On Hip Hop

I must admit, before Monday's lecture I was skeptical of anything that presented "rap" in a positive light. While I have always respected it as an art form, I have always associated it with violent and misogynistic messages that served no purpose other than to promote and perpetuate interracial violence.

I was surprised to learn that I was correct, but it is not the fault of the artists. The culture and business of hip hop, like so many other industries, has fallen victim to corporate America's hegemony on nearly all aspects of society. In short, these companies demanded that rappers distort what hip hop was originally, and forge the new cultural identity we see today.

I certainly hope the opposition is able to tear down this false representation of the culture, but in the same token, I wonder it it is too late. It is difficult to strip down cultural constructs after they have stood for so long.

Anyway, a big kudos to Marco on a fabulous presentation. It was fun!