Run DMC

1044 Words3 Pages

Research Propsal: Working Title: Band as Brand – The commodification of subculture. Research Question: What can the Rap Group Run DMC tell us about the comodification of subcultures and how the style of a subculture can be normalised and sold to a broader target market? Introductory Section: From the socio-economic struggles of 1970's New York, a new kind of subculture emerged, and from this, a new style of music known as Hip-hop. The rap group Run DMC pioneered to some extent the transformation of hip hop from an underground phenomenon to a genre recognised as mainstream and a significant aspect of pop-culture. Run DMC produced the first rap album to go tripple platinum and produced the first rap song to be featured on the 24 hour music channel, MTV. The groups became increasingly popular throughout the ninteen eighties and through their popularity , the style of the subculture they were representing was sold to the mainstream not only through Music, but other form of Media too. Dick Hebdige's text, subculture and style Marxist Theory of Alienation and Gottdiener Draw on many other scholarly texts to provide evidence for this discussion of how a subculture such as that of hip-hop can be commodified and sold to the mainstream through the music and styler of said subculture, with groups sch as Run DMC. Outline Section: Introductory Section: Section 1: The Subculture and its style: Discuss Dick Hebdige's 'Subculture and Style' to define the term 'subculture' and apply these definitions to the group Run D.M.C. Analyse historical context and the origins of the subculture. Social significance of bankruptcy of New York City in the 1970's – how hip-hop was born from this. Social, economic and cultural impact this had on the crea... ... middle of paper ... ...You are What's on Your Feet: Men and Sneaker Subculture”. Further explanation of the financial benefits of Addidas due to their investment in Run DMC, consistant screentime, therefore continual advertising include later rap-artists and advertising, Biggie Smalls/Jay-Z and Cristol Champagne as well as Snoop Dogg and Tanquery Gin. Discuss statistics of hip-hop's money making in the music industry, I.e 2001, Hip-hop make 21% of the $5.4 billion made from music sales in ureban areas. The implications of hip-hop's introduction to the mainstream and its comodification, how has hip-hop been redifined? The continual promotion of Run DMC despite eventual decline in popularity, discuss “It's Tricky” featuring in Singstar 80's on Playstation2, the groups biography, the film 'Kush-Groove that the group starred in and perhaps mention the groups final album 'Crown Royal', 2001.

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