7/29/2019 Rap and Hip-hop Assignment 2.3

1/4

LEVEL 2

2.3 Demonstrate understanding of

representation in the media.

Is Rap and Hip-hop music to blame for

encouraging a culture of violence on society?

7/29/2019 Rap and Hip-hop Assignment 2.3

2/4

Origins and Evolution of Rap and Hip-

Hop Rap Music Genre

With its supercharged rhythms, rap music took the world by storm in the late 1970s and led to the culturalphenomenon known as hip hop. Rap music had its roots in Jamaican toasting, R&B and funk, but rap songs areessentially the sounds of the streets, a passionate outcry from inner city youth about their bleak lives. Since its earlydays, rap songs have really exploded with incredible sonic invention, exploring new poetic ideas and the gangstalife.

Raps germination is sometimes attributed to the righteous street poetry of the Last Poets and the Watts Prophets, butit didnt begin to take full shape and earn its tag until after the Sugarhill Gang released Rappers Delight in1979. Since then, rap spread from its New York epicenter throughout the remainder of the U.S. (with each regiontaking on its own specific flavor) and then to countless countries.

Rap is music that consists of topical rhyme verses recited over a recorded or live instrumental background. Developedby urban American blacks, its format originally consisted of a disk jockey (D.J.) alternating and mixing small excerpts ofrecorded music and adding rhythmical scratching sounds, while a rapper sings or recites rhymed lyrics, that wereoften similar to poems. Rap first appeared in the mid-1970s. Rap musicians sample a wide range of street sounds,historical music, and spoken-word recordings in a very powerful, musical format. The first rap came into existence inthe Bronx, a ghetto of NYC. African-American poets had started using drum beats and instrumental music as abackground for their lyrics. The rap music we know today was born. Rap music soon became a subject of criticism andcontroversy because of sexually explicit lyrics and texts that glorified violence or promoted controversial politicalviews. The music was also used to express feelings and criticize the government, life standards and society. Gangs in

the ghettos of big American cities stopped fighting with weapons and started fighting with rhymes. Gangsta Rap

Fans frequently drop the word hardcore and refer to this genre strictly as gangsta rap. When fans do use the termhardcore gangsta rap music, they are usually referring to the most intense brand of this type of music. If you were toclassify rap according to the fans, hardcore gangsta rap music is gangsta to the max. With its ultra aggressive themes,explicit lyrics, and non-stop hard hitting beats, hardcore gangsta rap music is extreme hip hop uncensored.

Although gangsta rap music pushes the envelope beyond the point of what some critics may consider sociallyacceptable, it has still managed to become the most commercial form of rap throughout the late 1980s, and into theearly 1990s. Hardcore gangsta rap music fans rejoiced during this period as some of the most deliciously loathsome

songs were recorded.

7/29/2019 Rap and Hip-hop Assignment 2.3

3/4

Conventions of Rap and Hip-Hop

How are the artists represented? Hip-hop/Rap conventions

Special terminology Swag, G, yo, raw

Iconography, guns, chains/jewellery, hats (slanted sometimes), cigarettes, cigars,stacks of money. Designer clothes (to say they have a lot of spare cash)

Artists are mainly black but other races are prominent (Eminem for example). Alsomainly American but other countries apply (Plan B, Professor Green)

Each rapper who appears on the front cover will be shown with his star image andpersonal identity but also shown in a way that looks like all other rappers (tocreate a common feel)

Can sometimes feature females on front covers but mostly male. Holds astereotypical view of women as being sex objects.

Close up or low angle shot show that they are big, powerful and strong

They a have a snarl or an angry facial expression to look intimidating and powerful. Artists personalities and the lyrics in their songs try to make out that the artists

are successful, powerful and rich.

Artists will be in front of the magazine masthead to show that they are powerfuland it makes them stand out.

Artists will be shown as dominant and in music videos, illustration will be show todemonstrate their dark and difficult past lives.

7/29/2019 Rap and Hip-hop Assignment 2.3

4/4

XXL MAGAZINE Analysis

This XXL magazine clearly connotates masculinity and gives anidea that the audience are hip hop and R&B listeners. XXL gives

the impression that the music is male dominated and largedue to the photo.

The idea of XXL is enhanced by the use of diamonds. Themasthead is created with diamonds which associate blingculture and also hip-hop as many hip-hop artists wear lots ofjewellery and bling as shown by the main image of Baby and LilWayne. The red colour in the masthead typically connotates thecolour of power and violence which is associated with gangsand gang shootings as this is also portrayed by the main imageas the two men are showing confidence and power in theirposture.

The main image is also stereotypical as they are wearing a lot ofheavy jewellery which signifies wealth. The tattoos haveassociations of criminality (the tear drop tattoo has associationswith murder). The main cover line grabs attention to hip hopaudience and also connotates masculinity as it is designed inblock letters. The additional cover line are in upper case letter

to make the other artists stand out too, it also has a colourscheme of black and white. The block letter shows thedominance of rap and hip-hop culture. The posture and directgaze of the rap artists is intimidating and appears to beinstructing the audience to avoid eye contact.

Alliteration in the puff makes it memorable and the worddominance portrays hip hop and the power it has over itsaudience.