Music Essay On Music And The Power Of Music

Everyday music engulfs us whether we are watching a show, listening to the radio, or shopping at a grocery store. Music gives humans the ability to express oneself when there is no other way. Music sparks more creativity, emotions and brain function than any other activity.

Author Imani Perry analyzes Hip Hop music not only by the musical aspects of the songs but the contextual and underlying meaning that songs portray. In Imani Perry’s Prophets of the Hood, she believes that the most important aspect of a song is metaphors and similes, which “engage the imagination and expand or transform the universe in which the MC dwells” (Perry 65). Perry focuses on the realistic quality of Hip Hop because “it tells us something about the political, artistic, and philosophical ethos of the music” (Perry 86). Her main argument is that although Hip Hop music may contain vulgar language and profanity, it ultimately warns people about “the dangers of illegal activity or mistreatment of others or oneself…and finds arguments in

When I was in fifth grade, I was caught between two worlds, playing a woodwind or string instrument. If I played a woodwind instrument I would have to blow in it to make music, but string instruments are played with a bow to make music. After much thought, I decided that the violin was the best instrument for me, because it has a beautiful, unique sound, plus the possibilities are never-ending. I could receive a compliment from a teacher, or even get accepted to the symphony.

The song “Sound of Da Police” by KRS-One represents the struggles black people endured because of police brutality and racial profiling. The lines “I know this for a fact, you don't like how I act, You claim I'm sellin' crack, But you be doin' that” tries to point out that cops would target primarily black people for selling crack- even though white people were doing it as well. This song gives a voice to black people struggling with discrimination from police and brings attention to the issues at hand. The song’s chorus is repetitive and catchy but still relays the message that the police were “beast”.

Kendrick Lamar’s song “Alright” talks about race and how African Americans are being targeted and profiled. The song tells about the gun violence and police brutality that is effecting our community, “And we hate Popo, wanna kill us dead in the street for sure, n…” (Line 35). This quote out of his song is significant because in the world we live in someone gets killed every day for the color of their skin color or a profile that someone made off assumptions. As the song goes he tell about how African Americans were discriminated. “When you know, we been hurt, been down before, n… / When our pride was low, lookin' at the world like, "where do we go, n…?”’ (Line 33-34). Throughout the years African Americans are looked down on to the point where they do not know what their purpose is. For some, living in a world where people do not want them there hurts the pride of people.

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.

"Rap music brings together a tangle of some of the most complex social, cultural, and political issues in contemporary American society. Rap's contradictory articulations are not signs of absent intellectual clarity; they are a common feature of community and popular cultural dialogues that always offer more than one cultural, social, or political viewpoint. These unusually abundant polyvocal conversations seem irrational when they are severed from the social contexts where everyday struggles over resources, pleasures, and meanings take place.

Artists made a variety of effective songs; their purpose was to stand against how the government were treating people. Public Enemy is song “Fight the Power” really struck a chord with the nation because it was it’s about urban poverty and standing up against “the power”- the government. This at the time was a big issue in the U.S for there were many race riots. Miami had one riot that lasted three days because an African American was killed by three white police officers and they weren’t charged, for there wasn’t ‘enough’ evidence to charge them when in truth there was a video of the crime. Looking back at the song there is one line in particulars that stands out: “we got to pump the stuff to make us tough from the heart”; this basically says fight for what you believe in; the nation did they protested, started riots and caused complete chaos throughout the U.S. However due to this three people were killed and over twenty injured but it still had a huge impact for it showed that any race could stand up for they believe in.

Since the beginning of time there has been different genres of music that have been established to express Black Americans struggle and cultural injustice. Particularly, the struggles that are associated with the lack of opportunity presented and living in poor socio-economic conditions due to race. However, as great black artists are developing music targeted towards the black community, it continues to be “manipulated and appropriated by white society” (“Fight Against”, par 2).

Almost going to say that black is bad and police are doing a good job if they kill them. Another line that stands out from this song is "I got love for my brother but we can never go nowhere unless we share with each other." This line Tupac wants the his "brother" as in the black male to be more together than separate. According to the article in titled "These Lyrics from Tupac 's "Changes" Are Even More Haunting 20 Years After His Death" by Mic Network published by Tom Barnes. Barnes argued that Tupac was ahead of his time and that his lyrics ultimately started conversations about racism. This also means his lyrics could be look at for gang violence. Which separated a lot of blacks during that time in the Compton that could 've made a huge difference within the black community if they were more unified. Tupac just wanted the black community to come together and be one so that we could make changes and put differences aside that pulled us apart from one another. The lyrics from the song are direct and simple to follow. Tupac made it easy to tell the meaning behind the messages he wanted to get across to his listeners.

The age of Romanticism was from 1820 to 1910. During the long and glorious Age of Romanticism, artists of this time would approach their paintings, literature as well as their music with deep passion. The passion was so great, it was the same type of feelings that religious, social, and political partisans applied to their individual causes (Ferris & Worster, 2014, p. 175). “As newly restored kings and prelates repressed freedom of expression in politics and the arts, artists and intellectuals increasingly sought one another’s company, sharing among themselves the revolutionary sentiments they dared not express in public” (Ferris & Worster,

There are many ways to tell a story. Throughout my life I’ve find this to be true. As a storyteller myself, I always try my best to utilize the many different approaches to telling a story. Whether through music, books, poetry, drawings, films, etc. I’ve tried them all. I’ve always been fascinated by other people's stories. I will always try to retell them myself. Most of the time I usually just talk about them. But once in awhile, I like to use what I think is the most powerful form of storytelling, music. Music has been part of my life for a while now. Throughout middle school and high school I was in both Band and Choir. And throughout these years I come to understand the power that music has with storytelling. Especially in films, I’ve grown up watching films and they have impacted my life greatly. The films, “Jesus Christ Super Star,” “La La Land,” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” have a musical score that expresses a story better than any words could ever express.

The juxtaposition of Tupac’s image of a gangsta’ rapper and utilizing his celebrity to inform audiences of the systemic and structural oppression the African American population encounters is truly inspiring. According to Brown, “through his music, Shakur illustrates that he is a social critic and a good example of Black protest music. At its core, black protest music is characterized by the expression of resistance and the articulation of the heartache and pain that Blacks have endured throughout history. Likewise, Shakur as a social critic conveys through his music the despair, anger, and resentment that resonates with many African Americans” (2005). Just as in, the song “Changes” where he illuminates social oppression that affect the African American population. For example, just within the first stanza, Tupac makes reference to poverty and welfare, issues of substance abuse, and racism. Tupac stated “I'm tired of bein' poor and even worse I'm black” making the correlation between his skin color and the poverty in which he grew up. He goes on to reinforce this connection further by stating, and “My stomach hurts, so I'm lookin' for a purse to snatch.” He also illustrates the relationship between police brutality and race by declaring, “Cops give a damn about a negro? Pull the trigger, kill a nigga, he's a hero.”

“What do you like listening to?” It’s a question that receives numerous answers, yet all vary from person to person. When people ask me, I can never give them a definite answer. It’s not because I don’t listen to the wide genre of music or I don’t wish for them to know what I like. It’s actually due to me not being able to explain it in a simple manner. Music brings in what other cannot do. It’s able to tell a story, be entertaining, and make me feel something in a span of a few minutes. Music and what it brings, whether it’s being broadcasted on the radio or me playing music on the violin, has and will be an important part of my life. The importance of music relies heavenly on its ability to tell a story, be entertaining, and make me feel something just from one song.

Throughout the years, music has inspired people. Music touches our heart, makes us cry, makes us laugh, and heals relationships-even love someone. It encourages us to move-we can march, dance, tap our foot, snap our fingers and sway back and forth. Music fills our minds with memories that can bring a smile or drive us into a deep sadness. Patriotism is displayed when people come together because of a piece of music. Brotherhoods united when the school fight school is played. It creates a bond between complete strangers. Music can be a part of everyone’s life, even if they can’t play an instrument or read the music, they can listen. John Phillip Sousa was able to express himself through his music. Not only, did he love listening to the music, but he also, allowed music to touch his life, while he composed works of art and conducted and played in the US Marine Band. John Phillip Sousa influenced how those around him, especially the Marine Band of the late 1800’s, viewed music. His involvement in the organization began at the early age of 13 and continued until he was in his late 30’s. He wrote many well-known compositions that even now, hundreds of years later, impact those that listen.