... at ya Cause you's a down ass bitch And I ain't mad at cha."17 These lyrics create another scenario of disrespect and affirmation. While most argue that songs that refer to women as bitches are disrespectful in its entirety, this song begs to differ. African American women, since slavery have been heralded for their resilience and ability to stand by their men during the toughest ... American women and on the other hand, there is a culture that affirms women of color to a fault. The answer is simply not to censor Hip-Hop music. Instead it is to change the culture, system, and ideology of...

• Word Count: 2580
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... beginning. Newsweek columnist Johnnie L. Roberts offers a solid explanation. "Gangsta rap, which chronicles the bleak, often violent life of the nation's toughest black neighborhoods, has increasingly sparked controversy since it emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Much of the controversy has centered on violent lyrics. And the music industry, insisting that it is defending artistic freedom and arguing that music doesn't cause ... put is word out to end this plague. While Tupac was put into the category of "gangsta rapper", he did not abide by many of the outlines that have been ...

• Word Count: 3526
• Approx Pages: 14
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... Bobby Seale, and George Jackson". To sum it up Tupac was raised on the knowledge of Black Nationalist, and was aware (as a child) that the Government was a twisted system. (Tupac Shakur 1971-1996, by the editors of VIBE) Tupac's life outside of school in Baltimore became distressed. His mother had no money for food and clothes. He ... support, lawyers to pay for previous cases and people were threatening to kill him. (Tupac Shakur 1971-1996, by the editors of VIBE). On September 7, 1996, after a Mike Tyson fight Tupac was gunned down in Las Vegas. He was shot four times in the chest. He i...

• Word Count: 3994
• Approx Pages: 16
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... Mark, and Vanilla Ice. (Henderson, 7) This image was largely the B-boy and the Fly Girl image of black youth. It was perpetuated in the music video industry. Getting paid, drinking forties, rolling, sex, beepers, fly gear, a dope sound system in the car-it was all part of the impulse and imitation that continued to move Black youth that flocked to hip-hop in ... to elevate those leaders present today. They focused more on the images. Too many rappers did not even bother to make their lyrics consistent with the philosophies of these leaders. (Henderson, 8) Black artists are asserting the...

• Word Count: 4261
• Approx Pages: 17
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... at her for a long time, "Instead, it was Irene who was put out. Feeling her colour heighten under the continued inspection, she slid her eyes down. What, she wondered, could be the reason for such persistent attention?" (Larsen 15). This illustrates the fear that she would be discovered as a black person ... who gave the group its first national radio exposure said, "Their music was a reflection of what was going on in the streets, but it wasn't an accurate depiction of them. They were good kids Whether you liked the lyrics or not, the music was so good, you had to bob your head" (Chris...

• Word Count: 2640
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School