Task 4:ADDITIONAL WEB RESEARCH

“Rap music has had a profound impact on society. Hip-hop, or rap music, began in the early 1970's.Hip hop arose from block parties in New York City”

“Run-D.M.C.'s collaboration with hard rock band Aerosmith on "Walk This Way" was an early example of rock and hip hop fusions. The highly popular video for the single was the first rap video ever played in heavy rotation on MTV”

“Russell Simmons went on to form Russell Simmons Music Group, and created the clothing fashion line Phat Farm”

“In the 1980's rap artists like Public Enemy ,NWA and X-Clan produced a more explicitly political and cultural analysis of United States without compromising the basic hip-hop aspects of their raps.

Their songs brought home the reality of what it is like to live in poverty and the prejudice and oppression that is attached with the condition. They produced a sound that was called gangsta-rap songs of resolution, rebellion and justice finding audiences the world over”

“Chuck D. The Public Enemy frontman grew up listening to protest music, and later used it as inspiration for his own work. "'Fight the Power' by the Isley Brothers was the song that inspired me to write 'Fight the Power' by Public Enemy," he says. "But, being a child of the Sixties, there's so many great protest songs. 'People Get Ready' and a lot of Curtis Mayfield's songs touched my soul. James Brown had a protest song against drugs with 'King Heroin,' and Peter, Paul and Mary struck me as a kindergartener”

“In 1988, Public Enemy released It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, which focused on politics, corporate control, structural racism and police brutality”

“Yo MTV Raps ran from August 1988 to August 1995 It premiered on MTV on August 6, 1988.

MC Hammer's album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em, became the first hip-hop album to reach diamond status, selling more than 10 million units. Soon after MC Hammer dolls, lunchboxes, and other merchandise were marketed. He was even given his own Saturday morning cartoon, Hammerman”

“In 1992 Ice-T released a song "Cop Killer" that was a commentary on police violence and brutality. The lyrics were directed at "bad cops" whom by their actions were themselves criminals. Before performing this song live in concert Ice-T always made it clear that there were also "good cops" and that he was not advocating violence against any one. This song caused an international controversy. Police picketed and protested against Time Warner, Ice-T's then record label. Even then President Bush angrily lambasted it”

“On September 7, 1996 West rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur was shot to death in a drive by shooting in Las Vegas. On March 3, 1997 East rapper Christopher Wallace aka Notorious B.I.G. was shot to death. They both were killed in a feud between East Coast and West Coast rappers. That was a wake up call to many other rappers that music should be a positive force for people. Still today some rappers still demean women and glorify thugs, drug dealers and murderers”

http://www.solcomhouse.com/hiphoprap.htm

Task 3: HISTORICAL TEXT ANALYSIS & RESEARCH

The following media text is a 1984 hit single video “Cool it down” by RnB/pop group called “new Edition”. Distributed by Geffen Records. New edition were a group of RnB singers and rappers in the in the early 80s. Their video “cool it down” was the group’s first top 10 pop single, receiving number four on the pop chart, this was also their second number one R&B hit.

The video for “Cool it down” has many similarities and differences with the media text’s that I will be studying. I have listed the similarities and differences below and have answered the following questions

How society has changed over the years and how these changes are reflected in different media texts?

How is the media text similar or different to my text?

How does this show how the genre/society has changed?

Similarities

- Both males are shown to be running after the female, this emphasis the power that females have over males. For example, at the end of the song all the male singers are shown to be hypo crypts as they mock “falling in love” however soon as the girls show up they are shown to be sexually drawn to the femme fatale, this is also shown in “yo side of the bed” by Trey Songz. This shows that the society as not changed much as it is always males running after females, this emphasises the control female have over males.

Differences

-In cool it down the males seems to be reckless males running females for a quick fling. This is also shown by the way the lead singers friends mock him for falling in love. However, in “yo side of the bed” Trey Songz is connoted to be a man with responsibilities. Reason being males are shown to hold more responsibilities in the present day is mostly likely due to the society facing recession and due to the struggle that males face of paying bills etc that they think about their actions. However, in the 80s the males seemed to be relaxed as they are shown in the video chilling out with their friends, stress free, wasting time and playing basket.

- The clothing is different, the music video was filmed in the 80s reason being the fashion trend is completely different to the media text I am studying. The singers are shown to be wearing skinny jeans and tight fitted cloths which are shown to be cool as every male in the video is shown to be wearing similar clothing. In the present day skinny jeans and tight fitted clothing is usually a fashion trend in between homosexuals and females

This is reflected in the present day media text by R&B singer Rihanna revealing flesh in inappropriate clothing in her music video ‘Hard feat, Jeezy’. In the 80s using sexual gratification to gain male attention would of been appropriate to the society. However, in the present day female artist using their body to gain attention is a great marketing strategy; by doing this they are able to gain female and male attention.

Prince an R&B artist from the 80s would dress up in tight clothing as it was the fashion trend back then. However, in the present day this would be considered to be gay, however in the 80s this would be ‘cool’ and would be the male fashion trend.

-In addition, the female are shown to be wearing appropriate clothing, however in the present day female are shown revealing skin in order to gain male gaze. this shows how the gender role have swept in society. For example, in the music video the males seem confident dancing around the shy female, however in the present day male are shown to be shy and insecure. On the other hand, female are shown to be confident with how they look, revealing their flesh and wearing tight fitted clothing. This shows how the gender role has changed.

I have identified that there are a lot more differences compared to the similarities, this is because the society keeps on changing as trends develop. For example, the sagging jeans trend from the 90s. where males would sag their jeans below their, represent ‘gang culture’. This trend originated from American prisons, homosexual prisoners would wear their trousers low to reveal their butt in order to gain attention from other in mates, this trend became known around the world as R&B/Hip-Hop artist would sag their jeans to represent the struggle and ‘ghetto-ness’.

However in the present day, R&B/Hip-Hop artist are shown to be wearing appropriate smart/casual clothing. This trend goes against the stereotypical dress trend of black R&B/Hip-Hop black artist.

Task 2: ADDITIONAL BOOK READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Task 1: TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

The text I will be looking at is Trey Songz video “Yo side of the bed” taken from Trey Songz’s 2009 studio album “Ready” the music video was directed by Yolande Geralds, distributed by WMG (Warner Music Group), co-staring Keri Hilson (RnB singer) as Trey Songz’s wife and the mother to his new born daughter.

The following music video goes against the stereotypical views upon black males being violent/corrupted. This is connoted in the introduction of the music video trey songs is shown holding his wife as the camera zooms up on his wedding hand. The clip opens with a question about how long the two have been together. "Well, if you count the time it took to get her on a date with me," Trey replies, "three years and seven or eight months." this represents Trey Songz being a modest character. This can be debated as his arms are also shown covered with tattoos, representing gang culture showing that he has had a past involved in some sort of gang culture. However, this can also link with the feminist theory of “new man” as it shows that Trey Songz has left his gang culture and has changed to become a committed family man, this also connotes the development in his character as he has matured to take responsibility of his wife and kid.

The media text challenges the stereotypical gender representation of black males as RnB artist are normally represented as reckless playas, gangster, thug or pimp abusing drugs, mistreating female and sexual. However, Trey is represented as a caring, humble, committed husband and a father with responsibilities. This goes against his image as Trey Songz is usually known for making hot steamy videos such as “Neighbours know my name “and “I invented sex”.

The video then flashes back to the past when they met, Hilson is shown jogging past Trey who is seated on a park bench. He observes her with a voyeuristic gaze admiring her beauty, this emphasis the power that females have to control male. Keri Hilson is seen decked out in workout gear and a cap, adorned with the badge of the United States Army. She is presented as the more dominant figure where her partner Trey is the house wife, suggesting that society is not so patriarchal.

The two eventually marry and have a child together. The camera pans across their home showing them in bed together, spotting photos from their courtship on the walls and revealing images of Keri Hilson with her army. This shows the gender role swap as Trey Songz is shown to play the role of a house lady and Keri Hilson is shown to play the role of the man of the house. Keri Hilson is a femme fatale as has lured Trey Songz to change for her making him the “bitch” and she is connoted to be a strong independent female in the American army. This shows the that the gender ideologies presented in the media text have challenged the stereotypical gender representation as Trey Songz is connoted to be the house wife looking after his kid, cleaning the house and cooking food. However, Keri Hilson is plays an opposite role of being the man of the house and earning the money to put food on the plate for her husband and kid by working for the army.

Alternative representations exist of male and/ or female roles in the hip hop genre?

In order to know the alternative representations of the hip-hop genre, we must first acknowledge the hip-hop culture and how the genre was made and how it has developed within the time. In the following I will discuss how the genre was created and how the genre has been influenced by the society to change.

Hip-hop is a musical genre which was originated by African- American music; the genre arose in the 1970s when block parties became popular within the black community. The genre developed to gangster rap in the 90s, this was when males where black males where portrayed to be hustlers, drugs dealers, convicts and pimps. The trend was mainly influenced by African American’s to show their struggle in the society. The racial events that took place in the 80s influenced the negativity that was produced by African- American’s in making hip-hop music. As the crime rates and gang cultures grew in America, this influenced rappers to talk about money, power, respect and sex, this is how they were also represented in music videos.

Rappers such as 2pac were represented as a thug, this is because the artist themselves were brought up in a ‘hard knock life’. This encouraged them to talk about their thug lifestyle and this was portrayed in their music videos by showing them selling drugs, pimping girls, making money and showing off their gats (guns).



However, in the present image of a male rapper has changed. For example, rapper like drake who speak about heartbreaks and goes against the stereotypical rappers as a gangster. Instead he portrays himself as a soft person who understands females and is not afraid to talk about heartbreaks.



Women are represented as sex symbols in the hip-hop genre. Women in hip-hop music videos are expected to show cleavage, strip and shake their booty. These images are why the dominant conception of women in hip-hop music videos consists of the terms- ‘hoe,’ ‘stripper,’ and ‘bitches’.



On the other hand, in the present day female rappers such as Nicki minaj are sending out message express as independent, strong, and capable of protecting themselves. A great representation of how women should be seen in music videos would be the music video ‘Irreplaceable’ by Beyonce. This video depicts how Beyonce protects herself from a man who cheated on her and also represents her as being a strong, young female empowered to take care of herself. Teaching young women how to carry themselves in a respectful and appropriate manner leads to those women knowing how to protect themselves and having respect for themselves.