Given the recent election, I thought it would be good to
look at how politics has affected Hip-Hop.
I came across this article from earlier this semester dealing with
masculinity and homosexuality within the Hip-Hop culture. It was written about Obama and how he
endorsed gay marriage earlier this year and in doing so, the support of many
prominent Hip-Hop artists became better known.
President Obama’s longtime endorser, Jay-Z, came forward and commended the
President’s actions. Jay-Z compared the
struggle with same-sex marriage with that of the discrimination of African
Americans and stated, "I think it's the right thing to do. It's not about
votes. It's about people. It's the right thing to do as a human being."
The title: “Has Obama made hip-hop rethink masculinity?”
shows there that there is a radical movement accompanying the election and how
many of the modern Hip-Hop artists are speaking up and stepping forward about
their beliefs in order to cause a change in Hip-Hop and society today. I find this empowering coming from the typically
homophobic genre. Recently, through the
presidential election, other Hip-Hop artists have come forth about their
support for same-sex marriage; artists such as Ice Cube and T.I. were among them. Through President Obama advocating same-sex
marriage, Hip-Hop artists have come forth and allowed the public to hear their
beliefs, thus beginning the shift of Hip-Hop’s acceptance of homosexuality.
I also believe that same sex marriage should be allowed and the more famous people support it the more people will be influenced to agree that its fine but will know that it is fair for everyone to be married
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if Obama has created a safe space for hip hop artists to express how they've feel about sexuality, or if these expressions of solidarity with gay marriage arise from some "bandwagon" narrative or wanting to be "hip"--that somehow Obama has made it "cool" to like gay marriage.
ReplyDeleteI think that Jay-Z would have not said this ten years ago; however that was ten years ago. He supports what he supports due to his understandings. The connection he made to race was a valid one - "what you do is what you do." Not saying "later" to religion, but that is somebody else's belief.
ReplyDeleteWhat Obama is doing is letting America and all of our elements - hip-hop included know; is that in these "UNITED" States, we should unite our differences and just live our lives.
I ain't mad at it; especially if the argument of homosexuality is that it may be biological.
Ahh.
I agree with you, we should all unite and stop judging each other. If hip-hop is a source that can be used to help people put away their opinions about one another so be it. Use them for the good of change, and yea maybe Jay-Z wouldn't have said anything ten years ago but now many feel that they can express themselves as how they wish to do so.
ReplyDelete