Meighan Byron entry on Hip Hop Panel Discussion
The panel assembled to discuss hip hop was a real eye opener. Looking back on the discussion questions I submitted, I realized that most of them came from such a narrow point of view. I guess that is the purpose of a class like this, to open eyes and give meaning to many of the things we experience on a day to day basis...To critically think about popular culture.
Professor Pate and Melisa Riviere were so knowledgeable on the topic of hip hop. I guess Melisa addressed my question of women in hip hop culture the most. Although she didn’t’ exactly address the question I had (whether the treatment or the portrayal of women in rap and hip hop was a reflection of street culture and vice versa) but she did explain women’s history in hip hop. Who knew the producer of Rappers Delight was a woman? Sylvia Wright as the owner of Sugar Hill records helped to push “Rappers Delight” into the mainstream culture and into the consciousness of the rest of America outside the Bronx. So I learned that the collaboration of both men and women fostered the growth of hip hop. Melisa also made the point that women who could MC were seen as masculine then, once they gained the respect of their peers, made the jump to sex pot MC. So the equal treatment of men and women MC’s is not perfect, progress is being made. Sex does sell, so sadly I think the change will be slow.
During the discussion someone made a statement to the effect that there is no more political message in rap or hip hop these days. That it is all fluff and groups like Public Enemy have gone the way of the dodo. I believe there are many young, promising artists in our midst. One of which is in our home town. I don’t think anyone brought him up but, what about Brother Ali? His “Uncle Sam Goddamn” has a potent political message and I wish I had brought him up in the conversation. He is definitely one to look out for. I wonder what Professor Pate thinks about him.