Throughout this essay I'll be discussing 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". This quote highlights the negative effects rap music has on black children because they seen 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". These events which have happened in the film are historical and have had huge impact on today's society, the film discusses the lifestyle of each of the characters in Compton. Although we have this stereotypes about rap music, "Hip-hop is a form of expression - how we make and portray ourselves to the world." We can explore the lifestyle and meaning of what people are trying to talk about which Straight Outta Compton does through the entire film.
Monday, 5 December 2016
Critical Investigation Task #5 - INTRO
To what extent does the rap music genre reinforce negative stereotypes of black African-Americans, with particular reference to ‘Straight Outta Compton’?
Friday, 2 December 2016
BFI Notes
Books
Collins, H., & Rose, O. (2016). This is grime. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
page 26 - Maxwell D: "I think for all of us that come from harsh realuity, it helped us with our passion, it helped us with music."
page 27 - Wiley: "I was always aware of black on black. I don't like to say that, but it's true. It was a lot of mates falling out, a lot of robbing, kidnapping, shooting, stabbing."
Monteyne, K. (2013). Hip hop on film: Performance culture, urban space, and genre transformation in the 1980s. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
page 40 - "The entire corpus of the hip hop musical thus represents an army of ideological positions, and within particular texts themselves we find multiple social and political attitudes."
Article
King, D. (2006, May/June). Black filmmaker. Soundtrax: Experimenting Hip-hop.
page 43 - "Hip-hop is a form of expression - how we make and portray ourselves to the world."
Spence, J. (2004, September/October). Black Filmmaker. Partners in Porn.
page 41 - "The powerful images of an intense but excited African-American inner city neighbourhood, shouting 'fight the power'."
Spence, J. (2004, July/August). Black filmmaker. Rappers vs Actor.
page 38 - "It seems hip hop artists have been accepted into the Hollywood fold and look set to stay."
Collins, H., & Rose, O. (2016). This is grime. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
page 26 - Maxwell D: "I think for all of us that come from harsh realuity, it helped us with our passion, it helped us with music."
page 27 - Wiley: "I was always aware of black on black. I don't like to say that, but it's true. It was a lot of mates falling out, a lot of robbing, kidnapping, shooting, stabbing."
Monteyne, K. (2013). Hip hop on film: Performance culture, urban space, and genre transformation in the 1980s. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
page 40 - "The entire corpus of the hip hop musical thus represents an army of ideological positions, and within particular texts themselves we find multiple social and political attitudes."
Article
King, D. (2006, May/June). Black filmmaker. Soundtrax: Experimenting Hip-hop.
page 43 - "Hip-hop is a form of expression - how we make and portray ourselves to the world."
Spence, J. (2004, September/October). Black Filmmaker. Partners in Porn.
page 41 - "The powerful images of an intense but excited African-American inner city neighbourhood, shouting 'fight the power'."
Spence, J. (2004, July/August). Black filmmaker. Rappers vs Actor.
page 38 - "It seems hip hop artists have been accepted into the Hollywood fold and look set to stay."
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Critical investigation research: additional source
1) The film gone too far was a film about the stereotypes of black people in Peckham who are divided by their culture the Africans and Caribbeans. I found the film to be culturally different and an awarding experience because through the film we can clearly see what is meant to be done in terms of the message that the director was getting through. The main character had a typical role of someone who is young and growing up in London who was trying to hide his culture but when his brother comes it changes as being African is not cool. The film is definitely a comedic one and i think it was a good film for someone trying to gain insight to another culture especially life in London. I would give the film 5/10 due to the humour and clear message that it gives. The film could've been better in terms of the actual issues that it addresses because people who are watching the film are aware of the issues and debates that the film makes clear but there isn't any actual reasons for the mindset of people during that time who were Caribbean and why they hated Africans. There were a few examples but the main interpretation was that it wasn't cool. Another thing that the film did was get rid of the negative stereotypes of Peckham and instead of making it violent and gory there where scenes where some violence occurred but it was done in a humorous way.
2) "This house believes that films featuring ethnic minorities should only be produced by those who have the ethnic identity being represented."
I think that this should be done because those who are being represented may not like the way that their ethnic group has been represented by a another ethnic group. A black director to produce a film representing a black people and to be criticised isn't as bad as a white director doing this and being criticised. This is because those who are white haven't experienced the things that black people have had to go through which differentiates them much more than the culture of both of the ethnic groups. Films which involve other ethnic groups are also taken more seriously because of the stereotypes that people have of that specific group or the negative way that they're being portrayed.
Furthermore, to try and understand someones culture and race is another thing which can cause a bias or stereotypical interpretation of what they see as the typical person from that ethnic minority group and these can also damage the people of that ethnic group because of the poor way they're being treated which has a big impact on how people view them in society after as well. If a film reinforces a negative stereotype when the film is published millions of people would've seen it by then and the stereotype of an ethnic group would just be reinforced because of someones misinterpretation that could've been avoided if there was someone of that ethnic minority making that film instead.
However people may argue against this and say if you can learn about your own culture and then why cant you do the same for another persons culture or if not they might have been raised in that culture. An example of this would be people living in London and the diverse community we have some areas are dominated by certain ethnic groups so why couldn't that have affected the way someone has been raised and what they know about another ethnic group. The film may also be about something that they've been through but is also stereotypical about a certain ethnic group. We can see this with the films 'Kidulthood' and 'Adulthood', the film is based on a group pf boys in London and what they get up to but the main character in the film is black himself and it is stereotypical for someone who is black to have the negative role in the film if they have the leading one. This is something which can damage the ethnic group but if someone of another culture decides to represent something that they've gone through with another ethnic minority group it may just be for the purpose of acting and getting the message across rather than trying to portray the life of someone who is infact black and living in London who has been apart of a gang or group.
In conclusion I think that those who are of that ethnic group should produce films that are to do with their ethnic group because they are more likely to have experienced certain things that other groups haven't and this would avoid any problems of misinterpretation.
2) "This house believes that films featuring ethnic minorities should only be produced by those who have the ethnic identity being represented."
I think that this should be done because those who are being represented may not like the way that their ethnic group has been represented by a another ethnic group. A black director to produce a film representing a black people and to be criticised isn't as bad as a white director doing this and being criticised. This is because those who are white haven't experienced the things that black people have had to go through which differentiates them much more than the culture of both of the ethnic groups. Films which involve other ethnic groups are also taken more seriously because of the stereotypes that people have of that specific group or the negative way that they're being portrayed.
Furthermore, to try and understand someones culture and race is another thing which can cause a bias or stereotypical interpretation of what they see as the typical person from that ethnic minority group and these can also damage the people of that ethnic group because of the poor way they're being treated which has a big impact on how people view them in society after as well. If a film reinforces a negative stereotype when the film is published millions of people would've seen it by then and the stereotype of an ethnic group would just be reinforced because of someones misinterpretation that could've been avoided if there was someone of that ethnic minority making that film instead.
However people may argue against this and say if you can learn about your own culture and then why cant you do the same for another persons culture or if not they might have been raised in that culture. An example of this would be people living in London and the diverse community we have some areas are dominated by certain ethnic groups so why couldn't that have affected the way someone has been raised and what they know about another ethnic group. The film may also be about something that they've been through but is also stereotypical about a certain ethnic group. We can see this with the films 'Kidulthood' and 'Adulthood', the film is based on a group pf boys in London and what they get up to but the main character in the film is black himself and it is stereotypical for someone who is black to have the negative role in the film if they have the leading one. This is something which can damage the ethnic group but if someone of another culture decides to represent something that they've gone through with another ethnic minority group it may just be for the purpose of acting and getting the message across rather than trying to portray the life of someone who is infact black and living in London who has been apart of a gang or group.
In conclusion I think that those who are of that ethnic group should produce films that are to do with their ethnic group because they are more likely to have experienced certain things that other groups haven't and this would avoid any problems of misinterpretation.
Monday, 28 November 2016
Essay plan
To what extent does the rap music genre
reinforce negative stereotypes of black African-Americans, with particular
reference to ‘Straight Outta Compton’?
Introduction (50)
Racism in society - Past/Present (150)
Page 209 - "black people have a complicated relationship with America. For us it's painful love"
Page 210 - "I'm not trying to give up my blackness"
Main Text: Straight Outta Compton (400)
[16] http://www.themsuspokesman.com/2013/12/21/does-hip-hop-drive-negative-stereotypes-of-black-men/
"Some rappers like NWA have used songs like, “F**k the Police”, to express police brutality. A verse from Rocko’s song, “U.O.E.N.O” said “Got my killers with me right now” lets their opposition know they are ready to fight. Sex was the main message from Big Krit in, “What You Mean You Ain’t Nasty?”
“The negative stories told daily in the media and in our culture about our young African-American men tend to ignore their successes and don’t tell the full story about how young Black men are becoming leaders within our community schools,” said Gholson who also helped them organize the project.
"People are being nitpicky because what we put in the movie is the story of NWA, everything else you can Google it and there have been a thousand things said about NWA in its existence."
IDEOLOGY - The group itself within the film N.W.A stands for n*****s with attitude, due to this promotes fighting back and not conforming to the norm of society which silences their opinions. It also promotes rap record label Ruthless Records which N.W.A was signed to also rapper Eazy E himself.
REPRESENTATION - The representation 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
LANGUAGES AND FORMS - The film was designed to have the specific songs to show the police brutality and the reason behind what was happening in the lives of the rappers.
NARRATIVE - The film is about the lives of rappers who are apart 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.
Political:
Issues and Debates (300)
[11] https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/oct/10/reggie-yates-how-i-confronted-police-brutality-on-the-streets-of-chiraq
[12] 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
Historical text 1: N.W.A - 'Straight Outta Compton' music video (250)
Historical text 2: Boyz n the Hood (250)
"Men of color held in esteem by the media, while entirely worthy of praise, too often personify a circumscribed spectrum of human qualities. Prowess in sports, physical achievement in general and musicality are emphasized inordinately. Common role models depicted by the media such as rap or hip-hop stars and basketball players imply limited life choices. When is the last time you have seen a black college professor, doctor, lawyer or scientist selling a product?"
Comparing the texts (250)
Page 8 - “rap artistry ensures raps existence of the margins of many black communities”
Future for black African Americans and racism (250)
Page 6 - “negative rap songs and their accompanying videos often instil erotic sadism in the black male child”
Conclusion (100)
Introduction (50)
- What the issues and debates are
- Explain what it is being researched
- Name the main text
Racism in society - Past/Present (150)
- The victims of racism
- What people have done and doing which is seen to be racist
- Who's at fault
- Why racism exists and still does
- Representation and stereotyping - Black males in America are seen to be violent and in a gang which is why people have negative representations of them.
- Media effects - Negative representations of young people and if they're in a gang then black males are usually used or other ethnic minorities to reinforce the negative stereotype.
- Stuart Hall - dominant readings
- Binary oppositions - Levi Strauss
Page 209 - "black people have a complicated relationship with America. For us it's painful love"
Page 210 - "I'm not trying to give up my blackness"
Main Text: Straight Outta Compton (400)
- What the film is about
- How stereotypes are reinforced
- Racism towards black people
- Rap Culture
- How it links to wider debates and issues
- The use of the characters
- The reason behind the actions of people
- Blumler + Katz; personal identity, personal relationships
- Subverts stereotypes; deception and Barthes action codes
- Stuart Hall - dominant readings
- Binary oppositions - Levi Strauss
[16] http://www.themsuspokesman.com/2013/12/21/does-hip-hop-drive-negative-stereotypes-of-black-men/
"Some rappers like NWA have used songs like, “F**k the Police”, to express police brutality. A verse from Rocko’s song, “U.O.E.N.O” said “Got my killers with me right now” lets their opposition know they are ready to fight. Sex was the main message from Big Krit in, “What You Mean You Ain’t Nasty?”
[18] http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/04/15/young-black-men-slam-medias-representation-suit-tie-music-video/
“The negative stories told daily in the media and in our culture about our young African-American men tend to ignore their successes and don’t tell the full story about how young Black men are becoming leaders within our community schools,” said Gholson who also helped them organize the project.
[3] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-03/rapper-ice-cube-on-his-film,-racism,-and-gangsta-rap-lyrics/6748328
"People are being nitpicky because what we put in the movie is the story of NWA, everything else you can Google it and there have been a thousand things said about NWA in its existence."
GENRE - The genre that this film belongs to would be music and history, we can easily identify this from the props that are there such as the cars, vinyl records being produced as they aren't produced as often now, the dates that are shown to show it's the past.
INSTITUTION - The institution that is promoted through the film is Ruthless Records with Eazy E and N.W.A were signed to, it also promotes record label Death Row records which is founded by Dr Dre and Suge Knight. Both of these record companies were associated with rap and hip-hop. The institution that produced the film is Universal pictures.
AUDIENCE - The film Straight Outta Compton would promote a younger audience who are into hip-hop and rap but also those who were growing up listening to N.W.A. The age group would be predominately between 16-45 and a slyly more male audience (60:40 split male to female). This would appeal to those who are reformers as they are the ones who don't want to conform to what society thinks you have to do to be considered normal, they want to challenge the view and do something about it.
IDEOLOGY - The group itself within the film N.W.A stands for n*****s with attitude, due to this promotes fighting back and not conforming to the norm of society which silences their opinions. It also promotes rap record label Ruthless Records which N.W.A was signed to also rapper Eazy E himself.
REPRESENTATION - The representation 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
LANGUAGES AND FORMS - The film was designed to have the specific songs to show the police brutality and the reason behind what was happening in the lives of the rappers.
NARRATIVE - The film is about the lives of rappers who are apart 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.
Social:
- Police brutality which has caused the black lives matter campaign to take flight.
- Ferguson shooting in America - Mike Brown shot down by the police
- Public Enemy - Fight the power was a political campaign song for the black people which are living in America who are seen to be inferior to everyone in society.
Historical:
- Rodney King getting beaten up by police in America.
- The LA riots that took place during 1992.
- The civil rights movement between the 1950s and 60s
Economic:
- Rap was underground music until institutions got involved.
- N.W.A was signed to Ruthless Records.
- Not seen as the political campaign it was but now a way to get money.
Political:
- Public Enemy started a political campaign through the use of their music.
- Only ever been one black president in America
- Black lives matter campaign.
Issues and Debates (300)
- Black lives matter
- Public enemy
- Stuart Hall – dominant readings
- Dyer – Stereotypes
[11] https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/oct/10/reggie-yates-how-i-confronted-police-brutality-on-the-streets-of-chiraq
"In 2015, eight African Americans were killed by police officers in the city, out of 306 across the US. Meanwhile, black-on-black violence there has reached an all-time high. There were almost 2,500 such shootings last year, of which 350 were fatal."
[12] 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
"More than 3,000 police officers are being investigated for alleged assault – with black and Asian people significantly more likely than white people to complain of police brutality"
- Representation and stereotyping - Black males in America are seen to be violent and in a gang which is why people have negative representations of them.
- Media effects - Negative representations of young people and if they're in a gang then black males are usually used or other ethnic minorities to reinforce the negative stereotype.
- News Values - Always has a negative ideology on ethnic minorities and daily stories reinforce this.
- Moral Panics - Young people are joining gangs and crime rates are starting to increase due to gun violence.
- The effect of globalisation on the media - Stories such as black lives matter campaign have started to take off globally rather than just in America with the help of social media.
- The representations of black males
- The police abusing their power
- Narrative of the video
- Stereotypes of rap music and black males
- Levi-Strauss – Binary oppositions
- Gramsci’s idea of ‘common sense'
[2] http://uk.complex.com/music/2014/08/rap-songs-police-brutality/
This article is about the rap songs which have come out throughout the years which have protested against the police and policy brutality in America.
“I guess 'cause I'm black born/I'm supposed to say peace, sing songs, and get capped on.”
Historical text 2: Boyz n the Hood (250)
- How racism is represented
- The culture of people living in deprived areas
- The life choices that people are limited to
- Political movements
- Blumler + Katz; personal identity, personal relationships
- Subverts stereotypes; deception and Barthes action codes
- Stuart Hall - dominant readings
- Binary oppositions - Levi Strauss
Comparing the texts (250)
- How they all link
- How racism has changed/stayed the same
- The different messages each text portrays
Page 8 - “rap artistry ensures raps existence of the margins of many black communities”
Page 4 - “it’s undeniable that black men are in deplorable shape. The most tragic symbol of this condition, I suppose, is the black prisoner”
Future for black African Americans and racism (250)
- Is racism going to change
- What has stayed the same
- Representations of rap and racism through media
Page 6 - “negative rap songs and their accompanying videos often instil erotic sadism in the black male child”
Conclusion (100)
- State the main reasons for racism
- Why we need to change the way media portrays stereotypes of rap and racism
Monday, 21 November 2016
Historical text analysis and research
N.W.A - F**k the police (1988)
N.W.A were a group during the late 80s and early 90s. The song that they produced which caused a lot of controversy was f**k the police. The song was created to describe the hate that people have for the police because of the way they treated black African Americans during the 80s in America. Racism has always been an issue for those who are black; the police have abused their power and have harassed black males/females for the stereotypes that have been created of them. This links to 'Straight Outta Compton' because one of the most iconic scenes in the film was during the concert where N.W.A were told not to play the song but ended up doing so which lead to them getting arrested. The lyrics in the song are explicitely telling the audience that it's the police who are at blame here and the black community who are the victims in this scenario.
The genre of the film itself is an historical one which is based on the music which was created by N.W.A and their lifestyle. The rap genre has always come under criticisms for the explicit things that it talks about or shows which in this film also addresses. The wider issues which the film discusses is racism and we've always had to live with it which is why people in America and all over the world who are black are stereotyped in such a negative way which portrays them as pimps, drug users/sellers and whatever else they've been compared to.
The music video for this had come out in 1988 which is now nearly coming up to 30 years and even now during this time of age we still have people who are being racially abused for the colour of their skin. The song addresses the hatred towards police which we can still see now through the black lives matter campaign and police have still been accused for abusing their power on the black community to show their authority.
The society that the artists had lived in which is in South Central La has been seen to have high crime rates, drug usres and the absue of alcohol. There has been a change from all of this whereas before we also had the gangs which dominated the steets but now rather than that being the case there has been less cases of the happening and less people joining gangs but still a high rate.
Other texts:
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton music video
2pac - Changes
Public Enemy - Fight the Power
Boyz n the Hood
N.W.A were a group during the late 80s and early 90s. The song that they produced which caused a lot of controversy was f**k the police. The song was created to describe the hate that people have for the police because of the way they treated black African Americans during the 80s in America. Racism has always been an issue for those who are black; the police have abused their power and have harassed black males/females for the stereotypes that have been created of them. This links to 'Straight Outta Compton' because one of the most iconic scenes in the film was during the concert where N.W.A were told not to play the song but ended up doing so which lead to them getting arrested. The lyrics in the song are explicitely telling the audience that it's the police who are at blame here and the black community who are the victims in this scenario.
The genre of the film itself is an historical one which is based on the music which was created by N.W.A and their lifestyle. The rap genre has always come under criticisms for the explicit things that it talks about or shows which in this film also addresses. The wider issues which the film discusses is racism and we've always had to live with it which is why people in America and all over the world who are black are stereotyped in such a negative way which portrays them as pimps, drug users/sellers and whatever else they've been compared to.
The music video for this had come out in 1988 which is now nearly coming up to 30 years and even now during this time of age we still have people who are being racially abused for the colour of their skin. The song addresses the hatred towards police which we can still see now through the black lives matter campaign and police have still been accused for abusing their power on the black community to show their authority.
The society that the artists had lived in which is in South Central La has been seen to have high crime rates, drug usres and the absue of alcohol. There has been a change from all of this whereas before we also had the gangs which dominated the steets but now rather than that being the case there has been less cases of the happening and less people joining gangs but still a high rate.
Other texts:
N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton music video
2pac - Changes
Public Enemy - Fight the Power
Boyz n the Hood
Monday, 7 November 2016
Critical Investigation Task #1
First scene in the film where ice cube and other black males are getting arrested.
The representation of black males is a negative one. The police in this scene are harassing the black citizens who live in that area without reason. This reinforces the negative stereotype that people have of black people as they are seen to be at the lowest position in society and even the police are abusing their power to harass them. All the officers in this scene are white males and those who are getting arrested are all black African Americans who live on that road they're being searched on due to suspicion of inappropriate behaviour because of the colour of their skin.
Throughout the scene the jackets that the police are wearing have 'police' printed on the back in yellow which makes it visible for the audience to see that the ones who are in authority are clearly the ones who are abusing their power and arresting the civilians. The clothing that the black males are wearing would be seen as 'gang clothing' which is probably part of the reason they're being searched or because they were in a large group and the officers felt like it was a threat to society or themselves so they felt the need to harass the males.
As soon as Ice Cube steps outside of the house the blue and red lights from the police cars were shining on his face and were visible throughout the whole scene which highlights the dominance that they have in the situation. The lights are an indication of the authority that they have and when it flashes onto those who live on the street and being arrested, it shows that their dominance is something that cannot be escaped because of the authority and status they have. When Ice Cube leaves the house you can't see his face due to the scene being set at night and the hat he's wearing. As soon as the lights start to flash his face becomes visible and the closer he gets towards the police the more he light flashes onto his face before they recognise he's black and start to search him. The impact this shows is that as soon as you're in the range of the police and they see the colour of your skin you're automatically a suspect. The area that the scene was shot in was run down and the colours were dull, the only colours that stood out throughout the whole scene was the red and blue which was visible everywhere. Even though the police are meant to keep us safe they also attack the innocent due to the colour of their skin and this can be seen with the colour scheme where the colours of the houses and cars are all dark which could be the black Africa Americans and then the police come who empower the area with their red and blue lights the same way they arrest people who are black due to the colour of their skin.
The lighting in this scene is low-key; this is done so that we can't see the identity of the police officers who are. This reinforces the stereotype that we have of the police when arresting those who are black due to the colour of their skin and is done during the night so we can't see who the officers are because they want to keep their identity discrete.
Dyer suggested that stereotypes are always about power and during this scene it is to do with power and race. People in America who are black are seen to have no power or status in the eyes of those who are white which is why the police officers who are white have all the power and reinforces this stereotype that the police have. It also reinforces the power that those who are black have which is having no power or respect which is why during this scene they're being searched by the police and have no respect given towards them. This can be seen during the scene where the police officer is reaching for the gun which highlights the power and dominance that they have in society and the gun reinforces this as he can decided who gets to live and die which is acknowledged as the power of God.
Police harassment scene when N.W.A are outside of the studio.
The black police officer is seen to be a sell out as he's conforming to the ideology of the police and turning on his own kind. The hatred can be seen on the faces of the group of males when they're walking back into the studio. One of the males also called the police officer a "sell out" which highlights the hatred for black officers being worse than white officers as they are victimising their own people who are stereotyped due to the colour of their skin.
Some people have been victim to racism in the past and therefore see themselves as one of the characters which are in this scene right now. This links to Blumer and Katz theory of uses and gratification. The audience would see a character which relates to them and will see themselves to have a connection with thay individual. In this case it would be someone relating to the group of black males and someone who experienced racism but could also be a police officer viewing themselves in this scene as well.
When the males were on the floor the camera angles were low and close up shots of their faces. This was done so we can see how the characters are feeling but also the low camera angle is down to show that they're the ones who are vulnerable in this situation against the police as they have no power due to this being restricted by the authority. The high camera angles are shot for the police to highlight their dominant position in the scenario and society because they're the ones who reinforce the law.
The representation of black males is a negative one. The police in this scene are harassing the black citizens who live in that area without reason. This reinforces the negative stereotype that people have of black people as they are seen to be at the lowest position in society and even the police are abusing their power to harass them. All the officers in this scene are white males and those who are getting arrested are all black African Americans who live on that road they're being searched on due to suspicion of inappropriate behaviour because of the colour of their skin.
Throughout the scene the jackets that the police are wearing have 'police' printed on the back in yellow which makes it visible for the audience to see that the ones who are in authority are clearly the ones who are abusing their power and arresting the civilians. The clothing that the black males are wearing would be seen as 'gang clothing' which is probably part of the reason they're being searched or because they were in a large group and the officers felt like it was a threat to society or themselves so they felt the need to harass the males.
As soon as Ice Cube steps outside of the house the blue and red lights from the police cars were shining on his face and were visible throughout the whole scene which highlights the dominance that they have in the situation. The lights are an indication of the authority that they have and when it flashes onto those who live on the street and being arrested, it shows that their dominance is something that cannot be escaped because of the authority and status they have. When Ice Cube leaves the house you can't see his face due to the scene being set at night and the hat he's wearing. As soon as the lights start to flash his face becomes visible and the closer he gets towards the police the more he light flashes onto his face before they recognise he's black and start to search him. The impact this shows is that as soon as you're in the range of the police and they see the colour of your skin you're automatically a suspect. The area that the scene was shot in was run down and the colours were dull, the only colours that stood out throughout the whole scene was the red and blue which was visible everywhere. Even though the police are meant to keep us safe they also attack the innocent due to the colour of their skin and this can be seen with the colour scheme where the colours of the houses and cars are all dark which could be the black Africa Americans and then the police come who empower the area with their red and blue lights the same way they arrest people who are black due to the colour of their skin.
The lighting in this scene is low-key; this is done so that we can't see the identity of the police officers who are. This reinforces the stereotype that we have of the police when arresting those who are black due to the colour of their skin and is done during the night so we can't see who the officers are because they want to keep their identity discrete.
Dyer suggested that stereotypes are always about power and during this scene it is to do with power and race. People in America who are black are seen to have no power or status in the eyes of those who are white which is why the police officers who are white have all the power and reinforces this stereotype that the police have. It also reinforces the power that those who are black have which is having no power or respect which is why during this scene they're being searched by the police and have no respect given towards them. This can be seen during the scene where the police officer is reaching for the gun which highlights the power and dominance that they have in society and the gun reinforces this as he can decided who gets to live and die which is acknowledged as the power of God.
Police harassment scene when N.W.A are outside of the studio.
In this scene the group of males are standing outside of the studio where the police come and start to harass them. During this there isn't only white police officers there is also one black one. The group of males are seen to be wearing gang related clothes such as the hats, jeans, jackets and their overall appearance and because of this are being searched whereas the officers are in uniform and are appear as being professional. This would show the audience the difference between the two types of groups in this scene but could also highlight the age of them as the group of males are in their teens which is why they appear this way. The way they appear is a stereotypical way for being apart of a gang which is why it conforms to the negative stereotype of black males in America.
The black police officer is seen to be a sell out as he's conforming to the ideology of the police and turning on his own kind. The hatred can be seen on the faces of the group of males when they're walking back into the studio. One of the males also called the police officer a "sell out" which highlights the hatred for black officers being worse than white officers as they are victimising their own people who are stereotyped due to the colour of their skin.
Some people have been victim to racism in the past and therefore see themselves as one of the characters which are in this scene right now. This links to Blumer and Katz theory of uses and gratification. The audience would see a character which relates to them and will see themselves to have a connection with thay individual. In this case it would be someone relating to the group of black males and someone who experienced racism but could also be a police officer viewing themselves in this scene as well.
When the males were on the floor the camera angles were low and close up shots of their faces. This was done so we can see how the characters are feeling but also the low camera angle is down to show that they're the ones who are vulnerable in this situation against the police as they have no power due to this being restricted by the authority. The high camera angles are shot for the police to highlight their dominant position in the scenario and society because they're the ones who reinforce the law.
Monday, 31 October 2016
notes and quotes
INTERNET LINKS
Links cited
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2016/jul/06/alton-sterling-baton-rouge-police-video
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
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
This video shows the murder of Alton Sterling and how he was
shot multiple times during a confrontation between the police. This video
highlights the extent to which police in America are racist and don’t value the
lives of black African American people in society and are seen to be inferior
even in today’s society.
[2] http://uk.complex.com/music/2014/08/rap-songs-police-brutality/
This article is about the rap songs which have come out
throughout the years which have protested against the police and policy
brutality in America.
“I guess 'cause I'm black born/I'm supposed to say peace,
sing songs, and get capped on.”
[3] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-03/rapper-ice-cube-on-his-film,-racism,-and-gangsta-rap-lyrics/6748328
This article is about the racism in America especially from
the eyes of the rapper Ice Cube which was a part of the notorious group called
N.W.A; this is someone who grew up around racism and had to deal with it in
South Central La. The rapper Ice Cube himself feels like the death of Rodney
King which has happened of 25 years ago hasn't changed racism in society and is
very much still around in today's society 25 years on. Whilst being in the
group of rappers they had lyrics which were seen as explicit which caused a lot
of tension in the community but also sparked a lot of brains to what was
happening in society today, they were seen to give a voice to the public which
is why they could relate to most of t
The lyrics in the songs which N.W.A released. One of the
songs that caused everyone to rebel back was 'f**k the police' which was
popular as people felt that in society the police were racist towards the black
community.
"When you are trying to put 10 years into two hours, there is no way of getting everything in there,"
"I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives,"
"People are being nitpicky because what we put in the movie is the story of NWA, everything else you can Google it and there have been a thousand things said about NWA in its existence."
"When you are trying to put 10 years into two hours, there is no way of getting everything in there,"
"I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives,"
"People are being nitpicky because what we put in the movie is the story of NWA, everything else you can Google it and there have been a thousand things said about NWA in its existence."
[4] http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/legendary-rapper-ice-cube-shares-message-of-hope-for-future/news-story/9ed07816fd59c77990989e1a8c626dce
Similar to the first article this one is about how racism
still exists and that people need to keep their head up. It is to hopefully
spark a change in society at a later stage and hopefully in the future to
remove racism from the equation.
“We are still dealing with authorities who feel like black lives are expendable and are there to be harassed and there as sport, so to speak, in some ways,”
“We are still dealing with authorities who feel like black lives are expendable and are there to be harassed and there as sport, so to speak, in some ways,”
[5] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/05/black-lives-matter-protest-sparks-heathrow-traffic-chaos
Although racism is seen in only America in the film it is
also present in society today all around the world, with recent deaths of black
people from police brutality in America is started a campaign called black
lives matter. This is set up so that racism in society can stopped which caused
recent protests in the UK, London. This caused people to react on social media
and to start taking things into their own hands. The protest caused traffic to
arise because roads had been blocked by those who were protesting.
[6]https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=HKJE4rVZG1EC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=racism+&ots=lcHYAUN8X6&sig=PRNP0Uw5yQKJCsh2UtARttM17iw#v=onepage&q=racism&f=false
Academic text about racism in America that is published by a
university in America. The text can link to my investigation through how
society today hasn’t changed much since people started fighting back against
racism. We can see the similarities in two different time periods in America
and evaluate the changes and what’s stayed the same.
[7]https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=zoHbVRqlRiIC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=racism+in+America+&ots=IRE8VBgUdM&sig=hqQeyf_J3f9LBZF0KF-tfxPuJBc#v=onepage&q=racism%20in%20America&f=false
Racism in America but not through just society but
politically in America. Black people in society are not valued as much in the
place of work and neither are other ethnic minorities, this would link to my
investigation to highlight how peoples ideology of other ethnic minorities
effects them not only in society but the place of work and are seen to be
inferior wherever they go.
[8] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/perspectives-on-politics/article/like-a-loaded-weapon-the-rehnquist-court-indian-rights-and-the-legal-history-of-racism-in-america-/5ACAC90C0A4113C337C7CD50BAFB2B0F
The history of racism
which has taken place in America and how those who were black had to go through
the stress of dealing with issues such as racism
"Ultimately, we must therefore recognize that racism lies at the foundation of the American legal system."
[9] https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=141219
[10]https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=m_v_TE13t9cC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=police+brutality+&ots=804hYlqxCj&sig=vELagQ60NZsWlvRQdP8vA6AT5vA#v=onepage&q=police%20brutality&f=false
The book talks about police brutality and how it has had an
impact. One of the chapters that I’ll be looking at will be to with Rodney King
who was beaten up by the police in America which was caught on tape and given
to local newspapers.
"A friend reports that his son, a police officer shot and killed a man, who in an apparent fit pf suicidal rage brandished a gun at a phalanx of armed police officers"
"A friend reports that his son, a police officer shot and killed a man, who in an apparent fit pf suicidal rage brandished a gun at a phalanx of armed police officers"
[11] https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/oct/10/reggie-yates-how-i-confronted-police-brutality-on-the-streets-of-chiraq
Reggie Yates has taken time to go to America, Chicago and
tried to uncover the horror of police brutality in one of America’s states with
the highest crime rates. There is also a documentary of this on BBC iPlayer
which can be seen. I’ll also be adding the documentary. This would link to my
critical investigation as we can uncover what the police in America are doing
to the citizens in America who are black.
“It’s hard to think that things could get much worse in this
city than they already are. I could not even imagine what it is be a black
person there, apart from total disillusionment, fear, and having no discernible
future. Sadly, nothing will change there or anywhere until people start talking
to each other. Guns and violence have never brought peace to any place.”
"In 2015, eight African Americans were killed by police officers in the city, out of 306 across the US. Meanwhile, black-on-black violence there has reached an all-time high. There were almost 2,500 such shootings last year, of which 350 were fatal."
"Funny, we can pretend that we even care about these young men. Question: How does a 14year old Chicago boy, (who cannot even afford a pair of Jordan's, get his hands on a $5,000 assault rifle, that one cannot even get in the gun store? Anyone who actually checks can tell hundreds of stories of literally crates of these guns being found in back alleys of these areas. We catch the gov, flooding the area with drugs.... (Iran-Contra!!) and no one is held to account. Now we do this and program these children to glorify guns and murder and wonder what is going on? Truth is we could do the same in the middle of Switzerland, with the exact same results, but do not...."
"In 2015, eight African Americans were killed by police officers in the city, out of 306 across the US. Meanwhile, black-on-black violence there has reached an all-time high. There were almost 2,500 such shootings last year, of which 350 were fatal."
"Funny, we can pretend that we even care about these young men. Question: How does a 14year old Chicago boy, (who cannot even afford a pair of Jordan's, get his hands on a $5,000 assault rifle, that one cannot even get in the gun store? Anyone who actually checks can tell hundreds of stories of literally crates of these guns being found in back alleys of these areas. We catch the gov, flooding the area with drugs.... (Iran-Contra!!) and no one is held to account. Now we do this and program these children to glorify guns and murder and wonder what is going on? Truth is we could do the same in the middle of Switzerland, with the exact same results, but do not...."
[12] 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
There’s been an investigation of more than 3,000 officers
for assault on Asian and blacks which has caused a lot of interest, the article
says:
Of the 146 ongoing police assault investigations in the West
Midlands where ethnicity is recorded, 71 complainants are white (49 per cent)
and 69 black or Asian (47.5 per cent). In six cases the ethnicity is labelled
“other”. Another 83 cases are being investigated where ethnicity is not
recorded. The figures represent further embarrassment for a force which
recruited just one black officer last month among 162 new recruits.
"More than 3,000 police officers are being investigated for alleged assault – with black and Asian people significantly more likely than white people to complain of police brutality"
"Black and minority ethnic people make up one in three of London’s population but represent 55 per cent of alleged victims of brutality by Met officers. The disparity is even worse in the West Midlands where nearly half of assault complaints against police come from black or Asian people – though just 14 per cent of the population is black or ethnic minority. This means black and Asian people are 3.5 times more likely to allege assault by officers."
"More than 3,000 police officers are being investigated for alleged assault – with black and Asian people significantly more likely than white people to complain of police brutality"
"Black and minority ethnic people make up one in three of London’s population but represent 55 per cent of alleged victims of brutality by Met officers. The disparity is even worse in the West Midlands where nearly half of assault complaints against police come from black or Asian people – though just 14 per cent of the population is black or ethnic minority. This means black and Asian people are 3.5 times more likely to allege assault by officers."
“The Commissioner has recognised that there remains a risk that the MPS is still institutionally racist in some of what it does because there remain elements of disproportionality, despite significant progress over many years.”
[13] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-racism-uk-post-referendum-racism-hate-crime-eu-referendum-racism-unleashed-poland-racist-a7160786.html
The people in the UK have made racist comments towards those
who are immigrants in the country during the EU referendum, there has been a
number of hate crimes which have been taken place to ethnic minorities. Those
who are white are seeing themselves as superior to those who are not white such
as ethnic minority groups.
“ It's not hatred against any particular culture, it's a
hatred for mass immigration that has led to high unemployment and lack of
social housing for those less well-off among indigenous people.”
[14] http://socialistreview.org.uk/351/growing-racism-britain
Racism in the UK
[15] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/aug/12/media-misrepresents-black-men-effects-felt-real-world
Black men in the media have been represented in the media in
a negative way which is reinforcing the stereotype that black males and black
people are bad which is why they’re seen as an outcast in society. This is
probably the reason why people who are black are treated poorly in society
which makes it hard for them.
"Not much has changed since the 1970s when, as an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan, I conducted a study of two metropolitan Detroit dailies’ coverage of the 1967 urban riots."
"Men of color held in esteem by the media, while entirely worthy of praise, too often personify a circumscribed spectrum of human qualities. Prowess in sports, physical achievement in general and musicality are emphasized inordinately. Common role models depicted by the media such as rap or hip-hop stars and basketball players imply limited life choices. When is the last time you have seen a black college professor, doctor, lawyer or scientist selling a product?"
"Media images and words are known, according to the Opportunity Agenda study, to have the greatest impact on the perceptions of people with less real-world experience. People who have never interacted with a black family in their communities more easily embrace what the media tells them. The most negative impact is upon black individuals themselves."
"Yet another article blaming everyone else for the black community's predicament.
How about asking why Chinese, Asian and Jewish communities manage to produce such a vast number of well-educated professionals, while being subjected to the same social ills ?
The answer is parental aspiration. While everything the author says may be true, it still ignores the one vital truth: to be truly successful, the black community has to first help itself."
[16] http://www.themsuspokesman.com/2013/12/21/does-hip-hop-drive-negative-stereotypes-of-black-men/
Rap reinforces the negatives stereotypes that black people
have to face in society to some extent. I think that is link is relevant as it
shows the importance of people’s views and ideology.
Lyrics such as these have caused problems in the past
before:
Some rappers like NWA have used songs like, “F**k the
Police”, to express police brutality. A verse from Rocko’s song, “U.O.E.N.O”
said “Got my killers with me right now” lets their opposition know they are
ready to fight. Sex was the main message from Big Krit in, “What You Mean You
Ain’t Nasty?”
"In the 1970’s hip-hop became a means for blacks, “in the struggle,” to express themselves and tell a story about their lives in order to relate to people like them. But the victory of rap was doused by the crack epidemic. When drug dealers begin to rap, the two “professions” became forever entwined—and black men have been associated with that image ever since."
"Some rappers like NWA have used songs like, “F**k the Police”, to express police brutality. A verse from Rocko’s song, “U.O.E.N.O” said “Got my killers with me right now” lets their opposition know they are ready to fight. Sex was the main message from Big Krit in, “What You Mean You Ain’t Nasty?”
[17] http://rapreinforcesstereotypes.weebly.com/
“Stereotypes of Black people were derived from the White
culture because since slavery, White people always thought they were superior
to Blacks.”
I think that those who are white see themselves as being superior
to black people and that rap is used as a way to talk about their reality and
the things that they have to do to survive. With this being the case when they
rap it seems like they’re reinforcing the negative stereotype but instead
talking about their reality.
"Stereotypes of Black people were derived from the White
culture because since slavery, White people always thought they were superior
to Blacks. The media is the source of and perpetuates the very same stereotypes
African-Americans encounter in real life. Rap music/videos create deceiving
interpretations causing Black people themselves, to believe they should emulate
the behaviour."
[18]
http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/04/15/young-black-men-slam-medias-representation-suit-tie-music-video/
Black males in the media are not represented as being in a
suit and tie especially in rap videos, they are represented as being violent
and thugs which can cause and reinforce the negative stereotypes that people in
society have of black African Americans. I think that with this being the case
people who are against police brutality in America and the rest of the world
and racism as well shouldn’t reinforce the negative stereotype of themselves by
surrounding themselves by drugs and guns.
“The negative stories told daily in the media and in our culture about our young African-American men tend to ignore their successes and don’t tell the full story about how young Black men are becoming leaders within our community schools,” said Gholson who also helped them organize the project.
“The negative stories told daily in the media and in our culture about our young African-American men tend to ignore their successes and don’t tell the full story about how young Black men are becoming leaders within our community schools,” said Gholson who also helped them organize the project.
[19] http://www.ibtimes.com/racism-america-white-people-think-its-worse-white-people-research-finds-2393588
People in America who are white think it is harder being
white than it is black in today’s society. The article suggests when asked if
race relations were generally bad or good, 72 percent of black respondents said
race relations were bad. Sixty-three percent of whites said the same. But the
two groups might have arrived at that answer in entirely different ways.
"When asked about anti-white bias, though, black and white
respondents differed significantly in their views. Black respondents identified
virtually no anti-white bias in any decade. White respondents agreed that
anti-white bias was not a problem in the 1950s, but reported that bias against
whites started climbing in the 1960s and 1970s before rising sharply in the
past 30 years."
[20] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/08/dallas-shooting-a-democracy-as-racist-as-america-will-never-be-a/
“Whether the black of the negro resides in the reticular
membrane between the skin and scarf-skin, or in the scarf-skin itself; whether
it proceeds from the colour of the blood, the colour of the bile, or from that
of some other secretion, the difference is fixed in nature.”
For black Americans, innocence was lost long ago. Violence
has been the norm for centuries. A study conducted last year found that black
Americans are more than twice as likely to be unarmed than whites when killed
in incidents involving the police. The protest at the centre of Thursday’s
horror was a response to the “death-by-cop” this week of two more black men.
This highlights the innocence that those who are black have
and that aren’t criminals but are stereotyped to thinking they’re criminals and
people think they are. The police in society are the ones who are violent and
killing innocent people but yet they are seen to be keeping the peace in
society.
"One hundred and fifty years after slavery was ended and 50 years since segregation was outlawed, some black citizens still live in fear of their own police – and are still far more likely than whites to grow up in a single-parent household in poverty or to go to jail."
“Whether the black of the negro resides in the reticular membrane between the skin and scarf-skin, or in the scarf-skin itself; whether it proceeds from the colour of the blood, the colour of the bile, or from that of some other secretion, the difference is fixed in nature.”
"The second problem African-Americans face is one of class. There are poor whites – far more of them are on food stamps than African-Americans. But while white incomes have broadly risen, then plateaued, in the past few decades, what’s striking about black incomes in the continuous stagnation and disproportionate levels of unemployment."
"One hundred and fifty years after slavery was ended and 50 years since segregation was outlawed, some black citizens still live in fear of their own police – and are still far more likely than whites to grow up in a single-parent household in poverty or to go to jail."
“Whether the black of the negro resides in the reticular membrane between the skin and scarf-skin, or in the scarf-skin itself; whether it proceeds from the colour of the blood, the colour of the bile, or from that of some other secretion, the difference is fixed in nature.”
"The second problem African-Americans face is one of class. There are poor whites – far more of them are on food stamps than African-Americans. But while white incomes have broadly risen, then plateaued, in the past few decades, what’s striking about black incomes in the continuous stagnation and disproportionate levels of unemployment."
[21]
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/18/white-america-blind-racism-majority-ignore-black-minority-bubble-privilege
“Large part of the problem is the way many black people in
Milwakee grow up, most without a male role model. In many cases black America
are also indifferent to the causes of crime in the poorest neighbourhoods. Racism
is part of the problem, but no means the only problem.”
In my opinion with this being the case people would see rap
as a role model as a replacement for that fatherly figure which is why people
may resort to crime. They find it hard to understand what is real and what is
fantasy which is what is glamorised in the media so people would rather resort
to drugs and violence which is why rap could reinforce the negative stereotypes
that black people face in America. However this can be the case in some cases
it is hard to generalise this to most of the population.
[22] http://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/24/us/race-reality-key-findings/
Overall, 49% of Americans in the poll say racism is a big
problem in the country, up from 28% four years ago. It's also more than the 41%
who said so 20 years ago, shortly after the Million Man March on the nation's
capital.
This highlights that even though there has been political
songs, protests, racism is still a big part in society today for people being
who are black being seen as inferior. There has been no changes apart from
racism getting worse in society.
"Few issues have as fraught a history as race in America. The country's recent history on race includes highs such as the election of the country's first black president and heartbreaking lows such as the shooting deaths of nine people at a black church, allegedly by a white supremacist aiming to start a race war."
"Almost two-thirds of Americans say racial tensions have increased in America in the last 10 years, much higher than the 29% who said so in 2001 and the 47% who felt that way in 1995. On this issue, there is agreement across racial and ethnic groups, with majorities of whites (67%), blacks (65%) and Hispanics (55%) all feeling tensions have grown in the last decade."
"About seven in 10 whites say they live (69%) or socialize with (68%) people who are mostly of the same race as them, and six in 10 employed whites have co-workers who are mostly other white people (60%). Hispanics and blacks are more apt to report more diverse neighborhoods, social circles and workplaces."
"More blacks say they experienced unfair treatment while shopping than in any of the five scenarios tested -- 33% reported an occasion like that. And blacks were least likely to report unfair treatment when seeking health care (12%). About a quarter of blacks say they experienced unfair treatment at work or in a restaurant, bar, theater or other entertainment venue."
"Few issues have as fraught a history as race in America. The country's recent history on race includes highs such as the election of the country's first black president and heartbreaking lows such as the shooting deaths of nine people at a black church, allegedly by a white supremacist aiming to start a race war."
"Almost two-thirds of Americans say racial tensions have increased in America in the last 10 years, much higher than the 29% who said so in 2001 and the 47% who felt that way in 1995. On this issue, there is agreement across racial and ethnic groups, with majorities of whites (67%), blacks (65%) and Hispanics (55%) all feeling tensions have grown in the last decade."
"About seven in 10 whites say they live (69%) or socialize with (68%) people who are mostly of the same race as them, and six in 10 employed whites have co-workers who are mostly other white people (60%). Hispanics and blacks are more apt to report more diverse neighborhoods, social circles and workplaces."
"More blacks say they experienced unfair treatment while shopping than in any of the five scenarios tested -- 33% reported an occasion like that. And blacks were least likely to report unfair treatment when seeking health care (12%). About a quarter of blacks say they experienced unfair treatment at work or in a restaurant, bar, theater or other entertainment venue."
[23] http://raprehab.com/who-benefits-from-rap-stereotypes/
Obviously these stereotypes about black people are not new.
In fact, they’re as American as apple pie and as old as America itself. With
slave labour as the economic foundation upon which this country was built,
negative ideas about black people were created and widely circulated to “justify”
the brutal, inhumane and psychopathic behaviour of racist whites within the
system of slavery.
Rap either reinforces the stereotypes that people have in
society of black people or people take the alternative view and understand the
lyrics to be the reality of people’s lives rather them trying to place a false
view of what it’s like to a rapper by selling drugs and having guns which
reinforce negative stereotypes.
"Obviously these stereotypes about black people are not new. In fact, they’re as American as apple pie and as old as America itself. With slave labour as the economic foundation upon which this country was built, negative ideas about black people were created and widely circulated to “justify” the brutal, inhumane and psychopathic behaviour of racist whites within the system of slavery."
"Apparently, unless white record executives publicly proclaim “WE’RE USING BLACK MUSIC TO CIRCULATE BLACK STEREOTYPES THAT KEEP BLACK PEOPLE SUBJUGATED, DISEMPOWERED AND MENTALLY ENSLAVED IN ORDER TO PROTECT WHITE POWER AND PRIVILEGE,” it’s not really happening."
"Obviously these stereotypes about black people are not new. In fact, they’re as American as apple pie and as old as America itself. With slave labour as the economic foundation upon which this country was built, negative ideas about black people were created and widely circulated to “justify” the brutal, inhumane and psychopathic behaviour of racist whites within the system of slavery."
"Apparently, unless white record executives publicly proclaim “WE’RE USING BLACK MUSIC TO CIRCULATE BLACK STEREOTYPES THAT KEEP BLACK PEOPLE SUBJUGATED, DISEMPOWERED AND MENTALLY ENSLAVED IN ORDER TO PROTECT WHITE POWER AND PRIVILEGE,” it’s not really happening."
[24] http://people.southwestern.edu/~bednarb/su_netWorks/projects/flatley/Stereotypes.html
This is the typical rapper that is seen in most videos which attracts the majority of the rap audience.
‘’It should be noted that the clothing and cash carry
significant meanings on the conational level. As stated above, the camo garb
associates Ace Hood with gang life, which is often correlated to crime, drugs,
and money (cash). Thus, one can argue that these relationships connote that
idea that a life of crime pays. This ultimately reinforces Price's claims
pertaining to thug life and the idea that for many individuals trapped in the
inner city ghettos; a formal education does not provide a solution or a way
out. Instead crime and/or "making it" in the rap game serve as more
plausible/feasible solutions to escape the grasp of poverty.’’
I think that this is usually the case in most rap videos and
because people idolise these rappers they resort to a life of crime because
those are the lyrics that rap music gives off at times and the clothing and
props also help reinforce that negative lifestyle.
BOOKS
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.
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.
"Rappers of colour who "make it" are viewed as
tokens within American society. This in turn increases the fame of the artist
on an individual level, while simultaneously serving to further oppress other
members of society who share the same race and/or ethnicity. The neighbourhoods
in which many hip-hop artists grow up are dangerous to say the least."
CNN Is Very Worried About Violence At 'Straight Outta Compton' (n.d.). Retrieved March 09, 2016, from:
CNN Surprised ‘Straight Outta Compton’ Didn’t Cause Violence, Earned Record Money Instead. (2015). Retrieved March 09, 2016, from:
Bradshaw, P. (2015). Straight Outta Compton review – how hip-hop pioneers NWA took on the world. Retrieved March 09, 2016, from:
The One Scene in 'Straight Outta Compton' That Resonates Most in 2015. (2015). Retrieved March 09, 2016, from:
Does Hip-hop Drive Negative Stereotypes of Black Men? | The MSU Spokesman. (2013). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from:
The Impact of Rap and Hip-Hop Music on American Youth. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2016, from:
Brookins, T. (2013). The Socialist's Journal: The Effects of Rap Music | EURweb. Retrieved March 11, 2016, from:
BOOKS
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.
D, C., & Jah, Y. (1997). Fight the power: Rap, race, and reality. New York, NY: Delacorte
Press.
Page xii – “I’ve felt that this art form is tossed aside as
a ghetto game for black youth and that limited opinion is ignorant”.
Rap has always been an influential art form for the black
community which expresses black voices being muted by the news, peoples
ideologies, stereotypes. It allows us to express our lives and real life
problems in today's society. This has been done in the past before with songs
such as 'f**k the police' by N.W.A. They've been influential in doing things
like this through their songs. It now allows people to talk about their
lifestyle and the choices they made and had to have made in order to get where
they are. These are the things that the news doesn't show or challenging the
stereotypes we have because they are apart of the dominant ideology.
Reflecting Black: African-American Cultural Criticism
(American Culture)
Page 8 - “rap artistry ensures raps existence of the margins
of many black communities”
Rap music isn't just a source for people to watch music
videos and understand the meaning to the lyrics but the values that it holds
allows people to come together and share these values. This is why rap is such
an influential source of art as we all share something that the rap genre has
to offer to its audience. The genre can be seen to have raised people during
their time of need and this is why the lyrics can relate to those who have been
in similar situations because it targets such a wide audience but mainly a
African American target audience as they're more likely to have experienced
certain situations that rap talks about.
Dyson, M. E. (1996). Between
God and gangsta rap: Bearing witness to black culture. New York: Oxford
University Press.
Page 4 - “it’s undeniable that black men are in deplorable
shape. The most tragic symbol of this condition, I suppose, is the black
prisoner”
Black prisoners are going to prison due to the lifestyle
that they’ve had to live. This is due to the way that they’ve been raised where
rap has been influential for them because rappers are seen as someone to aspire
to. However it could also be due to poverty in certain areas in America such as
south central la in the 1980s and 1990s where crime was high. These factors
have then lead to people living these corrupt lifestyles and as a result of
this, crimes are committed and people are then arrested.
Page 5 - “too many black men are jailed for no other reason,
than that they fit the profile of a thug”
There are still stereotypes in society that people have
towards black men and this can be due to their physical appearance from the way
they speak. If they are seen to fit a certain stereotype they’re automatically
a suspect and assumed to be a criminal. Even during society today racism still
exists and with rap talking about gangs and violence whilst dressing up as
‘thugs’ it reinforces this stereotype of looking like a thug due to the lyrics
being said throughout the song or the misinterpretation of lyrics that people
listen to.
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
The book is about black people in America and the problems
that are faced through racism.
Porter, M. (2006). Rap
and the eroticizing of black youth. Chicago, IL: African American Images
Page xi - “miseducation and racism has given rise to
black poverty, crime, and other destructive behaviour”
People are not being educated when it comes to black people
in society when it comes to their lifestyle and the way that they live. There
are certain situations that they are in which causes them to feel like the only
way for them to survive is to do things which are illegal or go into rap as
they've been raised by the lyrics and similar life experiences that the rappers
have lived. When people are informed about black people and crime it is seen as
it was their fault and doesn't consider the external factors that could've
caused this to happen such as the area they're in, family life and other
factors. Maybe this is the reason rap has such a big impact is because people
look up to it and live their lifestyle according to that.
Page 6 - “negative rap songs and their accompanying videos
often instil erotic sadism in the black male child”
The rap videos that people are viewing will initially
influence them to recreate that exact lifestyle or bring the lyrics to life
such as selling drugs or killing people to gain recognition or the glamour
which is supposedly received when doing so in a rap song or video. This is why
people start to dress like thugs and behave in a particular manner which the
police see to be threatening or stereotypically accurate. This is why they may
go and search those who fit this stereotypical image to prevent anything like
this from happening.
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.
“if the late Tupac Shakur were a newly signed artist today,
I believe he’d likely be considered a socially conscious rapper and thus
relegated to the margins of the commercial hip-hop field”
Wheatley, S. (2010). Don't
call me urban: The time of grime. Newcastle upon Tyne: Northumbria
University Press.
Page 113 - "I don't wanna do time but I'm forced to do
crime."
This quote fits with my question because it shows the
reality of what people have to go through and the way they think they have to
do crime to survive even though it's something they don't want to do. This
conveys the lyrics that are said in rap videos aren't said to promote gang
violence or criminal behaviour at all but the harsh reality that people go
through in order to survive. This supports that rap videos is showing the
reality that rappers and others in urban areas have to go through and not reinforcing
people to go commit crimes. This links to Chuck D's quote from Public Enemy,
"Hip-Hop is the black CNN." The media doesn't want to show the
reality of black Americans or the positives which is why rap was there to
inform black people in America.
T. (2011). Who's
afraid of post-blackness?: What it means to be Black now. New York: Free
Press.
Page 209 - "black people have a complicated
relationship with America. For us it's painful love"
Black people in America have a hard time living there due to
the racism and stereotypes that people conform to. There still seems that black
people haven't got a place in society because people are always judging them
for something that is stereotypical.
Page 210 - "I'm not trying to give up my
blackness"
People who live in America shouldn't need to be white in
order to live a normal life there without being assaulted or judge by the
colour of their skin.
Womack, Y. (2010). Post
Black: How a new generation is redefining African American identity.
Chicago, IL: Lawrence Hill Books.
Page 5 intro - "hip-hop, the voice of the streets"
This is a way for those who are living in urban areas where
no one can express or tell the story of how they survive but those who rap and
come from similar backgrounds. Rap is a way for people to tell their story
which the news doesn't show.
????
Page 33 - "When the idea of "race" becomes
concept, it poses clear and incompatible alternatives."
There is always discrimination between black and white
people. Those who are white seem to have a different ‘race’ for those who are
not of the same skin colour of them. With this being the case everything that
someone who’s black might do could be criticised or an alternative view which
means the complete opposite. This links well as rap is seen to describe the
reality of people living in the ghetto but instead because they’re seen as
another race those who are black are then labelled to be violent and aggressive
due to the colour of their skin which erases them from the same ‘race’.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)