Essays on Gangsta Rap

Introduction

Despite the talk about ‘globalization’ that has increasingly been picking up momentum since the latter parts of the last century, there are significant differences between different societies throughout the world (O'Connor, 2004). Social class, cultural identity, religious beliefs, childbearing, and parenting, just to name but a few work differently in different parts of the world (Hiebert, 2002). From the Natives in North America, the Taiwanese in the Far South East Asia, Latinos in the Caribbean, and the Ashanti and the Zulu in Africa, to the Aboriginals in New Zealand and Australia, people’s ways of life are just so ...

Misogyny in Rap Lyrics

Introduction Sexism and misogyny exist throughout our popular culture. Even with that in mind gangsta rap is pointed to more often than other music genres as posing a serious problem in its presentation of women and the heavily misogynistic view that this involves. It is unclear who is potentially at fault here: for some, it is the music industry and its continued endorsement of such music, whilst for others it is the rappers themselves who write and perform the lyrics in question. Otware (2011) states that “Sexism, misogyny and homophobia permeate the music” (Otware, 2011, p31) which demonstrates how ...

Rap and Misogyny

Introduction Rap music is one of the modern “reinventions” of the music that was first brought to America from the rich culture of Jamaica. By the late 1970s, rap represented an aesthetic cultural expression for urban African American youths (Adam & Fuller, 2006). The genre gained popularity all over the world, possibly because of its regular beat and the way lyrics can be emphasized by that beat. In the 21st century, rap is considered “black music” or African American music, and there are certainly great musicians of such descent who have energized this type of music, with poetry ...