Finally!! We've arrived at our last unit. It's been a rich and rewarding discourse for this class. However, I always feel obligated to hope that what we've discussed will be continued after you leave the class. This is why our last unit centers around a reflective topic - can HH's bad 'rap' be (re)claimed? I chose 3 images deliberately. For our last unit, I'd like to you reflect on each, and consider whether or not these artists have not only positioned themselves, but perhaps the entire industry to (re)claim the art, Hip-Hop. Support your thinking by providing specific details. Please remember to follow the blog rubric on the syllabus. This is due Mon., 5/1/17 by the beginning of class.
There is no question that Hip Hop has acquired a “bad rap.” The question posed is can Hip Hops “bad rap” be reclaimed. I believe that it can. The three album covers posted on the blog depict three main artists that are taking the steps to reclaim Hip Hop. Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, and J. Cole are all artist that I believe are challenging the commercialization of Hip Hop.
ReplyDeleteKendrick Lamar’s album cover presents an image that is very profound. Before analyzing the meaning of the album cover, I first picked apart the image. There is a dead judge laying on the ground. There are shirtless Black men with drinks and money posed in front of the white house. There is also a baby in the image. To me this represents a broken system that has failed the Black community, a black baby that was born into this failed system, and an idolization for money. I think the image represents the sad reality of that the Black man faces in America at the hands of the government. I think it also represents a certain ignorance to the circumstances faced by the community by those in the community because the men in the image almost look content with their situation and money. The album itself is another example of Kendrick reclaiming the “bad rap” of Hip Hop. In songs like “Alright” Kendrick speaks on real problems in the Black community while uplifting and reassuring the community. I believe Kendrick has positioned himself and the industry to reclaim Hip Hop because his music represents a certain realism that Hip Hop was founded on.
Chance the Rappers album cover incorporates fewer aspects than Kendrick’s but still conveys a message. The expression on Change the Rappers face could be received as one of shock, terror, or even paranoia. Chance the Rappers cover is definitely non-normative. It could also be perceived as queer because of the colors and the colorful top that he is wearing. All these aspects challenge the mainstream image of Hip Hop. In songs on the album like “Pusha Man” Chance the Rapper says “and I ponder what’s worse between knowing its over and dyin first cause everybody dies in the summer.” He does a great job and incorporating the harsh realities of the Black community without glorifying them. I believe that being able to convey a message in Hip Hop without glorification is a major tool needed in order to reclaim the “bad rap” placed on Hip Hop. Not only Chance the Rapper but also Kendrick Lamar and J. Cool posses this tool.
J. Coles album cover looks like a picture taken from his documentary about his album. The image is of him standing out in the streets in a Black community with a child staring at him. I think it represents a certain humbleness. J. Coles documentary exemplifies humbleness and a love for the Black community. This is also shown in his songs like “Neighbors” where he says “in the driveway there’s no rapper cars just some shit to get from back and forth”. This same down to earth realness is represented in all of his music. I think through the way he carries himself as an artist he positions himself to reclaim the “bad rap” of Hip Hop.
The art of Hip Hop has continuously received criticism from those inside and outside of the Black community. Some believe that the art promotes negative stereotypes and others believe that it promotes and glorifies violence. Artist like Chance the Rapper, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar tear down this “bad rap” by straying away from these derogatory ideals. They also open up the door for others in the industry to follow in their footsteps.
Media:
Kendrick Lamar Alright: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-48u_uWMHY
Chance the Rapper Pusha Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0DcVbSYWUA
J. Cole Neighbors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOPgg7qqlcA
It is a very difficult task to "reclaim" Hip Hop. It has gone through so much evolution and has even been misused by other cultures. Nonetheless, there are still a few artists who try to reclaim what hip hop once stood for. Hip hop once represented expression, authenticity, and power in the black community. Artists like Chance the Rapper, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar are all breaking the mold in order to bring some of these aspects back into the hip hop community.
ReplyDeleteChance the Rapper has broken many records by being an independent artist. He has managed to build a strong, worldwide fan base that keeps his concerts sold out all across the country and his music playing throughout millions of speakers. Not only is he special for his independence, but his music is also a unique sound. He mixes rap and gospel melodies together. With Chance's presence in hip hop, there is now hope of a new avenue that leads to more independence within the hip hop industry.
https://youtu.be/DVkkYlQNmbc
J. Cole has greatly impacted the hip hop industry through his humble authenticity. He has the flow and lyrical talent that has been missing in the industry for quite some time. He has been labeled as a master of storytelling in the African American Community because he tells stories many people can relate to. Even if one could not relate to J. Cole, his delivery and bars are so captivating that anyone can be a fan. Regardless of his all star talent, he remains humble. He goes back into his community and talks with his people, and he doesn't wear flashy clothing. He allowed the Black community to see that it is possible to make dreams come true without selling your soul for fame and riches.
https://youtu.be/ZPCAvzIFY-s
Lastly, Kendrick Lamar is a rapper who doesn't care what the public has to say about his work. He is very involved with the injustices that take place in the black community. He lets the way he feels about society shine through his music. He almost always writes his music based on a conscious level and never for mere commercial success. Of course he takes strategic steps to ensure he is still successful in the industry, but it is clear that his ultimate goal is to create music that expresses the message he wishes to convey.
https://youtu.be/Z-48u_uWMHY
Thinking back to our discussion in class about conscious rappers and their impact on the Hip-Hop industry, I believe that Chance, Cole, and Kendrick are trying to shift the industry back towards the conscious era. The biggest divide in the industry is old-school rappers versus the new generation. Rappers back in the day rapped about what really went on in their lives and talked about current issues within society. Today, rappers are known for mumbling and talking about things they essentially know nothing about. Young Thug, for example, is difficult to understand; however, people like his music because it has a catchy beat. When we discussed Uncle Luke and how he started producing music, he stated that people going out do not want to hear conscious rap, they just want to have fun. This is how music is misconstrued; nobody wants to gain a message from the music anymore, they just want something catchy that they can dance to. With the rise of Chance the Rapper and Kendrick, they have found ways to make their music conscious, but entertaining. Their music is often played in clubs, which allows their message to be spread, while also giving the people what they want. J. Cole has been criticized more because some people get tired of some of the songs on his album, as opposed to liking the album in its entirety. His music could be seen as “too conscious,” meaning one would have to be in a certain mindset to listen to it. Although his songs are played frequently on the radio, I have noticed people have said it got played out quicker than other music because it requires one to think.
ReplyDeleteAll three rappers not only create music for their audiences’ enjoyment, but they aim to spread awareness and provide encouragement. For example, in “Alright” from Kendrick’s To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick expresses that no matter what he goes through, as long as he trusts in God, he’ll be alright. He uses the word “we” to try to encourage others to trust in God along with him in hopes that their circumstances will improve. J. Cole addresses gun violence in his latest album, 4 Your Eyez Only. In his song, “Ville Mentality,” he uses an excerpt from what was assumed to be his friend’s daughter; in this interlude, she is explaining how her father died. She says:
My dad, he died—he got shot 'cause his friend set him up. And
I didn't go to his funeral—and sometimes when I'm in my
room, I get mad at my momma when she mean to me. And she—
And she say, "clean up"—I say—
Cole also addresses violence in his song “4 Your Eyez Only.” He includes not only what might run through the mind of a person in the hood feeling like they have no other options but to sell drugs and gang bang. He also includes what the families of those that die in the streets to gun or gang violence may experience. By including these different aspects in this song, he is attempting to bring awareness to all sides so that we may see how someone in that predicament may feel as well as their loved ones. Chance the Rapper is known for having choirs in his music and speaking highly of the Lord. This shows his faith and I believe he is attempting to spread his love of Jesus around the world. In his recent album, Coloring Book, he had songs like “Blessings” and “All We Got,” which featured choirs. He takes certain characteristics from gospel music and combines it with rap to create a unique sound that is not gospel-rap, but something completely different. All three artists have unique sounds and take story-telling and raising awareness to new levels. By doing this, they are trying to rid hip-hop of its “bad rap” and create a new, more conscious era in contrast to the nonsense, mumble-rap we often listen to today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-48u_uWMHY – Kendrick Lamar: Alright
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnrbCNz2XcM – J. Cole: Ville Mentality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwm-uVWstGA – J. Cole: 4 Your Eyez Only
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hi3nbs3bD4 – Chance the Rapper: All We Got
Can Hip-Hop “bad rap” be re-claim is a hard question to answer. I think another question is if the black community is ready for change? Maybe the art of music has changed because the circumstances in the black community just became harsher. A lot of people says rap is terrible now of days but still continue to listen to it and dance in the club as soon as their “song” comes on. People like Chance the Rapper, J Cole, and Kendrick is doing what is seemed as “non-normative” but then again you don’t hear their songs as much as other artists. I think there can be change and these three artists are creating awareness. Yet, its need to be more individual involved than just them.
ReplyDeleteChance the Rapper
I like what Chance the Rapper is doing. I think what makes him interesting is he’s thinking business and money smart, something that majority of artist doesn't think about. I think in the music industry more artist is going to take on the independent route. Chance the Rapper independence is what makes him different than anyone else and he’s album cover shows it. Many male rappers would not even consider using so many colors on their cover because is seen as “gay”. The wide range of colors to some may seem as less masculine. Yet, this is something that makes Chance the Rapper different. Not only does Chance have a visual difference but also a different sound.
Another thing I like about Chance the Rapper is he have not let money control him. With his crew “save money” he works with kids and creates songs. He’s taking kids from out of Chicago and showing them a different life. This is the first step to not only change in the hip hop world but to the black community. Check out his interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKMrdVbEAbc
J. Cole
J. Cole is sometimes difficult to understand and that what I love. Visually and when you listen to his music it’s a hidden message. I think with the black and white color of his album means that until you understand the circumstances that our peers are going through is when you will see the “color”. When you see the color is when you’ll realize that the black community is suffering. I find it interesting that J. Cole doesn't even show his face in his album. But rather his back. But you can clearly see the little boy face who seems to be looking a J. Cole. I think J. Cole is showing that it’s much more important things that we need to be discussing in rap than drugs, money, and cars. It's people losing their life and not even having a chance to pursue their dreams. Or there are people who live in these predicaments where the streets are the only way of surviving. I think J. Cole is taking it back to real Hip Hop. J Cole is telling the story of the struggle rather than the fame that many don't reach.
Listen to 4 Your Eyez Only
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwm-uVWstGA
Kendrick Lamar
I find Kendrick Lamar album cover to be very interesting. Like J Cole he also uses the black and white imagery. Also in the back, it looks like the people hands are creating words. This photo reminds me of a typical photo you would see if you went to a “hood block party” something. Young boys are having babies young and caught up into the money. I also find it interesting that the white house is in the background. Could K. Lamar be saying that our political leaders are the one to blame? Or let alone America is destroying the black community. Where I think K. Lamar really positioned himself to create change in Hip Hop was during the BET Awards. You may not listen to Kendrick but everyone saw his performance and felt how powerful it was. This created an impact on many people. By K. Lamar just leaving a footprint could lead to a major change.
Watch K. Lamar performance at the bet awards
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRim7wy8Xmk
I think that it would be hard for hip hop to be reclaimed because it has gone so far downhill. We have all of these mumble rappers who aren't making any sense. They use autotune so much that you have to go on rap genius or something of that natural to decode what they are saying. Then when you do, you realize they are not talking about anything of substance. Rap used to be the voice of our people. Back when rap first started we used it to express our political struggles and how it affected our communities.
ReplyDeleteHowever nowadays, rappers are only talking about how many girls they can fuck, how many foreign cars they own, their big house, and how much money they have. This all fits into the category of the hypermasculinity commonly expressed by the males in the hip hop industry. But their fame and fortune is basically all that they talk about.
This is how come, rappers such as Chance the Rapper, J.Cole, and Kendrick Lamar are like individual breaths of fresh air. I do not know that much about Chance the Rapper as far as his music goes. However, based off what we talked about in class i have a huge amount of respect for him. He wanted to be able to keep his artistry and all of his rights to his music which otherwise would not be able to occur if he would have signed a record deal. I think that the fact he is not signed to a big label and was not only awarded with grammies but was also invited to perform on the grammy stage in particular was amazing. Instead of doing what most artists who are deemed worthy enough to grace the grammy stage, he decided to show that even though he is a hip hop artist he never forgot his roots in gospel and never forgot his religion. It showed he didn't sell his soul. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ6cSMSDQyI.
It amazes me how he was able to combine two worlds to show unity and a positive image of hip hop. Gospel and rap had always had beef because gospel artists figured that rap was celebrating degrading topics such as degrading women. Chance was able to combine the two genres of music and show that they are not that much different after all.
J.Cole,is another interesting case. I always said that you have to have a certain level of intelligence in order to understand the truth that J.Cole is talking about our struggles but he does it through his music. In the video we saw from his 4 your Eyez only documentary, he went into the streets and was involved in discussions going on in the community to figure out solutions to problems they were having The part of that documentary that resonates with me the most was with the Mike Brown area. They talked about how the system was corrupt and how everyone has a voice and they need to put it to use. J. Cole is known for being able to be transparent with his experiences and his inner thoughts and feelings. For example in his song, Wet dreamz he gets candid about his experience sexually with a girl and about how he was pretending to not be a virgin just to satisfy the girl he was after. A lot of rappers today when they speak about sex they just talk about how many "bodies" they can get with the women they are after. They never talk about how a lot of the time they were just pretending with their sexual prowess they like to portray them having. J. Cole does and he does it in a way that is relateable without degrading his masculinity. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YTJHCOL0o8.
Lastly Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick's album to pimp a butterfly brings out the conscious rap that needs to be put into hip hop. When he performed at the grammies in chains it brought in a brand new light about how black men were still enslaved and how they were imprisoned by the system. He reminds me in a sense with that performance of NWA. The fact that he was not ashamed or hesitant to portray that in the light of the grammy stage despite the criticism he received, was amazing to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGGCx-RrKg8.
I believe that hip hop can be reclaimed, but there has to be artists who want to reclaim it. A few artists that are trying to reclaim hip hop are J Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Chance The Rapper, Big Sean and other low-key artists who don’t get the recognition they deserve because people don’t want to hear the type of music they are making. Hip hop needs to get back to telling stories over dope beats, not rapping about any and everything over mediocre beats.
ReplyDeleteChance the Rapper’s album covers tell a story to me. From one album cover to the next there is a correlation. In his first album cover he’s looking up at the sky with a shocked face. I believe it means that he was looking up to God, thanking hip for the opportunity to be able to make music. On the Acid Rap cover he is staring straight forward with a scared look on his face. I think this is to show that Chance has realized that the hip hop industry isn’t what he imagined. Many artists sometimes regret even getting into the game because of how bad things are within the industry. In his song “Favorite Song”, Chance says, “Real nigga with a nose ring that’s right, just here to rap them songs”. Chance has a passion for making music and he’s humble about it. That’s what other artists such as Lil Yatchy or Lil Uzi lack. Once they were put on, that’s all they cared about. Chance’s album cover isn’t complex which makes it easy to decipher.
4 Your Eyez Only is one of J Cole’s best albums because of how true it is. On this album cover J Cole is turned around with his back to us. In the background you see people who could just be locals from his town. Also the album appears to be ripped like there was something above it. J Cole needed an album cover that depicted the real stuff he talked about in his music. One of the songs that stands out to me on the album is 4 Your Eyez Only. It’s the longest song on the album and it's probably the most honest. “Can't visualize myself as nothing but a criminal
Control the block, serving up rocks and stay subliminal” J Cole is talking about the thoughts that actually run through black males minds and the whole song is an eye opener.
Kendrick has always been the artist who says how he feels and doesn’t care about how anyone will feel. His album cover is the most complex of the three. We see a bunch of black males sitting on the yard in front of what appears to be the white house. This album was released in 2015 which means that Obama was still president. In front of all the black men there seems to be a white judge laying on the ground as if he was just attacked. The title of this album is ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’. That alone makes you think because he is not talking about pimping an actual butterfly. The men’s faces show that they are happy about whatever they just did. Institutionalized is a song on the album that is extremely real. “I'm trapped inside the ghetto and I ain't proud to admit it Institutionalized, I keep runnin' back for a visit.”The black community has been standing still for the longest and there needs to be a change.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mtA9GvpzwU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwm-uVWstGA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st1N7e5sYaU
Chance, J Cole, and Kendrick are all artists who are taking the initiative to change hip hop. I don’t think that hip hop can be reclaimed though until there are 15+ artists that are taking steps to change it. Hip Hop has become a bunch of bull crap because society has allowed it to. The future of hip hop doesn’t only depend on the artists, it depends on the fans as well. To be honest, fans have a bigger voice than the artist. Reclaiming Hip Hop isn’t something that’s going to happen overnight. It’s going to take determination and dedication.
Chance the Rapper, J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar have all set themselves up to reclaim hip hip's 'bad rap' in my opinion. Each of these artist have different styles and authentically set themselves apart in the rap industry. All 3 of these cover albums show a little piece of their personality before you hear their music. With these 3 changing the game, it gives hope for more artist to do the same.
ReplyDeleteChance's album covers show his creativity and abnormality of his style. With his colorful album covers and his unique voice, Chance definitely stands out hip hop. In addition to uniqueness, he is also an independent artist. In an interview with Ellen he explains that he releases all his music for free and makes his money off of revenue from his merchandise and tours. His musical independence allows him to make his music how wants without the demands of major labels. Chance being an independent artist makes a statement to other musicians and rising artist that it is possible to be successful without signing to a label.
In J.Cole's album cover, this shows Cole being surrounded by people, a community and specifically the black community he talks about in his music. In all of J.Cole's albums he makes his music relatable and teaches life lessons through his lyrics. In the song 'Love Yourz' he talks about how money isn't everything, even though it may seem like it will make you happy. In the song 'False Prophets' he sends the message that consumers buy artist's music and praise them as if they were a God. Fans get caught up in what the artist says they do instead of actually looking at their actions. These lessons are commonality among most if not all of his songs. J.Cole's documentary of '4 Your Eyez Only,' is a visual to his latest album release. Watching it not only makes the lyrics to the songs come to life, but really tugs at your heart to make you want to make a change in the black community. He shows himself at Michael Brown's memorial in his neighborhood, at a lady's house that was flooded and all the repairs that she is paying for, and lots of clips of daddy daughter images. He places himself in the community to make a statement saying that this is where it all starts, the change HAS to start here with us.
Kendrick Lamar's album cover is making a more political message suggesting that the justice system will no longer hold us back from prospering. This message was very intentional as is the messages in his music. In an interview with MTV, Kendrick explains that he wants to use his voice as a platform for change. He is all for "disturbing the peace," and if he can use his voice for the greater good, then he will do that to help his community and others in the struggle. Kendrick's demeanor in this interview is so humble and sincere about the music that he makes.
All 3 of them are genuine about the music they make, and confidently stand out to make a difference. With more artist evolving like them in the future, and fans really fighting for the messages they are sending out in their music, hip hop will be a force that no one can stop.
Chance's Interview with Ellen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSgsrsTnrsk
Love Yourz Lyrics
https://genius.com/J-cole-love-yourz-lyrics
False Prophets lyrics
https://genius.com/J-cole-false-prophets-lyrics
Kendrick's interview with MTV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUEI_ep9iDs
In this unit, we mainly discussed J. Cole and his mannerisms throughout hi music and through life in general. All semester long, we've talked about artists who just want to be famous instead of artists who just want to entertain. J. Cole's 4 Your Eyez Only documentary shows that he would rather be a person that walks down the street normally and has conversations with normal everyday people.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the 3 album covers go, they all have three different vibes that they give off and if I were walking in the store past them, i would feel threes different things looking at them. Chance the Rapper's album covers definitely shows that he's different. It draws your attention because its colorful, but my focus went straight to his face. He looks pretty confused, almost like he just can't believe he's in this position. The album is a rap album obviously but the cover sort of gives me a rock and roll vibe.
Kendrick's album cover says that he's definitely political. It looks like the cover of Time magazine, when the country is in the middle of a crisis. You can see that he believes something is wrong, which brings me to his grammy performance of 2016. He was very controversial because during the Grammy's, a night filled with love and excitement, a night meant to showcase the best of this country's musicians, he came came out in chains to everyone the worst in this country's people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGGCx-RrKg8
J. Cole's album cover, honestly even though he's been in the game for a minute, I would think he's a rookie with that album cover. I wouldn't want to buy it, but once hearing it, it changes your view. Below is an example of J. Cole's reasoning as to why he's intentionally different. Why he doesn't follow "their" rules.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUKUFF6pfIQ
This unit definitely shows that everyone gets into the music industry for a reason and the music itself really separates the "men form the boys" so to speak on this particular topic. What a lot of people realize is that regular life doesn't stop when you get money. We talked about how kendrick felt when his 13 year old sister got pregnant and he realized that money doesn't stop real life.
Hip Hop does have a bad rap, it's a well known, and often hard to accept, truth. Fortunately, not all artists fit into the hypersexual, mumble rapper, materialistic thug life category. In fact many artists, like the ones mentioned above (plus logic and others) have made strives to bring light to the art of Hip Hop.
ReplyDeleteKendrick Lamar's album, To Pimp a Butterfly, is reminiscent of the plight of generational discrimination. His album brilliantly covers a wide variety of political and social issues while painting the picture of an unfair war that has been waged against us. I personally love Kendrick's work because it incorporates REAL "real life" themes into his work. He also seems to be beholden to no one but his ideals, as he performs on stage on top of a cop car! He is bold, and not afraid to give a voice to the unheard, the real value of hip hop. To see that, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIC0q5SqyXQ
J Cole is perhaps one of the realest and most talented rappers that are out. If anyone has really embodied what it means to be a Griot, it is him. His album, 4 Your Eyez Only, takes us through a whirlwind adventure through his life. We see the inspiration behind every song, the struggle and value behind every lyric. In my last post I even wrote a lengthy response about his song, "Love Yours" which isn't even on this album but still follows the same themes. J Cole is a master at connecting with his fan base, in a way that Drake and many of these mumble rappers cant, hence why he has gone platinum four times. He is unapologetically pro black, and will not shy away from sensitive themes in his music. He also continues to reject materialism in all its forms. A good "role model" (pun intended).
Chance the Rapper is an equally amazing rapper. What is special about him, is that not only does he reject the normative styles of rap, but he is also independent and fully in control of his work. This allows him to be himself in all of his music. He is bringing a new wave of fans into the Hip Hop realm by appealing to multiple kinds of people. His rap has an Indie feel to it, yet it is still played all around NCAT, and many African Americans love Chance.
These three have a chance to reclaim Hip Hop. By staying true to themselves, and capitalizing on their ability to captivate fans with "the word" , they can most definitely serve as trailblazers for a new generation of Hip Hop Artists. Only time will tell if they will continue to be themselves or become beholden to the themes that separate them from these more common rappers.