In the mid-to-late 1980s, the cultural shockwave known as hip hop with its rap roots and "gangsta culture" thrived in the economic and social madness that paralyzed American cities and neighborhoods. This form of music was a cultural response from neglected black and Latino neighborhoods such as the Bronx, New York, which captured some of the youth culture and career opportunities. This article will attempt to reconcile the different critiques that answer the question: to what extent did the language used in the beginnings of commercial rap in the 1980s begin as a cultural response to the socio-economic oppression that befell the black community? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay In the late 1980s, rap and hip hop only grew in popularity and criticism. Republican and Democratic politicians as well as many black leaders have placed responsibility for the socio-economic scourge plaguing black communities across America. They accused the genre of promoting violence such as drug use, teenage pregnancy, unemployment, gang violence and dropping out of school. However, many black rappers – including Ice-T and Sister Souljah – say they are unfairly singled out because they believe rap music gives people of all races and genders an outlet for their societal neglect, to their anger, to their pain, and even to their happiness. This essay will explain how music portrayed the social predispositions and opportunities of black people and finally acknowledge the perception of authoritarian discrimination in which black rappers used music to respond aggressively. Analysis of these arguments will include rap songs produced and released between 1979 and 1989. Artists who will be sued include Schoolly D and Ice-T, as well as groups such as NWA (Niggaz With Attitude), Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash . Their generation-defining music includes the songs “Rapper's Delight,” Fuck tha Police,” and “The Message.” In recent years, controversy over rap music and its gangsta culture has been at the forefront of American media. From the hype of the East Coast-West Coast rivalry that overshadowed the murders of rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG to the demonization of modern music in the wake of the Littleton, Colorado school shootings. Critics are quick to blame rap for an apparent trend of youth violence, but they miss the way rap culture has defined today's artists and their promotional messages such as black expression. The lyrical content of old school rap definitely began as a form of black expressionism of the violence and aggression that the black community faced in the socio-economic situation of the 1980s and 1990s. Argument 1 – Social prejudice and opportunities: Black rappers have expressed their feelings against the racism apparently present. and the social prejudices of the 1980s with the use of offensive and violent language such as profanity and racial slurs in their songs. In 1989, artists Chuck D, Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler and Keith Shocklee released their hit album "Fear of a Black Planet" which targeted racism as the refrain of many songs, particularly the song "Fight the Power." Elvis was a hero to most but he didn'tnever meant shit to me, you see. Frankly racist, this asshole was simple and clear. Mother Fuck Him and John Wayne Cause I'm Black and I'm Proud (Rap Genius). Public Enemy expresses their thoughts on the white community, including Elvis and John Wayne, calling them "sons of bitches" because they believe they were only known for being racist towards black people. “Gangsta Rap” pioneer Schoolly D wrote the song “Don’t Call Me Nigger” in 1989 to end the use of the word “nigga.” Don't call me nigga….WHITEY! Don't call me nigga (nigga) WHITEY! Now take that word nigger, and that's what I think is a nigger is ignorant, fickle and lazy. So what you're trying to say, boy, is I'm crazy (Rap Genius). Schoolly D explicitly defines the word "nigger" as a racial slur and the chorus says so to the white population. directly to not say it because it's offensive and racist. Calling them “WHITEY” was a juxtaposition to “Nigga” in that it also had the right to demonize. His tone is very violent because he feels motivated to speak the truth on behalf of the black community. Retaliation against the white community was just one of many foundations of the decade that defined rap music. It was a way for Public Enemy and Schoolly D to express their opinions with racial slurs through harsh language and profanity. Stereotypes are a form of social prejudice that society has used to categorize blacks and whites as dangerous and friendly when it comes to drug trafficking activities. . Schoolly D's "Don't Call me Nigger" highlighted the negligence in the use of the racial slur, but also one of the reasons it was so commonly used is that it reinforced the image that Blacks, especially those from ghetto neighborhoods, were always to be blamed when it came to the sale and production of narcotics. The Whitney my man, you you're my fan I look at your face and I gotta say damn I feel a lot of pain, the money you get 'Cause I'm black you think it came out of 'caine (Rap Genius) Schoolly D raps from the perspective of a white and black man. Schoolly D is implicitly accused of being a drug dealer by the way a white person looks at him. Illegal use of drugs like cocaine was very common in the 1980s and made it seem like the only way to survive for black men raised in poor neighborhoods was through drug dealing. In 1988, O'Shea Jackson (Ice Cube) and the NWA wrote the single "Fuck tha Police" after a false accusation was made by police that they were affiliated with a gang because of their appearance. Ice Cube was furious about the stereotypes police officers accuse young black men of and mentions selling drugs in an attempt to look like habitually dressed gang members in their controversial song. Fuck with me 'cause I'm a teenager With a little gold and a pager I'm looking for my car, looking for the product I think all niggas sell narcotics (Rap Genius) White cops are widely blamed young black people as being affiliated with a gang. The fast pace and rhyme mimic Ice Cube's dismay at the stereotype as he makes a statement to the police. This view is what NWA was known for talking about and rapping on many other songs such as "Gangsta Gangsta" and "Straight Outta Compton". which will be analyzed in the next argument. Ice Cube's passion and motivation lay in the influence he had on behalf of his community to end drug trafficking and the stereotypes of police harassment that society demonized. At firstof the 1980s, "The Message" would change the direction of self-congratulation and celebration. chants of mainstream rap to provide hip hip with its first prominent rap song that communicated more of a social commentary. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five “The Message,” released in 1982, highlighted the stereotypical harsh life endured by a black man from the “ghetto.” Smugglers, jammers, burglars, gamblers Pickpocket peddlers, even beggars You say: “I'm cool, eh, I'm not an imbecile. But then you end up dropping out of high school (Rap Genius). Young black men resorted to crime and unconscious decisions as a precursor to the image they wanted the community to see as powerful, as being a feared criminal. Their economic education was poor. and as a result, it became the stereotype that all black people were “failures” in society. Now you're unemployed, null and void You walk around like you're Pretty Boy Floyd You became a bank robber, but look what you did I was sent for an eight year deal (Rap Genius) The last one line tells us the last place you'll end up is prison and that's the exact same thought that white people considered a black man's timeline to be. This true and metaphorical use of language communicated a story that Grandmaster Flash wanted his "siblings" to understand. Another infamous example is “Am I black enough for you?” » by Schoolly D. The satirical lyrics challenge America's stereotype of black people: "Am I black enough for you, America?" I'm black! Too powerful. I'm still a bad boy and I have a full hour. Schoolly D's rhetorical question about whether he lives up to the "power" stereotype of him simply being black prompts those who believe it to consider his point of view. These artists used their music to communicate a message about their emotional and essential understanding of the difference in opportunity between races. Argument 2 - Police Brutality and Discrimination: On April 29, 1992, the Cree of South Los Angeles were in deep need of safety, employment, and respect. The Los Angeles riots left more than 50 dead, more than 2,000 injured and approximately $1 billion in damage. The words of prominent hip hop figures such as NWA (Ice Cube, Ice-T, and Dr. Dre) were integral to the skepticism of the history of the Los Angeles riots. Through their music, the needs of South Los Angeles residents were finally heard and echoed around the world. In 1991, the United States Department of Commerce released a statistical summary that highlighted the rising poverty rate in South Los Angeles between 1989 and 1991. The summary reflected Ice Cube's hit "My Summer Vacation,” released October 29, 1991, chronicling the strained relationship. between the community and the police, coupled with economic pressure from the population. Now it's a young man's summer vacation No chance of rehabilitation 'Cause look at the fucking years I'm facing (Rap Genius) For most kids going back to school in September it's is generally something one is happy to discuss, while Ice Cube contradicts this view, in the sense that, despite the messes he has done, there is no option for rehabilitation to a heavy sentence of prison. That same year, the Baltimore Sun published its report showing civilian complaints of "excessive force" by LAPD officers escalated. by 33% between 1984 and 1989. Ice Cube interpreted these claims as "a typical summer vacation." After it was announced that the police officers would be released from allaccusations, the South Los Angeles community was in flames and raging acts of violence occurred in 1992. Amid the hostility between the black community and the LAPD, Ice Cube wrote the song "Black Korea." » released in 1991 which dealt with the animosity between the black and Korean community. I think all the brothers in the world are ready to attack. So they watch my every damn move. They hope I don't pull out a gun and try to steal. They're a great little store, but, bitch, I got a job (Rap Genius) Korean. store owners stereotyped black people as dangerous criminals. Ice Cube explains that such community racial profiling tactics have increased tension and bitterness between the races. Korean landlords were eventually pushed to bear arms to protect their properties as the majority of their stores were engulfed in the Los Angeles riots. Another notable example of a black artist standing up against racial tensions was Public Enemy and their single "Fight the Power" released on June 1. 1989. People, people, we're the same No, we're not the same 'Cause we don't know the game (Rap Genius) Chuck D. of Public Enemy explained that there's only one only race, the human race. Lines tells anyone who claims racism is dead that they are lying because it continues to harm the community. The public enemy claims that black people do not have the same rights as majority white society because they do not receive fair treatment. “Fight the Power” emerged as an influential and strategic protest for the black community and its motivation in the Los Angeles riots. The early 1990s were marked by police brutality and their ability to exercise power excessively by falsely accusing black men of criminal negligence. The Los Angeles Police Department has a history of racial discrimination and excessive use of force against the black community. This behavior inspired Ice Cube and the NWA to create "Fuck Tha Police" (1988), an aggressive social statement against the police. Get off your fucking ass right now! Aww shit, now why are you stopping me? Because I want it! Just sit on the curb and shut up! Man, shit, this shit! Okay, smartass, I'll take your black ass to jail! (Rap Genius) Police officers judge, accuse, and harass innocent black men walking the streets and instantly label them as dangerous largely because of the way they dress and look like gang members. This daily incident was a disgrace and brutally emphasized that law enforcement is above the law. “Fuck Tha Police” was a statement that served to reclaim derogatory language for positive change, projecting the black voice regarding injustice, through hip hop. Tupac Shakur, among many born movers and shakers such as Ice Cube, was known for rapping. this revolutionary theme in “Trapped” as one of its first mature signs of its revolutionary potential. Tupac's message was much more complex, far beyond his comprehensive melodies and compelling philosophy. They trapped me, I can barely walk the city streets without a cop harassing me, searching me and then asking my identity. Put your hands up, threw me against the wall, didn't do anything at all. I'll tell you one day, these assholes. I have to fall Handcuffed, throw me on the concrete Tupac was violently assaulted by the Oakland police around this time after swearing at and stepping on the police. He was seriously bruised after the incident and arrested on the spot. Tupac addresses the police who profile the minority and its brutality in this song. THE..