Hip-Hop and Social Justice

One could make the case that Tupac paved the way for newer rappers, as he is one of the most mentioned and recognized hip-hop artists of all time. He, like fellow old school figures like NWA and Public Enemy, made music about what he saw and did, developing “gangster rap.” As Rothman says, he was “a symbol of possibility, of life cut short,” leaving the question, “What if?” and spiking discussion about what he would have done and how much of an impact he would have had.

I interviewed Avery for my “Voices” podcast, not only because he is such a big hip-hop enthusiast and well-informed young person, but also because he is not afraid to express his thoughts on platforms like social media. While social media, for some, is just a way to gain popularity, Avery, in addition to his photos and dance videos, takes the opportunity to educate and inform others about issues and actually makes a meaningful impact. 

This is something (roughly along the lines of what) I said in a Black Lives Matter seminar I am taking. Music is such a common and ubiquitous part of our lives, which makes it such an effective and powerful means of communicating and informing.

“I mean, it’s evident that I’m irrelevant to society, that’s what you’re telling me, penitentiary would only hire me” is one of my favorite lines in the song. White Americans have often degraded African-Americans so much that they became “irrelevant,” and the second line basically says that African-Americans are more likely to be arrested and be sent to jail rather than obtain an actual job.

From MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963 until 51 years later in 2014, African-Americans have fought for that dream Dr. King had, and, sadly to say, recent events (Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant, etc.) have shown that that dream is still a ways away. My interpretation of the word “glory” in this song is that it will be reached when true equality is reached. “Glory” does not mean having lavish fame, but instead it is to no longer have the fear of being unjustly arrested or even killed and be able to live life without being targeted and monitored.

In response to the previous 2Pac post, this line is one way that not only African-Americans, but any oppressed group of people, can motivate themselves to continue to fight and work toward a bright future. They should and will never stop marching, protesting, and struggling to accomplish the goal of actual equality instead of the “equality” America claims to provide at this moment in time.

This is exactly like the protests in response to the shootings and wrongful actions of law enforcement as well as the election of the 45th president in that when people (especially POCs) rise up against something, they are seen as violent and a threat, when in reality that is not always the case. Authoritative figures that refuse to recognize their own wrongdoings and unjust policies need to either justify their actions or maintain their images by accusing people of, in this case, violence. The problem is that there absolutely NEEDS to be rebellious actions and protests in response to such wrongdoings, but they cannot come to fruition if there are impractical restrictions.

My class also had the privilege of speaking on Skype with Jasiri in addition to Tef Poe, and he gave us valuable insight on social activism through his work. Though much of his music is very powerful, he, as well as other socially conscious rappers, do not get the recognition of bigger names like Kendrick Lamar. I discuss why I think this is in my podcast - that since mainstream musicians produce and deliver more aurally appealing and subtle messages, they have more success than those who are often more explicit (and sometimes aggressive). For example, “Alright,” due to its catchy chorus and positive inflection, was adopted as a rallying cry by protesters instead of a song like Tef Poe’s “War Cry.”

Macklemore and his music works together with that of Kendrick Lamar, Jasiri X, Tef Poe, and other socially conscious artists in the sense that it raises current concerns through personal experiences (both direct and indirect). However, With Macklemore being white and not African-American, there has been and will continue to be controversy regarding his credibility, as he has not had to endure some of the hardships African-Americans have. With “Same Love,” his experience very much helped his case, but I wonder if being white did the same, as white listeners probably felt more comfortable hearing a song about gay rights than if it had been produced by an African-American rapper. There is so much heavy material in the relationship between race and sexual orientation that, no matter who sings and no matter who listens, conversation will ensue. For this issue about who and can should say what to be resolved, not only does America need to become more accepting of homosexuality, but popular musicians need to not be afraid of bringing up such topics, as not all African-Americans are straight and not all rappers are African-American.

I was lucky enough to participate in a class Skype call with Tef Poe, and it was interesting to hear his thoughts on American politics, activism such as Black Lives Matter, and his experiences living in St. Louis and marching for Michael Brown. I recall him giving our class the advice to never settle and to do things with conviction, for if we want to make a difference and change the world, we need to be determined to reach a goal and anything but hesitant when it comes to pushing forward. He used Donald Trump as an example, as Trump has nothing if not conviction, and, while the things he does may not be the best decisions, he does, in fact, GET THINGS DONE.

Here is the official music video for “Same Love.” Macklemore, like many hip-hop artists, uses his personal experiences as inspiration for his music (for example, this song comes from his relationship with his homosexual uncle who played a big role in his upbringing [this is also mentioned in the Macklemore article post]). Though Macklemore has gained a lot of attention and fame across the nation and the world, he does have restrictions, as he cannot speak to the racial issues like, for instance, Kendrick Lamar, as Macklemore himself is not African-American.

http://uproxx.com/realtalk/hip-hop-social-justice-intersection/

Kendrick Lamar I think has a generally positive outlook on the fight for racial equality, but I think he does remain very grounded and realistic when he puts his songs and albums together. “Alright” and “The Blacker the Berry” both concern African-Americans and their struggles, but the former carries a much brighter tone than the latter. In this way, the two songs both collaborate to highlight the issue of racism while also butting heads about the delivery of the message.

“Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis