preview

Stereotypes In Crooked Smile

Decent Essays
Open Document

As a genre, hip-hop is often stereotyped. Many assume that every song is either about sex, violence, or absolutely nothing at all. Hip-hop is not the only genre that is stereotyped, as many of the same can be said for genres like country and metal, but hip-hop has such a negative stigma that many parents feel as though they should not let their children listen to any hip-hop. While it can be argued that much of the hip-hop that is made mainstream by the radio is highly inappropriate, statements like those are blanket statements made by people that have never actually taken the time to listen to any of those stations. Also, it completely ignores the rest of artists that never get to see that mainstream success, whether that is their choice or …show more content…

In the case of Crooked Smile, the song is uplifting and motivational. J. Cole’s “Crooked Smile” is about the insecurities that many women and men have regarding their physical appearance. This song is important because while songs like “Little Weapon” are about people that need help, “Crooked Smile” is a song that was made specifically for people that need help. He begins his first verse by admitting that he too struggled with insecurity about his teeth. He then states that he decided to keep his “twisted grill, just to teach the kids it’s real”. He then goes on to emphasize the standards of beauty placed upon women, and how much pressure that women go through to try and meet those standards. The chorus is just as motivational as the first two verses, stating that “Like the sun though, you know I found my way back ‘round”. The music behind the words is also a mixture of peaceful and exciting, making one feel as though nothing can bring them down. However, while the first two verses are strictly positive, the third and final verse begins to equate society’s standards of beauty with Hollywood’s standard of beauty. He goes on about how after seeing predominately people who are white and thin be glorified, people of color then get the idea that they are different, and therefore will not be as confident. But he then encourages listeners that just because they don’t look like the “picture perfect beauty queens” doesn’t mean that they cannot succeed. Crooked Smile highlights many issues today in America’s culture, but does it in an optimistic and uplifting way. The Rolling Stone, when talking about “Crooked Smile”, referred to it as a “lush soul rap that's uplifting but never boring – making self-affirmation sound like a hot night at a velvet-rope club”

Get Access