Hip Hop Documentary Pbs
To Listen or not to listen?
I recently saw this program on PBS called Hip Hop: Beyond beats and rhymes. The program was a documentary about the misogynistic, homophobic, hyper-masculine undercurrent that is extremely pervasive in hip-hop music today and has effectively trickled down into American Culture (primarily African- American culture). This program brought up a lot of good points about how poisonous hip hop can be. It made me feel guilty for listening to certain songs by certain artists and now ever since seeing it I feel obligated to do something. I no longer want to sit back and watch as these videos blatantly disrespect women and young men everywhere kill each other over clothes and inflated egos. My question is this, what if anything should I do? What if anything should we all do? Should we feel partially responsible for what hip-hop has done to America? Especially since we buy the music and watch the videos. Should we stop listening, or should we shrug it off as just being music?
I saw that same documentary. In fact I’m buying it. I think educating yourself and others is the best bet. Don’t purchase the product but familiarize yourself with the themes and messages it is sending. You can be “in” the culture without being “of” the culture. If you have children, include them in recognizing the messages and the marketing behind the music and products. “Why is Cinderella on a cereal box at my daughter’s eye level in the store?” – because they want her to see it and ask me for it. She knows at 4 yrs old why the products are placed where they are. She still wants it and that is fine, but she knows the companies want our money.
Independent Lens “HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” | PBS
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Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes $22.95 Take a fearless look at manhood, sexism, and homophobia in today’s hip-hop culture. Conceived as a “loving critique” of disturbing trends in rap music, this acclaimed documentary pays tribute to hip-hop while challenging the rap music industry for glamorizing destructive stereotypes. Features revealing interviews with rappers such as Mos Def and Busta Rhymes, hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, and cul… |