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What do we think of when we think of art? Traditional paintings Weird abstract paintings Sculptures, photographs, designs Do we ever think of something like this as art? *rap lyrics on screen* These hoes couldn't test me even if their name was pop quiz Bad bitches who I fuck with, mad bitches we don't fuck with I don't fuck with them chickens unless they last name is cutlet Let it soak in, like seasonin' And tell 'em, tell 'em blow me, Lance Stephenson But seriously, look past all of the vulgar language at these metaphors and allusions 6. And this is Lance Stephenson, blowing in Lebron James’ ear for those of you who didn’t get Nicki’s reference 7. (Back to #5) Rap music is a form of art, poetry. This is how it originated in the South Bronx in the 1970s. However, as you can see it has become laced with expletives and violent themes. Rap always had confrontational origins, however old rap songs always demonstrated profanity as negative. Nicki Minaj’s “Only” demonstrates the modern style of rap music, which glorifies obscenity. Body 8. Here’s an old rap song “White Lines” by Grandmaster Flash (1983): A million magic crystals, painted pure and white A multi­million dollars almost overnight Twice as sweet as sugar, twice as bitter as salt And if you get hooked, baby, it's nobody else's fault, so don't do it! This shows drug addiction and poverty as negative themes, doesn’t glorify them. Talks about how to get out of a bad situation. 9. *picture symbolizing rap becoming commercialized* Then, rap became commercialized. a. in the 1990s, the percentage of rap songs with violent lyrics escalated dramatically, by almost 60%. The highest level was sustained from 1994 to 1997, where 93% of all songs categorized as gangsta rap referenced violence (​The Journal of Public Health​, Herd) b. the paradigm shift of the increase in glorification of violent themes in rap music occurred as the “culture producing industry” system was reversed, and the rap industry began producing culture c. the best­selling songs of this time featured a brash, loud, bombastic style of gangsta rap. Major companies noticed this trend and, using their advanced recording and computing technology that allowed easy manipulation of musical sounds, made this the signature style of rap music 10. This was the result (“I’m Shady” by Eminem): I got mushrooms, I got acid, I got tabs and aspirin tablets I'm your brother when you need, some good weed to set you free You know me, I'm your friend, when you need a minithin (I'm Slim Shady..) I'm Shady!! Conclusion 11. *drake album cover* a. As Common, a rapper and entrepreneur, told CNN in an interview, the industry “made [hip hop] into a stereotype when it’s not…[rap] was never one thing...the stereotype came about when corporations said ‘ok this is what we’re going to endorse’...but through the years it’s been much more than that” (Anthology of Rap). b. Is rap the voice of a community reflecting harsh and oppressive inner city conditions, needs to be heard? i.
ADD c. Or is rap a dangerous glorification of inappropriate terms? i.
ADD Sources ● Anthology of Rap ● Eminem ● Google Images ● Grandmaster Flash ● Herd, Denise ​The Journal of Public Health ● Negus, Kieth ​The Music Business and Rap ● Nicki Minaj