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Justin Murphy
The Effects of Hip-hop on the
African-American Community
When I first pitched my idea for
research to Dr. White, I imagined that I would be researching the ways in which
hip-hop music came to be and how it affects the African-American community.
However, as I got into my research my interests changed. I wanted to get to know
more about the effects of hip-hop music, and the make up of hip-hop music rather
than the history of hip-hop music. I wanted to do this because I am completely
enthralled with the idea of identity and how people use different sources to
help them form their identity. Therefore, I wanted to know if hip-hop music
could be used for identity.
When I began my research I immediately
found a great source that shows the effects of hip-hop music on the identity of
an African-American woman. The article “Killing Me Softly or on the Miseducation
of (Love and) Hip Hop: A Blackgirl Autoethnography” by Robin Boylorn is shows
how hip-hop music helped Boylorn discover herself as a feminist. The article is
an autoethnography. Autoethnography is the field that take personal narrative
(auto) and provides it with a cultural aspect to make a comment on the culture
(ethnography). By doing this, Boylorn is able to show a direct experience with
herself. Boylorn talks about how TLC was the first time she started to realize
she was feeling things associated with feminism. Her experience with hip-hop
helped her to realize herself, and subsequently give her a voice in her
decisions.
I then came across an article from Dzifa
Afonu’s “Reflecitng on Hip-Hop”. In this article, Afonu tries to disassemble
some of the preconceived notions that are placed on hip-hop music. Hip-hop is
often placed in the same category as murder, gangs, and all of the bad
stereotypes that come with the African American community. Afonu challenges this
notion by stating that hip-hop creates a different environment for those around
the music. They state “I am particularly drawn to Hip-hop because of its links
to cultures of resistance that have been developed by people of colour” (40).
What Afonu is stating is an example of the other effects that hip-hop music can
have on African Americans. By establishing a culture of resistance, the music
shows African Americans that they can hopefully achieve “the dream” that
American Minority Literature talks about.
When trying to find research on the make
up of hip-hop, I found “Authenticity within hip-hop and other cultures
threatened with assimilation” by Kembrew McLeod. In this article, McLeod
describes the authenticity of hip-hop because of the important signals, signs,
and images that are mentioned by each artist. These artists use things that mean
something to them in their songs to help them fell authenticated. The ideas that
are shown in this article lead to a suggestion that hip-hop music is a
representation of place within the world for African-Americans.
Both of these articles relate to
American Minority Literature in the sense that both discuss the idea of
garnering a voice. The whole point of the American Minority course is to show us
the literature that is within the communities of people who we might not hear
from. Minority literature gives a voice to a historically voiceless community.
Hip-hop music does something similar for the African-American community. Hip-hop
is helping African-Americans add an aspect of music to their culture. This music
showcases a representation of African-Americans in the media, something that is
not overlooked by the community. It also represents a contrast to the idea of
forced participation. Hip-hop music is voluntary participation by the
African-American community, and why is that? Because it is something that
African-Americans can get behind to help them assimilate further into their
community.
Also when exploring hip-hop music, I
found some interesting literature on the ways that hip-hop music can effect
students in the classroom. The article “Reapproaching Hip-Hop” by Noah Karvelis
came up. This article examines hip-hop music and the effects that it can have on
a wide range of populations. The author himself is a white man, which may not at
the surface seem out of scope to my research. However, the author writes that
“Many students interact with hip-hop daily and often are extremely excited that
something very musically and culturally relevant to them is being used in their
classroom” (14). What Karvelis brings forth is an interesting idea: should
teachers implement hip-hop music in the classroom? If they did, would it allow
them to connect with the African American students that otherwise disconnect
from their class? It has already been established that hip-hop music has an
effect on the identity of African Americans. However, now I am entering into an
area about the other effects that hip-hop music can have. Perhaps, as Karvelis
states, it can help teachers create a new relationship inside the classroom.
This relates to American minority
literature in that teachers should try and keep this in mind when teaching
minority literature. The minority experience is one that is defined by
marginalization. Teachers have to be weary of this when teaching minority
literature to minorities. If they are able to relate with the minorities in
their classrooms, then they can hopefully have a better chance at getting them
invested in the literature. Through hip-hop music, teachers of literature can
show that there are multiple faucets to minority literature.
Hip-hop music is in and of itself minority literature, as lyrics can be
considered a form of literature. That last statement is one that I would like to
continue to explore in further research. Is music literature?
Throughout this research process I have
learned that hip-hop music has an effect on the identity of African Americans.
It also has an effect on the values of this community. Hip-hop music has effects
that cannot be understated by teachers, or they risk the loss of their students.
For future research, we should consider if music is literature, and if it has
the same effect that books have.
Works Cited
Afonu, D. (2014). Reflecting
on Hip-Hop. International Journal Of Narrative
Therapy & Community Work,
3, 39-40.
Karvelis, N. (2016). Idea
Bank: Reapproaching Hip-Hop. Music
Educators Journal, 3.
13-14.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1999.tb02821.x
https://doi-org.libproxy.uhcl.edu/10.1177%2F1077800416667685
