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Hip-Hop Culture and Social Counsciousness - Reconciling Value Conflicts by Valerie L. Patterson, Ph.D. Overview Setting the Stage: Questions to think about What are the ethical implications of the images and lyrics used in rap music (one musical genre that was created through the development of hip-hop culture)? Should youth who watch music videos and listen to rap music emulate the lyrics and imagery portrayed in the videos? What ethics and values are promoted by Hip-Hop culture? Who should be held responsible for lyrics and images that degrade women in rap music and videos - music company executives, rap artists, or both? What impact do these degrading images and lyrics have on those who listen to the music and watch the videos, especially youth? Finally, what can be done to create a market for those artists who offer socially conscious lyrics, and video imagery? Given the global impact of hip-hop culture, and its embrace by youth around the world these are important questions for those who live the culture, especially as they develop their skills as leaders of their generation. These questions will serve as the springboard for this module on Hip-Hop Culture and Social Consciousness - Reconciling Value Conflicts. Introduction It has been written that Hip-Hop's origins are in the neighborhoods of poor blacks and Latinos in New York City. Youth listened to beats mixed by the original DJs in the streets of those neighborhoods. From its inception in the 1970s to now, hip-hop has grown and evolved to a multibillion dollar global phenomenon. Jeff Chang (2001) argues by the end of the 1980s it became the single most potent global youth force in a generation. It is currently described as having evolved from "a post-civil rights era grassroots phenomenon born in the streets of the Bronx, N.Y.... and has become a global cultural movement whose stylistic impact and social perspectives clearly extend beyond popular rap music" (Publisher's Weekly, n.d.). Butler (2004) and others reiterate what is becoming increasingly obvious, current estimates of Hip-Hop's contribution to the United States economy are in fact in the billions of dollars. With its original inception several dimensions of Hip-Hop culture emerged in the 1970s. There were originally four elements - MCing, DJing, Breaking and Graffiti Art. Later a fifth element was added, Knowledge. Hip-Hop culture and music have evolved from a focus on inequity, racism, and self-empowerment to the current emergence of what is described as the "bling" era. Through hip-hop the word bling has invaded the lexicon and reflects an excessive and conspicuous display of wealth in the form of expensive jewels (many times conflict diamonds), luxury cars, expensive champagne and the ability to live a "jet-setting" lifestyle that allows the male who possesses "bling" to spend it lavishly on very beautiful and voluptuous young women. Rap music is one musical genre that was created as hip-hop culture developed. Some have even argued that hip-hop culture was created by rap music. Rap music and hip-hop culture are disseminated and purveyed through mass media. Electronic media whether urban radio, MTV, VH-1, or BET; popular video-sharing websites like YouTube; social networking sites like MySpace; or the Internet via the websites of rap artists, all serve as vehicles for delivering music videos and related programming that markets and sells the work of rap artists. Rap music videos may contain images which are problematic, especially those images that include women. Women in many music videos are portrayed as objects existing solely for the purpose of sexual gratification for men, described as the "Video Vixen", as single-minded "Goldiggers" or if they bring drama "Baby Mommas" who are only interested in obtaining the wealth possessed by men, or as the beautiful, well-endowed "Trophies" of powerful men. Saucier's (2005) problematizes these images by presenting commentary on Alison Duke's Booty Nation, writing that for Duke - "standard music video depictions of the accrual of diamond encrusted watches, expensive cars, vast mansions, and other symbols of capitalistic wealth and status do not fully convey and construct larger-than-life persona and hyper-masculine bravado, completing the image of commercial success and masculine authority includes the mobilization of images of scantily clad women who are equated with mere commodity accessories (p. 95). Mass media then, has taken on the role of purveyor/disseminator of these negative images. Emerson (n.d.) for example argues that mass media and popular culture in the late 20th century and at the dawn of the millennium "have become primary sites for socialization and the perpetuation of hegemonic ideologies." This argument suggests that mass media does in fact impact behavior, beliefs, and attitudes of those who are consistent consumers of the images that it offers. Bowling and Washington (n.d.) argue that some prominent African-Americans have criticized rap music, having failed to realize that all rap music is not misogynistic, and does not promote violence and drug use. Additionally, rap music is not the only genre where these negative images of women are presented. Rap music videos can also contain images that glamorize a criminal lifestyle where violence is promoted as a mechanism for gaining power and control. The American Academy of Pediatrics (1998) issued a report which revealed that portrayals of violence in popular music videos might have a distorting impact on adolescent expectations related to race, male-female relationships and even conflict resolution. There may be other consequences to excessive viewing of rap music videos. Researchers at Emory University (Wingood et al., 2003) found that exposure to these videos, particularly gangsta rap, may reinforce adolescent participation and engagement in risky, unhealthy behavior. In this module students will be asked to examine the current value conflicts that exist in hip-hop culture through the genre of rap music. Students will be challenged to identify the values that are espoused by the culture and to explore the impact of the culture on the ideas, attitudes, and behavior of youth. In this module students will examine the dissemination of misogynistic lyrics in hip-hop and will examine the gender dilemmas that exist in the culture and the impact of those dilemmas on individual ethics. The goals of this module include aiding students in identifying the values espoused by hip-hop culture, identifying conflicting and competing values, determining the importance and significance of values and ethics in hip-hop culture, and developing useful strategies for assessing and critiquing the inherent value conflicts that arise when artistic expression conflicts with community norms and values.

Hip-Hop Culture and Social Counsciousness - Reconciling Value Conflicts

by Valerie L. Patterson, Ph.D.

Overview

Setting the Stage: Questions to think about

What are the ethical implications of the images and lyrics used in rap music (one musical genre that was created through the development of hip-hop culture)?

Should youth who watch music videos and listen to rap music emulate the lyrics and imagery portrayed in the videos?

What ethics and values are promoted by Hip-Hop culture?

Who should be held responsible for lyrics and images that degrade women in rap music and videos - music company executives, rap artists, or both?

What impact do these degrading images and lyrics have on those who listen to the music and watch the videos, especially youth?

Finally, what can be done to create a market for those artists who offer socially conscious lyrics, and video imagery?

Given the global impact of hip-hop culture, and its embrace by youth around the world these are important questions for those who live the culture, especially as they develop their skills as leaders of their generation. These questions will serve as the springboard for this module on Hip-Hop Culture and Social Consciousness - Reconciling Value Conflicts.

Introduction

It has been written that Hip-Hop's origins are in the neighborhoods of poor blacks and Latinos in New York City. Youth listened to beats mixed by the original DJs in the streets of those neighborhoods. From its inception in the 1970s to now, hip-hop has grown and evolved to a multibillion dollar global phenomenon. Jeff Chang (2001) argues by the end of the 1980s it became the single most potent global youth force in a generation. It is currently described as having evolved from "a post-civil rights era grassroots phenomenon born in the streets of the Bronx, N.Y.... and has become a global cultural movement whose stylistic impact and social perspectives clearly extend beyond popular rap music" (Publisher's Weekly, n.d.).

Butler (2004) and others reiterate what is becoming increasingly obvious, current estimates of Hip-Hop's contribution to the United States economy are in fact in the billions of dollars. With its original inception several dimensions of Hip-Hop culture emerged in the 1970s. There were originally four elements - MCing, DJing, Breaking and Graffiti Art. Later a fifth element was added, Knowledge.

Hip-Hop culture and music have evolved from a focus on inequity, racism, and self-empowerment to the current emergence of what is described as the "bling" era. Through hip-hop the word bling has invaded the lexicon and reflects an excessive and conspicuous display of wealth in the form of expensive jewels (many times conflict diamonds), luxury cars, expensive champagne and the ability to live a "jet-setting" lifestyle that allows the male who possesses "bling" to spend it lavishly on very beautiful and voluptuous young women.

Rap music is one musical genre that was created as hip-hop culture developed. Some have even argued that hip-hop culture was created by rap music. Rap music and hip-hop culture are disseminated and purveyed through mass media. Electronic media whether urban radio, MTV, VH-1, or BET; popular video-sharing websites like YouTube; social networking sites like MySpace; or the Internet via the websites of rap artists, all serve as vehicles for delivering music videos and related programming that markets and sells the work of rap artists. Rap music videos may contain images which are problematic, especially those images that include women. Women in many music videos are portrayed as objects existing solely for the purpose of sexual gratification for men, described as the "Video Vixen", as single-minded "Goldiggers" or if they bring drama "Baby Mommas" who are only interested in obtaining the wealth possessed by men, or as the beautiful, well-endowed "Trophies" of powerful men. Saucier's (2005) problematizes these images by presenting commentary on Alison Duke's Booty Nation, writing that for Duke -
"standard music video depictions of the accrual of diamond encrusted watches, expensive cars, vast mansions, and other symbols of capitalistic wealth and status do not fully convey and construct larger-than-life persona and hyper-masculine bravado, completing the image of commercial success and masculine authority includes the mobilization of images of scantily clad women who are equated with mere commodity accessories (p. 95).

Mass media then, has taken on the role of purveyor/disseminator of these negative images. Emerson (n.d.) for example argues that mass media and popular culture in the late 20th century and at the dawn of the millennium "have become primary sites for socialization and the perpetuation of hegemonic ideologies." This argument suggests that mass media does in fact impact behavior, beliefs, and attitudes of those who are consistent consumers of the images that it offers.

Bowling and Washington (n.d.) argue that some prominent African-Americans have criticized rap music, having failed to realize that all rap music is not misogynistic, and does not promote violence and drug use. Additionally, rap music is not the only genre where these negative images of women are presented.

Rap music videos can also contain images that glamorize a criminal lifestyle where violence is promoted as a mechanism for gaining power and control. The American Academy of Pediatrics (1998) issued a report which revealed that portrayals of violence in popular music videos might have a distorting impact on adolescent expectations related to race, male-female relationships and even conflict resolution. There may be other consequences to excessive viewing of rap music videos. Researchers at Emory University (Wingood et al., 2003) found that exposure to these videos, particularly gangsta rap, may reinforce adolescent participation and engagement in risky, unhealthy behavior.

In this module students will be asked to examine the current value conflicts that exist in hip-hop culture through the genre of rap music. Students will be challenged to identify the values that are espoused by the culture and to explore the impact of the culture on the ideas, attitudes, and behavior of youth. In this module students will examine the dissemination of misogynistic lyrics in hip-hop and will examine the gender dilemmas that exist in the culture and the impact of those dilemmas on individual ethics. The goals of this module include aiding students in identifying the values espoused by hip-hop culture, identifying conflicting and competing values, determining the importance and significance of values and ethics in hip-hop culture, and developing useful strategies for assessing and critiquing the inherent value conflicts that arise when artistic expression conflicts with community norms and values.