The biopic, Straight Outta Compton, from Universal Pictures and Legendary Entertainment illustrates the rise of a very special rap group. In 1986, five young men utilize their creative politically honest lyrics and catchy hip hop beats to express their frustrations and anger about their life experiences in the most dangerous place in America. Returning to the humble beginnings of Compton's finest, Straight Outta Compton recounts the true narrative of how these cultural rebels, armed only with their, “lyrics, swagger, bravado and raw talent” (Universal Pictures), stood up against the authorities that strived to oppress them, forming the world's most influential group, N.W.A. Ultimately, as they revealed a truth that no one had before and exposed life during a time of racial discrimination, their voice and passion for music ignited a civil revolution that is still reverberating today.
In Straight Outta Compton, there are a variety of restored behaviors that
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The film highlights how the rappers— specifically Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre—were driven to create music fueled by their frustrations with law enforcement and devastating events such as the Rodney King beating and the L.A. riots. For black Americans, Hip hop has historically represented a reflection of their lives in mainstream art, especially during the ’80s and ’90s. In an article posted by The Atlantic, Akil Houston, a hip-hop scholar and assistant professor at Ohio University conveys that, “Rap was the black community’s CNN” (Green). In Straight Outta Compton, Ice Cube (played by Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson Jr.) exclaims that, “Our art is a reflection of our reality,” reminding viewers that N.W.A. became famous for speaking truthfully about the experiences of being young, black, and terrorized by the
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011) is a 1 hour and 40 minute documentary that observes the black power movement in American history. This film is directed by Swedish director Goran Hugo Olson and has detailed footage that was shot during the 1960s and 1970s by Swedish journalists. The footage largely focuses on the black power movements. The film allows viewers to not only grasp a better understanding of this movement but allows us to understand why this movement appealed to Swedish journalists. The Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 includes vintage interviews with Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis, Huey P. Newton, and other prominent leaders during the Black Power Movement. The documentary also contains contemporary audio interviews and commentaries from various entertainers, artists, activists, and scholars, including but not limited to: Harry Belafonte, Talib Kweli, Melvin Van Peebles, Erykah Badu, Abiodun Oyewele, and Questlove from The Roots.
Chuck D, and Yusuf Jah. 1997. Fight the power: rap, race, and reality. New York, N.Y.: Delacorte Press.
Boyz N the Hood was a film created to convey an anti-gang message as well as to provide societal members an in-depth look at life in “the hood” so he or she can expand their culturally awareness of identifying societal issues (Stevenson, 1991). Upon the debut of “Boyz N the Hood” violence erupted at theaters across the nation, resulting in multiple shows pulling the film from scheduled showings to alleviate future violent behaviors (Stevenson, 1991). The film profoundly illustrates the realty of the events revealed within the storyline that frequently occur on a daily basis within every impoverish community; however, is overlooked by the individuals who are not directly involved and or affected (Leon-Guerrero, 2016) Children of lower socioeconomic status often are raised in ghetto neighborhoods where they often witness, crime, violence, gang activity, abuse, and drugs (Leon-Guerrero, 2016). Ghetto communities envelop tumultuous cycles of violence and substance abuse creating a pervasive occurrence within the residents of the community. This is prevalent in lower developed communities that unfortunately many children and the youth populace indirectly inherit and sadly conform to, as there are no other means to an end for them (Leon-Guerrero,
Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press. Stable URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/40068235 " N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton." Rap Genius. N.p., n.d. Web.
The film Straight Outta Compton, a box office hit, was a well-depicted film that focused on the hard struggles of a California rap group called N.W.A. during the late-1980s to mid-1990s. However, audiences have questioned the reality of the film Straight Out of Compton, for omitting the incident in which former N.W.A. member Dr. Dre assaulted reporter Dee Barnes. Although, this altercation is factual, this was not the intended message the film was meant to portray.
George covers much familiar ground: how B-beats became hip hop; how technology changed popular music, which helped to create new technologies; how professional basketball was influenced by hip hop styles; how gangsta rap emerged out of the crack epidemic of the 1980s; how many elements of hip hop culture managed to celebrate, and/or condemn black-on-black violence; how that black-on-black violence was somewhat encouraged by white people scheming on black males to show their foolishness, which often created a huge mess; and finally, how hip hop used and continues to use its art to express black frustration and ambition to blacks while, at the same time, refering that frustration and ambition to millions of whites.
Rose, Tricia. Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America . Middletown: Wesleyan University Press, 1994.
Swedenburg, Ted. "Homies in The ‘Hood: Rap’s Commodification of Insubordination." Rpt. in That’s the Joint!: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader. Ed. Murray Forman and Mark Anthony Neal. New York, NY: Routledge, 2004. 579-591. Print.
In the movie “Boyz in the Hood” director John Singleton, paints a clear image of the problems that happen very often in the African American communities. The movie deals with issues such as: the importance of a father in a young man’s life, the ongoing violence of black on black crime, and how black people are put in situations where they are put to fail and not succeed in life.
As hip hop culture became prevalent in pop culture, so did black culture. Hip hop stems from black struggle. Their vernacular, songs, and spiritual ways were different from what whites were used to. Their different lifestyle of “living on the edge” was intriguing yet inaccessible for the whites living among them. Thus, this initiated America’s fascination with the culture. It became about what people assume and perceive about black people rather than what they actually are. In essence, an essential to cool is being on the outside, looking in. In the media and celebrities today,
Prophets of the Hood is the most detailed and a brilliantly original study to date of hip hop as complicated and innovative literary story form. It is written with a refreshing harmonious combination savvy significance rigor as well as brave and creative narrative verve. Imani Perry’s research is an interesting analysis of late twentieth century in American great culture. Prophet of the hood is an excellent and unique book. It draws up a clear division between the negatives and positives involved in hip hop. She takes the discussions of rap to a deeper and greater levels with an insightful analysis of the poetic and political features of the art form. Being a fan and a scholar, Perry is aware the art, tradition of hip hop through an analysis of the song lyrics.
Jeffries, M. P. (2011). Thug Life: Race, Gender, and the Meaning of Hip-hop. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
In the movie Ice Cube mentioned his particular style of rap. Most people will say it is gangster rap, but his lyrics were too complex just to be classified as such. He said it would classify his style as street knowledge. Basically, the lyrics he rapped were to let the guys on the street what the politicians think about them, because of the condition that they lived during that time. The politicians not liking this genre of music and doing anything in their power to try to silence it let the guys on the street know that they had the politician’s attention.
The movie was about racial discrimination and violence with teens. The movie was placed in Harlem and showed how teens struggled with the police, gang violence and family related issues. He also starred in the movie “Poetic Justice” with Janet Jackson and played a character named Lucky. While starring in this movie, Tupac began to be more recognized as both a rapper and an actor. After the movies were produced, Tupac released 2 more albums, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... and Thug Life Volume: 1. In his album, Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z... he portrays his political and social views of the black community; in this album the song, “Keep Ya Head Up” became a gold certified single.The album Thug life: Volume 1 was by the group Thug Life which was started by Tupac and included Big Syke, Mopreme. The Rated R and Macadoshis. Due to controversial rap, the album had to be modified and re-recorded. The song “How Long Will They Mourn Me?” was later played in 1998 from 2Pac’s Greatest Hits Album. After these albums were released, many artists and record companies were reaching out to Tupac asking for advice and tips. Artists then began to follow Tupac and his ideas and he was named The Father of Rap. Rap artists began to rap about poverty, the police and other real life problems. At this time the police started to have a big impact in the songs. During his career rap became more and
New York circa 1950 to 1960, when the film would take place, was full of gang violence and juvenile delinquents. Arthur Laurents, and Leonard Bernstein had been meeting up, trying to collaborate on a work which would end up falling through. Spying a Los Angeles Times headline on gang violence in 1955 be...