... gang culture, team clothing was banned in public schools nationwide. Instead of inciting violence in children, rappers argued that it served as a form of expression and source of confidence. In rap music, it was apparent that these labels were considered a source of pride and identity for artists. Because NWA was able to associate itself positively with the Raider's label, their sales revenue ... " that was urban, youthful, and threatening"(Neal 1997:129,130). This period passed off the gangster, ghetto, violent, sexist, and materialistic form of hip-hop music as the most authentic versi...

• Word Count: 2443
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... old and new representations alike, it is an important source of pride, esteem and escape for the black community. Rap pushes the importance of mobility as a sign of freedom in African-American tradition and this resonates in hip-hop music (Stepto, 1991). Rap lyrics frequently reference breaking out, getting out (Perry, 2004). Hip-hop figures are a source of hope and inspiration ... Education Statistics, 1998). That being said, present day educators should be striving to find innovative and effective ways to reach the growing population of minority children in American schools. Rap music ...

• Word Count: 1971
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... slur it would be kept out of the mainstream culture. The new usage of the word was popularized by "gansta rap," music that celebrated West Coast gang violence, during the early 1990's. It was later adopted by many young black fans of rap and hip-hop, the word had been used by black comedians, like Chris Rock and Eddie Murphy and movies about ... . There is a tricky question, rather or not people other than black should use the word use "nigga" in its new usage. Fans other than black account for a large share of rap and hip-hop sales, and have long been exposed to the new usage. This is a...

• Word Count: 1650
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... a socially determined mold. Women in Chicana and African American societies have done just that in order to assure their voices were heard among the masses. Through many means, including poetry, music, and political activism, women of Chicana and African American descent have certainly chosen the path least traveled by. African American women specifically face a difficult history to battle in today's society ... is in the arena of sexual and psychological politics in opposition to both white America and their black male counterparts. In "Bad Sistas: Black Women Rappers and Sexual Politi...

• Word Count: 846
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... as well. He uses lots of references to concrete, specific examples such as slaves making their master's waste into a tasty meal (368) or creating the roots of so much popular music today in the plantation fields (368) or even introducing " bass to 20th-century American culture" (369). This helps the reader understand now what cool is actually meant to be because ... African American culture until now? It's a bit hard to imagine someone with a larger world-view to agree that cool is necessarily a slave song that is now the basis of a popular rap song. Alexander's point on cool as describ...

• Word Count: 1153
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate