I think the phenomenon of Hip-Hop music is definitely too big to be constrained to a discussion of its 'shock factor' per se. It has always contained tales of urban horror because its creators have typically inhabited that sphere - but - there is a wide variety of ways in which many different types of people have represented that on the record. More importantly there is a big difference in the lyrical or technological skills of those who create it, not to mention their backgrounds, influences and thematic interests. This is integral to the question but difficult to define or measure: an ATCQ tale about hustling for money is vastly different from one of gucci mane's strings of Non Sequiturs, and there are lots of levels in-between. I would say that there is a large vein of mainstream hip hop music with lyrical content and production values that are minimal and tired at best, but I'm not sure whether the question of facilitating behavior is as pertinent as why are the same re-treads of songs about "your nine" continue to be so popular with the music business.
As far as the movies go, I wonder if hip-hop films are a relevant enough cultural phenomenon anymore to raise the question anymore. Our readings have illustrated schisms in portrayals and narrative serious enough to question the unity of the films in this category that were released in the early 90s, and I'm not sure that that fractured entity even exists in 2010. It seems to me that the genre was subsumed into more rounded peripheral characters or occasionally leads in both the romance or action genres (Hitch, Training Day, The Ladykillers, The Italian Job). In other words, centralizing hip hop for a few years proved to be culturally significant in the portrayal of African Americans but did not survive as a stable and regular genre.
Excellent points; it is interesting to contain the moment (90s) and reflect on it though, as we do with Blaxploitation, race films, etc., as a part of filmic history. The amount of films makes it relevant enough to study, but perhaps the conversation now should turn to why was the genre not sustainable, what took its place, and what films are being made now. We still have films about 50 cent, Biggie, films like Takers, etc., but not so much the "Black sociopath ganster." Those who were in the hip-hop films of yesteryear are now doing Christmas and family movies, and as silly as it might sound, I actually think that is worth analyzing. How does Ice Cube go from Boyz n the Hood, to Are We There Yet? Is it just a matter of maturity, or does it say something about a change in the landscape of cultural relations, or a realization about the impact of music and film on change? Perhaps the answer is we often look for huge transformations, and not small ones. If someone listened to PE or NWA and became more socially aware, than that is great. But I know that when I brought PE to campus last year 700 people showed up, and I'd guess only a small percentage really get and appreciate the type of cultural politics Chuck D is committed to (let's forget about Flava Flav, for a moment). On the other hand, I know the artists that I respected and still do while growing up (mostly alternative rock or indie) have maintained their messages, but there is just little interest in that type of conscious music or conscious films as a whole. And I don't think hip-hop cinema was politically conscious, btw.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your excellent points and your engagement with the material via the blog and in class. And, btw, can you post that music video you were talking about last week in class?