Tuesday, September 27, 2011

 

Cyber-Assignment & Homework

1. Today we watched the Byron Hurt film: Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes. It is on Youtube in chapters.

2. Cyber-Assignment--handout (visit website)

3. SPHE

4. Discussion re: Hurt, Dyson, Shakur: "Bodies and Beliefs" as a metaphor

Cyber-Assignment
At this link, in 250-500 words, explore one of the issues raised: masculinity, misogyny, homophobia, or media literacy.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/issues.htm.


Homework Assignment

In 250 words minimum, discuss the evidence Hurt presents in the film and whether or not you agree with his premise that commercial rap is misogynistic, violent, and promotes a negative stereotype of black manhood.

I want you to visit http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/ for background information on the film and director. In your essay cite a song which supports Hurt's claim(s) or refutes it. You can include the URL in your essay as the reference.

Think about Tupac where would his music fall in the continuum that Hurt portrays? That Dyson discusses? Talk about Tupac's work in light of Hurt's argument in your short essay.

Give examples of lyrics and songs that prove your point. Bring the easy in electronically along with an Initial Planning Sheet (handout).


Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes
Directed by Byron Hurt
From http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/

Filmmaker Byron Hurt, a life-long hip-hop fan, was watching rap music videos on BET when he realized that each video was nearly identical. Guys in fancy cars threw money at the camera while scantily clad women danced in the background. As he discovered how stereotypical rap videos had become, Hurt, a former college quarterback turned activist, decided to make a film about the gender politics of hip-hop, the music and the culture that he grew up with. “The more I grew and the more I learned about sexism and violence and homophobia, the more those lyrics became unacceptable to me,” he says. “And I began to become more conflicted about the music that I loved.” The result is HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, a riveting documentary that tackles issues of masculinity, sexism, violence and homophobia in today’s hip-hop culture.

Sparking dialogue on hip-hop and its declarations on gender, HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes provides thoughtful insight from intelligent, divergent voices including rap artists, industry executives, rap fans and social critics from inside and outside the hip-hop generation. The film includes interviews with famous rappers such as Mos Def, Fat Joe, Chuck D and Jadakiss and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons; along with commentary from Michael Eric Dyson, Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Kevin Powell and Sarah Jones and interviews with young women at Spelman College, a historically black school and one of the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions.

The film also explores such pressing issues as women and violence in rap music, representations of manhood in hip-hop culture, what today’s rap lyrics reveal to their listeners and homoeroticism in hip-hop. A “loving critique” from a self-proclaimed “hip-hop head,” HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes discloses the complex intersection of culture, commerce and gender through on-the-street interviews with aspiring rappers and fans at hip-hop events throughout the country.

Hip-hop has been accused of glorifying violence, misogyny and homophobia, and at the same time has been lauded for its ability to simply “tell it like it is.” Such controversial debates over forms of expression can rarely be boiled down to a simple case of wrong versus right. Instead, they are complex and multi-layered and must take into account the larger cultural context.

HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes goes beyond polarizing arguments to explore hip-hop’s most contested issues. How do limited perceptions of masculinity play into a culture of violence? What roles do misogyny and homophobia have in hip-hop culture—as well as in wider mainstream cultures? And are the media and music industries really to blame?

Comments:
Arthur Gilbert
Professor Sabir
English 201B 1:30 to 3:20 PM
27 September 2011

Hurts Film Reflection

Hurt presents in the film that Hip Hop has led many young people to become very violent. Hurt recognizes that with every rap and hip hop video he sees, they all seem to be very identical. He realized that the rappers on TV would throw money to the ladies dancing in the background showing their masculinity. Hurt believes that this influence is very bad for the public and the young kids that watch these kinds of things.
Hurt has seen many rappers portray violence in their videos. He even interviewed some kids off the streets and had them rap and all they would talk about was money, drugs, hoes, killing, and even more. Many rappers talk about violence in their music videos, but don’t mean that is the only sense of violence shown. JadaKiss was being interviewed about why he portrays violence in his music, but then he mentioned, “Well, do you watch movies?” His points lead to the fact that music is not the only influence to the public. Games to portray violent images and killing and that also disturb the mentality.
Hurt has really put a lot of effort to find out hip hops misguidance to our culture. He interviewed many rappers and found out that violent influence is always revolving around the world, no matter what it may be. If rappers were to ignore violence in their lyrics, Hurt believes that it will benefit the public’s mental health.
 
Mostafa Elkabir
Professor Sabir
English 201A-Tu Th 1:30-3:20 PM

I think the commercial rap doesn't seem is misogynistic. It's clear that they selebrate and have fun with women. The only think I notised that they weren't respecting the women, and I think that just to make their video more catchy for peopel.

For my perspective the rappers sing just about violent. There's no song without threat or insulting others, and that obviously shows just violent. That's the rap, rappers want to express their rage and anger.

About the stereotype, I would say most people have a bad picture about the black manhood because what they see in the street. Insulting each other and doing drugs, they would think that is bad and some would take this as stereotype for every single a black manhood.
 
Lyla Holloway
Professor Sabir
English 201B 1:30-3:20
27 September 2011

In Byron Hurts documentry, Hip Hop: Beyhond Beats and Rhymes addresses the issue of hip hop music promoting negative stereotypes about black men and women. Hurts is a former college qua-rter back student who use to love and honor hip hop music in his earlier years. It wasn’t until he graduated from college and started working with youth on the issues of violence toward women that he began to question the lyrics of hip hop.
Hurt traveled to Florida to attend the BET Spring Break event to interview well know rap artist, up and coming rappers, and women from Spellman College, a historical black school on the topics of misogynism, violence, and the negative stereotypes of black manhood.
He interviews Phat Joe and ask, “Why men try to be hard all the time?” Joe respondes, “Everybody wants to be hard. Why can’t we all smile at each other in the clubs get drunk and listen to music and be cool.” Busta Rymes talked about moving to a better neighboorhood and thinking that ,”It would dilout his rough edge.” Mos Def says, “every man wants respect.” Hip –hop encourages you to assert yourself, says another rapper. Others higher up in the music industry comment on the question and conclude that society limits the way men can express their emotion. The culture tells men that in order to be a man you must be hyper-masculine, and physically powerful. What’s happening in the streets reflects what you see in the videos such as poverty, violence and hatred against women.
 
Leslie Meekins
Professor Sabir
English 201 A 1:30-3:20
September 27, 2011

Hip hop and man culture

Beyond the beats was a really interesting movie. The movie was about black men in the industry of hip hop. Many black men are making money playing sports and being in the music industry. Hip hop was created in the ghetto. And many African Americans and Latinos made it out of the ghetto because of the music industry and there ability to play sports.
Chuck D, the man filming the movie and all the violence that was going on around the community. He went to different t areas of the Bronx and filmed rappers spit and all they talked about was killing sexual abuse and animosity against other rappers and blacks. He also asked many rappers why all they talk about is killing and drugs and none of them had anything to say. The real reason was that good music wouldn’t sell all the degrading cultural music was being sold. That’s what people wanted to hear, the truth about hip hop and where it came from.
The main thing that caught my eye is that caught my eye is respect, everyone wants respect but no one is giving it. By African American men calling women bitches and hoes is disrespectful. Women wearing small clothes showing of there body parts are degrading for them and it doesn’t help men respect them. As a young man said in the film a bitch and a hoe is a women wearing skimpy clothes and you won’t see a real women wearing that. This film widens my eyes to more information about homophobia, racism and where hip hop literally came from.
 
Arthur Gilbert
Professor Sabir
English 201B 1:30 to 3:20 PM
27 September 2011

Hurts Film Reflection

Hurt presents in the film that Hip Hop has led many young people to become very violent. Hurt recognizes that with every rap and hip hop video he sees, they all seem to be very identical. He realized that the rappers on TV would throw money to the ladies dancing in the background showing their masculinity. Hurt believes that this influence is very bad for the public and the young kids that watch these kinds of things.

Hurt has seen many rappers portray violence in their videos. He even interviewed some kids off the streets and had them rap and all they would talk about was money, drugs, hoes, killing, and even more. Many rappers talk about violence in their music videos, but don’t mean that is the only sense of violence shown. JadaKiss was being interviewed about why he portrays violence in his music, but then he mentioned, “Well, do you watch movies?” His points lead to the fact that music is not the only influence to the public. Games to portray violent images and killing and that also disturb the mentality.

Hurt has really put a lot of effort to find out hip hops misguidance to our culture. He interviewed many rappers and found out that violent influence is always revolving around the world, no matter what it may be. If rappers were to ignore violence in their lyrics, Hurt believes that it will benefit the public’s mental health.
 
Jennifer Holloway
Professor Sabir
27 September 2011
The hipop
nation what people think it is
Sometimes the men are just expressing how they feel. We all have that right to express how we feel, but do we have the right to judge what a man or woman can say in his or her song lyrics. Yes we can be offended, but we can look at it as it is not just about us. The film about Hipop Byron Hurt breaks down what people think hippo is. “It is about violence, sexual explicit words or demonstrations against women, and gangsters”. This is not what hippo is all about.

Sometime as a woman i take offense to what is being said in a song. For example the song Tippted. This song makes women look like they are a hooker because in the video he slide the credit card down her back side. It is about standing strong in what you believe.
A part that I do not get is the fact that some women told Nelly to come to Spellman college, but they did not want to hear where he was coming from with his lyrics. They did however, want his bone marrow. He had a right to be hurt and they did to, but sometimes it is better to listen rather than to jump to conclusions about things.

All and all we should listen before we speak even if we think the comment it towards us it might not be. Rappers can say things but it does not always mean that the lyrics are about all women. A lot of women dress in clothing to get attention I am not saying all of them do. This is what I do I listen and think maybe someone else needed to hear that song at that particular time. The writer could have touched another life. If we edit the songs it takes away from some of the meaning.
 
Aman Bharji
Professor Sabir
English 201B 8 to 850
28 September 2011

Hurts film reflection

The Hip Hop culture is facing a lot of controversial issues of muscularity, misogyny, homophobia, and media literacy to this day, and the topic i will be exploring is the misogyny issue that many people feel are neglecting women's values as well as being overlook in the hip hop industry which can lead to the influence of people using women for their bodies. In the film: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, by Bryon Hurt breaks down this issues one at at time explores the concerns, views, and feelings artists have on the music their producing. I am a fan of Hip-Hop and other genres of music so i see the distinction between Hip-Hop being ignorant and really controversial in the eyes of the public. The issue I am going to discuss is misogyny because i feel that the women do get treated poorly, but at the same time are putting themselves in situations that they already know how their going to get treated. In society today, a lot of advertising of celbrities are based on their materialistic things and their appearance to the public which rubs off on the public as if you “look” or “act” a certain way then your living correctly, so when these black women degrade themselves by putting themselves in a situation that all of these young black females see in music videos , I think they began o accepet that their body isn’t worth anything. The Hip-Hop artist has an image to maintain as a commercial rapper( mainstream,radio) that their label also influences and that identity/image exploits having a lot of women to choose from. I think the problem with following your image can lead to the destruction of your moral values and fall into a state a mind where the women just like you for what the artists image is. The misogyny falls when the women stands up for her self-respect and thats when the hatred starts steaming in my eyes because as an Hip-Hop artist your image is superior so if they don’t get what they want, they will start to treat the women like trash. The black community does things to themselves and wonders why people classify them as being the race they are along with all other races, I feel that the women who are in music videos want their body to exposed to the viewer and when on the set,causes the Artist to view them as what their acting like which is a Bitch/ hoe like Byron Hurt explains. /Http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop/gender.htm( on the side is the video) shows these women getting treated like their just a bunch of objects shaking their asses, but at the end of the day these women are the ones in the video independently doing what they despise themselves just to make money and be a face in another self-degrading Hip-Hop video. I agree with Byron Hurt on this issue because i believe these women are getting self-degraded which is causing them to feel worthless about their values and creating the mindset of using their body to please the public in an inappropriate way. I think that why this industry has this image of being ignorant and having all these issues because the critics are impacted by all the negative issues and can’t explore the art of some of the Hip-Hop music. I think that some of Tupac’s music falls into this category because he was so controversial always saying one thing and in another song stating the opposite. For example, in these two songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfXwmDGJAB8 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl54ABY8VgY&feature=related, proves my point. In the first song, Tupac is showing sings of empathy and is telling a women to keep her head up when times are tough.In the second song, Tupac is degrating the women going through the tough times by bashing on her life situation. Tupac expresses misogyny in some of his songs, it part of the Hip-Hop culture.
 
Manuel Flores
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50
28 September 2011

Hurts Film Reflection

In Byron Hurts documentry, Hip Hop: Beyhond Beats and Rhymes addresses the issue of hip hop music promoting negative stereotypes about rap artist and there lyrics. its bad to degrade women but unfortunately thats what sells. People don't wanna hear about treating women nice and taking them out,its a shame but thats society for you. As a rapper/writer my self i constantly got the pressure of writing about things people wanna hear about and that's what you see on movies drugs and violence. If i talk about things such as education I'm afraid nobody wants to hear that so my song wouldn't sell. You cant blame the rappers because at the end of the day that is there job and they still have to provide for there families,even if its by any means necessary. For the girls on the videos they choose to go to the shoots and if people look at em in that manner thats on them. The rappers dint force them to go or even told them to so you cant blame them they're just doing there job.
 
ayo Hogue 10077222
english 201a m-Th 8a
Professor Sabir
28 September 2011
Regulation in media in regards to hip hop is one of a conformed stereotype. Either a thug wwho is menancing or a pimp who is appealing. Radio now being owned by Two or Three people can decide what is played and how much record sale also determine who gets heard no matter th quality
Woman bodies are an object for men to use as a playground The better looking makes even the most boring rapper get attention It limits the type of relationship the two can have.
Abandoned youth is the source of violence The cause of it is the lure of drugs money. The support of violence comes from race separation movies and the need for a man to be a man. Having control power whether physical or with help from equiptment is what a man is suppose to have Ghetto or No ghetto
 
Chester Nelson
Professor Sabir
English201A 8 to 830
27september2011
Hurt film Reflection
Hurt presents in the film that hip hop has led many young people to become very violent. Hurt interviews rappers and bystanders about there music(rappers) and about the music the consumers lesion to. Hurt made a valet point about how the African American culture act and even had me pondering on how broad my vocabulary has become. Hurt talks about how us black men call each other bitch niggas to put each other down and by your selfs bitch niggas or just niggas period subconsciously gives other races to do the same. this aissginment was a real eye opener, and has me wanting to change but it will take time.
 
Isaiah Tegaue
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50
28 September 2011

Hurts Film Reflection

In Byron Hurt film: Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes, I definatley agree with everything that he targeted such as masculinity, misogyny, homophobia, and media literacy because not only did he show the men who are the rappers but the women who are exploiting themselves a certain way. I like how he targeted the women also and how most rappers feel that women give themselves the title of basically being "sleezy". As he stated that he grew up listening to rap music and when he got older his perspective changed really shows that he wasn't just biased about hip hop because when he was younger he had a love or somewhat of a passion for hip hop/rap music. I respect that when he got older he finally seen what exactly these men are saying not only about women but about money and the violence that the music videos have. Another thing that Hurt did that caught my attention was that we interviewed rapper and exactly their thoughts and feelings about the violence, women, and money; and whats crazy is that these rappers such as Jada Kiss and Fat Joe really go by what they say in their music which is somewhat sad on both ends. The video "tip drill" by nelly is probably always going to be the most talked about video and all the controversy is caused on the rapper Nelly's side and in rap/hip hop, it was interesting that he spoke a lot on that video and I have to say even though the emphasize the men and such bad people, people fail to see that women are letting men do this to them, which is why there should not be much controversy over this video or it should be on both how men are to women and how women put themselves out there. So it kind of upset me how everyone was so quick to such a big deal about how the men were acting and talked nothing about the women. On the other hand Tupac in someways was no different I feel as if Tupac understood how some women were because Tupac and his songs where he will call a girl a "bitch" and then another song like "keep ya head up" and let men give some type of praise to women so its very in the middle with Tupac. I think in "holler if you hear" by Dyson, Dyson acknowledged that Tupac was on both ends about about Tupac was about women and in songs Tupac was very violent.
 
Cassandra Garcia
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50
28 September 2011

Hurts Film Reflection

In the film: Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes I fell that there are many toppics to discuss and how I agree with Hurt. My first one being is emphasis on misogyny I definitely agree with the examples that he gave to support how rappers view women. The song "Tip Drill" by Nelly for instance when I seen that that video I thought to myself how bad are women making us women look, I looked and felt embarrassed that women would go to such low standards for some quick cash. I don't too much blame the men, I mean don't get me wrong I feel like they can at least try to control themselves but on the other hand I feel that if us women did not take it that far then maybe men would have to always feel the need to harass women. I have been harassed many times and I do not like the feeling that the men give me and I do not like the attention. So Hurt did a very good job by interviewing these rapper like "Busta Rhymes" and "Jada Kiss" because in these rappers eyes they how talk about women because of what these women are willing to do. The other subject that he targeted was violence and how big of a effect it has on rap/hip hop... if its not degrading women it is talking about power or killing someone. Its crazy that these rappers have such a strong mentality of how this whole "rap game" is suppose to be and the limits that they go to, whether they are just talking about it soon becomes reality and the audience of the music and violence because real. I think Tupac is defiantly a rapper that can be targeted because in some songs he was very violent and negative towards women even though in some songs he may stand up for women or try to talk about peace I think overall he was more violent. In "holler if you hear" Dyson does a excellent job by talking about Tupac's confusion which gave me a better understanding of exactly why Tupac was two different ways.
 
Keno Mapp II
Professor Sabir
English 201A 1:30-3:20
27 September 2011
Free Write
In Byron Hurts film: Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes he is discussing his views about hip-hop and its views. Also its depictions and how he believes it is misogynistic and violent, talking about its negative stereotypes of black manhood.

Hurt states that he loves hip-hop, and even feels bad about criticizing it, seeing as how he grow up with it. He said he was a football player and somewhat of a ladies man in high school. Once he got out and began going to college he started to rethink his relationship with hip-hop, when he started to be apart of a group called Men’s violence against women. Where he went around to high schools and educated them on women violence, saying no one had done that when he was in school.
In his movie he goes arrowed interviewing a lot of hip-hops big names asking the big question why. The theme that I got out of this move was represented when he is stating “the representation of manhood” he goes onto tell use how hip-hop is portrayed as; stating it is a ruff world filled with; “Hard” men, homophobia's, and a fake façade.
 
Jasmine Guillot
Professor Sabir
English 201B 8-8:50
28 September 2011

Reflection on Hip Hop: Beyond Beats

In Byron Hurt's film, "Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes", he discusses the effect of hip-hop on culture, especially black culture. He discusses themes such as misogny, sexism, violence, the persona of being hard, and homophobia - many themes that have been discussed in hip-hop lyrics. Many rappers such as Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli, were interviewed and had a lot of interesting things to say about the type of role to play while rapping. For instance, Jadakiss and his point about the influence of violence and how it is not only in music but it is also in movies- the type of masculine power that influences the act of gun use. One main theme that was discussed and shown poorly was sexism/misgnogy. There were several clips showing women who were shaking their behinds and wearing bras and underwear or short shorts and feel that they are super attractive. This is an example of how disappointing it is for women to disrespect themselves and wonder why men are disrespecting them by assaulting them and calling them a "bitch" or "ho". It's not just women's fault but it is also men for thinking that women want to be treated like that and not like a lady. Another example of sexism/misogony is the "Tip Drill" incident with Nelly and the women of Spellman College. The women felt disrespected because of how the women were displayed with men grabbing on their butts while they are wearing skimpy outfits. This upsetted women everywhere because women are being thought of as sex objects and total eye candy.
Another theme that was discussed was homophobia and the term "bitch ass niggas". This term is used to define a man who is not hard and is "soft". An example would be 50 Cent calling Ja Rule a "bitch ass nigga". Sexuality comes in because many men question the manhood of others and might find out that they are not hard for a reason.
 
Jason Kim
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201 B
28 September 2011
The ability for artists in any industry whether it is verbal or visual is exemplified by Byron hurt in his documentary Hip Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes when he interviews young African American rappers and they state that there is a relative blackout of artists and material which do not fit what the corporations view of good music via profitability. This can be taken out of the limited view as a rap problem and seen as a general epidemic problem within all creative pursuits.
The reason for this lack of creative freedom specifically within the rap community is the fact given in the film that “ that stuff don’t sell” as said by Jadakiss this is most likely due to the fact that once the labels were consolidated individuals who did not care about creative freedom were put in charge of the industry. This led to a methodology of shove whatever is profitable down our throats and strangle everything else to prevent a range of product so as not to give consumers choice. This ensures that the million dollar cash cows have no real market competition due to the fact that up and coming artist who may go into other segments of rap and hip-hop may choose not to do to the potential for a lack of revenue for their work because of this creative monopoly.
Thus the blame for so called spread of degenerate material should not entirely be blamed on the artist if at all. We must never forget that the young men and women that create art for the sake of art must look to make a profit from their work. Thus if blame should go on anything it should go on the business side of the industry.
 
Hip hop

Corazon Tinio
Professor Sabir
28 September 2011

          I really like that documentary about hip hop especially being produced and done by someone who once loved  it.  I strongly agree with Byron Hurt views and debates.  I grew up in the late 80s, back then I don't remember having  misogynist issue in our society. I do remember liking the hip hop music until all this disrespect started coming out in their lyrics.  It is sad how out society dictates what's acceptable because it sell. I will give a perfect example of it; Boyence Knowles, she is beautiful, very talented artist. I don't patronize as a women because of her image as being sexy and when she does her video she is like the rest of the girls that's show their body half naked. Yes, it sells and thats where her market is. She is setting an example to young women of America that it is ok.  Hip hop should set a frequency or tone of it's music according to our moral values. I honestly don't blame those hip hop artist who are hungry for power and fame. They find that in order to sell and be acceptable it through rhyming degrading lyrics about women. Women also should know where to draw the line in terms of how they dress and act in public. How can someone be respected if they (women) portray themselves as what our society call a bitch by dressing up showing half naked. As a mother with son and daughter, I find those issues very disturbing. I have right to choose and dictate to my children what is acceptable. I totally do not approve women dressing exposing so much of their skin. I also do not tolerate music that degrades women. 
 
Manuel Flores
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50
28 September 2011

response to Ayo Hogue

I agree with you about rap being all about pimps and players. Also about the radio controlling what gets played and what is hot with the youth. For example when the hyphy music was getting played in the radio everyone like it, but a soon as they took it off it wasn't hot no more. now its the new boys that everyone likes and the whole jerking movement.
 
Chester Nelson
Professor Sabir
English201A 8 to 850
29 september 2011

I AM RESPONDING TO JENNIFER. jennifer i read what you said and your not tolly wrong on what you said but thats not what the documentry was about it was about showing us african americans how ignorant we have become and what message we are sending to are youth threw the music. Such as the Nelly vedio you mentiond. as far as Nelly going to spellmen college he was going there because his sister had cancer and to donate but when they started to question him about his vedio he got afended and backed out. but over all i was moved by the docamentry when i leasoned to the white kids in the diner on why they leason to our music. her respones was because she's never been in the hood and and never had to worry about drive bye's and such. then she go's on to say how it gives them basicly an insite of what we go threw. The truth of the matter is untill you walk the life that some of us have lived no matter how much rap u leason to you will never know what it is truely like in the hood.
 
Jennifer Holloway
Professor Sabir
27 September 2011
The hipop nation what people think it is
In this film Beyond beats and rhymes Byron Hurt, former star college quarterback, longtime hip-hop fan, and gender violence prevention educator, conceived the documentary as a "loving critique" of a number of disturbing trends in the world of rap music. He breaks down the hippo culture for us all. Sometimes the men are just expressing how they feel. We all have that right to express how we feel, but do we have the right to judge what a man or woman can say in his or her song lyrics. Yes we can be offended, but we can look at it as it is not just about us. The film about Hipop Byron Hurt breaks down what people think hippo is. “It is about violence, sexual explicit words or demonstrations against women, and gangsters”. This is not what hippo is all about.

Sometime as a woman i take offense to what is being said in a song. For example the song Tippted. This song makes women look like they are a hooker because in the video he slide the credit card down her back side. It is about standing strong in what you believe.
A part that I do not get is the fact that some women told Nelly to come to Spellman college, but they did not want to hear where he was coming from with his lyrics. They did however, want his bone marrow. He had a right to be hurt and they did to, but sometimes it is better to listen rather than to jump to conclusions about things.

All and all we should listen before we speak even if we think the comment it towards us it might not be. Rappers can say things but it does not always mean that the lyrics are about all women. A lot of women dress in clothing to get attention I am not saying all of them do. This is what I do I listen and think maybe someone else needed to hear that song at that particular time. The writer could have touched another life. If we edit the songs it takes away from some of the meaning.
In closing I would like this film was well done and all the evidence behind what Hurt was trying to get across he did a fine job of getting the point out. It does not mean just because you are black and a rapper you will write songs like these songs. We only want to look at the bad in a song and not break it down and see where they are coming from. There is a lot to a person by the way the speak talk and their song lyrics. I will listen before judging a song because a person really might need to hear those words.
 
Alissa Franklin
Professor Sabir
English 201A 1:30-3:20
27 September 2011

"Byron Hurt Film"

I agree with Hurt about the hip-hop industry. I think the hip-hop industry somewhat promote violence. Most songs on the radio is about violence and shooting. One of my favorite rap artist which is Gucci Mane has a song called “Dangers Not a Stranger” he raps about being a gangster and violence, although he might not live like this there are people that do so why not listen to the song if they can relate. Violence is already in the hood so I don’t see it so much as if hip-hop promote violence because this is day to day life for those who do live in neighborhoods like mine. I feel like it speaks on lives of those around me and somewhat of my own. Those artist who live this real hood lifestyle can relate to anyone else who have lived in the hood. Violence is everywhere. It is advertised in movies, television shows, books, and in music.

I think that hip-hop is misogynistic. Most of the music involves a woman’s title being a “bitch” or a “hoe”. It seems as if these are the only women hip-hop artist know or come across. I think that the way women are portrayed is also the way some women portray themselves. In the film there was women walking around in booty shorts not covering their whole behind and it shows exactly what we see in music videos. When this is being shown to us how can we look at music videos and say how misogynistic hip-hop is, if women dress as if there in a music video.
 
Cassandra Garcia
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50
28 September 2011

Response to classmate:Jasmine Guillot

I agree with mostly everything that you said except how men should respect women, I only say that because the way some women are the carry themselves to be 'sleezy" and that is those particular women. I feel very strongly if you give respect then you get respect so I don't think that those men are the only one guilty I think the women are also guilty because in the video "tip drill" by Nelly those women are disgusting and they should not feel bad when guys have no respect for them. But I do agree with everything else that you said.
 
Isaiah Teague
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50
28 September 2011

Response to Classmate: Manuel Flores

I agree with you when you stated "The rappers dint force them to go or even told them to so you cant blame them they're just doing there job" it is very true that these girls do it free willing and no one forces them. I feel that their all kinds of different people and even though the men are looked like the bad guys, media only targets the men and don't focus on how women portray their selves. Also in this world everything is typical what sells is having a good time drugs, money, and sex and the one who do come with the "change" type music do not do it in a cool way they do it in a corny way to where people won't listen.
 
Michelle Nam
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50am
29 September 2011

In Byron Hurts documentary, Hip hop; Beyond Beats and Rhymes brings up the hip hop culture in a negative way. Many of the rappers shows some violence in their music videos which is unacceptable to people who are under age or for anyone. Hurts went to interview some of the rappers and how they think about it. The people can judge the lyrics and music videos that the rappers had made and how the rappers can express it. Some of the music videos shows women in a another concept and in a inappropriate way. Tupac expresses a little differently than Hurt. Tupac talks about in his songs that women should not go down, but go up when times are tough in the first song. Dyson talks about Tupac music and how Tupac does it. Tupac shows a little differently into his lyrics, but into the hip hop culture.
 
Michelle Nam
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50am
29 September 2011

In Byron Hurts documentary, Hip hop; Beyond Beats and Rhymes brings up the hip hop culture in a negative way. Many of the rappers shows some violence in their music videos which is unacceptable to people who are under age or for anyone. Hurts went to interview some of the rappers and how they think about it. The people can judge the lyrics and music videos that the rappers had made and how the rappers can express it. Some of the music videos shows women in a another concept and in a inappropriate way. Tupac expresses a little differently than Hurt. Tupac talks about in his songs that women should not go down, but go up when times are tough in the first song. Dyson talks about Tupac music and how Tupac does it. Tupac shows a little differently into his lyrics, but into the hip hop culture.
 
Chantule Taylor
Professor Sabir
201A 1:30pm-3:20pm
Beyond beats & rhymes The movie: Beyond beats and Rhymes shows the hip-hop industry and how it portrays men and women. Byron hurt interviewed many people to get their opinions about what hip-hop truly represents. I agree with most of their theories about how the men act because of hip-hop and how women are portrayed because of music videos. Men often tried to look hard with sagging their pants and using aggressive body language to show that they mean real business. During an interview Mos Def was asked a question about why men needed to act tough, his response “I was a nerd stayed in the books all the time, but when someone messed with me I knew I had to man up and show em wassup.” In music videos men wanted to have a manly figure to intimidate those who went against them. The reason for the aggressive posture was indifferent with those in power and those without. The men with power didn’t need to have an aggressive posture because they could easily show their power in different ways, for example a stock broker can show how much money he makes by the job he has. A man without power needs to show aggressive body language because he has no other power besides the words he use and the way that he presents his self.
 
Ben Towers
professor Wanda Sabir
English 201B 8am
29 september 2011

Hip Hop Beyond Beats And Rhymes

In this Film I recognized a lot of artists and rappers. There were a few I could remember off hand. Mos Def,Buster rymes, Jay da kiss. These rappers all were questioned about the most controvertial subjects that could be faced in the world today. The portraial of violence and power is the most evident in all of the artist lyrics today. The question of power, violence and sexuality/ homophobia. I do not agree with some of these ideas presented by rappers in these music videos.

"Bitch niggaz", was one of the topics which came out in a 50 cent concert. 50 cent had expressed to his crowd for some reason that another rapper(Ja Rule) was a true "Bitch Nigga". These rappers were beefing if you will, about eacherothers manhood. Giving you the phrase, "Bitch Nigga", 50 Cent was calling him out, knowing there would be some sort of retaliation in some sort of form. This Topic of power is expressed between these two rappers, showing thier dominance in the rap game. The need to feel more powerful than the next guy is an important part of Mr Hurts ideas in this film.

In the lyrics of these songs, these artist show great intellegence but controdict themselves with the over exploited girls. The rappers treat thier women like they are expendable. In the song, "Pimp Juice "by Nelly this claim is evident. Nelly is throwing money around touching ladies thoughout this music video. The need to feel like a pimp in society is common in this hip hop culture. Hurt asks artist about this pimp theory in his film.

www.pbs.org/independentlens/hiphop
This site supports Hurt's claims of homophobia/masculinity/gender violence. In this filf Hurt tackles the most intresting topics. This film was eye openiong for me because I would not have even given some of these topics a secoumd look. The fact that society just overlooks these topics because the happen everyday, in every video or song is just wrong. I'm glad that Hurt talked about these topics in great detail. I would recomend this film to my friends especially the one trying to portray that thug appeal.
 
Selma Adam
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50AM
29 September 2011

Hip Hop beyond Beats and Rhymes

This movie "Hip Hop beyond Beats and Rhymes" talks about hip hop and black singers. Hurts is a former college qua-rater back student who use to love and honor hip hop music in his earlier years. It wasn’t until he graduated from college and started working with youth on the issues of violence toward women that he began to question the lyrics of hip hop. Tupac talked about how to treat women right in his song "Keep Ya Head Up" on this URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO0TqjP2UXM and the movie talked about women and sex and why they call them bitches in this URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leteq2abwFE&feature=related. Hip hop is misogynistic. Most of the music involves a woman’s title being a “bitch” or a “hoe”. It seems as if these are the only women hip-hop artist know or come across. I think that the way women are portrayed is also the way some women portray themselves. The film also talked about homophobia and how men changed themselves to women in this URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leteq2abwFE&feature=related. It also talked about how hip hop changed the people especially black people to become violent people. Hurts interviewed a lot of hip hop singers in this movie to show their point. This film showed some important points in hip hop and how the way it is in hip hop.
 
Selma Adam
Professor Wanda Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50AM
29 September 2011

Response to Alissa Franklin

I agree with you in that Hip hop is misogynistic. Most of the music involves a woman’s title being a “bitch” or a “hoe”. It seems as if these are the only women hip-hop artist know or come across. You showed a great point in that.
 
Markese Bell
Mrs. Sabir
English 201B 8-8:50am
2 October 2011

Do I feel that Hip-Hop is teaching bad to the black community? That’s basically what this documentary talked about. It talked about how rappers talk about sex, drugs, and killing, and how black people react to it. I feel like in a way, it’s true.


I agree with that part with they talked about how man in hip-hop need to lie about how they are to sell records. They feel like rapping about drugs, killing, and money is a lifestyle they need to portray. It’s sad, but some people don’t understand that the things some of these rappers are rapping about, they lived it. Most of the rappers out now haven’t. That’s how most rap beefs start because people are going to get called out. That’s where I feel like the “bitch nigga” comment comes in.


The rapper Jadakiss made a good point about the movie comment. There are a lot of movies that show violets and killing, but nobody talks about that. Parents complain about their kids listening to rap music, but they let their kids watch movies where people are killing. People may feel like Jadakiss is just making an excuse but his comment was true.



The part about the women being disrespected in Hip-Hop is hard to say. Yes, rappers know the sex sells and they want to get the best looking women to be in their videos. Sex is what people want to see; that’s where the money is. The women in the videos agree to be part of it, so the controversy shouldn’t be blamed all in the rappers, it should be blamed on the women too.


This documentary had so many different views but the state of Hip-Hop is changing. Before when this video was made, everybody wanted to hear violets. Now in 2011, rappers are going more to Pop music because it’s selling. It’s all about the music.
 
James Kwon
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50
2 October 2011

Hurts Film Reflection

Hurt states that many young people in the rap game have 1 thing in common. That its all about the money and the women and that we men are dominant. Most of the rappers that are African american portray violence,drugs, and negative stereotypes of black manhood.

The Black rappers in the rap game today relate their songs to gang violence, drugs, and women. Some rappers include Philty Rich, Db the General and DSB click. All their music videos portray black male masculinity and violence. almost all their songs talk killing people if they mess with them. for example,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtJD2H_ugxw&feature=related. In this song DSB talks about if you mess with us "il body them."

Teens grow up listening to these kinds of songs and imitate them growing up thinking these violent acts are OK to execute. we need to set a better example for the younger generation and rap about stuff other than killing people.
 
Ajenay Camp
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8:00am - 8:50am
27 September 2011


Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes
In the film Hip Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes Byron Hurt brings up an issue that has been brought up about in many discussions on the hip hop culture many times before: violence, negative stereotypes of black manhood and the ever so popular misogyny. Although these questions have been brought up many times in the music industry it still holds a huge argument. In the film Hurt bring up a lot of great arguments which I agree with him 100% on however one thing I did notice was in the intro of the film when he speaks on manhood. He uses the following words to describe what being a man is. Like money, girls, being strong, and being in control and how if you lack either of these things it automatically puts you in the category that means you less than a man which unfortunately means you are a “fagget” or a chump. In the film another thing that held my attention was the clips about the degrading of woman. To be honest this topic is the one that I’m not 100% sure how I feel about. Here is why, Okay so since the beginning of time not just in hip- hop but in movies as well and also other music genres there is always a woman playing the sex object regardless if she is the main star or just the leading lady that is just her role. Don’t get me wrong I don’t think it’s right but it’s not like the woman are being focused to do these things they want to. I don’t like when people always try to blame rap culture for the way the world is because it’s not true in every case. Because there are many artist out there who don’t fall under this stereotype and are not getting a lot of pries for it. In the reality of it all I think it isn’t the rapper it’s the world. For example in the video to Chris Browns “Your Body” its filled with young woman WILLING shaking their butts and doing whatever it take to get them on camera and he doesn’t even show there face. So like I stated before I’m not too sure about that part in the film.
 
Scott Ramos
Professor Sabir
English 201B 8:00-8:50
4 October 2011

Hurt’s Film Reflection

Hurt explores Hip Hop and it’s culture, showing the violence, homophobia, and negativity towards women. Through lyrics he views patterns of countless artists conveying almost identical messages. Going and interviewing rappers from unknown freestylers to world renowned such as Talib Kweli and Mos Def solidifies both perspectives of accomplished and beginning artists.
Violent lyrics have always been integrated with Hip Hop. Rap comes from the streets and the people who occupy them, giving the listener an extremely raw, uncut product. Ego and masculinity play a huge part in fueling violence. In the song “Big Ego’s” by Dr.Dre, he has a line where he raps “Harassing hoes at movies, passing by with uzis - and who you aimin at? That shady bitch and that bitch nigga that was claimin that.” Directly after this line the beat comes to a pause where you hear a screeching car followed by gun shots and a women’s scream. Violence in rap has become an expected and almost casual part of our society.
Homophobic trends work hand in hand with the endless need of a feeling of masculinity and manhood. In the streets a man is always seeking power and respect. Power is strength and what you’re capable to do with that strength. It’s like athletics, competing to see who can beat out who and stay relevant and on top. With women, rappers can feel like they hold power and a sense of conquering. Homophobia comes from seeing gay men not looking for the same type of masculinity a straight rapper may hold very valuable.
 
James Kwon
Professor Sabir
English 201A 8-8:50
5 October 2011

Hurts film

In Bryon Hurt’s film, Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes, he exploits the violence that revolves around the hip hop culture. Hip Hop/Rap itself was started from the ghettoes by mostly poor black or Latino residents. Growing up in harsh environments they end up expressing their story through music to respond to the gangs and violence in their community. Chuck Creekmuir, noted hip hop writer states, “Society limits the range in which men can express their emotions.” Hip Hop artists having a childhood revolving around violence and drugs compose lyrics on what they were surrounded by. The violent imagery that hip hop portrays can have a devastating effect on the mind of youths that listen to their music. Ultimately, rappers must take responsibility for the content of their lyrics.
Mainstream hip hop music consists of violent images and lyrics. Several popular songs revolve around men killing each other. For the young mind that is still developing this can have a harmful effect. A child not knowing the difference between reality and entertainment can take this the wrong way. As a result may ultimately end up trying to resolve real life situations with these violent acts.
 
Diego Saldana

Professor Sabir

English 201B 1:30-3:20 PM

27 September 2011



Byron Hurt: Hip-Hop Beyond Beats Beats and Rhymes



What I learned from Byron Hurt’s documentary film: “Hip-Hop Beyond Beats and Rhymes” talks about the issues of misogyny, masculinity, violence, sexism, and homophobia in the hip-hop culture. Byron Hurt is a former college quarterback at the Northeastern University, and graduated with a degree in journalism in 1993. Byron Hurt was hired by the University Center for the study of Sports and Society to form Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program to help educate young men about gender, and sexual violence. Byron Hurt not only was a jock, he also a lady’s man, grew up listening to hip-hop, and now he’s an activist. Soon as Byron Hurt realized the stereotype of Black men in the hip-hop culture with fancy cars, throwing money at the camera, and woman with sex appeal dancing in the background, which Byron Hurt felt that it was unacceptable, so he decided to save money, make his own documentary of hip-hop interviewing mainstream rappers such as Fat Joe, Talib Kweli, Jadakiss, Busta Rhymes, and Chuck D about what is happening in today’s hip-hop culture.

The misogyny in hip-hop is that women believe that in today’s hip-hop, they felt like they were disrespected because in the music videos, rappers use derogatory terms towards women. Women in the these music videos show a lot of sex appeal wearing tight shorts, and bikinis to dance in the music video. Students in Spellman College were protesting against Nelly for his music video “Tip Drill” for swiping a credit card on a women’s rear-end which got these students offended by it, and Nelly has to cancel his visit at Spellman College for a bone marrow drive. The masculinity in the hip-hop culture, men have to be strong, tough, and have power to get control, money and women.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?