Hip Hop Music

Hip hop music is one of the most, if the most, popular music genres that people listen to in the United States, perhaps even the world. At the same time, it has also become one of the most racially stereotyped industries in the world. It is incredibly common for people to assume that "black people" are directly associated with hip hop music/rap. Although it may be true that the majority of hip hop music artists are African American, that still does not merit or deserve a stereotype given to it. 

Although I enjoy listening to some hip hop music, I very rarely watch any music videos at all because I do not watch that much television at all. The following are five hip hop music videos that I have never seen before.

1)  Soulja Boy- "Kiss Me Thru the Phone":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhwQay4QiOw

- This is a video that upholds the stereotype of the "ghetto, decked out in bling" African American entertainer. In this video, Soulja Boy talks about how he wants "it" and needs "it" and whatnot throughout this entire video. Although it is clearly obvious that not all African Americans are like that, it is still something widely portrayed in media. 

2)  Run DMC- "It's Like That":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsBfPhtSWl8

- This video was very interesting to watch because, in my opinion, Run DMC really started the hip hop genre, and generation for that matter. However, this music video is quite stereotypical of black people. The video's focus is on the creation of breakdance, and a group of minority young people are "showing up" a group of white people. Something I have never quite understood is why we all think that these stereotypes given to various groups of people are wrong to associate, but a vast majority of minority groups somewhat advocate the thing it is that stereotypes them. 

3)  Eminem- "Sing for the Moment":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpsKma0fniI

- Eminem is one of the only white hip hop/rap artists that exists in today's society. Personally, I like a lot of his music because he sings stories throughout his songs about his life. He brings to the table some versatility in his lyrics.

4) The Game ft. Mary J. Blige- "Hate it or Love it":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGHRbY0YmFk

- This is quite stereotypical of the African American race; however, it is not necessarily stereotypical of the aggression aspect at all. More over, it displays the object of the female somewhat.

5) Rihanna-"Don't Stop the Music":http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsRWpK4pf90

- The majority of female music artists are quite sexual. In this video Rihanna, although she has a great body, is very objectified. 

Doublemint gum commercials, the Fubu and Ecko clothing brands and some newer Old Navy commercials have successfully utilized hip hop to promote their product. Although hip hop is something that has been stereotyped, people clearly like it. Hip hop dance moves and phrases have become very commonplace, especially among the younger generation. My parents listened to the “oldies,” as we call them today, and classic rock. They still do. Personally, I like hip hop, but I do think that sometimes it promotes the wrong image of people and phrases. However, something about that is very appealing to the public, just like “sex sells.”

 

 

The Perpetuation of Subtle Prejudice: Race and Gender Imagery in 1990s Television Advertising

1) AT&T Commercial:

http://

www.youtube.com/watchv=KmA2VIkND4Y&feature=PlayList&p=9CF8B0D1AB0B9FF8&index=17

This commercial, although a quite comical idea, was semi-racially based if one was looking for it. A man of Asian decent is trying to help his good friend do some holiday shopping because he is in a body cast with a broken neck. Although they might not have intended to make it seem racially unequal, the fact that the Asian man does all of his shopping tells him what he got for each person and so forth, upholds the racial stereotype of Asians being the hard workers.

2)Gap print ad: Bazaar Magazine

In this advertisement, the main person is an African American woman who is dressed in a vest with a white thermal longsleeve shirt on. Her hair is short and she has a pretty skin complexion, but her eyes are closed and she is half-smiling. However, on the corresponding page, there is a white woman, and they show her whole body facing the front and her eyes are open. This reinforces the stereotypical dominance of the white woman over the African American woman. Also, the advertisement with the black woman only shows her from her belly button, and it cuts off the top of her head. Also, since the ad is black and white, she does not stand out nearly as much as the white woman because she is wearing darker colors, whereas the white woman has on white jeans. Also, the white woman has a sultry facial expression, whereas the African American woman does not have much of an expression at all. 

3) Downy Fabric Softener print Advertisment: Bazaar Magazine

This ad shows three women, two white and one black, with their arms around each other as they walk around in a nightlife setting. The black woman is in the middle looking and talking to one of the white friends, who does not even seem to look back at her. She is looking somewhere else and paying no attention to the talking friend. Also, the two white women appear to be leaning somewhat away from her as she is talking, as if they want to escape her grasp. Lastly, the African American woman is wearing pants and a longsleeve shirt, whereas the two white women are dressed in a skirt and a dress. It is as if they want to portray the white women as sexually asking for it, but they want to cover up the black woman as if they are ashamed to portray her in the same manner. These little things are what reinforce racial and gender stereotypes. 

4) Calvin Klein print ad: Bazaar Magazine

A white man and a woman are leaning up against a door frame on the balcony of their large condominium. The woman is leaning up against it while the man is positioned standing over her with his arm above her head. The woman looks as if she is trying to seduce her male counterpart, and he has a fierce look as if he wants to control or dominate her. She is also in a very short fitted black dress, which only adds to her sexualism. This is very typical of the way women and men are portrayed in advertisements. And it unfortunately is true- "sex sells."

5) Carl's Junior commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gby0zfCYiA

Paris Hilton walks in a car warehouse garage with a revealing one-piece swimsuit, where she proceeds to sexually wash the car while sponging herself as well as making sexual gestures. This is a prime example of how women are portrayed by the media- sexual deviants and nothing else. She licks her fingers close-up to the camera, crawls all over the car in stilettos, and the cameraman zooms in on her rear end. Also the music sounds like something you would hear in an old style saloon or something of that sort. That commercial, ironically brought about a lawsuit for Carl's Junior by the FCC I believe. Additionally, that commercial officially clenched the reputation Paris Hilton now has as being "skanky." 

6) Tiffany & Co. print ad: Bazaar Magazine

In this ad, an African American woman is modeling a beautiful necklace. However, if you look at the ad, you have to really look at it to tell whether the woman is black or white. She could almost look tan. Also, they only show her from the chest up and only lighten the photo at the top of her neck to her chin. 

7) Bluefly.com print ad: Elle Magazine

This ad sexualizes women because a white woman is sitting naked at a Thanksgiving dinner with her family. However, they do not even seem to notice her and she has a submissive facial expression. 

8) PlanB print advertisement: Elle Magazine

There is an African American woman holding a PlanB pill. This reinforces the stereotype of black women as sexually irresponsible women. Placing a black woman as the focal point of this ad makes black women look like the type of people that would purchase PlanB, as opposed to white women.

9) Dolce & Gabbana print ad: Elle Magazine

Giselle Bundcheon is seducing the viewer by slightly opening her mouth and staring longingly at the camera.

10) Giorgio Armani print ad: Elle Magazine

A woman in a fitted sleek black dress goes down her lower lower back to just above her butt. She has a stern, dominatrix look on her face, and there is a man looking at her with lust in the background. This reinforces the stereotype of women as sexually promiscuous. 

As I went through all of these advertisements, the typical gender and racial stereotypes are reinforced.