09/23/14
English Writing Skills Workshop
Professor Young
Response
to "Hip Hop Planet"
James
McBride’s essay “Hip Hop
Planet” discusses the history
of hip hop and studies how it speaks for the disadvantaged. He talks about how
the music came out of Black and Latino communities in the Bronx and how rappers
like Biggie Smalls stood on the street corner trying to make a name for himself.
"Hip Hop Planet" was the time
period in which McBride grew however, he
tried to avoid it and " in doing so,
he missed the most important cultural event in his lifetime."
McBride's perception of hip hop was expressed in his nightmare. His daughter comes home with a guy and says, "Dad, we're getting married." He's a rapper, with a mouthful of gold teeth, a do-rag on his head, muscles popping out his arms, and a thug attitude. McBride see's his likeness in the boy and realizes it's everything he wanted to leave behind but simply couldn't avoid. He lived on hip-hop planet.
"It is a music that defies definition, yet defines our collective societies in immeasurable ways. To many of my generation, despite all attempts to exploit it, belittle it, numb it, classify it, and analyze it, hip-hop remains an enigma, a clarion call, a cry of "I am" from the youth of the world. We'd be wise, I suppose, to start paying attention." This shows that McBride is beginning to identify with hip hop and it's true meaning. Rapping is a representation of what feelings sound like. It expresses emotion and brings that characteristic out from within us; it tells us a story. Every generation has its’ own sound and different music styles have emerged and become extremely popular. This is true of hip-hop.
McBride's perception of hip hop was expressed in his nightmare. His daughter comes home with a guy and says, "Dad, we're getting married." He's a rapper, with a mouthful of gold teeth, a do-rag on his head, muscles popping out his arms, and a thug attitude. McBride see's his likeness in the boy and realizes it's everything he wanted to leave behind but simply couldn't avoid. He lived on hip-hop planet.
"It is a music that defies definition, yet defines our collective societies in immeasurable ways. To many of my generation, despite all attempts to exploit it, belittle it, numb it, classify it, and analyze it, hip-hop remains an enigma, a clarion call, a cry of "I am" from the youth of the world. We'd be wise, I suppose, to start paying attention." This shows that McBride is beginning to identify with hip hop and it's true meaning. Rapping is a representation of what feelings sound like. It expresses emotion and brings that characteristic out from within us; it tells us a story. Every generation has its’ own sound and different music styles have emerged and become extremely popular. This is true of hip-hop.
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