This Tuesday’s reading helped to give understanding of hip hop and rap music and also offers the misconceptions that many have of this musical genre. Connor’s piece suggests a way of listening to rap music is to focus on the many accents or play on words that give help in the structure of the music itself. Dunbar’s study focuses on how rap music and race is related to crime. Rap music is now being used as a “low profile” way of being racist towards African American individuals not only in the criminal justice system but in society as a whole. The podcast by Hannah-Jones discusses the importance of black music in American culture. There is historical pain in many lyrics, movements, and melody within the Black American music movement. Whites used it for their own entertainment and mocked their pain and agony in the process when creating the minstrel shows. Lastly, in Dissect’s podcast about Kanye West, he goes in depth about his controversial lifestyle and how his music has evolved. His genius ways of making music and controversial opinions have led him to his success today.
Reflecting on these pieces, I was able to connect with Dissect’s podcast on Kanye West. I grew up listening to Kanye. Loved The College Dropout, I played it out so badly I thought I was going to get sick of it, but never did. Then later came Graduation, which I instantly became hooked as well. Although as the years went by his music changed (as it should) but so did his social narrative and sense of being. He was discombobulated and did not seem in his right state of mind. He has publicly addressed his struggles with mental illness in which I pride him in doing that is not easy, however I felt myself disconnect from him during that time. I sit back and think about how he might have needed people the most at that time. I wouldn’t do that to a loved one, leave them and deem them as a weirdo when going through a tough time, so maybe I should be more understanding of EVERYONE’S situations, not just people I know.
How do you cope with mental well being? Do you find yourself judging celebrities more than you should?
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