Hip-hop has come a long way from its origins in the Bronx in the 1970s; when rapping and DJing were just part of a lively; decidedly local scene that also venerated b-boying and graffiti. Now hip-hop is a global phenomenon and; in the United States; a massively successful corporate enterprise predominantly controlled and consumed by whites while the most prominent performers are black. How does this shift in racial dynamics affect our understanding of contemporary hip-hop; especially when the music perpetuates stereotypes of black men? Do black listeners interpret hip-hop differently from white fans?These questions have dogged hip-hop for decades; but unlike most pundits; Michael P. Jeffries finds answers by interviewing everyday people. Instead of turning to performers or media critics; Thug Life focuses on the musicrsquo;s fansmdash;young men; both black and whitemdash;and the resulting account avoids romanticism; offering an unbiased examination of how hip-hop works in peoplersquo;s daily lives. As Jeffries weaves the fansrsquo; voices together with his own sophisticated analysis; we are able to understand hip-hop as a tool listeners use to make sense of themselves and society as well as a rich; self-contained world containing politics and pleasure; virtue and vice.
#1446169 in eBooks 2012-09-25 2012-09-25File Name: B009P3ZAB2
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