Political hip hop
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Political hip hop | |
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alternative rap |
Political hip hop is a
There is no all-encompassing political hip hop ideology, rather, there are multiple perspectives that range anywhere from anarchism to Marxism to the values of the Five-Percent Nation. Hip hop and politics have long been intertwined, with many hip hop artists using their music as a means to speak out about political and social issues and express their views on current events. Over the years, there have been a number of hip hop songs that have addressed political issues such as police brutality, racism, and poverty, among others. Some well-known examples of political hip hop songs include:
- The Message (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five song) (1982)
- Fight the Power by Public Enemy (1988)
- Stop The Violence by Boogie Down Productions(1988)
- N.W.A.(1988)
- Heed The Word Of The Brother by X Clan (1990)
- Changes by Tupac Shakur (1998)
Many hip hop artists have also been involved in political activism outside of their music. For example, Chuck D of Public Enemy has been involved in a number of political campaigns and organizations, and has used his music and public platform to speak out about issues such as police brutality and racism. Similarly, rapper and activist Common has been involved in a number of social justice causes, and has used his music to address issues such as police violence and racial inequality.[4]
Conscious hip hop
Conscious hip hop (also known as
Some well-known examples of conscious hip hop artists include Common,
. These artists are known for their thoughtful and thought-provoking lyrics, often tackling complex and controversial issues.In contrast to certain stereotypical views of mainstream hip hop, which is often associated with materialism and violence, conscious hip hop is often seen as a more positive and uplifting form of the genre. Conscious hip hop in reality is often bleakly realistic due to its focus on social issues. Despite frequent serious and bleak commentary, many conscious hip hop artists strive to inspire their listeners to think critically and make positive changes in their communities and the world.[citation needed]
Overall, conscious hip hop is a significant part of the hip hop landscape, and its artists continue to play a key role in raising awareness about important social and political issues.[8]
History of political and conscious hip hop
Origins and early development
Before the emergence of political hip hop, the Black Power Movement and the emphasis on black pride arising in the mid-1960s inspired several commentaries incorporating Black Power ideological elements. Songs expressing the theme of black pride include
Gangsta rap
Early gangsta rap often showed significant overlap with political and conscious rap.[12] Pioneers in the gangsta rap genre such as Ice-T, N.W.A., Ice Cube, and the Geto Boys blended the crime stories, violent imagery, and aggression associated with gangsta rap with socio-political commentary. Using the now standard gangsta rap motifs of crime and violence, they were able to comment on the state of society and expose issues found within poor communities and society as a whole.[13] These early gangsta rap artists were influenced in part by the bleak and often "revolutionary" crime novels of Iceberg Slim as well as hip hop groups such as Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions; groups that mixed aggressive, confrontational lyrics about urban life with social-political commentary and often radical political messages. The controversial debut album Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A, released in 1988 brought gangsta rap to the mainstream, but it also contained harsh social and political commentary, including the confrontational track "Fuck tha Police." Ice-T's work would sometimes focus on other topics: for example, he rapped about free speech on his third album, and about drunk driving, domestic violence, and Nelson Mandela on his fourth album.[14]
After his departure from the group N.W.A in 1989, Ice Cube embarked on a solo career and released socio-political and conscious rap with gangsta rap elements in his 1990 debut album
Underground rap
Underground rap, also known as underground hip hop, is a subgenre of hip hop known for its political and socially conscious lyrics. Unlike mainstream rap, which often focuses on themes such as money, power, and fame, underground rap addresses more serious and often controversial topics, such as racism, police brutality, and social inequality.[4]
Underground rap artists are often critical of their government and its policies, and use their music to express their political views. Many underground rap songs are highly political, and the lyrics often reflect the artists' personal experiences and perspectives on social and political issues. For example, some songs may address specific incidents of police brutality, while others may discuss the effects of poverty and inequality on communities of color.[9]
One of the main goals of underground rap is to challenge mainstream narratives and to provide an alternative voice to those who are often marginalized or ignored by mainstream media. Many underground rap artists are activists in their own right, and they often use their music to raise awareness about important social and political issues.[citation needed]
In addition to addressing political and social issues, underground rap is known for its emphasis on artistic creativity and individuality. In contrast to mainstream rap, which often follows a formulaic approach, underground rap is more diverse and experimental in its sound and style. This allows underground rap artists to express themselves in unique and innovative ways and to create music that is truly original and authentic.[16]
Underground rap is an important sub-genre of hip hop that provides a platform for artists to discuss important political and social issues while challenging mainstream narratives. By using their music to express their views and experiences, underground rap artists can raise awareness about important issues and inspire others to take action.[4]
The artists who consistently produce conscious rap are largely considered
Hip hop in politics
Hip hop's impact on the political world is widespread. The response from mainstream politics has resulted in the spread of ideas, and opinions, and the formation of an informal dialogue surrounding largely controversial topics.
From the onset of hip hop in the 1980s throughout the 1990s, hip hop culture was either ignored or criticized by politicians. In the 1990s, the cultural idea that rap music was a symptom of the "destruction of American values" received bipartisan support.[21] In 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle called on Interscope Records to withdraw 2Pacalypse Now because it was a "disgrace to American music". The catalyst for Quayle's outrage was an incident when a Texas youth shot a state trooper and referenced the album as his motivation.[21] In 2Pacalypse Now, rapper Tupac Shakur raised issues of institutional racism, teen pregnancy, and police brutality.[22] In the song "Trapped", he tells a fictional story of how a police officer slams him on the ground without cause, but before he gets arrested the police officer is shot. His lyrics read "how can I feel guilty after all the things they did to me?"
Throughout the 2000s, hip hop music has become a larger part of mainstream culture and is seen as more acceptable in the political sphere. In 2015,
In the
Ideology and views of political rappers
United States
Anti-racism, Black liberation and nationalism
As hip hop is a music genre originally created and dominated by
Anti-poverty, class struggle and socialism
Particularly with the advent of
Conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories have been referenced in hip hop lyrics for some time. Elements of the
Views on religion
Rappers often reference their religious views. Outside of Five-Percenters and
Worldwide
On a global scale, hip hop's public reputation and exhibition is varied. For instance, Canada's most prominent political hip hop act is
Overseas political hip hop scenes
Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking political hip hop scene
Political rappers of Hispanic, Brazilian or Portuguese descent include Calle 13, Racionais MC's, Olmeca, Tohil, Immortal Technique, Rebel Diaz, Manny Phesto, MRK, Portavoz, Facção Central, Psycho Realm, Ana Tijoux, Bocafloja, Zack de la Rocha, Pablo Hasél (Spain), Los Chikos del Maiz (from Valencia, Spain), and Canserbero.
UK political hip hop scene
Within the United Kingdom
Before the
Australian hip hop scene
Indigenous rappers Briggs and his collaboration with Trials for A.B. Original is one of the most prominent political hip hop artists in Australia. Artists Urthboy, Jimblah, The Herd, Horrorshow, and L-FRESH the Lion are all part of the Elefant Traks record label, and often have politically motivated songs. Their main focuses are racism and xenophobia but The Herd also focuses on issues of climate, gender inequality and war. Quro's 2007 EP Goodnight Mr. Howard contains overtly political critique of the Howard government and its policies. Some artists have expressed views on domestic violence through their lyrics. One example is the all-female indigenous hip hop group, Oetha, in their 2019 song Disturbing the Peace.[35]
Norwegian rappers
Music created by Norwegian rappers often become part public discourse, making them part of the political process. This includes songs, lyrics and performances within the hip hop genre. Hip Hop music can be seen as an integral part of the democratic public sphere processes.[36]
Serbian political hip hop
Political hip hop developed in
Iranian political hip hop
Due to the long history of human rights violations in Iran, many Iranian rappers address contemporary social and political issues through their music. Some well-known examples of Iranian political hip hop artists include Hichkas, Fadaei, Shapur, Quf, Yas, and Toomaj Salehi. Since it is illegal to criticize the government and social issues in Iran, most of the Iranian rappers live abroad.[37]
Rapper Toomaj Salehi, who lives in Iran, was arrested during the Mahsa Amini protests on October 30, 2022, for his social awareness activities on his social media and releasing two protest songs "Battleground" and "Omen" during the protests.[38] On November 27, 2022, Iranian media revealed that Salehi was charged with "corruption on Earth", an offense which could carry the death penalty.[39] Salehi became one of the well-known faces of the revolutionary movement "Woman, Life, Freedom", denouncing the repression by the Iranian government. He has since been reportedly in solitary confinement and under torture.[40][41]
See also
- List of political hip hop artists
- Protest music
- Jihadism and hip-hop
- Hip hop feminism
- Hip hop and social injustice
- Stop Murder Music
References
- ^ Political Rap, 2024, retrieved February 4, 2024
- ^ Rhythm, rhyme and reason: hip hop expressivity as political discourse",
- ^ "Political Rap: The Music of Oppositional Resistance",(subscription required)
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8223-8615-5.
- ^ 100 Essential Political & Conscious Hip Hop Albums, 2021, retrieved February 2, 2024
- ^ a b Adaso, Henry. "What is Conscious Hip Hop?". Liveabout.com. About.com. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
- JSTOR 466354.
- .
- ^ S2CID 96427971.
- ^ Abramovich, Alex (August 5, 2013). "Agitate, Educate, Organize". London Review of Books.
- ^ Chang, Jeff. Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation.
- ISBN 9780226468365. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
- ^ Adaso, Henry. "Gangsta Rap". About.com. Dotdash Meredith. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (August 27, 2015). "Straight Outta Compton review – how hip-hop pioneers NWA took on the world". The Guardian.
- ^ a b c Erlewine, Stephen. "About Ice Cube". MTV. MTV. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ISSN 0304-422X.
- ^ Thompson, Amanda (May 6, 2004). "Gender in Hip Hop: A Research Study" (PDF). Humboldt State University. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 19, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2006.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ "Get Your Mind Right: Underground Vs. Mainstream". HipHopDX. February 10, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
- doi:10.18422/54-03.
- ^ "Underground Rap Music Genre Overview | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
- ^ a b c Hughes, Dana. "Hip-Hop in Politics". ABC News. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
- ^ Steiner, B.J. (November 12, 2013). "2Pac Shakur Drops '2Pacalypse Now'". XXL Magazine. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
- ^ a b c Schwarz, Hunter (July 31, 2015). "The Politician's Guide to how to be Down with Hip Hop". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
- ^ O'Neil, Lorena (February 3, 2015). "Most Iowa Republicans Agree that Beyonce is Mental Poison". Billboard. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
- ^ Melber, Ari (April 17, 2008). "Obama Meets Jay-Z in YouTube Mashup Slamming Clinton & Debate". The Nation. Retrieved April 18, 2008.
- ^ Foderaro, Lisa (October 2018). "He's a Rhodes Scholar. The G.O.P. Keeps Calling Him a 'Big-City Rapper.'". The New York Times. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
- ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ Said-Moorhouse, Lauren (January 26, 2016). "Rapper B.o.B thinks the Earth is flat, has photographs to prove it". CNN. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
- ^ Martin, Andrew (August 31, 2011). "Listen: Killer Mike Talks 'Burn,' Religion With CNN". Prefix Magazine. Archived from the original on December 2, 2011.
- ^ Sakzewski, Emily (February 27, 2020). "Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Brad Pitt have all been to Kanye's Sunday Service. But what happens there?". ABC News. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
- ^ "Bombay to Zimbabwe". Genius. June 4, 2017.
- ^ Ehrlich, Dimitri (June 4, 2004). "A Zionist Hip-Hop Stance Comes to Lollapalooza". The Forward.
- ^ Jade, Kelly (May 15, 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn sits down with grime artist JME to encourage young people to vote". Metro. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ^ Shahid, Omar (March 19, 2012). "Lowkey, Logic and a new wave of political British hip-hop MCs". The Guardian.
- ^ Eliezer, Christie (November 25, 2019). "Oetha's new track has a powerful message about domestic abuse". The Music Network. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
- ^ Nærland, Torgeir Uberg. "Hip Hop and the Public Sphere: Political Commitment and Communicative Practices on the Norwegian Hip Hop Scene." Javnost - The Public, vol. 21, no. 1, 2014, pp. 37–52., doi:10.1080/13183222.2014.11009138.
- ^ Gritten, David (November 28, 2022). "Toomaj Salehi: Dissident Iranian rapper could face death penalty". BBC News. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ^ "Iran protesters defy "brutal crackdown" as another teen is reportedly killed". CBS News. November 3, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ^ "Islamic Republic's Security Forces Arrest Dissident Rapper". Iran International. October 30, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ^ Parent, Deepa; Habibiazad, Ghoncheh (November 11, 2022). "Rapper who protested over death of Mahsa Amini faces execution in Iran". The Guardian. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
- ^ Moshtaghian, Artemis (November 6, 2022). "Family fears for life of rapper they say was violently arrested after encouraging Iranians to protest". CNN. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
Bibliography
- Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas; Bush, John (2003). The Definitive Guide to Rap & Hip-Hop. Backbeat Books, ISBN 0-87930-759-5.
- Mohamed Nasir, Kamaludeen (2020). Representing Islam: Hip-Hop of the September 11 Generation. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, ISBN 9780253053046.