Cultural Artifact: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRcnnId15BA
Songs like these had shaped my childhood growing up in southern San Diego where all my friends and most of my family had listened to this music. When I was younger I wanted to be in hip hop/breakdancing teams because that is what they had all danced to. For about 8 years I did that along with whatever sport my Dad would force me into. Being able to express myself through dance had given me a creative outlet that led me to more arts making myself more impassioned with art. The type of art that this genre of music generated was tagging, as in graphite, or hip hop/breakdancing/crunk dance styles. The type of people in these atmospheres had heavily influenced me due to me being very impressionable. The activities I took part in had mirrored the culture around the music I was listening.
At the time when I listened to the music it made me feel like I could express myself in any way that I wanted to. The messages conveyed were ones that would objectify women and police with artist such as 50 cent, Snoop Dogg, and others alike it was always something about girls all over them and being against the police dehumanizing them by calling them pigs. I definitely see the music differently now that I have these “critically vigilant” lenses. The music obviously dehumanizes others and promotes sexually objectifying women into sex objects.
I had changed moved on from the music before, but when I had moved on it was because I wanted to listen to something new. Not because it hyper-sexualizes women and demonizes the police. Now that I look back on it I see why the music can be so problematic with how the music can influence so many others.
I really enjoyed reading your blog. You chose a different approach on this. I can kind of relate to how parents influenced us on doing a sport of their choosing. For me at least, it was track. Its cool that you found something that got you to express yourself and found something that was truely you!
ReplyDeleteHey Ben, I too played soccer and ran track and cross country competitively and any chance I get I think it is so important to emphasize the need for us as individuals to express ourselves how we feel necessary. I understand the impact and influence your parents role played on your decisions but it is recognizable that you were able to establish who you truly felt you were and where you belonged.
ReplyDeleteHello Ben. I also played soccer for much of my life and ran track. I think its imperative that people are able to share there opinion and voice. Parents role in our voice is there whether we like it or not. Its very touching that you were able to despite all this, find out who you truly are inside.
ReplyDelete