instantexpressions-blog

[instantexpressions-blog]

RELS 356 Post #8 by Kyle Betz

Article I chose: https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2019/mar/27/cover-san-diego-reader-2019-music-issue/#

The San Diego Reader, which is a local reader, published “These are the children of hip hop” (seen halfway down the webpage). The article talks about local San Diegans who perform at local San Diego venues. The main focus of this event is to incorporate all four elements of hip hop: the MC, the DJ, breakdancing and graffiti artists. It is unknown if the fifth element of hip hop, knowledge, culture and overstanding, is included. DJ Artistic says from the four base elements, there are “production, beatboxing, clothing and fashion, then you have entrepreneurship and activism — these are the children of hip-hop.” The article promotes local events, but DJ Artistic goes on to explain how San Diego has some of the best, yet most underrated DJs. Promoting these events attracts clubgoers and, as a result, allows young artist to share their music among the general public.

The MC, or the rapper, tends to collab with others or other producers in the San Diegan rap scene. This leads to the art of scratching vinyls on the turntables, which gives DJs the opportunity to perform their craft for music fans. The breakdancers allow for entertainment with song, and is, according to the article, one of the original aspects of hip hop. Graffiti art is harder to come by, as most displays are found outdoors. According to the article, some clubs even have sections for graffiti, although the venue is indoors: “In another area of Club Paradise, where it’s more ventilated, they have a section for live graffiti art.”

I personally found it interesting that breakdancing has been considered for the 2024 Olympics. I think that it would be fulfilling to visit one of the venues that includes all four elements of hip hop just for the experience. I also found it intriguing that so many San Diego DJs take part in DJ competitions around the world.

[instantexpressions-blog]

RELS 356 Post #7 by Kyle Betz

Article I chose: https://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/how-spirituality-helped-krs-one-transform-his-life

The article I chose is an KRS-One interview where he talks about his performance schedule and spirituality. Before reading the interview transcript, I did not know KRS-One had such an international impact. KRS-One was trying to find God in hip hop and also prayed for success later in his life, which he achieved in Brooklyn as he was performing. Seeing KRS-One describe his performance and making concert-goers cry is very powerful. I find it interesting that it happened at a specific moment for KRS-One: “I realised right there that not only is God real, but so is the power of one’s own mind!” KRS-One is able to draw the main connection between mindfulness and religion in this interview.

In lecture, I learned that KRS-One is one of the figureheads of hip hop and religion. His name, which means “knowledge reigns supreme over nearly everyone,” resonates with me because knowledge and awareness of topic like religion within hip hop is what has influenced KRS-One throughout his career. His song “Hip Hop Speaks From Heaven” speaks volumes in that his belief in God directly translates to hip hop. You can see KRS-One’s appreciation for hip hop in this interview, as he goes into vast detail to describe his experience molding in to a hip hop artist that embraces religion.

This affects me because KRS-One’s beliefs make me consider religions influence throughout hip hop music. The more I study KRS-One and his music, the more I see the resemblance between both subjects. I feel as if mainstream rappers today should pay more attention to KRS-One and his lectures (like the one we saw in class) because of his beliefs. Even if the listener has a different viewpoint, KRS-One’s ideas are refreshing and are stimulating, which allows people to engage more in the conversation of the comparisons between hip hop and religion.

[instantexpressions-blog]

RELS 356 Post #6 by Kyle Betz

Song I used: https://genius.com/2-chainz-forgiven-lyrics

2 Chainz’ song “Forgiven” featuring Marsha Ambrosius is the first song in his album “Rap or Go to the League.” The hook, “Prayer for our sins, I… prayer for our souls, the...tears that we're cryin', let 'em all be forgiven,” shows the raw emotion between 2 Chainz and Marsha Ambrosius, which is not as common nowadays in hip hop. As we learned in lecture, asking for forgiveness occurs in each of the major three religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. The purpose of this song is just that: asking God for forgiveness from sins committed.

Marsha Ambrosius sings about prayer in the chorus, which I learned in lecture is practiced in a majority of religions. Ambrosius encourages the listener to pray for those who are struggling and those who are indirect recipients (children) of the struggles that people face. Ambrosius also references “dead lies.” My guess is that dead lies are lies that have been told for safety purposes, and these lies are dead because they have been forgiven following the incident.

I discovered a connection between 2 Chainz’ life reflection to Offset in his song “How Did I Get Here,” which I analyzed in my last post. 2 Chainz lived off food stamps during his childhood and was arrested in high school, ending his chances at getting into a good college basketball school. This subsequently proved to be the theme of the album. Like Offset, 2 Chainz talked about his struggle to reach his current point in life.

Other people that are mentioned in the song include Lil’ Fate’s son, who was murdered, and friends of 2 Chainz who have passed away. The song ends with a scene of a woman talking about a black boy growing up, before a police officer yelling at the boy before a gunshot is fired. This shows the struggle of police brutality in poor communities similarly to where 2 Chainz grew up: Atlanta.

The song also contains a sample of Jay-Z’s “Lucifer,” which is a religious effort by Jay-Z to rid of all negative influences, or demons, out of his life. Jay-Z says, “Hope you been reading your psalms and chapters; paying your tithe, being good Catholics, I’m coming” from the point of view of Lucifer. I see this as a reminder that temptations continuously revolve in Jay-Z’s life, and 2 Chainz’ life, for that matter.

I appreciate this song because it has a constant religious aspect of forgiveness. The song appears to have a sample of a choir singing behind the instrumental, adding another religious characteristic. The song is personal to 2 Chainz yet reflective and religious at the same time.

[instantexpressions-blog]

RELS 356 Post #5 by Kyle Betz

Song I used: https://genius.com/Offset-how-did-i-get-here-lyrics

Offset���s song “How Did I Get Here” featuring J. Cole comes from his first solo album and the second song on the disc. The album, “FATHER OF 4,” is about his journey as a parent and includes religious references in addition to how he has grown as a person. The first song of the album is an ode to his children, and later in the album is Offset’s apology to Cardi B for cheating on her.

Offset spoke about his faith in God before after he was released from jail in 2015, but his first solo has allowed him to express this faith through song. Many of the artists that we have learned about in this course have also used the same strategy to sharing their beliefs. In the intro to “How Did I Get Here,” Offset stays true to two important aspects of his life: “Give all the glory to God and hard work.” Throughout the song, Offset reflects on his life to reaching his current position. I can compare this to Tupac, who, in many of his songs, talks about the trials and tribulations he faces. After it all, though, he talks about how God helped him through it. This is evident in his song “Blasphemy,” where Tupac says the Lord’s Prayer at the end of the song.

In the chorus, Offset talks about how he was baptized at the age of five. This is repetitive throughout each hook, and J. Cole also refers to his own baptism in his feature. Baptism, as we learned in lecture, is a sacrament in the Christian faith alongside Communion, or the Lord’s Supper. Later in this verse, J. Cole talks about his employment as a tax collector. I found a religious connection to J. Cole, as Matthew and Zacchaeus from the Bible were also tax collectors but followed Jesus during His lifetime.

This verse affects me because it shows the true impact of religion in hip hop, even in this day and age where material objects seem to be held in higher standards in some forms of rap music. No matter their background, I enjoy hearing rappers lyricize about their past and how their religious background helped them through both prosperous and troubling times. I think that Offset chose a good feature in J. Cole on this song because both were able to illustrate their lives in such a short amount of time.

[instantexpressions-blog]

RELS 356 Post #4 by Kyle Betz

Article I used:

https://www.bet.com/music/2019/04/06/nipsey-hussle_s-mother-and-father-break-their-silence.html

As I mentioned in my previous post, rapper Nipsey Hussle was murdered in front of his store in Los Angeles. Throughout the past week, the Grammy-nominated rapper has been mourned by millions around the world. His memorial service will be held in one of the most recognizable venues in the country: Staples Center.

Based on Nipsey Hussle’s songs, lyrics and family statements, that leads me to assume that Nipsey was a Christian and possessed spiritual qualities during his life. Just as Tupac was known as an urban prophet, Nipsey Hussle is similar because of his messages of unity and peace. In lecture, I learned that there were six statements of evidence as to why Tupac was a prophet. In comparison, some of these statements could also be applied to Nipsey, such as his God conscience and how he fulfilled a leadership vacuum.

Nipsey’s father is quoted saying, “It was like he was sent by God to give some love to bring us together because that’s what his lyrics were saying, always. He’s not shy, to tell the truth even though it might not look good. He wasn’t scared of anything.” This adds to the already established context that Nipsey was religious and his music contained aspects of God and religion itself. In addition, his monotheistic-based lyrics could have been inspired by artists like Tupac and Nas. He collaborated with other artists like Kendrick Lamar and Dom Kennedy, who are both known to be lyricists with West Coast and religious influences.

I find it special that Nipsey’s spirituality impacted so many hip hop fans, and that his lyrics will always be available for those to remember him by. The fact that his family echoed that Nipsey Hussle was sent by God makes me think that Nipsey believed the exact same thing. Those echoing Nipsey’s music and lyrics after his death will also open the eyes of others so they recognize his impact and religious influence through his music. Nipsey’s death impacts me personally because of his life lessons that he is able to teach as an artist.

[instantexpressions-blog]

RELS 356 Post #3 by Kyle Betz

Article I used: https://www.theweekender.com/wk_cover/31567/graffiti-pops-up-locally-in-wake-of-rappers-death

One week ago today, rapper and activist Nipsey Hussle was tragically shot and killed in front of his store in Los Angeles. A graffiti artist has been tagging buildings and school buses with his name throughout the nearby areas this past week. Graffiti is the fourth foundation of hip hop, and its influence has been seen throughout the past several decades.

While the graffiti artist might think of tagging areas with Nipsey’s name as respectful, it is still considered vandalism. Members of the community think that there is a better way to honor the life of Nipsey Hussle rather than tag random areas within Wilkes-Barre. Graffiti, being a foundation of hip hop besides the MC, DJ and breakdancing, is a way to express one’s feelings -- similar to lyrics in a hip hop song.

In lecture, I learned about Isaac Swift, his life and art. Being a graffiti artist, he believed that there was an art and etiquette to this platform. I learned that one of the goals of graffiti is to go city-wide, which is what the Nipsey Hussle tagger has done. It is difficult for graffiti art to be dynamic in this case because the tagger wanted to honor Nipsey’s life. Nipsey is known to have included elements of religion and politics in his music. For example, his song “Right Hand to God” is one of the most popular songs from his album “Victory Lap.” Members from the Los Angeles community took his messages to heart, especially because of his promotion for non-violence.

Personally, I believe that there might have been another way to honor Nipsey Hussle rather than vandalizing buildings, signs and school buses. However, since graffiti is an element of hip hop, and because Nipsey Hussle was a prevalent figure in hip hop, I can understand why one might want to recognize Nipsey and his efforts through the art of tagging. Nipsey Hussle’s impact on the community, country and world give hip hop fans a reason to remember his life as it should be remembered.

[instantexpressions-blog]

RELS 356 Post #2 by Kyle Betz

Article I used: https://uproxx.com/hiphop/female-rappers-misogyny-patriarchical-standards/

Female rappers have constantly continued to gain notoriety in hip hop. One of the most notable female rappers, Nicki Minaj, has seen success for the past decade, while other rappers like City Girls and Cardi B have thrived in a shorter amount of time. Although these female rappers are gifted and skilled musically in their own right, comparisons as well as sexualization has affected the public’s view of these rappers.

Comparisons between female rappers might their ability to produce quality material because of each artist trying to “one-up” the other. Many of these rappers’ lyrics might derive from social media/public influence rather than their own experiences. The article states that “When it comes to discussing women who rap, too many men’s talking points rest on weak premises because of their bizarre compulsion to police and sexualize women.” This statement has truth because many critics look forward to bashing female artists rather than appreciating their music. Men, who are almost always seen as the dominant figure in hip hop, feel as if they have the sole right to talk about sex in rap. Women in rap who lyricize about sex go against the standard norm. To some men, rapping about performing sexual actions on men rather than women is against the “standard” in hip hop.

In lecture, I learned that feminism in hip hop is becoming more prevalent but women are still fighting for equality in the industry. I also learned in the Keyes reading that there are four types of archetypes of female hip hop artists, including queen mother, fly girl, sista with attitude and lesbian. Young M.A, who is a lesbian hip hop artist, has faced some open criticism by hip hop fans and even other members of the industry. Kodak Black once rapped, “I’m f*ckin’ Young M.A, long as she got a coochie.” This is offensive to Young M.A and other members of the LGBTQI community, and is especially offensive coming from someone who has been accused of rape in the past.

I believe that women in hip hop is great for the genre and the music industry in general. It’s unfortunate that female artists are sexualized and judged by how they portray themselves rather than just their music. To me, it’s sad to see that women hip hop artists in today’s climate are still judged even after some of the greats like Lauryn Hill have influenced the hip hop industry for decades.

[instantexpressions-blog]

RELS 356 Post #1 by Kyle Betz

Article I used: https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.50741/title.kodak-black-thinks-hes-better-than-2pac

In the article I selected, artist Kodak Black claims that he is a better rapper than Tupac on an Instagram Live broadcast. Kodak Black is not known to be a lyrical rapper; instead, he is known for his mumbling yet catchy hooks.

Recently, Kodak Black has taken a semi-new approach to rap. In “Dying To Live,” Kodak’s second album released last December, he takes a more spiritual approach to rap music. This album includes songs that are related to our Hip Hop and Religion course, such as “Transgression” and “Calling My Spirit.” In “Testimony,” Kodak talks about how he is on Earth to serve God’s purpose: “I'm God-sent, like He sent me up so I can relay these messages like He use me as his vessel, like He use me as an instrument.” An interesting aspect of this record is that Kodak sings, rather raps, the chorus. It’s evident that Kodak is taking a vocal risk in this song, but he is doing it to express how he feels.

During his Instagram Live broadcast, Kodak gives his reason as to why he believes he’s better than Tupac.

“Actually I’m better than 2Pac because I live what I rap about. He’s just a legend for a fact that he died,” Kodak said.

Personally, I disagree with this claim because I have not seen Kodak act out what he raps about, especially in his recent spiritual album. I also think that Tupac is a legend not because he died, but because of the messages he shared during his time on Earth. In lecture, I learned that Tupac was a prophet because he had a God conscience and a holistic view of social change. He also filled a leadership vacuum, was ready to die, exhibited moral ambiguities and was given postmortem honors. I am not sure of Kodak Black has any of these qualities at all. Death does not necessarily solidify a person’s status as a legend. Tupac was a legend when he was alive — that’s what made him legendary.

Kodak’s claim affects me personally because I strongly believe he should not be in the same category as Tupac as well as Biggie and Nas. I also don’t believe Kodak should compare himself to these legendary rappers because they lived and thrived in a different era. Kodak’s style of rap is almost a completely genre within itself. Since Kodak Black gained relevance and notoriety through SoundCloud by his “mumble rapping,” I do not think he should be named among hip hop greats because he is not a world-renowned lyricist like Tupac.