Meagan Bens

Topic: Rap music stereotypes and their consequences

Research Questions:
What are the differences between the portrayal of African Americans in early hip hop compared
to now? What is the shift in focus or purpose? How has this shift in image impacted African
Americans lives?
What are the mainstream, commercialized portrayal of rap music and its stars? What impact do
these stereotypes have on African Americans?/How do these stereotypes affect their
development? How do Americans and culture respond to these stereotypes?
What is the correlation between rap songs lyrics and how well they sell? Do more gangster
lyrics result in higher popularity? Are artists trapped in the industrys demands?
What does the growing acceptance and popularity of hip hop/rap music say about our society?
What groups listen to this music the most?
Audience and Significance:
I want my paper to help society, both blacks and whites, understand the consequences of these
stereotypes that are created and applied. I want my research to raise awareness of the
repercussions that we often ignore.
Context:
The issue has been relevant for a while, ever since the breakout of gangster rap in the 90s. In the
80s-90s, there were a variety of artists and styles. Once corporations realized rap was a growing
phenomenon that could result in profit, the content shifted. Rap started as a form of expression,
but has been changed to black artists rapping whatever will benefit white executives. The variety
has disappeared and commercial rap was created, which includes an abundance of negative black
stereotypes.
Exhibit:
To exhibit my discussion concerning the consequences of rap music stereotypes, I plan on
highlighting these stereotypes. First I will give a general background on the start of rap and the
shift in styles and values. After providing background, I will dive into stereotypes. Things I am
considering focusing on are violence, misogyny, drugs, money, etc. I want to emphasize how the
rap music that is popular now is a sub-genre, stemming from what producers think will sell. The
stereotypes from rap music now are nothing new, they stem from the days of Americas
establishment and stereotypes back then.
Key Sources found so far

MLA Citation

Type of Source

What does the source offer?

REBOLLO-GIL, Guillermo, and

Amanda Moras. "Black Women and
Black Men in Hip Hop Music:
Misogyny, Violence and the
Negotiation of (White-Owned)
Space." <i>Journal of Popular
Culture</i> 45.1 (2012): 118-32.
<i>SPORTDiscus with Full
Text</i>. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.

Academic Journal

brief history of rap music,

representations of black men and
women in music, impact of white
peoples interpretations of violent
lyrics

White, Miles. African American

Music in Global Perspective : From
Jim Crow to Jay-Z : Race, Rap, and
the Performance of Masculinity.
Champaign, IL, USA: University of
Illinois Press, 2011. ProQuest
ebrary. Web. 9 November 2015.

Book

black masculinity and the politics of

racial performance, whiteness and
new masculine desire, rise of
gangster rap

Kitwana, Bakari. The Hip Hop

Book
Generation: Young Blacks and the
Crisis in African American Culture.
New York: Basic Civitas, 2002.
Music Online: African American
Music Reference. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.

new black youth culture, race war