Representations of Ethnicity BY LEWIS SOUTHCOTT

Stereotypes

Ethnicity/ colour are defined by the that we have in our body and it is only 7 that make up the colour of our skin. Within the music industry there are stereotypes on certain people that should feature in a genre of music of music.

Different Stereotypes For Different Ethnicities.

White people: stupid, irresponsible, teen pregnancies, drop-outs, incarcerated, fathers leave their kids, hard workers, lazy, athletic, violent, loud, rude, disrespectful, loud, low job expectation of job and patriotic uneducated. Black people: member of a gang, poor, violent, uneducated, second class citizen, hard working, loud, intimidating, close to family, low job expectations and lower life expectancy. Asian/far east: smart, hardworking, good with technology, intelligent, rich and small. Latino people: poor, rich, considerate, good looking, the lazy Mexican, lovers, maids, drug users/ addicts, slum dwellers and rapists exotic. Arabian/Middle Eastern people: poor, rich, rich oil sellers, evil, terrorists, part of a terrorist group, causers of war, good looking and well cultured.

Stereotypes Of The Different Ethnicity/Race

In the music videos the directors play on the stereotypes to play to the type of audience that they are looking to target with the music video. In addition to this they get a specific type ethnicity of the people that are featuring in the music video to help with the choreography and the genre of the song, an example of this would be having black people in a rap video as they would stereotypically be more appropriate.

White Covers Of Black Music

In the 1950’s it was common for the music industry to make covers of black peoples song and changing them so that they could be performed by white singers, this would be done to sell this music to people of white ethnicity. The reason for this was that people in America were still discriminating people by the colour of their skin. Examples of this division could be in the amount that the are paid and black people went allowed to perform on the radio. One of the most well know white singer who's carrier was based on creating covers of black peoples songs is Pat Boone

Black Rap Artists In America

Black rap music started in the 1970’s and was a form of street are where people would challenge each other and was able to use it as a way of expression themselves and telling people about their life and or a story.The song that changed the music industry by getting their rappers recognition was a song called rappers delight. From this song with the artists being black the stereotype was forged by with black people producing and featuring in rap songs.

Changes of The Industry And Representations Through the change in the music industry of rappers it has mad black music more accepted as a part of what the industry listens to. This genre of music has become the second most listened to genre of music. With this is has also changed the stereotype that not all black people are a part of a gang. But due to the lyrics of most of the rap songs that are in the industry people have come to believe that black people are violent and use drugs. This also goes to show how music has a big influence on how people see each other by their ethnicity and the representations of each other. This along with the news by black people featuring in the news for bad reasons has become appealing to young black people think that black rappers are popular and cool. This has had a negative view of that ethnicity by the way that are perceived by the community.

White Rappers And The Reaction

From the development of rap in the music industry white rapper have moved into the industry. This most of their raps they don’t mention their race but only to show the stereotypes of them being a white rapper. They mainly focus on telling stories through rhyme and talk about their hardship of growing up. white rappers such as Eminem have been seen to fit in with the stereotypes of rappers and their work. This has also allowed them to be accepted within the rapping community but black artists can use this to their advantage as white rappers are the minority in the industry. White rappers also have to be carful about what they say in their lyrics as they can be seen to be racist, this isn’t as applicable to black rappers, this is also by the general stereotypes where he can be seen as a misogynist and a homophobe where as black rappers can get away with a lot more. For more information watch his interview on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z42vDV2q6II