When Art Imitates Art

African-American music and literature has been embraced by all cultures globally hands down. The power in music shows how all cultures are embracing African-American music and literature into their cultures and societies. Artist today have so much pressure to crossover to be adaptable to other cultures so that they are marketable or saleable to the industry proves how powerful music can be to our culture. The idea that art of Blues which came from African American culture evolved from a time of pain and oppression was embraced by whites secondhand in creating the genre of music known as Rock-n-Roll. Music has touched so many cultures at one time worldwide through the likes of Iconic performers over the years when we see concerts in other countries where English is not spoken yet the audience knows every word of the song is proof that that music is powerful. Music lures our emotions and it makes an impact on connecting different cultures across the word. Beyoncé’s “Formation” was an illustration of how artist use music to direct attention to inequalities and the need to come together against wrong doings. However, Michael Jackson, U2, Madonna, Selena, Kendrick Lamar just to name a few in this era all have used music to convey a hidden message either political or social the issue was spoken and protected via music. Needless to say the beauty of music is the Freedom of Speech that comes along with the freedom of creativity, many have been tested yet all have failed to stop Music from being the vessel to carry on

What is the purpose of music in society? Foremost, in layman terms, music is just sounds. However, individuals then use these sounds as a medium in order to spread certain ideas and emotions across society. Naturally over time different types of music become associated with different communities; thus, this identification creates an overgeneralized interpretation of who these communities are and what they stand for. One prime example is the stereotype that jazz and swing was the music of the African Americans in 20th century Los Angeles. Even though it may be true, the stereotype does not give an answer as to why or how jazz and swing became to be known as “black music”. In order to answer these questions, it is imperative to know what conditions

Nevertheless, despite opposition, Black artists will continue to energetically, paint, sing, write, and dance. The main points he makes are that Middle and upper class Black families strive for whiteness and ignore the beauty in their own culture. This forms a mountain of opposition. However, he contends that low-down folks will continue to pursue creative passions. He is also hopeful because the numbers of Black artists is increasing. Furthermore, the number of people Some of these points are implied but not explicitly stated, such as his point that forms of art besides music will soon become popular. This statement relies on knowledge of the popularity of the Blues and jazz music. He makes concessions that these attitudes and views regarding Black art are largely

In her article “It’s Easy, but Wrong, to Blame the Music” Rosen writes from parent’s perspective but keeps teenagers and children in mind. She argues that Gansta rap music just reflect the violence, but do not create it. Just because an artist sings about violence, it does not mean that he or she encouraging listeners to perform it. Her key purpose is to make people aware of music instead of making people dislike music because of its bad content of lyrics. She present music as an opportunity for parents to understand their children well through the type of music they listen. She deny the complete censorship of music, because she understand that censorship of music does not prepare children for the real world. This article is interesting and

The only thing more powerful in mobilizing symbols, sentiments, and sensibilities than popular culture, is personal and shared experiences. What is so potent about pop culture however, is the ability of its participants to share their personal experiences to audiences than can both empathize and relate to the realities these artists present. This extended period of the civil rights and black power era can arguably be defined as the mobilization of the larger public by popular black figures whose individual charismas and drive inspired collective action. Some of these figures were exclusively political, many of which prominent intellects of race academia and/or known for their discourses that captivated thousands. And then there were figures that used their influence as musicians or writers who, with access beyond those with a conscious interest in politics, could incite people to think and reevaluate their lived realities through song and performance. Nina Simone is perhaps the most politically significant figure of the latter group, as she not only actively participated as a proponent of civil rights efforts, but became a pioneer in black power and feminist ideology.

“I want kids of this generation to see that everything is cool, that there 's some kind of unity in hip-hop. We all found something that 's really important to us, and music is all we 've really got” – Missy Elliot. Hip-Hop is a cultural movement and popular genre of music that emerged during the early 1970 's by working class Black youths in New York City. The cultural movement has rapidly expanded across different countries and ethnicities over the years, becoming one of the few markers that define a generation. Hip-Hop can be seen as “the fundamental matrix of self-expression for this whole generation” (Katz & Smith, 1993). Through music, itself, artists can express their feelings towards different events or social changes that they’ve see or have experienced in their lives. According to Frith (1986), this perspective towards writing music is similar to Mooney’s argument that popular song lyrics is a reflection of what’s missing or needed at their time, giving us a trace of America’s ‘mood’ throughout history. In return, music artists captivate the minds of people among various backgrounds who use these relatable music lyrics as a source of empowerment or as an expression of their own thoughts. While some music artists create music to uplift their audience by giving them a sense of freedom, other artists create music that separates their audience by dehumanizing one group and giving power to the other.

To what extent can music provide a means of resistance for challenging the power relations of racism, class and gender?

Many famous literary works were written as a way to give commentary on the society in which the author lived such as Voltaire’s’ Candide and Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Geoffrey Chaucer, famous for his The Canterbury Tales, and considered instrumental in the creation of English literature, is not as well known for social commentary in his writing. However, The Canterbury Tales do indeed possess insight and analysis of society, namely the role of the authority figures in the Church. Chaucer was critical of the abuses and misuses he saw in the authority within the Church. He demonstrated his awareness of and concern over the problematic behaviors of those in authority in the Church through his writings seen in The Canterbury Tales. Through

Hip-Hop Culture and race have had a complicated relationship in the past two decades. It has been commonly referred to as “black music” and a reflection of black culture. However, recent studies done by the Mediamark Research Inc. showed that 60% of rap music buyers are white. With the emergence of white, Latino, Asian, and other rappers with diverse backgrounds on the Hip Hop scene it is important recognize the changing color of the genre and the stereotype it holds as “black music”. Black culture has also been subject to appropriation because of the popularization of Hip-hop music. However, much of the discourse on the topic confuses cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation, and states that hip-hop music is strictly for African Americans or that it doesn’t belong to anyone at all. Hip-Hop is a black art form that transcends cultural boundaries and can be appreciated through the lenses of different cultures as long as those who enjoy it acknowledge its roots. The genre’s growing number of non-black rappers is not due to the appropriation of the genre by other cultures but as an expansion of it due to it’s growing popularity across the world.

Mark Twain’s novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, follows the story of a young runaway boy on a raft down the Mississippi River in the mid-nineteenth century; Huck is joined on his adventure by an escaped slave named Jim. “Twain purposely wrote the novel as a picaresque” (Sims) in which every event has an effect on the hero. As he travels down the river, Huck meets many people including two men who claim to be a duke and a dauphin, or a king. These two men turn out to be nothing more than conmen; however, they have an enormous role in the novel. Before the duke and the king joined Huck, the novel was, for the most part, peaceful; however, “with the introduction of the duke and the dauphin, the novel 's idyll curdles” (Updike). Because the duke and the dauphin provide a negative example of morality, expose the ignorance of the American public, and aid in Huck’s overall maturation they play a critical role throughout the novel.

Music is a creative art form that allows the artist to construct something that expresses a purpose. It evolves over time and changes as the world changes, taking on many different motivations behind the melody and lyrics. In today’s society, anger, oppression, racism, and negative opinions rule the media and popular culture. I believe that African Americans need to show their self worth and not let white people hold them back. With the music in white culture often mocking African American culture and portraying negative stereotypes, African Americans have to find ways to gain respect. In acknowledgement of the negative portrayal of their culture, African Americans respond by creating songs and videos that express their pride in their culture and heritage, react to white oppression, and communicate their independence.

I have chosen to side with Benjamin Powell who concludes that sweatshops in third world countries are acceptable due to the fact that they offer more benefits to sweatshop workers than they would if they were eradicated. If we were to eliminate sweatshop labor we would be eliminating the opportunity for people in the third world countries to have some type of income. I understand that there are health risks to working in the sweatshop environment but there are also risks that come with not having an income at all. Many of these workers, if laid off due to the destruction of sweatshops, may resort to finding an income elsewhere in ways such as prostitution. Also, compared to the wages of people not working in sweatshops and those working in

In those years, racism was a strong and violent issue that not only referred to women but also to minorities such as black people, gays and single mothers. Today people are still struggle with these very issues. Racism in America is proving that this essay is sadly very relevant today and this minorities group reacts in different ways but always similar to Lorde’s description of poetry as a form of creativity as a class issue, thinking that in the 80’s poetry was the most economical way of communication. In recent years there has been an explosion of creativity by minority groups in form of: street-art, rap music, and

Popular music is often one of the best lenses we have through which to view our own cultural orientation. Many of the artistic and experimental shifts in popular music have mirrored changes in our own society. For instance, the emergence of Elvis Presley as a public figure would signal the start of a sexual revolution and the growth in visibility of a rebellious youth culture. Similarly, the folk and psychedelic music of the 1960s was closely entangled with the Civil Rights, anti-war and social protest movements. In this regard, we can view popular music as an artifact through which to better understand the time and place in which it is produced. In light of this, the state of popular music today may suggest troubling things about our society.

Music is an important part of life. Its role as a form of art and entertainment is a significant one but more important is that it serves to reflect and reinforce societal norms and values. It is not only used to entertain but also serves as a form of social commentary (Baran, 2009). For instance, the emergence of Rhythm and Blues (R&B) in America after the Second World War was a means of advancing the black race and it helped blur the line between white and black as more young white people became aware of the distinctions that existed in the society. The Hip-hop and rap of the 1980s and 1990s had almost the same effect, awakening in Black Americans a sense of