Hip Hop Slang

Some are offended by the use of profanity in hip hop music. Others simply dismiss it as part of the culture. I wonder what makes it acceptable to use derogatory terms as a part of slang or even endearment. Words like ‘bitch,’ ‘nigga,’ and ‘faggot’ have become part of the slang language used in hip hop. The problem comes when these words spill over from the hip hop world and culture into society that has been affected by hip hop but is not fully aware of hip hop’s definition of these terms. I also think that a lot of the communication comes from the tone in which the words are used. I admit that I have taken pride in being called a bitch. It was the tone of the person using the phrase “You are quiet the bossy bitch,” that made me take the statement as a compliment. However, there have been times that my younger brother has called me a bitch and it completely enraged me because he used a hateful tone that was meant to belittle me as a woman. Check out this link to a teacher who used the term ‘nigga’ when addressing a student and has been suspended from his job.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCM8STStfGw&NR
I think that the teacher was using a term that he knew nothing about but had become familiar with through the influence of hip hop. Not that this man would listen to hip hop because it seems that he does not understand the connotation of that term being used by a middle aged white man to a teenage black boy. Crazy! Just as my younger brother knows nothing of being a female it is wrong of him to use the word ‘bitch.’ I think that there is a certain context in which these terms can be used and they may not offend any one but when used in these circumstances they are found highly offensive. However, when the teacher’s words were remixed in a hip hop manner they are still slightly offensive, but now they are freakin’ hilarious.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrrC-V3MhCk&mode=related&search=
Do you feel that only certain people have the right to use slang words?
http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-slang-used-in-hip-hop-music
Which slang words are appropriate and non offensive to use outside of hip hop music?

Thoughts on My Hip Hop Education

As I have stated in previous blogs I am illiterate when it comes to hip hop. The course I am in has helped me to gain knowledge in the area and I am pleased with my new discoveries. However, I feel very confused at times. Here is one example of my confusion. When the class first began we paired up with partners for an assignment. By the grace of God I was lucky enough to be paired with someone fluent in hip hop. I felt comfortable enough with my partner, Brandon, to make a fool of myself to him and ask the difference between hip hop and rap. He reassured me that it was not a silly question and there was not that much of a difference it was just a sub category. So yesterday when someone said that you can be a hip hop artist with out being a rapper it boggled my mind. I am still quiet perplexed by this idea, but I see the difference. I think. It’s like if someone is good at beat boxing but can’t spit rhyme very well they are still apart of hip hop music. I’m sure there are other artists out there who are considered hip hop who do not rap, but I have been taking baby steps with this education. I have started to download some “old school” hip hop on to my ipod. I like to work out to it. However, with this new found education and listening to hip hop I cannot help but feel like a poser. I am not hip hop. I like the beats and sometimes I find the lyrics touching a part of my soul that gives me goose bumps, but this is not the real me. I wear cowboy boots on a regular basis. I was raised in a lower middle class white home with a preacher for a father and one extremely opinionated mother. I have two brothers who have never been shot, beat up, or a gang member. I am from Noble, Oklahoma and live on ten acres of farm land. How is that hip hop? What in me can relate with this music? I have never been through what most of the artist sing about in their songs, but it is my human nature and what I believe to be my compassion that can identify with the lyrics and beats of hip hop. Intrigued by a life style different from mine is what makes me want to listen more to the “ill” beats of Public Enemy and NWA. Is this going to make me forget that I grew up in boondocks and ride horses? No, because to me real is country, classic rock, and remembering that at heart I am a little bit white trash. As a human and a functioning member of society it is important to take a look at all walks of life and listen to what they are saying to society, and if at all possible help their cause once in awhile.
Videos interesting to me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8ddzDZP3Cs&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHIpyRG4f2g
Video that is home to me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXsjysiN8A0

Hip hop is surrounded by racial issues. It is also full of gender double standards and things that are looked down upon for women. I recently did a presentation comparing Queen Latifah and Trina. Before this assignment I had little knowledge of either hip hop artist. Comparing the two women became fascinating for me. Of course I had heard of Queen Latifah and even seen a few of her movies like Chicago and Bringing down the House, but I had never heard any of her music that I could recall. I definitely had never heard of Trina. The first thing I did was search Trina on i-tunes and listen to a few of her songs. I definitely say a difference to Queen Latifah. Trina was rapping about things that I personally consider being very private matters, and though I had never really listened to a Queen Latifah song I was almost positive her music did not have the same subject matter. Here is strange thing; the more I listened to Trina’s music the more I began to understand it more. I can respect her as an artist because she is, in a sense, the definition of hip hop, real. Trina never apologizes for who she is or what she raps about, and to me that is respectable. Her lyrics are sexually explicit, but it’s her and real. So why does Trina catch such a bad reputation for doing exactly what male artist do and singing of their sexual escapades? It is not only the industry’s double standard, but society’s. If a guy were to sing the exact same Trina lyrics he would get a high five from his buddies but when Trina sings them she is labeled a slut. To me that is not fair. Though the double standard has changed a little and guys can be considered male sluts now instead of glorified as players. However, women are viewed as sluts if they want to express themselves sexually. I feel that these double standards are mostly reinforced by women. Women judge the lyrics as inappropriate and immediately deem that female artist as a slut. Why? Is it jealously? I don’t understand why we cannot support one another as successful women. After all we are women and the supposed inferior gender. Even though I may not agree with Trina’s lyrics I’m glad she is making it possible for women to express themselves in a sexual manner.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuBHIfoCP1U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h5NNTVpzYU

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2294/is_n7-8_v33/ai_17895695

Music Racial Lines

Is hip hop a black thing? If hip hop is truly defined as something that is “real” then it should not have racial barriers. However, after reading the handout Why White Kids Love Hip Hop it became clear that there are people out there who believe that hip hop is a black thing belonging to black culture. Hip hop began as a way for black youth so speak out against the government that had forsaken their neighborhood and race. Many people feel that middle class white kids have no right taking part of something that they really do not understand. I say why not? If hip hop is still about getting the people in power positions to fix the problems in the black community, or at least notice they exist, then why is it a big deal for white kids to be interested in hip hop? It makes more people aware of the cause. I understand the fear that the white kids may misrepresent hip hop and what it stands for. If hip hop’s true definition is to be real then is white kid into hip hop in Middle America suburbia with not many black friends real? I don’t have the answer to that one. I don’t understand why music has to be a white or a black thing. The whole thing about rock-n-roll coming from black people’s music and now white people take credit for it boggles my mind. What about Cowboy Troy the black country singer? I’m positive that he has caught some major flack, but he continues to do what he loves and that is sing country music. I disagree with music having racial lines. I know that there are things that I will never have to deal with simply because of the fact that I look white. People would never know that I am actually a Choctaw Indian, but because I look white I will never have to deal with the racial struggles that other Indians do. However, should the fact that I look white keep me from listening to tribal music? To me the answer is simple, it’s no. Music can have so many different meanings not one is right or wrong. Though sometimes the meaning you get from a song may not be what the writer was intending, but that does not make it wrong because it is the meaning that you understand. Music is universal. I am and for as long as can remember have always listened closely to the lyrics. I’m not sure why I do that instead of just listening to the beat. It’s probably because my father, the reverend, has always told me to be careful of what I am putting into my mind. I find that listening to the lyrics helps me make a deeper connection with that song. My point is what if a middle class white kid can connect with the lyrics of a gangsta rap song, that connection is what make it real. If we limit music to race so many people will be missing out on so many great songs.

http://chronicmagazine.com/public.php?level=1&page_id=169

http://www.nathanielturner.com/freddiefoxxx.htm

http://www.cowboytroy.com/

Breakin'

Since taking this course I have learned hip hop is not just a type of music, but it is something that is real. Hip hop is a way of life, a culture. I watched the film Letter to the President. This film showed that all these claims were absolutely true. The film Breakin’ confused me a bit. In the film hip hop was shown as a way of life for two of the characters, but not all the characters. However, the two that it was a way of life for were people who were totally hip hop. My point is the characters did not seem like real people. It could have been the terrible acting that was not helping their case of proving that hip hop is real. In this film hip hop takes the form of street dancing. There is also a young woman highly interested in becoming a street dancer. The previous events are totally real and support the comment that hip hop is real and a life style. Kelly the female interested in hip hop is actually studying to become a Broadway dancer when she begins her love affair with hip hop. Kelly has an agent that is helping her achieve her Broadway dreams. Her agent attends a street event to watch Kelly and her street friends in a dance off. This could be real but it is doubtful that a real agent would go to a street dance off. Within the next day or so the agent has a get together at his house with a bunch of rich people. He invites Kelly and her friends to attend the party and they do. This is where I think the movie is not true to “real hip hop.” I do not think 1) that an agent would invite street people to this kind of party in that time era. 2) I do not think that the street people attend the party before hell froze over. I do think that this scene is a little of the foreshadowing of the future of hip hop. By the group going to the party is symbolizes the commercialization of hip hop. That the street beat which was so popular among people in urban areas would become a phenomenon that would appeal to all genders and races. This could the beginning of what some call the death of hip hop because of the commercialization. I liked the film though it was a little out dated. Maybe there will be a remake with current hip hop stars.

http://www.fast-rewind.com/break/findex.htm
http://www.undergroundhiphop.com/video/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik/Hip-hop

What is Hip Hop to You?

To me Hip Hop is a genre of music that I know close to nothing about. Today I truly began an in depth education not only about the genre Hip Hop, but also Hip Hop as a culture. Watching the film Letter to the President brought up knowledge of Hip Hop and introduced many government conspiracy theories targeted at the black community. Completely unaware of any agenda behind Hip Hop music my eyes were opened to a social a political movement the Hip Hop genre created and in turn created a culture.
http://www.hiphop.org.au/history/
The link above gives detail to the birth of the Hip Hop phenomenon. Hip Hop, like most forms of music is a way of expression for the artist. Hip Hop began like an explosion as a way for those whose voices were not being heard to finally be heard. Hip Hop has been compared to rock most saying that it is the modern day rebellion. One article I read about rock-n-roll claims that racism killed rock for many black people. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/columns/article/8079/racism-killed-rock-part-ii/ Many rock artists sang about issues that related to both blacks and whites. However in more recent days a more racial line has been drawn. I believe this line was drawn mostly by the media. Leading the masses to believe that music such as rock is meant mainly for white people and rap and hip hop is to only be listened to by black people and rebels. These accusations are completely ridiculous, to me, music is universal. Music is so powerful. It has the power to open minds, change hearts, and inspire people. I think this is partially why the authorities fear Hip Hop.
I see Hip Hop as a movement. The people who began Hip Hop were rapping about issues that are very serious. They were and are screaming out for help for their community and no one seems to be listening. I agree, I never took the time to listen to the lyrics of many Hip Hop songs. I cannot tell you why. Maybe it’s because I always assumed it to be crude or violent. Maybe it’s because I felt as though I couldn't relate. What I do know is that Hip Hop artists have a lot more to say than the media gives them credit for. One may not know this by the music industries way of selling albums. Most of the main stream Hip Hop artists are not rapping about serious issues but instead have lyrics that sell. They rap about meaningless things like shoes, grillz, or candy. This is what makes some believe that Hip Hop is on the brink of extinction. http://allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=6524
I am not exactly sure of what Hip Hop is to me, but hope it is alive long enough for me to find out.

First Day of Class

As I entered Gaylord hall I saw a group of guys heading up the stairs, so I followed them. We all went into the same classroom and took a seat. It took me about 20 mins before I realized that I was in macroeconomics instead of hip hop in the media. I felt foolish when I looked at the syllabus to realize my mistake. My face was red with embarrassement when I left the classroom. I walked down the hall and entered the correct classroom 2030. Hip hop music was playing and I saw a few familiar faces and felt at ease that I was in the right place at last.
I enrolled in this course for two main reasons. The first being that I need more hours in order to graduate in May. The second reason being that I would like to expand my knowledge on hip hop (since I have none). I guess you could say that I was country when country wasn't cool. Though many may argue that country still is not cool, I am undeniably country. I was born and raised in a small town and I cannot help it but I love country music. However, I am not a music snob. I will listen to all types of music and have a wide variety on my ipod. I listen to everything from Chris LeDoux to Beyonce to The Beatles. I love music.
One thing that I am sad to admit is I do not have a large knowledge of the hip hop culture. I hope to be enlightened by this course and become educated in the ways of hip hop.