads around UK. Retrieved December 05, 2016, from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/05/black-lives-matter-protest-sparks-heathrow-traffic-chaos

The Stereotypical Rapper - Southwestern University. (n.d.). Retrieved December 5, 2016, from http://www.bing.com/cr?IG=0B0B89CDDE814ED4B36D6871E82F0041&CID=09F2F90F46236CBE08E4F0ED47126D75&rd=1&h=TIanoS0C6cZCM_F63kFNwyas6GXHTbvyUBpzOPlN9Os&v=1&r=http://people.southwestern.edu/~bednarb/su_netWorks/projects/flatley/Stereotypes.html&p=DevEx,5083.1

@. (2014). Young Black Men Counter Negative Media Representation With Creative 'Suit & Tie' Video - Atlanta Black Star. Retrieved December 05, 2016, from http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/04/15/young-black-men-slam-medias-representation-suit-tie-music-video/

CNN Is Very Worried About Violence At 'Straight Outta Compton' (n.d.). Retrieved March 09, 2016

CNN Surprised ‘Straight Outta Compton’ Didn’t Cause Violence, Earned Record Money Instead. (2015). Retrieved March 09, 2016

Bradshaw, P. (2015). Straight Outta Compton review – how hip-hop pioneers NWA took on the world. Retrieved March 09, 2016

The One Scene in 'Straight Outta Compton' That Resonates Most in 2015. (2015). Retrieved March 09, 2016

Does Hip-hop Drive Negative Stereotypes of Black Men? | The MSU Spokesman. (2013). Retrieved March 11, 2016

The Impact of Rap and Hip-Hop Music on American Youth. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016

Brookins, T. (2013). The Socialist's Journal: The Effects of Rap Music | EURweb. Retrieved March 11, 2016

JOURNAL/ARTICLES

King, D. (2006, May/June). Black filmmaker. Soundtrax: Experimenting Hip-hop.

Spence, J. (2004, September/October). Black Filmmaker. Partners in Porn.

Spence, J. (2004, July/August). Black filmmaker. Rappers vs Actor.

MOVING IMAGES/TRACK LIST

2pac changes

NWA F the police

NWA Straight Outta Compton

Public Enemy fight the power

2pac ghetto gospel

WORK CONSULTED

BOOKS

Dyson, M. E. (2007). Debating race: With Michael Eric Dyson. New York: Basic Civitas Books.

Lee, H. (1960). To Kill A Mockingbird. United States. J. B. Lippincott & Co

Collins, H., & Rose, O. (2016). This is grime. London: Hodder & Stoughton.

Monteyne, K. (2013). Hip hop on film: Performance culture, urban space, and genre transformation in the 1980s. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.

INTERNET LINKS

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-03/rapper-ice-cube-on-his-film,-racism,-and-gangsta-rap-lyrics/6748328

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/legendary-rapper-ice-cube-shares-message-of-hope-for-future/news-story/9ed07816fd59c77990989e1a8c626dce

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/over-3000-police-officers-being-investigated-for-alleged-assault-and-almost-all-of-them-are-still-on-10220091.html#gallery

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-racism-uk-post-referendum-racism-hate-crime-eu-referendum-racism-unleashed-poland-racist-a7160786.html

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/12/media-misrepresents-black-men-effects-felt-real-world

http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/04/15/young-black-men-slam-medias-representation-suit-tie-music-video/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/08/dallas-shooting-a-democracy-as-racist-as-america-will-never-be-a/

ARTICLES

King, D. (2006, May/June). Black filmmaker. Soundtrax: Experimenting Hip-hop.

Spence, J. (2004, September/October). Black Filmmaker. Partners in Porn.

Spence, J. (2004, July/August). Black filmmaker. Rappers vs Actor.

Words without quotes: 2022

Words with quotes: 2387

[1] Chuck D – Public Enemy

[2] Porter, M (2006) p6

[3] 50 cent – 21 questions (2003)

[4] Dyson, M. E. (1996) p4

[5] Jerry Heller – Straight Outta Compton (2015)

[6] Ice Cube – F**k the police (1988)

[7] Powell, K (2008) p39

[8] Officer in Straight Outta Compton

[9] Dyson, M. E. (1996) p5

[10] Ice Cube – F**k the police (1988)

[11] Porter, M. (2006) p6

[12] Ibid p xi

[13] Rome, D (2004) p32

[14] Straight Outta Compton (2015)

[15] Womack, Y. (2010) p5

[16] Chuck, D., Jah, Y. (1998). P n/a

[17] public Enemy – Fight the power (1989)

[18] lbid

[19] Franz Franon (1967)

[20] NWA Straight outta Compton (1988)

[21] Wheatley, S. (2010) p113

[22] 2pac changes

[23] libd

[24] 2pac ghetto gospel

[25] libd

[26] T. (2011) p209

[27] Libd p210

[28] Kendrick Lamar (2015) the Blacker the berry

[29] Geslani, M (2015)

Monday, 2 January 2017

critical investigation

To what extent does the rap music genre reinforce negative stereotypes of black African-Americans, with particular reference to ‘Straight Outta Compton’?

“Rap is our invisible TV network. It's the CNN that black people never had”[1]

Throughout this essay we'll see the different ways that the rap genre is represented and how it portrays black African males through the film 'Straight Outta Compton'. The film was released in 2015 and is based on historical events that took place during the late 1980s and 90s in South Central La with rap group N.W.A. The group is known for the harsh lyrics that were used talking about their reality because of the society they grew up in. There has always been racism which has existed in American and this is seen throughout the film. However, the artists were criticised for the songs they've produced, “negative rap songs and their accompanying videos often instil erotic sadism in the black male child"[2]. This highlights the negative effects rap music has on black children because they see themselves as these stars and desire to be like them and a way we can see this desire for fame is in 50 Cents album which is called ‘get rich or die tryin’. This shows the importance that the rap genre has had on the audience as it has affected what they think they need to do in order to succeed in society through illegitimate means which rap promotes at times. Although we have these stereotypes about rap music, Hip-hop is a form of expression how we make and portray ourselves to the world; this shows that rap music can also be influential rather than portraying negative stereotypes of black males but is used to push away from these stereotypes. We can explore the lifestyle and meaning of what people are trying to talk about which Straight Outta Compton does.

There's no doubt that black males have always had a poor representation in the media but do they reinforce this through the way they portray themselves in hip-hop videos. 50 Cent who is a well-established artist in one of his songs uses the lyrics “if I get locked up to a quarter century could I be count on you to support me mentally”; [3]the song is 21 questions and is seen to be a love hip-hop song yet the artist still portrays himself as a criminal being sentenced to prison in the video due to possession of drugs. “It’s undeniable that black men are in deplorable shape. The most tragic symbol of this condition, I suppose, is the black prisoner”[4]. From this the representation of black males are normal for society to see but when hip-hop is seen for a way to express the poor representation and being oppressed by society why is it that black males reinforce this negative stereotype. However, what if there is no correlation between the video reinforcing negative stereotypes of black males and it's just that racism lies at the foundation of the American legal system so regardless of what hip-hop videos are created it is all government based and black African Americans have no control on reinforcing or opposing the stereotypes given to them. This links with the theory of Stuart Hall who says we have dominant readings in the media and with negative stereotypes of black males being a dominant reading it is injected into people's ideology that they should be feared.

“What's NWA stand for, anyway? No Whites Allowed”[5], the remark made by Jerry Heller when finding out about the name of the group NWA. The film is about the lives of rappers who are a part of the group N.W.A, it is about how they started off in the ghetto and worked their way up to becoming one of the best rap groups of all time. The representations of black males in the films are negative and are seen to be violent. The way they dress are seen to be as thugs which is seen to be a reason why they should be stopped randomly and searched in the street. We then find out later that the group was set out to fight against racism and have an impact on the ideology of Americans with the use of their lyrics. “Fuck the police”[6]; harsh words which are used in the song by Ice Cube when released but also in the film. The song had come under a lot of criticism which lead to the group getting into a lot of trouble but isn't the cause of removing racism from society worth fighting for. Well, NWA thought that it was and hip-hop was a way for them to do this, “For sure, hip hop both saved and changed my life, on so many levels: I have been deeply immersed in hip hop since I was a preteen”[7]. The group started off in their teens and worked their way up, Hip-Hop for them was a way out of the hood and escaping the harsh reality of living up in America with racism. Throughout the film we see racism, an iconic scene was at the start where Ice Cube steps outside his house and is being searched by the officers for no reason who are all white which highlights the level of dominance white males had in America but also one of the officers saying to Ice Cube “I'm the only gangster”[8]. This from an officer harassing a black male without reason is enough for the audience to convey the power the law has. The group of young African American males were also searched outside of the studio because they fit the representation of someone who is a thug; “too many black men are jailed for no other reason, than that they fit the profile of a thug”[9]. We also see a black officer who is seen to conform to negative stereotypes and also harass the group of boys which later is referred to as a sell-out “black police showing out for the white cop”[10]. With NWAs rebellious attitude towards the law there are always criticism of how “negative rap songs and their accompanying videos often instil erotic sadism in the black male child” [11]which then leads to a lack of knowledge to the younger generations to buck the trend and move away from the negative stereotypes, “miseducation and racism has given rise to black poverty, crime, and other destructive behaviour”[12]. Even through the film we saw predominantly black males getting arrested which in society we are more likely to hear about crimes black males do on the news and “It is interesting that, as a group, whites have managed to escape being associated with crime”[13]. We hear Ice Cube say “officer can I ask why you jacking us right now.” [14] Moreover, the initial reason these songs are used in the film is to get out the message of racism yet the harsh lyrics are only reinforcing the negative stereotype by making young black African Americans sound aggressive; "hip-hop, the voice of the streets"[15], is a form of expression and an “art form is tossed aside as a ghetto game for black youth and that limited opinion is ignorant”[16]. This would link to theorists such as Blumer and Katz because the audience would identify themselves in some of the roles that are played in the film due to racism they might have experienced and other issues. There may also be some element of personal relationships where the audience can establish a relationship with the character because they might have grown up around the music and always idolised a specific rapper which is played in the film.

Over the years since the case of Rodney King there has been little to none change in terms of racism in society: although, black African Americans have a better lifestyle there is still large amounts of racism in society today. Public Enemy being one of the first groups to make a change “fight the power” [17] was an indication that things in society need to be changed and they used hip-hop to do this, “Our freedom of speech is freedom or death.” [18] During this period of time and even now people who are black need to put on a “white mask” [19]in order to be seen as an equal in society. We also have NWA and their music videos which show a large amount of police brutality in their music videos. This is seen in the music video straight outta Compton which shows the violence of the police as they’re getting arrested after running away but could also indicate that they’ve done something criminal which could be a reason these stereotypes are reinforced. Ice Cube “from a gang called n****s with attitude” [20]refers to the group as a gang and not artists. The artist has associated himself with people who are involved with illegal activity which is what a gang does. People could say that they’re a product of their nature and only do this because they have no other choice "I don't wanna do time but I'm forced to do crime."[21] 2pac was also a very influential role model, “I see no changes, all I see is racist faces.”[22] People in America had it worse when they were in poverty, “I’m tired of being poor and even worse I’m black”[23]. We can see that 2pac was rapping about the harsh reality that he lived in and saw people around him lived in. The ghetto was a place where people had to resort to crime to crime to survive but black people in poverty were seen to be worse than those who are black just because they were in poverty. In ghetto gospel he talks about those who are black role models fighting for a fallen cause “all come in like Malcom X or Bobby Hutton died for nothing.”[24] In society people always view the youth to be violent “everyone’s ashamed of the youth cause the truth look strange.”[25]

There is also the black lives matter campaign which is still taking place on social media today, we see black males getting killed because of police brutality and it’s done for no reason whatsoever. Even today in society we have to still put up with racism which is why people are now outraged online which has started the campaign. It is set to get awareness about what is going on around us.

Boyz n the hood is also another film which shows the racism that is faced in America, "black people have a complicated relationship with America. For us it's painful love."[26] The group of boys who are living in the hood are either in a gang or trying to get out of the poverty they’re in but it’s hard when you’re black and living in America, people aren’t trying to change who they are in order to do this "I'm not trying to give up my blackness."[27] Furious Styles who was the father of Trey styles were trying to find a way for him to educate himself and not fall into the trap of joining a gang and throwing his life away. A black officer appears twice in the film but during the second time he harasses Trey because he’s black and sees the youth as being troublesome “the emancipation of a real n****r.”[28]'Boyz n the Hood' showed how the way people in America felt when they were black and in poverty, they didn't sugarcoat the issues that have always been around. The fact that the characters felt like they had nothing to achieve and resulted to crime highlights the struggle. This relates to Katz and Blumler theory of personal identity where the audience are able to identify themselves with the characters in the film. The dominant ideology was that black males are criminals so the film conveys the two types of mindsets for the audience to see; one being black males aren't all criminals and the other that black on black crime is only a way for the government to reinforce the moral panic of black males being criminals. Due to this being the case it has had an impact on hip-hop because the groups of people associated with the hip-hop are seen to be thugs or 'gangbangers' which gives hip-hop a negative look so people associate it with violence. This can be seen in the film as some of the characters fit the typical image of someone who is a hip-hop artist so being associated with this label it makes everyone else who dresses like this to be seen as a thug.

There may be multiple reasons why negative stereotypes are being reinforced but rap music is a form of expression which people can use to mediate their voices which can be for a good reason or a bad reason “this is why I say hip-hop has done more damage to young African Americans than racism.” [29]There are reasons why hip-hop has been seen to reinforce these negative stereotypes but we’ve had artists trying to fight against this but what if it’s just more than people rapping because it is seen to target a lower class audience which are more likely to be seen as black so not everyone will see all the negative images or the ones which show the harsh reality that people are in. Maybe hip-hop is an art which shapes more than peoples ideology but lifestyle but it does play a part in people’s lives.

[1] Chuck D – Public Enemy

[2] Porter, M (2006) p6

[3] 50 cent – 21 questions (2003)

[4] Dyson, M. E. (1996) p4

[5] Jerry Heller – Straight Outta Compton (2015)

[6] Ice Cube – F**k the police (1988)

[7] Powell, K (2008) p39

[8] Officer in Straight Outta Compton

[9] Dyson, M. E. (1996) p5

[10] Ice Cube – F**k the police (1988)

[11] Porter, M. (2006) p6

[12] Ibid p xi

[13] Rome, D (2004) p32

[14] Straight Outta Compton (2015)

[15] Womack, Y. (2010) p5

[16] Chuck, D., Jah, Y. (1998). P n/a

[17] Public Enemy – Fight the power (1989)

[18] lbid

[19] Franz Franon (1967)

[20] NWA Straight outta Compton (1988)

[21] Wheatley, S. (2010) p113

[22] 2pac changes

[23] libd

[24] 2pac ghetto gospel

[25] libd

[26] T. (2011) p209

[27] Libd p210

[28] Kendrick Lamar (2015) the blacker the berry

[29] Geslani, M (2015)

Bibliography