Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes

539 Words2 Pages

Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes is a documentary created and produced by Bryon Hurt. The documentary challenges the dominant discourses of hyper masculinity and the misogynist treatment of women in commercialized rap. Of the many mainstream phenomenons that are discussed by Bryon in the documentary, the issue of hyper masculinity in Hip Hop is questioned greatly. Throughout the film, the producer was able to show the wide acceptance of hyper masculinity not only in Hip Hop but also American culture as well. He defined America as a hyper masculine and hyper violent nation for the reason that using a gun to defend one’s family became a metaphor for masculinity and a tool for widespread violence. The issue of issue of hyper masculinity can be integrated with racism and is rooted back to the living conditions and environment that came about along with slavery. Throughout American history, black men have been marginalized, put down in life, segregated, and were told that they could accomplish nothing in life, this as a result caused frustration. This frustration resulted in them willing to...

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