By Golly! This hoppin’ sure is hip!

1. By Golly! This hoppin’ sure is hip! Evaluating the cohesive potential of Hip Hop

2. The 5 pillars of Hip Hop • Consciousness • DJ • MC • Movement (Dance) • Graffiti

3. Hip Hop origins • Developed as a means of expression for an oppressed people. mainstream didn’t want them, so they were like, “forget you, then” and started their own thing. • DJ Kool Herc started playing music in the streets of south bronx. • People started dancing, wearing their own styles, taggin up the hood. • Cohesion.

4. The Tensions • Once hip hop started growing, mainstream society caught awareness. Hip Hop, firmly rooted in black American culture, took on a slew of negative connotations that whites had assigned it. • Whites began to view it as a counter culture and associated Hip Hop with an anti-white mentality.

5. Authenticity • After a while, white youths started realizing that Hip hop was pretty much the greatest thing ever, and slowly, hip hop made its way into the lives of whites both rich and poor. • Blacks obviously weren’t keen on lettings whites get involved in hip hop. How could whites possibly understand hip hop? How could they begin to prove their worthiness after years of social privilege?

6. The idea is that Hip Hop emerged as a way of expressing the struggle blacks faced in white America. Why should whites be a part of an art form that blacks created to ease their oppression by whites?

7. Nevertheless, whites found it possible to be a part of hip hop. It didn’t happen easily and controversy still exists today. • Various modes of proving authenticity were employed to demonstrate worthiness.

8. The “riches to rags” technique • Emersion • Copying language and style (actually prevents authenticity)

9. Loophole? • MAD SKILLS, SON.

10. Interviews • Should whites be a part of Hip Hop? What would allow for or prevent this? • What happens when racism is no more? • How should Hip Hop be used? How shouldn’t it be used? • What do you think about the progression of Hip Hop?

11. Interviewees • Black rapper • White rapper • Black Hip Hop theatre professor • White African American studies student

12. AIME • Whites should be a part • Whites shouldn’t express opinions on certain things • Shift in material due to societal evolution • Fun to express struggle was/is the element of Hip Hop • Industry, Media, Marketability - out of our control • White America • Humanity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeYAgh0o2PM&feature=related

13. Tengu • No fun, too serious • He didn’t set set up racialization • It’s a lifestyle - fear of appropriation • Realness breaks through classification and category • Division as a tool • White rappers that perpetuate “white rapper” • Hip Hop as a hobby • Most tensions manufactured • Hip Hop’s constantly evolving http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YodcvNWF9w

14. Sammy Reyes • Whites should be a part but they gotta chill • Everyone has been oppressed - Hip Hop’s growth • Hip Hop is black, but it’s motives persist • We’ve gone from MLK quotes to the commodified crap we have today - always gonna happen • Return to culture - truth • Hip Hop is about a story - Shakespeare • Back to the people • $<--------------------->Goodness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sffet60P6jI&feature=related

15. Daniel Keltz • Whites should be a part as long as they don’t take it • The only whites that shouldn’t are CEOs • Artists for growth and truth are key • Hip Hop has great potential for local conditions • Hip Hop transverses class and race - unification

16. The future of Hip Hop • All agree that the commodification has ruined the art form. • All agree it can be a unifying force • It’s gonna be about a new struggle

17. Conclusion, yo. • Definite racial divide • Blacks - white people are alright but they messed it up big time (like usual) • Whites - we messed it up, but you should still let us play with you guys

18. Good looks for watchin’, yo.