Myth Narrative: Zavantrey's Wonderful Career

The rest of the chapter talks about the similarity of minstrel images in 1990s hip-hop, as evidenced by the defining characteristics of greed, violence, hyper sexuality and pathos in “gangsta rap” (a sub-genre of hip-hop further defined in chapter two). Ogbar balances this landscape with challenges to what he calls “neo-minstrelsy” from both inside and outside the hip-hop community, including discussions of the Spike Lee movie, Bamboozled, underground conscious hip-hop groups such as The Roots and Little Brother, and the activist “Stop Coonin’ Movement”, to name a few. Throughout the book, Ogbar explains how rappers strive for authenticity by “keepin’ it real”. And that is defined by how they rap, walk, talk, and make their

“Sounds like the hook in a chart topper, A rapper mouths squatting like a gilded animal” (ll, 1-2).

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, today we have the great privilege of being able to listen to a man that I like to refer to as the new rap royalty. Picture driving in your car and let’s say you’re stuck in traffic and you’re looking for something to listen to on the radio to buy the time, you can turn on just about half of music stations nowadays and you’ll find one rapper that happens to be everywhere you turn, Drake. Drake has become one of the fastest growing and interesting empires that we have seen from the hip-hop scene in a long time.

Rap & DJ Polo, featuring Biz Markie & Big Daddy Kane in the album, “Wanted: Dead or Alive”. The rap started with an intro from Biz Markie, introducing other artistes and informing that they would do just one part, and depicting the agitations they’ve had with race from a very long time, “We all gonna do just one part… because you know, we came a long way... You know, from back in Martin Luther King days,” Malcom X cuts in, emphasizing the freedom of Nelson Mandela, with an exclamation on the need to talk about this racism pervading the country, and the need for it to be

The pivotal scene that will be thoroughly represented and analyzed is from the movie 8 Mile, directed by Curtis Hanson, and released in 2002. 8 Mile is a semiautobiographical film based on the life story of the iconic rapper Marshal Mathers, or better known by his stage name Eminem, and how he began his journey into the hip-hop industry. In this film, Eminem plays himself, as the main character named Jimmy Smith Jr.; however, throughout the course of the movie, he is referred to as Rabbit more than anything else. Rabbit lives in a very rough part of Detroit known as 8 Mile, in a mobile home with his single alcoholic of a mother. Their financial situation is dire and Rabbit decides he needs to find a different occupation. Rabbit works at a factory to barely make ends meet; however, the amount he makes is abysmal compared to what he needs. Rabbit has a passion for music, specifically rap. However, this is a challenge because at the time the rap genre was predominantly occupied by African-Americans. Despite this, Rabbit continues on in his pursuit of making a name for himself in the rap industry. He enters rap battle competitions in hopes of getting noticed. He runs into a group of local amateur rappers known as “Leadaz of tha Free World”. The leader of this group is named Papa Doc and he is portrayed to be Rabbits greatest adversary. Rabbit and Papa Doc both make it to the final round of the rap battle competition and that’s when the pivotal scene

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

Body: All i wanted to do when I was younger was rap. I would love to write, so rapping was a second nature to me. It was how I got my feelings out of my system. When got a chance to write nothing else in the entire world mattered. It was like no one could hurt me and nothing else existed. I never cared about how the music

You may know him from his Lisa Simpson haircut or his mouth full of 24-karat gold teeth; he is the 19-year-old rapper that is taking the music industry by storm. In the past, two years his music has gained national recognition and appealed to all types of fan bases. He is a force not to be reckoned with and his name is Kodak Black. He is the self-proclaimed “Project-Baby” from South Florida that is giving rapper a run for their money. Jon Caramanica, from the New York Times, described Black as “an unlikely savior for a hip-hop industry that has lately been preoccupied with melodic-minded Drake clones. Instead, he’s an old-fashioned literalist and represents the perennial power of grit even in a time that’s squeaky clean.” Kodak Black is an

Just filling me in on what it really means to do music and me apart of the music industry. During the studio session I watched him work. I watch how big cuz orchestrate his voice to bring life to the track. Pure Magic. He walked in the booth no chains, not under the influence of any substance and he works. A professional already at this stage in my career. He even played engineer as he already knows how he wants to sound. But how? Man than talent. As a rapper/poet myself I had to ask doog how could I make it. "Have a plan and be ready to sacrifice. Just work bra and be yourself and if they feel you they'll follow you". After a long day of work and running round I'm glad I got a chance to ride with Doog and really see him work. Thanks

After this experience all of his friends and family told him that his opportunity is over, and to give up his dreams of becoming a successful rapper. He knew he has his chance and he blew it, but he never gave up. A few months later he gets another opportunity to rap in front of a crowd. He knew he had to seize the chance, and to prove everyone wrong. The song comes on, and it describes how he’s feeling before he goes on stage. He uses sentences like, “his palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready to drop bombs…” He is telling himself that if he blows this, his dream is over, and that “you only get one shot so do not miss your chance to blow, because this opportunity once in a lifetime”. When he finally goes on stage, he’s feeling nervous, but he’s so ambitious to get what he wants, that he starts to rap like no one has ever heard. The crowd was astonished, and knew that his rap was the best they’ve ever listened to, which kick started his career as a rapper. The song starts out with a piano playing, and then the piano stops, and very fast music comes in, and the rap starts right away. The rapping is intense, because when you’re hungry to achieve something you have to act intense about it.

Snoop’s company is rife with caricatures of rap industry: mean muggin’, chain-sportin’ , inked up, indoor-sunglasses-wearing background characters-- artists and employees --who starkly accentuate how much Dicky doesn’t fit in. Dicky’s interview with Snoop is a conversational rap between the elder and younger artists, played over a simple, snare- heavy beat.

When someone is promoting their music they have to say or do something to grab the audience's attention, like making controversial comments on a hot topic during the time or just by having your own style separating yourself from other rappers. Even if you don’t have money for expensive equipment you use what you have and use it to your best ability. (“How to Start Your Rap Career”).

From it's inception, rap indured a lot of hostility from listeners--many, but not all, White--who found the music too harsh, monotonous, and lacking in traditional melodic values. However, millions of others--often, though not always, young African-Americans from underprivileged inner city backgrounds--found and immediate connection with the style. Here was poetry of the

It was a cool summer night not freezing nor was it hot, when a mysterious object fell threw the crystal clear sky.

But, they say a man is only as good as the support of his wife.