A substantial influence in preserving this notion of culture as a trend comes in part from the impact of celebrity and popular culture. When discussing celebrity influence in her interview, hooks primarily discusses Madonna’s use of black culture to reproduce her image. Currently, this idea of appropriating culture to redefine a celebrity’s stardom is most associated with Miley Cyrus. In a recent interview with Vibe magazine, Timothy and Theron Thomas, the writers and producers behind Miley Cyrus’s hit single “We Can’t Stop,” discussed her new music. They stated that Cyrus had wanted something “that was urban, something that felt black (Platon),” an arguably good business move because she is now more famous than she has ever been. However, Cyrus’s new level of fame does not solely generate from hooks’ belief in America’s obsession with blackness. It also correlates with hooks’ discussion of the black woman’s experience in Ain’t I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism. Black women are presumably the lowest ranking in the social system of hierarchy. Thus American consumers, who are primari...
In his most recent album, Kanye West raps, “Now if I fuck this model/ And she just bleached her asshole/ And I get bleach on my T-shirt/ I 'mma feel like an asshole.” He suggests that it is the girl’s fault for getting bleach on his tee shirt, which she only did to make herself more sexually appealing. This misogyny in hip-hop culture is recognized to bring about problems. For instance, the women around these rappers believe they can only do well in life if they submit themselves to the men and allow themselves to be cared for in exchange for physical pleasure. In her essay, “From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hoes”, Joan Morgan argues that the same rap music that dehumanizes women can be a powerful platform for gender equality if implemented correctly.
In The Venus Hip Hop and the Pink Ghetto, Imani Perry argues that the over-sexualized, unattainable bodies of black women in popular culture will lead to the breakdown of feminism and the positive body image of the everyday black women. As hip hop music continues to become more popular, the sexist messages presented in lyrics and music videos are becoming more common to the everyday public, including young black girls developing a self-image. Instead of these girls being exposed to healthy, positive role models who encourage individuality and that there is more to a woman than her body they are given hip hop video models whose only purpose is to look sensual on screen. The strong women that do exist in the hip hop genre are pushed to sexualize themselves or their lyrics to sell records or stay relatively unknown. Although Perry’s arguments are logical, I believe that she is creating a slippery slope of logic. A genre of music cannot destroy the self-image of black women that has existed for generations.
In “Eating the Other: Desire and Resistance”, bell hooks explains how black culture has been going through a process of commodification. According to the author, costumes, culture and history of the black has been turned into products and promoted in a way to increase consumption. hooks uses the term “cultural appropriation” to explain that this commodification is a way to seduce marginalized groups and minorities, making them feel as recognized as the dominant culture in terms of acknowledgement of its accomplishments. This takes place mainly due to all the segregation in which black people passed through in the past, so the dominant culture tries to pass an image of reconciliation and equality (hooks 26). “Commodification” is a concept used
The healthy relationships portrayed in the media are few and far between, which leaves Black women to make choices based on the options they have and perceive. For that reason, it is not complicated to understand why Black women are the least likely to marry in the environment of the over-sexed woman and a pimp. The portrayal of Black women as lascivious by nature is an enduring stereotype. To understand more fully the media’s role in shaping the culture of African-American experience, one must first examine the stereotypes projected by TV stations like, BET, MTV, and VH1. The songs and music videos created by such hip-hop artists as 50 Cent, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg have built ...
Miley Cyrus ' 2013 VMA performance at the VMA’s created immediate controversy. The once wholesome star of Disney 's Hannah Montana came onto the stage scantily dressed, singing a song that celebrated drug use, as she twerked all over her full figured, black female backup dancers. A multitude of articles were written about her performance; some were outraged, and some defended her right as a liberated young woman to express her sexuality. Two writers who expressed their outrage were Tressie Cottom and Hadley Freeman. Their complaint was that the sexualization of the heavier black dancers by a slim white woman was cultural appropriation, Although the two writers were on the same side of the argument, they looked at the situation from different places.
Oswald, Janelle. “Is Rap Turning Girls into Ho’s?” The Black Book: A Custom Publication. 3rd ed. Ed. Sam Pierstorff. Modesto: Quercus Review Press, 2012. 171-175.
...nd attractive. It creates a double consciousness that is difficult to reconcile. Carla Williams argues that “given the legacy of images created of black women… it is an especially complex task for contemporary black women to define their own image, one that necessarily both incorporates and subverts the stereotypes, myths, facts and fantasies that have preceded them. (Wallace-Sanders et.al, 196) The root of the problem lies within our society. While very culpable, mainstream music and advertisements are not the only promoters of female objectification; the key is unwinding the inner tensions between these two groups. There is a need for the promotion of female solidarity, regardless of their skin color. We need to rid society of the evil of racism—only then will conceptions surrounding African Americans parallel and be as positive as those surrounding white women.
In Stuart Hall’s “What is This “Black” in Black Popular Culture?” the historical implication of popular culture in the U.S is examined and the influence that blackness has in it is deconstructed. According to the text, the departure of European concepts of culture after WWII sparked a hegemonic shift as the United States emerged as a world power. Due to this, the U.S. became the epicenter of global culture production. However, since America has always had a large ethnic population due to slavery, the true face of American popular culture was black American vernacular traditions. Even today, slang that emerge from black ghettos and communities become highly popular with people of other races. In fact, much of black culture is not just our culture,
Do you like hip-hop? Do you think hip-hop brings people’s attention to an advertisement or commercial? In “Selling Down: The Marketing of the Hip-op Nation” which was adapted from Other People 's Property: A Shadow History of Hip-Hop in White America” (2007), author and senior editor Jason Tanz argues that hip-hip is a useful source to get the attention of the people; therefore, marketers and salesmen should keep using hip-hop in advertisements and commercials no matter what or who opposes. He also argues the idea that youth see themselves as being members of a higher status by wearing brand name clothing that is advertised by hip-hop.
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,
The article discusses the fact that hip hop “provides a lens [through which white students and faculty at institutions] interpret Black culture” and that because of this not only is the Black female’s view of herself being manipulated, but black males expect what is being promoted by hip hop culture from them, and so does every other person (Henry, West, & Jackson 238). A professor at North Carolina Central University spoke about how he dislikes how hip-hop has influenced the way his students dress, he said “ They look like hoochie mamas, not like they’re coming to class” (as cited in Evelyn
Hip hop has permeated popular culture in an unprecedented fashion. Because of its crossover appeal, it is a great unifier of diverse populations. Although created by black youth on the streets, hip hop's influence has become well received by a number of different races in this country. A large number of the rap and hip hop audience is non-black. It has gone from the fringes, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms. Because it has become the fastest growing music genre in the U.S., companies and corporate giants have used its appeal to capitalize on it. Although critics of rap music and hip hop seem to be fixated on the messages of sex, violence, and harsh language, this genre offers a new paradigm of what can be (Lewis, 1998.) The potential of this art form to mend ethnic relations is substantial. Hip hop has challenged the system in ways that have unified individuals across a rich ethnic spectrum. This art form was once considered a fad has kept going strong for more than three decades. Generations consisting of Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Asians have grown up immersed in hip-hop. Hip hop represents a realignment of America?s cultural aesthetics. Rap songs deliver a message, again and again, to keep it real. It has influenced young people of all races to search for excitement, artistic fulfillment, and a sense of identity by exploring the black underclass (Foreman, 2002). Though it is music, many people do not realize that it is much more than that. Hip hop is a form of art and culture, style, and language, and extension of commerce, and for many, a natural means of living. The purpose of this paper is to examine hip hop and its effect on American culture. Different aspects of hip hop will also be examined to shed some light that helps readers to what hip hop actually is. In order to see hip hop as a cultural influence we need to take a look at its history.
At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Miley Cyrus performed a highly sexual performance that exploited her as she twerked on her performance partner, Robin Thicke, while wearing virtually nothing. Most of the world was left in shock, asking why Cyrus would do this as she was already a successful Disney Channel star. In fact, Cyrus was blamed for promoting the pornification of women and being a bad role model. Although, Thicke, engaging in the act just as much as Cyrus and being sixteen years her senior, received very little backlash. Why was Cyrus blamed more than Thicke? Why did Cyrus engage in this highly sexual act on a public stage in the first place? Did Cyrus feel the need to do this in order to make herself relevant and prove that she
Rose, Tricia. The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk about When We Talk about Hip Hop - and Why
I am sure we all remember the Video Music awards in 2015, when Miley Cyrus was literally a wrecking ball for the show. The artist was horrible criticsized for her actions during the show and from then on known as a wild card. Just like Miley has best friends, i am sure we all have that wild card best friend. The ‘Miley Cyrus at the VMA’s’ best friend is the friend that is the absolutely crazy, off-the-wall, you never know what they are going to say or do friend. That best friend tends to always have social media post at the random, lunatic events. For some reason, this friend in particular always signs us up to go to and do the most wildly, unconventional things. In spite of the fact that the ‘Miley Cyrus at the VMA’s’ best friend is a bit