“The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five was recorded in 1981 and released by SugarHill Records on July 1, 1982. Unlike other Hip-Hop songs of the time, “The Message” was not intended to be a party anthem or upbeat happy song. It was, however, one of the first hip-hop songs that rapped about and documented the struggles within the urban area of the city. The chorus of the song, “It’s like a jungle sometimes it makes me wonder how I keep from going under” (Anthology of Rap, pg. , line 1-4), emphasizes how the artists, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, felt about living in the city. While the rest of the lyrics illustrate a vivid picture of the overall surroundings of the urban city, “Broken glass everywhere, people
In chapter six of Tricia Rose’s book “The Hip-Hop Wars,” she argues that the defense used by artists of “just keeping it real” is rarely ever used in the case of talking openly about the hard truths of black urban street life, but more often used to excuse overtly sexist or homophobic lyrics and promote excessive violence. Leading to the excuse of “keeping it real” being very problematic. Ultimately, Rose’s argument in chapter six is strong as shown through an analysis of five songs because, although, “keeping it real” can result in an honestly reflected song that showcases the full range of African American culture and the hardships that come with it, more times than not the excuse of “keeping it real” is used to perpetuate the stereotypes
The Rosewood Massacre was one of the most captivating events in history. It all began with racism and violence against African Americans in the united states during the post World War 1 era. African Americans were lynched for allegedly raping white women like for men in McClenny were on 08/05/20. Burned at the stake like Perry, a black man on 12/09/22. They also had their church, school, Masonic lodge, and meeting hall burned down. The Rosewood Massacre all started when a lady named Fannie Coleman wife of James Taylor clammed a black male knocked on her door and proceeded to assault her. In the movie Rosewood Fannie was having an affair with a white man and one day while her husband was at work her secret came over he ended up beating her and leaving bruises all over her. She knew she couldn’t tell her husband she was having an affair so when the man left she ran outside screaming and shouting. Neighbors who had heard her screaming ran to her rescue asking who done it. She had said it was a nigger. The sheriff and a bunch of white townsfolk band together to try to find this black man believe to be named Jessie hunter. They lynched innocent people, burned down houses, and tortured them. A man named Mr. Man, who was actually a fictional character, helped save the lives of children and women and then helped a man named John Bradley save other African Americans who were not
The decade of hip-hop is what some may call it. Tupac, Naz, Biggie Smalls, as well as other artists, were major contributions. Not only for the people who are trying to find their footing, but Buck as well. Throughout the book various lyrics were embedded in order to create a better understanding for its readers. In addition, this book is based upon a 90s lifestyle within Philadelphia, which included drugs, gang activity, crime, hip-hop, and havoc. Malo was directly in the center of everything, the girls, the fights, the guns. His experiences shed light towards what it’s like to as an African American individual living in or near the hood. Not everyone realizes what people go through while living there, but now it gives some readers an image of what goes on. Though times have changed, not all previous feelings
In this song, Chance the Rapper states he wants to be an independent musician. He is sick and tired of today’s music industry treating music as a way to make money. Nowadays, almost all of the musicians are signed by record labels and forced to make music for the money purpose. However, Chance The Rapper wants to be a true artist and has entire freedom to follow his heart to make music just like his predecessors did decades ago. He respects to the old generation artists and the freedom of music creation, so he decides to be an independent musician and make this song to tell people that he won’t join any record label.
In an interview, Jeff Chang, a hip-hop journalist and activist, retells the story of the development of hip-hop culture in his Hawaiian community. In the 1980s a lot of things began to occurring, and Chang experienced his community become a concrete jungle seemingly overnight, in a short amount of time a scale level of description in the system of hip-hop's development in Chang's life. The configuration of this transformation is the amount of housing projects, busineses, and commercial industries that were grown. Over a longer time scale, Chang began to develop feelings of disappoinment and anger of the observations he made of the being surrounded byconcrete and the conditions that came with that. He could recall
Perry ultimately analyzes Hip Hop music through the meaning of the lyrics and the impact that the song has on its surroundings. This criteria for examination can be applied to the analysis of the differences and similarities between “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and “N.Y. State of Mind” by Nas. Although both records are significantly different in terms of the musical aspects of each song, they are ultimately similar in that they both portray the reality of the ghetto areas in New York through the significant use of rapping. Thus, both records have significantly impacted the evolution of rap music and rap’s role in the music industry today. Both ultimately are used to promote an awareness of continuing racial and social injustices and the need for it to be diminished.
A steady rap drum beat undergirds a repeating melody line of no consequence. A bit catchy, but musically uncomplicated, the treble piano riff continually repeats. Surprisingly, the instrumentation lacks a characteristic rap bass line. The lighthearted melodious sense of dancing along the high notes in time supports a male rapper; his voice reveals a sense of passion and angst. Satirically, the agreeable music contrasts with the piercing, raw, and painful words. Angry, despairing, and hurting lyrics initiate the listener into a long-lived story of domination and oppression, while the lazy and airy back-melody creates a sense of cognitive dissonance. About 400 hundred years ago, a similar contrast emerged between Anne Hutchinson and John
Millions of people in the world listen to music for all different reasons. Most people all over the world listen to different genres of music in order to relax, but not too many people pay attention to the actual lyrics of a song. If you listen to the lyrics of a song you will realize that many songs have important messages or themes to them. An example of this is the lyrics of the song “Changes” by Tupac Shakur. If you listen to this song, you will realize that Tupac raps about not only the problems that African Americans face from society, but also the struggles that poor people in society have to endure and overcome. Many
One of the most popular Hip-Hop groups is Run D.M.C, however; “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. The 80s formed the roots of Hip-Hop occasionally having bad
They drew graffiti on sides of buildings and created their own music, which made their hardships into works of art. These troubled kids began to create music without instruments. Instead of using instruments they used words; it was entirely vocal music. This music depicted the hardships of the city at the time and the way the kids felt. This was the beginning of Hip Hop Rap music. Many of these harmonies, internal rhymes, and lyrics became expressions of the emotions that they were feeling at that time. It was the anger, the despair, the emptiness, the poverty, the sorrow, and the loneliness they felt for the times that they lived in. The history of Hip Hop Rap music proved to McBride that it does tell a story and reflects life as it is lived by young people who felt trapped in the ghettos of New York City. It also proved to him that even rap music takes true artistic ability and expresses real emotions of real people when they feel a certain way.
King of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley, had a song in 1969 that took a drastic turn in theme from many of his other tunes relating to love, dancing and rock n roll. This song tells a tragic story which has very realistic connotations to the social problems of crime and poverty that were not only applicable to 1960s society but to our 21st century society. In this paper I will examine that song, titled “In the Ghetto”, highlight how the themes of the song relate to social disorganization, and further examine how the main character’s neighborhood takes the characteristics of a socially disorganized ecological environment perfectly.
Many contradicting views surround rap music’s controversial subjects and use of language. While some consider it highly offensive, there is some validity to the rhetoric applied in political rap. In the 1990’s racial inequality is rampant with uprisings and segregated neighborhoods that condemn minorities and lower socioeconomic classes to inhumane living conditions. Specifically, Tupac Shakur’s posthumous song “I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto” combines an emancipatory lyric with a hopeful and upbeat instrumental to assess the racial inequality in society and the possibility of a better future.
As thorough and rewarding as Bradley’s close reading can be, it is this sole focus that becomes problematic in Book of Rhymes. He stays on the surface, privileging the discussion of linguistic elements over cultural impact. He begins his wordplay chapter with an anecdote about a friend who disapproves of the misogynistic and violent elements of the Notorious B.I.G.’s lyrics, a qualm addressed by Bradley in a customary manner: “It’s not what he’s saying, it’s how he’s saying it” (86). Bradley is partially correct; how he’s saying it is the aesthetically appealing aspect of hip hop, the reason millions of people around the world enjoy the music. But what he’s saying is the more compelling aspect. The environment that produced the attitudes reflected in hip hop, the source of Biggie’s misogyny and violent imagery, must be given its proper treatment in order to understand rap music on deeper levels than the beauty and complexity of its poetic structures.
Many see it as a catchy rap song with a good beat, but the actual message it portrays would have many listeners and parents disgusted. The basic message of this song is that Fat Joe and Lil Wayne like to throw stacks of money at strippers and make it look like its raining in the club, hence the title of the song. These rappers are portraying the lifestyles of young, rich, defiant rap artists. A portion of the lyrics in the chorus are, “Got a handful of stacks better grab an umbrella.
The song "The message" by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five depicts the struggle of young black adults growing up in society. The struggle to make it out of poverty can be compared to survival of the fittest in a jungle. Only the strong would survive and adapt to the changes to fit in. Trying their best to make a betterment with whatever little society offers. Being a young black African American in the early 1980's was not easy. It was easier to live the fast life and gain fast money by being part of the drug community. Drugs, guns, and money was glamorized and this is what the young adults looked at as a means of getting rich. In the songs, a young man talks about how he is trying hard to hold on to the little bit of sanity he has left in his soul. He talks about the struggle he endures while trying not to get pushed over the edge. He was born an innocent child who's blind to the ways of mind kind. Growing up he faced many challenges and had to fight