Fight the power : political expression in rap music : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Abstract

This paper is an examination of rap music as a vehicle for political "expression and as an indicator of urban consciousness. Rap music has been underrated and overlooked as a source of creative expression as well as social commentary, but many songs and artists have demonstrated a role in voicing political opinion and calling for political action. The discussion includes a brief history of the art form, social responses to the music, and specific lyrical examinations. Rap music is unique in that while it is a new and innovative art form, it also incorporates historic methods of oral tradition as well as the legacies of gospel, the blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and other influences. As rap music grew in the 1980s, its potential for social activism was realized, and the music has served to increase political awareness ever since. Rap has served to both reflect urban realities and to provide an outlet for expression and a tool for education, and this paper is an exploration of these functions.