Black Political Attitudes and Political Rap Music

Many argue that political or message rap no longer exists. Scholars and critics point to rap music as a genre that is completely negative and only diminishes the progress of the Black community by offering and supporting stereotypes of African Americans (Johnson, Jackson and Gatto 1995; Carpentier, Knobloch and Zillman 2003). On the contrary, I argue that all rap music is not the same and that in fact, there is a subgenre in rap music, political rap, that discusses political issues and candidates exclusively. In this article, I proffer a criterion for identifying political rap music to demonstrate a distinction between the subgenres of rap and the prevalence of political rap within mainstream radio. Finally, I examine the lyrical content of political rap for the assertion of Black Nationalist ideology. Keywords: Rap, Black Nationalism, political rap, Black political attitudes, popular culture, public opinio

Throwin' words at U : a lyrical analysis of MC Lyte's rap texts : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in English at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Recently, rap music has become a prominent musical genre and is possibly one of the most popular and influential forms of African-American music of the 1980s and 1990s (Erlewine et al 921). Rap is dominated by male artists, although females have been increasingly writing and recording rap music. Considerable research has been conducted on various aspects of the rap phenomenon, but there has been little focus on analysing rap lyrics using traditional literary criticism. The present study analysed the rap texts of MC Lyte, an enduring female rap artist, employing literary techniques used to analyse poetry. The development of rap music is traced from its inception, identifying some of its features and impact, particularly within the economically-disadvantaged and predominantly African-American areas of large cities. The emergence of women rappers, and how their input has contributed to the changing nature of rap music, both in its subject-matter and in the language techniques used, is discussed. MC Lyte was chosen as a representative female rapper because she had recorded several albums spanning more than a decade, because she focuses on issues affecting African-American women and because her lyrical techniques have developed across time. Drawing similarities between rap music and "street poetry", a comprehensive textual analysis was conducted on the albums of MC Lyte. Her use of vocabulary and common elements of poetry was examined, as well as the topics she addresses. The analysis shows that Lyte uses both the common characteristics of rap music, and traditional literary techniques, to successfully comment on issues relevant to her audience. Many of her lyrics involved self-promotion and denigration of other rappers, common elements in rap music. Other lyrics commented and advised on important issues facing African-Americans living in poor black communities, particularly women. Many texts, however, had a more universal relevance. While her lyrics show a consistency across albums, the literary devices and language techniques became more complex, and a wider range of issues were discussed. Inherent limitations in the study were that other possible forms of analysis were not conducted, such as sociological and feminist approaches. Comparisons with other rap artists were not possible due to the lack of prior research into their lyrics. These were identified as topics for future research

A Critical Approach to Rap Music

People have used music to tell stories and share ideas for ages, making it an influential means of communication (Delaney, 2007). Rap music in particular came on the scenes in the late twentieth century in New York and continues to be a popular form of expression into the 21st century (Blanchard, 1999). However, many remain divided on whether rap music should have a place in society. Some claim rap is harmful and promoting of violent lifestyles (Richardson & Scott, 2002). Others, however, believe rap is useful in education and counseling settings for promoting discussion about life choices (Silvera, 2015). These conflicting opinions will be examined in depth in this thesis leading into a more specific look at these viewpoints in the context of critical theory. Many critical theorists reject rap music, seeing it as demeaning and harmful while others have praised it for being a way to undermine society’s mistaken perceptions on sex and personhood (Mendoza, 2016). Research concludes that rap music has both positive and negative effects on society, making it important to understand both sides

Rap Music Lyrics and the Construction of Violent Identities

This paper explores the relationship between lyrical rap music content and the construction of an adolescent‟s social identity. The lyrical content of rap music is one form of violence in the mainstream media. I will give a background of rap music content, the origins and messages behind the lyrics, then evidence to show how these lyrics affect an adolescent identity formation. Finally I will show evidence in which these lyrics affect adolescents of different races. My thesis is that the lyrics in rap music are a reflection of an oppositional culture and can therefore aid in shaping an adolescent‟s violent social identity

Recognizing the Enemy: Rap Music In the Wake of the Los Angeles Riots

The May 1992 riots in Los Angeles demonstrated more than anything in recent history that the inner cities are filled with despair, hopelessness, and anger. Some feel that rap music is responsible for both gangs and the lawlessness unleashed by the riots. This paper will seek to address this notion by looking at the rap lyrics of artists who have been considered the most radical and the most angry. By examining rap lyrics we can detect anger and frustration in the ghetto. Rap music did not cause rioting in Los Angeles but it effectively heralded measures taken by inner-city residents who are tired of governmental and societal neglect of their community, their homes, and their lives

Characterization of Alaskan Hot-Mix Asphalt containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Material

In order to properly characterize Alaskan HMA materials containing RAP, this study evaluated properties of 3 asphalt binders typically used in Alaska, PG 52-28, PG 52-40, and PG 58-34, and 11 HMA mixtures containing up to 35% RAP that were either produced in the lab or collected from existing paving projects in Alaska. Various binder and mixture engineering properties were determined, including true high binder grades, complex modulus (|G*|), and phase angle (δ) at high performance temperatures, MSCR recovery rate and compliance, BBR stiffness and m-value, DTT failure stress and strain for binders, and dynamic modulus, flow number, IDT creep stiffness and strength for mixtures. Binder cracking temperatures were determined through Thermal Stress Analysis Routine (TSAR) software along with BBR and DTT data. Mixture cracking temperatures were determined with IDT creep stiffness and strength data. It was found that rutting may not be a concern with Alaskan RAP mix, while low-temperature cracking concerns may still exist in RAP mix in Alaska. A savings of $13.3/ton was estimated for a 25% RAP mix, with consideration of Alaskan situations. Many recommendations for future RAP practice and research are recommended based on testing results and cost analysis.Alaska Department of Transportation Statewide Research Offic

Insight into Resonant Activation in Discrete Systems

The resonant activation phenomenon (RAP) in a discrete system is studied using the master equation formalism. We show that the RAP corresponds to a non-monotonic behavior of the frequency dependent first passage time probability density function (pdf). An analytical expression for the resonant frequency is introduced, which, together with numerical results, helps understand the RAP behavior in the space spanned by the transition rates for the case of reflecting and absorbing boundary conditions. The limited range of system parameters for which the RAP occurs is discussed. We show that a minimum and a maximum in the mean first passage time (MFPT) can be obtained when both boundaries are absorbing. Relationships to some biological systems are suggested.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, Phys. Rev. E., in pres

Stunning the Nation: Representation of Zimbabwean Urban Youth Identity in some Songs by Stunner

In this article, presented at the Hiphop Conference in Harare on February 27th, 2013, the author examines the impact local rap music has on identity construction of urban youth in Zimbabwe by analyzing songs of Stunner, a famous rap and Urban Grooves artist