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Something that interested me this quarter was the discussion of hip-hop culture during our conversation about Davis's take on Black Nationalism. She criticized early 2000s hip-hop by saying that it encouraged oppositional consciousness among today's young people, it sometimes advocates nationalism with such strong misogynist overtones that it militates against the very revolutionary practice it appears to promote" (Davis, 293). This made me think about how she would view the current state of hip-hop culture and if she would approve of the current songs that are being put out. Hip-hop, or rap, is an art form that builds off of its past, so it, in a way, has traveled through time to be what it is today.
To begin talking about the history of rap, one significant influence was the African oral tradition of rhythmic storytelling, which was frequently accompanied by drumming. The rhythmic and percussive elements of jazz, soul music, and funk also influenced the sound of early rap. It served as a form of expression for marginalized communities, primarily African American youth, providing a platform to portray their experiences, struggles, and aspirations. It was used for social commentary on racism, poverty, and inequality. Therefore, it was a form of cultural expression and activism. Rap was closely tied with hip-hop culture because they both formed a sense of identity and community for their people.
An example of original hip-hop culture (something that Davis might have endorsed):
Davis highlights how the hip-hop culture has changed from its original essense. Unfortunately, due to the influence of gang violence, hip-hop and rap culture have become closely associated with gangs. It's common to hear rap songs that glorify violence, boast about wealth, engaging in promiscuous behavior, and claiming affliations with gangs. This portrayal negatively impacts the reputation of the Black community, as it perpetuates harmful stereotypes of criminality.
An example of current rap culture:
Although in my opinion the song above is fire, it is imporant to consider the potential harms it might have. As you can see, the rapper is flexing his jewelry, talking about drugs, and gun toting. The young generation, who listen to this music, replicate what they hear and see because they think its cool, which causes really bad consequences. This was the main idea behind Childish Gambino's "This is America", where he illustrates the gang influence on the young generation. For example, the school children in their uniforms dancing to this hip-hop music shows that the hip-hop culture has a great influence on the youth. If they hear music that is mysognistic, it will cause them to form that type of perspective.
Childish Gambino's "This is America" Music Video:
Although rap has taken on a new meaning over time, some people still utilize it for what it was originally intended for. The lyrics have lost meaning, and have led to a new genre called "mumble rap", where the music is based on vibes rather than words. But I still think that mumble rap has value.
Yeat, a prominent mumble rapper, utilizes the idea of worldbuilding in his new album "2093". He builds a dystopian, sci-fi type of world through his sounds to show the journey of a CEO who longs to be human. His lyrics, although they are not that advanced, portray rebelliousness towards technological advancement. This album, much like others, of mumble rappers utilize worldbuilding. A flaw is that there is no political or deep message that Davis urges. I think an exploration of the current state of rap and how it aligns with Davis's notion is super interesting.
Reflection on this quarter
My conception of worldbuilding has grown considerably during the last quarter. Something important that I have come to understand is that worldbuilding is not just about crafting a fictional universe for art, literature, and film but using it to convey a point about real-world cultures and histories. For example, various Black artists, such as Titus Kaphar and Sanford Biggers, produced artwork that built new perspectives while making a statement about previous perspectives. The film I Am Cuba depicted an exaggerated version of the state of pre-communist Cuba to communicate the exploitation and oppression that the Cubans faced under an authoritarian and capitalist society. So, this means that worldbuilding is essential in communciating messages about our own world. I think my research path would most likely have to do with an item from the special collections because the workshop we attended was super cool and I believe that there is a lot to uncover about the various objects.
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