Marc Dunham - Rap Discussion Response
I am not, and never have been, a fan of rap music, so I was a little skeptical coming into Wednesday’s discussion lecture. However, I was pleasantly surprised and captivated by both of the speakers, Alex Pate and Melisa Riviere, and I thought they provided many interesting views on the subject of hip-hop and urban culture. As someone who is almost always disappointed (and borderline disgusted) by the content of rap music, I was comforted when I heard the speakers say that most publicized rap music is not representative of true hip-hop and urban culture. I was impressed by Alex’s seemingly deep analysis of what he calls “rap poetry,” and would really love to take his class and learn more about rap poetry with more literary merit than the contrived disgrace on the radio.
I also found it interesting that the speakers (Melisa in particular) viewed the popularization of rap music and hip-hop culture as a form of suppression of the black community. The idea makes sense, as rap music at its inception was meant to be a protest of the mainstream ideals and culture. As the music becomes popularized and accepted into the “mainstream,” the music tends to lose its significance as a counterculture force. I can see how frustrating of a situation this must be for those who are working hard to fight against popular culture, making it a very powerful strategy for those orchestrating it. I think this strategy is used very frequently to crush minority opposition when it is rooted in a defiant form of expression.